Author: Valla, Ioulia

New position open at CBE department

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A new position is now open for tenure track Assistant/Associate Professor at the Chemical and Biomolecular Department. Search # 2020288

The Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department at the University of Connecticut invites applications to fill a tenure-track faculty position at the assistant or associate professor level, with an expected start date of August 23, 2020.

 

The University of Connecticut (UConn) is entering a transformational period of growth supported by the $1.7B Next Generation Connecticut (http://nextgenct.uconn.edu/) and the $1B Bioscience Connecticut (http://biosciencect.uchc.edu/) investments and a bold new Academic Plan: Path to Excellence (http://issuu.com/uconnprovost/docs/academic-plan-single-hi-optimized_1).  As part of these initiatives, UConn has hired more than 450 new faculty members at all ranks during the past three years.  We are pleased to continue these investments by inviting applications for one Assistant or Associate Professor position in the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department.

 

The successful candidate will be expected to contribute to research and scholarship through extramural funding (in disciplines where applicable), high quality publications, impact as measured through citations, performances and exhibits (in disciplines where applicable), and national recognition as through honorific awards. In the area of teaching, the successful candidate will share a deep commitment to effective instruction at the undergraduate and graduate levels, development of innovative courses and mentoring of students in research, outreach and professional development. Successful candidates will also be expected to broaden participation among members of under-represented groups; demonstrate through their research, teaching, and/or public engagement the richness of diversity in the learning experience; integrate multicultural experiences into instructional methods and research tools; and provide leadership in developing pedagogical techniques designed to meet the needs of diverse learning styles and intellectual interests.

 

The research specialty of primary interest is in the area of energy broadly interpreted, with research interests including, but not limited to: advanced energy materials, processes, and systems; combustion science & technology; energy storage and power management; fuels and fuel processing; renewable energy & resources; or bioenergy/biofuels.  Other topics in the broad area of energy are also welcome.

 

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Develop and sustain an externally funded research program in the field of Chemical Engineering emphasizing but not limited to advanced energy materials, processes, and systems; combustion science & technology; energy storage and power management; fuels and fuel processing; renewable energy & resources; or bioenergy/biofuels.
  • Develop a national and international presence and reputation for excellence in research in Chemical Engineering and the specialty subfield(s) of interest as listed above.
  • Teach undergraduate and graduate core curriculum courses and specialty courses in the Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Department.
  • Advise and mentor undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Provide service and leadership to all units of the University of Connecticut, to external academic and scientific communities, and to the general public.

 

Minimum Qualifications: Candidates must have an earned Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering or a related field by the time of appointment; an established record of research with demonstrated potential for excellence in teaching commensurate with experience; and a commitment to promoting diversity through their academic and research programs. Candidates must also demonstrate a commitment to graduate education.

 

Preferred Qualifications: Preferred candidates will possess an outstanding record of scholarship and research contributions commensurate with experience, with accomplishments that demonstrate the relevance of their research to the chemical engineering and/or energy field in general. A record of excellence in teaching; the ability to effectively communicate with students in both large and small audiences, and a record of public engagement are equally desirable.

 

This is a full-time, 9-month, tenure track position with an anticipated start date of August 23, 2020.  The successful candidate’s primary academic appointment will be at the Storrs campus. Salary will be commensurate with qualifications and experience.

 

This position will be filled subject to budgetary approval.

 

To apply, click here and select “Apply” to be redirected to Academic Jobs Online to complete your application.  Please submit the following: a cover letter, curriculum vitae, research and scholarship statement; teaching statement (including teaching philosophy, teaching experience, commitment to effective learning, concepts for new course development, etc.); commitment to diversity statement (including broadening participation, integrating multicultural experiences in instruction and research and pedagogical techniques to meet the needs of diverse learning styles, etc.); and sample articles or books.  Additionally, please follow the instructions in Academic Jobs Online to direct three reference writers to submit letters of reference on your behalf.  Screening of applicants will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. Employment of the successful candidates will be contingent upon the successful completion of a pre-employment criminal background check. (Search # 493703)

 

UCONN biodiesel technology is now commercial

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UCONN Biodiesel technology led by Prof. Richard Parnas was installed at the wastewater treatment plant of the city of Danbury in CT. “We will be converting their waste stream, brown grease, to biodiesel fuel for use in their municipal vehicles, school buses, and heating systems” said Prof Parnas. A proposal was submitted to the city of New Haven to install the same technology to their water treatment facility. New Haven and Danbury are very excited to include UCONN as a partner in these projects.

UConn Partners in $100M DOE Innovation Hub on Water Technologies – Jeff McCutcheon leads UConn’s participation in NAWI

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Around the world, fresh water scarcity poses a major economic, environmental, and humanitarian challenges. The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) and other federal agencies have forged important collaborations with universities, the private sector, the National Labs, and other organization to find innovative and practical solutions to address this threat.

U.S. Secretary of Energy Rick Perry announced Monday that the National Alliance for Water Innovation (NAWI), a research consortium including the University of Connecticut, has been awarded a five-year, $100-million Energy-Water Desalination Hub (pending appropriations) to address water security issues in the United States. The hub will focus on early-stage research and development for energy-efficient and cost-competitive desalination technologies and for treating nontraditional water sources for various end uses.

Jeffrey McCutcheon, Al Geib Professor of Environmental Engineering Research and Education in UConn’s School of Engineering, is leading UConn’s participation in NAWI. McCutcheon is an internationally recognized expert in membrane technologies for sustainable water and energy production. He serves as a deputy thrust area lead for the hub’s R&D activities involving materials and manufacturing, and is also the UConn site representative to NAWI.

“UConn is excited to join a team consisting of top researchers in the field of water treatment and desalination,” says McCutcheon, who is also executive director of the Fraunhofer USA Center for Energy Innovation at UConn Tech Park. “While Connecticut does not suffer from severe water shortages, we do have water quality challenges that could see solutions emerge from this effort.”

McCutcheon anticipates that NAWI will tap into UConn’s expertise in areas like membrane technology, waste water treatment, computational development, and systems design, to create a stable and resilient water supply for agriculture, industry, and communities. NAWI hopes to achieve these goals through a “circular water economy,” by which water is treated for a specific purpose and reused at the local level rather than being transported long distances.

As a DOE Energy Innovation Hub, NAWI will not only conduct research but also develop a roadmap to prioritize the highest impact technology options, then identify and solicit projects to support those priorities.

NAWI’s goal is to advance a portfolio of novel technologies that will secure a circular water economy in which 90% of nontraditional water sources – such as seawater, brackish water, and produced waters – can be cost-competitive with existing water sources within 10 years.

According to McCutcheon, many of UConn’s research strengths align well with NAWI’s goals.

“Not only is UConn home to one of the highest quality material characterization facilities in the country, many UConn faculty members also already contribute to important water safety initiatives like Governor Lamont’s task force on hazardous chemicals in the Farmington River,” says McCutcheon. “I’m confident that UConn’s preeminent researchers and high-tech infrastructure will allow us to play a significant role in the NAWI innovation hub.”