Awards

Dr. George Bollas Receives ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award

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By Jayna Miller

bollasgeorge_wCDr. George Bollas, an assistant professor in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, is the recipient of a prestigious ACS Petroleum Research Fund Doctoral New Investigator Award. The ACS PRF programs support innovative research in the petroleum field and promote the development of promising engineers and scientists. The award program provides career opportunities to young faculty and their undergraduate and graduate students by supporting advanced scientific research. The goals of the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund are to support fundamental research in the petroleum field and develop the next generation of engineers and scientists through the support of advanced scientific education.
Dr. Bollas’ research project will explore aspects of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis selectivity. The Fischer-Tropsch process is a collection of chemical reactions that provide a means of producing transportation fuels from carbon monoxide and hydrogen, a combination referred to as synthesis gas. This reaction also produces excess hydrocarbon products in addition to materials for fuel, so there remains a need to make this process more selective.

Through Dr. Bollas’ research, it may be possible to significantly improve the selectivity of this process to make the synthesis of fuel through Fisher-Tropsch more efficient and economical. Dr. Bollas and his research group plan to examine novel catalyst synthesis methods that enhance the selectivity of Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FTS) towards intermediate-chain length hydrocarbons, particularly synthetic gasoline.

The benefits of making Fischer-Tropsch a more efficient and less centralized process are energy independence and security. In addition, the vast unexploited resources of natural gas found recently in the US make natural gas a major source for energy and fuels production. Dr. Bollas’ new experimental work will provide the capability to expand research exploring alternative fuels and efficient processes at the CBE Department and in the Center for Clean Energy Engineering.

Dr. Bollas is a process design expert and winner of the prestigious NSF CAREER Award and the ACS PRF DNI Award. His research focuses on biomass pyrolysis, coal and biomass to liquids, Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, chemical-looping combustion, and waste to energy processes.

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Amanda Card Receives 2013 Outstanding Student Women Academic Achievement Award

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Momentum logoModified from original version with permission from Momentum, a School of Engineering electronic publication.

 

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Amanda Card presents her work at the annual Senior Design Day at Gampel Pavilion

Chemical Engineering senior Amanda Card received the 2013 Outstanding Student Women Academic Achievement Award for an undergraduate. She has maintained a cumulative GPA of 4.0 while devoting significant time to outreach activities, scholarly research, and leadership duties within the Society of Women Engineers (SWE).
Amanda has served as Collegiate Section President, Conference Committee Chair and Secretary of UConn’s SWE chapter, and worked as a STEM instructor for eighth grade students from underserved communities who participate in UConn’s Pre-Engineering Program (PEP).  Amanda’s undergraduate research, overseen by Dr. Leslie Shor, has involved contributions to the development of an optical method that measures diffusivity through hydrogel-filled microfluidic capillaries. She has also interned with both Unilever and Saint-Gobain. Amanda is excited to begin her career with MPR Associates, Inc. in Alexandria, VA following graduation.

UConn Engineering Honors John (Jack) Prior

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prior2013During a gala event on May 2 at the Storrs campus, the School of Engineering honored 10 exceptional alumni and friends as 2013 inductees into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers. Nearly 100 attendees helped to honor the new inductees, each of whom spoke of the profound influence of UConn Engineering in shaping their careers.  One inductee was an alumnus of the Chemical Engineering department, John Prior.

John (Jack) Prior graduated from UConn in 1986 with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and then went on to earn a doctorate of science (Sc.D.) in Chemical Engineering from MIT, focusing his research on monitoring and controlling bioreactors for the production of biopharmaceuticals.

Jack’s current position is Senior Director for Bioprocess Engineering at Genzyme, where he oversees a team of 14 engineers responsible for improving the manufacturing processes  for these and other biopharmaceutical compounds that can be incredibly challenging to produce.

Jack’s work often places him in the “front lines” in addressing critical challenges. For example, he led company efforts to identify and correct the cause of a Thymoglobulin production challenge at the company’s facility in France in 2007. His efforts enabled patients to continue to receive this life-saving therapy. In 2008, he led efforts to understanding and address product comparability issues that had previously delayed the introduction of adult treatments for Pompe’s disease in the US.  Jack also played a key role the troubleshooting effort surrounding a viral contamination episode the company experienced in 2009.

In addition to Jack’s important management and manufacturing technology development role in the biopharmaceutical industry, he has given back to UConn directly by serving as a member of the Chemical Engineering Industrial Advisory Board since 2006.  In this capacity, he generously gives his time to provide critique, guidance, and support to the Chemical Engineering program. The CBE department would like to extend its congratulations to Jack Prior for his induction into the UConn Academy of Distinguished Engineers.

GOALI Award for Interdisciplinary Team

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maric2Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) professor Dr. Radenka Maric, in close collaboration with MSE Industrial Advisory Board member Armand Halter and Dr. William Mustain (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering), has received a prestigious, $423,000 National Science Foundation “Grant Opportunities for Academic Liaison with Industry” (GOALI) award.

The GOALI award seeks to promote collaboration between universities and industry by funding research projects that operate across this divide. Such projects provide academic researchers and industry practitioners the opportunity to better understand and bridge their different approaches, and to more rapidly move research from the lab to commercial markets.

The team’s project is entitled “GOALI: One Step Direct Deposition of Durable Cathode for High Temperature Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC).” The importance of the proposed research lies in its position at the nexus of processing and microstructure with the activity, stability and utilization of catalysts using High Temperature Proton Exchange Membranes (HT-PEMFC).

Dr. Maric, who will lead the project as principal investigator, is a Connecticut Clean Energy Fund Professor of Sustainable Energy at UConn.  Her research expertise lies in the area of novel materials for high temperature fuel cells, and she is the recipient of many prestigious awards. Dr. Maric was recently named a 2013 “Women of Innovation” Finalist in Research and Leadership by the Connecticut Technology Council. Read more about her research here.

Mr. Halter is the Vice President of Applied Sciences at Sonalysts, Inc., where his work includes the development of materials for alternative energy sources. Dr. Mustain is Associate Department Head of CBE.

Commencement 2013

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Forty-nine students graduated with their B.S. in chemical engineering in a commencement exercise held on Saturday, May 11th at Gampel Pavilion on the Storrs campus. Kelsey Boch, who graduated with a double major in chemical engineering and molecular and cell biology, served as the student commencement speaker, and challenged students to take the paths less travelled, forge their own trails, and define success on their own terms. In the fall, Kelsey will start the next step in her academic journey when she starts medical school. Chemical engineering senior Amanda Card served as one of two ceremonial banner carriers in the processional, an honor usually reserved for the student or students with the highest GPA in the school of engineering. Amanda graduated with a perfect 4.0 GPA in her four years in the School of Engineering, and will join an energy and sustainability consulting firm in the Washington, D.C. area in the fall. Senior Christine Nykyforchyn performed a stunning a cappella version of the national anthem to lead off the ceremonies, and will start her studies in the graduate biomedical engineering program at Boston University in the fall. All in all, seniors in the class of 2013 will join some of the biggest and best companies in Connecticut and beyond, and will enroll in some of the most prestigious graduate programs in the nation, including MIT, Columbia, The University of Texas at Austin, Purdue, and Boston University.

The faculty and staff of the Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering department wish the Class of 2013 all the best as they move into the next chapter of their lives!

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CBE Professor Received The Technology Innovation and Development Award

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Momentum logoRepublished with permission of Momentum,
a School of Engineering electronic publication.

 

 

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Dr. Cato Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., was presented the Technology Innovation and Development Award from the Society for Biomaterials. Dr. Laurencin is CEO of the Connecticut Institute for Clinical and Translational Science, Director of the Institute for Regenerative Engineering, the Van Dusen Endowed Chair in Academic Medicine and a professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering.  The award recognizes an individual or team who provided key scientific and technical innovation and leadership in a novel product in which biomaterials played an important and enabling role.  For more than three decades, Dr. Laurencin has conducted research studies on biomaterials for musculoskeletal tissue engineering, nanotechnology, and drug delivery.  He notes that he was influenced by his Ph.D. mentor, Dr. Robert Langer, an Institution Professor at MIT. Read more about Dr. Laurencin here.

CBE Students Receive Tanaka Fellowships

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Republished with permission of Momentum,
a School of Engineering electronic publication

 

Doctoral candidates Neil Spinner and Ying Liu (Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering) have received John Tanaka Graduate Student Fellowship awards, which are presented to outstanding University of Connecticut graduate students who are members of Phi Kappa Phi, the nation’s oldest honor society.

ying-liu Just two awards are presented annually.

“Both Neil and Ying are model graduate students.  They are smart, hard-working, dedicated researchers.  I am very proud of both of them – I could not think of two more qualified students for this award,” says Dr. William Mustain, their thesis advisor.

The John Tanaka Award, first given in 1993, was established in honor of Dr. John Tanaka, emeritus professor of chemistry and former Director of the Honors Programs. Dr. Tanaka, who died in April 2012, led the Phi Kappa Phi chapter for many years.neil-spinner

Selection is based on an applicant’s promise of success in graduate or professional study as evidenced by: academic achievement, relevant research experience, service and leadership experience on and off campus, and personal and career goals.

Ying, who has nine archival publications in high impact journals, is researching novel electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, which is expected to play a significant role in providing clean, sustainable power for the 21st century and beyond.  In nominating Ying for the honor, Dr. Mustain noted “…her most important mentoring and leadership has occurred in the laboratory where she has worked side-by-side with five of our young undergraduates.”

In his graduate research, Neil is synthesizing first generation electrocatalysts for the electrochemical synthesis of fuels at room temperature, with very low required energy input, and has used the results to develop design criteria for next generation catalysts. As a National Science Foundation GK-12 Fellow from 2010-12, Neil mentored students at Howell Cheney Technical High School in Manchester, CT and has contributed toward the UConn Mentor Connection and the Joule Fellows programs at UConn.

UConn Places First in AIChE “ChemE Car” Poster Competition

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On April 13th and 14th, thirteen UConn Chemical Engineering students took part in the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Regional Conference at UMass-Amherst.

While at the conference, the students participated in AIChE’s ChemE Car competition. This competition challenges students to build a car that can travel between 15 and 30 meters, carrying anywhere between 0 and 500 grams. Students are not told the exact numbers until the day of the competition, at which time they are allowed to make minor adjustments to suit the requirements. The competition’s rules stipulate that the car must be autonomous, powered by chemical reaction, and without mechanical or electrical brakes. In addition to the car, each group creates a poster explaining their car—the chemical reaction that powers it, stopping mechanism, safety features, design, circuitry, and special features. The UConn team, advised by Dr. William Mustain, placed first of nine teams in this poster competition.

This was the first time UConn has sent a car to compete at the conference. Though the UConn group’s car, named “Harold Chegger,” did not place in the competition, the team is all very pleased with its performance. The group is looking forward to refining the car for competition next year.

In addition to participating in the competition, the group was invited by Governor Malloy to present their car at the Next Gen CT news conference, held on April 11th. The event highlighted the growing support among industry, legislature, faculty, and students for the Next Generation Connecticut initiative. This proposal would support UConn’s expansion in the STEM (science, technology, math, and engineering) disciplines.

Dr. Laurencin to Receive 2012 AAAS Mentor Award

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Republished with permission of emagination, a School of Engineering electronic publication
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The 2012 Mentor Award of the American Association for thePhoto of Cato Laurencin Advancement of Science (AAAS) will be presented to Dr. Cato T. Laurencin, M.D., Ph.D., “for his transformative impact and scientific contributions toward mentoring students in the field of biomedical engineering.”

Dr. Laurencin is the Albert and Wilda Van Dusen Distinguished Chair Professor of Orthopaedic Surgery and Professor of Chemical, Materials and Biomolecular Engineering at UConn. The Director of both the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Center, and the Institute for Regenerative Engineering at UConn, he is one of only two designated University Professors in the School of Engineering.

Throughout his distinguished career, Dr. Laurencin has taken significant steps to ensure that the impact of his pioneering work in biomaterials and tissue engineering benefits both the research community and, through his mentoring, future scientists and engineers.  In 2011, he was elected to the National Academy of Engineering (NAE), among the nation’s highest professional distinctions accorded to an engineer, for his work in biomaterials science, drug delivery, and tissue engineering involving musculoskeletal systems, and his academic leadership.

Please read the full press release here.

Professor Anson Ma Honored With Prestigious NSF CAREER Award

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Assistant Professor Anson W. Ma (Photo courtesy of Peter Morenus/UConn)
Assistant Professor Anson W. Ma (Photo courtesy of Peter Morenus/UConn)

Professor Anson Ma of the Chemical Engineering Program has received the CAREER award (#1253613) from the National Science Foundation (NSF). The Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Program is NSF’s most prestigious award for junior faculty, reserved for those who embody the role of “teacher-scholars” by seamlessly integrating outstanding research and excellent education. Ma’s award is given by the Fluid Dynamics Program of the Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CBET) Division.  The award provides $400,000 in research funding support over a period of 5 years.

The title of Dr. Ma’s winning proposal is “Understanding the interfacial rheology of carbon nanotubes at the fluid-fluid interfaces for creating ultra-stable emulsions and microcapsules”. Particles of appropriate size and wetability are known to stabilize emulsions, but the effect of particle shape remains largely unexplored. Dr. Ma and team propose that the shape matters and that particle shape could be the missing key to unlock the full potential of using particles to stabilize emulsions. To this end, Dr. Ma and his team will investigate the flow behavior of CNTs at fluid-fluid interfaces using carbon nanotubes as a model system. The success of the proposed research will offer a general and yet relatively simple strategy (i.e., by exploiting particle shape) to improve the stability of emulsions, prolonging the shelf life of widely used pharmaceutical, agricultural, and personal care products. The findings may also revolutionize the use of nanoparticles for enhanced oil recovery, essential to ensuring national energy independence and addressing the world’s energy challenge.

Further, Dr. Ma has a long-term vision that the asymmetry of the interface may offer an effective way to assemble nanoparticles into ordered structures and to create next-generation metamaterials. Metamaterials are hierarchically ordered structures that can be used in cloaking devices and light-based circuits that may ultimately outperform electron-based computers in terms of speed, power consumption, and costs. The proposed research will be integrated with educational and outreach activities at all levels to maximize its impact. Dr. Ma and his team will use culinary foams and emulsions (e.g., cappuccino foam, ice cream mix) as the theme to introduce basic scientific concepts to the younger generation and the local community.

Dr. Ma, who earned his Ph.D. from the University of Cambridge in the UK, joined UConn in August 2011 following a two-year appointment as the J. Evans Attwell-Welch Postdoctoral Fellow at Rice University. He has a dual appointment in the Polymer Program at the Institute of Materials Science (IMS). He recently received the Distinguished Young Rheologist Award from TA Instruments, which recognizes young faculty members who show exceptional promise in the field of rheology. Prior to that, he received the National Science Foundation Early Concept Grant for Exploration Research (EAGER) award, which focuses on investigating the use of nanoparticles in the delivery of cancer drugs.