UTOLEDO CHEMICAL ENGINEERING NEWS - 2012
Professor Lipscomb talks light bulbs with fourth-graders at Monroe's Sodt Elementary
School
November 2012: Fourth-graders at Sodt Elementary learned about the types of light
bulbs available and relative merits of each at a series of presentations given by
Professor Lipscomb. The story is reported by the Monroe Evening News here. Be sure to view all of the photos - the looks on the children's faces (and Professor
Lipscomb's) are priceless.
Work of Professors Viamajala and Varanasi Featured in Toledo Blade
November 2012: The work of Professors Viamajala and Varanasi on growth and conversion
of algae into fuels and materials was reported in the Toledo Blade. You may read the
article here.
Professor Lipscomb Receives Student Impact Award
November 2012: Congratulations to Professor Lipscomb who was selected to receive a 2012 Student Impact
Award! Winners were selected based on nominations highlighting ways that faculty and
staff have positively influenced students through enthusiasm, knowledge, dedication
and creativity. The Provost's announcement is available here.
Corey Durbin and Chinonso Agubosim Featured in Print Ads
November 2012: Alumni Chinonso "Best" Agubosim and Corey Durbin represent UT in recent
print ads for the fall 2012 campus preview days. Corey is a process engineer with
Toledo Refinery and Best is a process engineer with BP. Both completed four co-ops
with their current employer and Best is purusing an MBA at UT. Click on the images
to view a larger version.
Kazem Majdzadeh Ardakani Receives Fellowship
September 2012: Kazem Majdzadeh Ardakani, a doctoral student working with Professor
Jabarin, received a University of Toledo Fellowship Award. These awards are presented
to entering or first year, Ph.D. students with exceptional academic records. It is
the highest student award the College of Graduate studies offers and provides a stipend
for the academic year.
Freshman Take Leadership Roles in FYRE
September 2012: Several freshmen Chemical Engineering Students have taken leadership
roles in the First Year Rocket Experience (FYRE) program:
- Adam Fasnacht - President
- Paxton Pickrell - Vice Chair of Fiscal Committee
- Alexa Spudie - Vice Chair of Fiscal Committee
- Troy Thompson - Chair of Signage Committee
- Michael Padin - Chair of Special Events Committee
Chemical Engineering Students Provide EWB Leadership
September 2012: Four Chemical Engineering students have taken leadership roles in
Engineers Without Borders (EWB): Eduardo Diaz, Audrey Boback, Lisa Kingsolver, and
Charlotte Ackerman. Students pictured are: Back Row - Eduardo Diaz: VP of Projects,
Alejandro Vera: Treasurer, Adam Dellinger: President, Audrey Boback: VP of Membership,
and Katie Burns: Public Relations Chairperson; Front Row - Lisa Kingsolver: Secretary
and Charlotte Ackerman: Chief of Fundraising.
Professor Viamajala Leads Team Awarded $3 MM by DOE
September 2012: Professors Sridhar Viamajala (Principal Investigator) and Sasidhar
Varanasi (Co-Principal Investigator) lead a multi university-government-industry team
consisting of Montana State University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill,
the City of Logan in Utah, and AlgEvolve (Montana) that received a $3 MM award from
DOE for a project to evaluate the effectiveness of using and recycling the nutrients
in waste water, including dairy and municipal wastes, to grow algae (UT News article). Congratulations!
Professors Viamajala and Varanasi Receive NSF Award
July 2012: Professors Sridhar Viamajala and Sasidhar Varanasi along with Professor
Kana Yamamoto (UT Chemistry) and colleagues at Montana State University and University
of North Carolina at Chapel Hill received a $2 MM award from the National Science
Foundation (NSF) Sustainable Energy Pathways (SEP) Program to support their work on
"Alkaliphilic microalgae-based sustainable & scalable processes for renewable fuels
and products". Congratulations!
Professor Coleman Receives Grant
June 2012: The Ohio Third Frontier Industrial Research and Development Center Program
announced a $3 MM award to Owens-Brockway Glass Container Inc. and The University
of Toledo to create a global center for innovation in melting and forming glass within
the O-I Global Research Center. Professor Maria Coleman will lead research efforts
at UT.
Students Win Awards at NAMS 2012
June 2012: Sunitha Asapu (left) received an Elias Klein Travel Award and Sneha Chede
(right) won Honorable Mention in the Membrane Materials poster competition at the
2012 Annual Meeting of the North American Membrane Society. They carry on the long
tradition of our students receiving awards at this prestigious meeting. They are pictured
with their advisor Professor Escobar.
Professors Coleman and Lipscomb Conduct Workshops at NAMS 2012
June 2012: Professor Maria Coleman co-taught a workshop on Polymeric and Inorganic
Membrane Materials and Membrane Formation prior to the 2012 Annual Meeting of the
North American Membrane Society (NAMS). Professor Glenn Lipscomb co-taught a workshop
on Membrane Gas Separations.
Professor Lipscomb Recognized at NAMS 2012
June 2012: Professor Glenn Lipscomb received two recognitions during the 2012 Annual
Meeting of the North American Membrane Society (NAMS): one for his 11 years as NAMS
Quarterly Editor and the other for his 8 years as Board Secretary.
Professor Kim and Students Present Research in Columbus
March 2012: The results of a student research project advised by Professors Dong-Shik Kim and
Steve LeBlanc from Chemical Engineering and Professor Defne Apul from Civil Engineering
on the production of a biofuel solid from cow manure were presented in a poster at
the Ohio State Capital building March 28, 2012. Students involved in the project include
Jeremy Weir, Brad Bever, Melissa Seedorf, Alison Moscarillo, Rachael Lautzenheiser,
and Kelly Irving from Chemical Engineering and Justin Batt from Civil Engineering.
Professor Kim and Brad Bever (right) stand in front of the poster.
Professor Kim and Eric McDaniel Receive Air Force Summer Fellowships
March 2012: Professor Dong-Shik Kim and his graduate student Eric McDaniel have been
awarded Air Force Summer Fellowships for 2012. They will spend two months at the Air
Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) on Wright-Patterson Air Force Base working with
Dr. Mark Goltz on biosensors.
Professor Lapitsky Receives Career Award
March 2012: Professor Yakov Lapitsky was informed officially that he is the recipient
of a prestigious Career Award. Career Awards are the most prestigious National Science
Foundation awards given in support of junior faculty who have demonstrated the potential
to become teacher-scholar role models through a combination of outstanding research,
excellent education, and the integration of education and research with the University's
mission. Congratulations Professor Lapitsky!
Professor Kim Teaches Chemical Reaction Engineering in Thailand
February 2012: Professor Dong-Shik Kim celebrates with his students the conclusion
of his course on Chemical Reaction Engineering at the Petroleum Petrochemical College,
Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok, Thailand. Welcome back Professor Kim!
Can You Run Faster than a Professor?
February 2012: Professor Lipscomb challenges all CHEE students to participate in the
upcoming EWB 5k race. For each student (up to ten!) who finishes ahead of him, Professor
Lipscomb will donate $20 to EWB. (http://www.ewbutoledo.com/5k)
Professor Lipscomb Named AIChE Fellow
February 2012: Professor Glenn Lipscomb was elected a Fellow of the American Institute
of Chemical Engineers.
Professor Kim Invited Instructor
February 2012: Professor Dong-Shik Kim is an invited instructor for a course on Chemical
Reaction Engineering at the Petroleum & Petrochemical College, Chulalongkorn University
in Bangkok, Thailand.
Professors and Students Article Recognized
January 2012: Professors Sasidhar Varanasi and Sridhar Viamajala along with Graduate
Student Balakrishna Maddi recently published an article “Comparative study of pyrolysis
of algal biomass from natural lake blooms with lignocellulosic biomass” that was selected
for listing in the Renewable Energy Global Innovations Series. Renewable Energy Global
Innovations alerts the scientific community to breaking journal articles considered
to be of unusual importance to the renewable energy industry.
Professors and Students Awarded Biomass Pretreatment Patent
January 2012: Professors Varanasi and Schall from Chemical Engineering, Professor
Anderson from Chemistry, and former graduate students Ananth Dadi and Kripa Rao recently
were awarded US Patent 8,030,030 entitled "Biomass Treatment" for their work on ionic
liquid pretreatment processes. Co-inventors included Suganit colleagues Guneet Kumar
and Praveen Paripati.
Professor Lipscomb Appointed to Calera Membrane Advisory Board
January 2012: Professor Glenn Lipscomb was appointed to the Membrane Advisory Board
for Calera Corporation. Calera, a clean energy startup located in Los Gatos California,
has developed a pioneering technology, Mineralization via Aqueous Precipitation (MAP),
for conversion of CO2 to a calcium carbonate cementitious material that may be used
In the building industry.
Renee Norrils Appears in Ads
January 2012: Renee Norrils appears in ads for the upcoming accreditation visit by
the Higher Learning Commission. Click on the image for more information about the
campaign.
Yu Shi Promoted
January 2012: Dr. Yu Shi, a 1998 Doctoral graduate who worked with Professor Saleh
Jabarin in the Polymer Institute, was promoted to World Wide Director of Early Research
for Colgate-Palmolive. Congratulations Dr. Shi!
Sherry Ackerman - UT's newest blogger
January 2012: Be sure to check out UT's newest blogger! CHEE's Sherry Ackerman is
completing her 3rd co-op rotation at The University of Puerto Rico and will be updating
us on her exciting work throughout the semester. Click on the image to read Sherry's
blog.
Professor Escobar Runs in back-to-back Disney Half Marathons.
January 2012: Professor Escobar was one of more than 25,000 runners who finished the
Disney World Half Marathon, and continued along with nearly 5,000 of those participants,
to complete the Goofy Race and Half Challenge. The marathons took place back to back!