Fall 2021 UF Department of Chemical Engineering Magazine

FA LL 2021

DEPARTMENT OF

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING NEWS

IN THIS ISSUE:

Researchers Develop Rapid and Sensitive COVID-19 Testing Device The testing device is a sensor system that provides detection within 1 second PAGE 14

Student Success PAGES 18-21

Faculty News PAGES 4-13

Alumni Spotlight PAGES 26-27

U.S. News and World Report, 2022

CHAIR’S MESSAGE Dear alumni, friends, and members of the UF ChE community, Over recent months we saw vaccination numbers rise and COVID-19 infection rates declining, providing hope for recovery. As such, our efforts have been dedicated to reengaging with students, faculty and staff and finding meaningful ways to connect with our community.

We are energized by the breadth of research taking place in our department.

Carlos M. RinaldiRamos, Ph.D. Department Chair & Dean’s Leadership Professor

The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that technological innovations were urgently needed to detect, treat, and prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Fan Ren, Ph.D., and a team of researchers developed a rapid and sensitive testing method for COVID-19 biomarkers. Their findings were recently published in the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. You can read more about their exciting research on page 14.

My laboratory has collaborated with a team of UF researchers investigating the application of nanoparticles as diagnostic and therapeutic agents for joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis, and was recently published in Science Advances. You can read more about my research on page 8.

Our faculty continue to receive awards and recognitions. Charles Hages, Ph.D, and Yeongseon Jang, Ph.D., assistant professors in our department, received a National Science Foundation CAREER award. You can read more about our faculty awards and recognitions, on page 4.

Our faculty ranks and graduate rankings continue to grow. We welcomed a new assistant professor, and an instructional assistant professor in January 2021. Read more about Won Tae Choi, Ph.D., and Sumant Patankar, Ph.D., on page 10.

Our students continue to make us proud, winning awards and competitions. Our Chem-E-Car team won the regional match, and our AIChE student organization won the K-12 Module Competition with their Module Saving Lives with Centrifugation.

We have continued the practice of virtual visits with many alumni who have shared their fond memories, encouragement, and stories of success with our students. You can read more about Kevin Lin, and Havala O. T. Pye, Ph.D., in our Alumni Spotlight on page 26.

We are extremely grateful for the dedication shown by our faculty, students, staff, and alumni.

Our students continue to meet the challenges presented before them; and our faculty and staff have continued to provide the highest quality chemical engineering education to our students.

I hope you enjoy reading this magazine and I look forward to hearing from you.

Sincerely,

Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D.

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INSIDE THIS EDITION

FALL 2021

Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D. DEAN, HERBERT WERTHEIM COLLEGE OF ENGINEERING

Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D. DEPARTMENT CHAIR AND DEAN’S LEADERSHIP PROFESSOR

Advisory Board Members

NSF CAREER Awards | Page 4-5

V.R. Basker, Ph.D. Zoe M. Baringara Faculty News | Pages 6-13

Christopher J. Birdsall Dane Boyington, Ph.D. Sheila Boyington Eric Bretschneider Raymond Anthony Cocco Michael Dickinson

Featured Research | Pages 14-15

Jaime Anita Flaherty Mary Beth Jakab Wayne J. Johnson Steven Wayne Johnston

Chem-E-Car Success | Pages 18-19

William K. “Billy” McGrane Alex Moreno Jennifer Schutte

Michelle K. Runyon

Marketing & Communications Specialist and Editor

Student News | Pages 20-21

The photos in this magazine were taken prior to the global pandemic and are not reflective of the University’s current safety measures.

Department News | Pages 22-23

Alumni News | Pages 24-27 CHE.UFL.EDU 3

FACULTY AWARDS

Hages and Jang Receive Prestigious NSF CAREER Awards

HAGES AIMS TO DEVELOP SOLUTION-BASED, THIN FILM SEMICONDUCTOR MATERIALS Charles Hages, Ph.D., an assistant professor, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER award. His research focuses on developing next-generation semiconductors for energy research.

With this award, Dr. Hages aims to develop solution-based, thinfilm semiconductor materials that would lead to an improved method of generating clean and renewable solar energy.

“Renewable energy is necessary for a better future, so it’s important to put the effort in now to discover promising new materials which can make this a reality,” said Dr. Hages. “I think we have an exciting vision and talented graduate students which can make a significant contribution to this effort.

Though research is only half the battle – I’m excited this award also supports our goals for cross-generational public outreach in renewable energy education.”

This prestigious award will allow Dr. Hages’ research group to develop a new class of materials, chalcogenide perovskites, as a low-cost, non-toxic, and stable photovoltaic material which can replace existing technologies due to their improved 4

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properties. Chalcogenide perovskites are an emerging class of semiconductor with the potential to replace the ubiquitous organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide perovskites as a highperformance photovoltaic absorber due to their improved stability and use of earth-abundant constituents. To meet this challenge, Hages proposes a paradigm shift in the approach used to synthesize chalcogenide perovskites by using reactive nanomaterials – a research area in which Hages’ lab specializes in.

This award will also support the development of crossgenerational STEM education and outreach in renewable energy, which includes developing and delivering tailored educational modules for the under served local aging community and K-12 students. Research is also integrated with training and education for graduate and undergraduate students in teaching, technical communication, and in emerging energy technologies.

“Dr. Hages’s research to develop materials for clean and renewable solar energy through a combination of nanoscale synthesis and state-of-the-art materials characterization is an exciting example of the relevance and impact of chemical engineering research in solving one of society’s most pressing problems,” said Dr. Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Dean’s Leadership Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

Dr. Hages holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Purdue University and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Santa Barbara. He was also a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Structure & Dynamics of Energy Materials at the Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin in Germany prior to his appointment at UF.

FACULTY AWARDS

“ D R . JA N G ’ S W O R K T O E L U C I DAT E T H E P R I N C I P L E S O F F U S I O N P R OT E I N A S S E M B LY I N T O P R OT O C E L L S I S A N E XC I T I N G E X A M P L E O F H O W O U R FAC U LT Y C O M B I N E F U N DA M E N TA L CHEMICAL ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES AND C U T T I N G - E D G E B I OT E C H N O L O GY T O O L S T O O BTA I N D E E P E R U N D E R S TA N D I N G O F B I O L O G I C A L SYS T E M S A N D D E V E L O P N OV E L S O L U T I O N S T O P R E S S I N G P R O B L E M S .”

Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D. Chair and Dean’s Leadership Professor Charles Hages Ph.D. and Yeongseon Jang, Ph.D.

JANG AIMS TO DEVELOP STRATEGIES TO CONTROL THE PROPERTIES OF NEW CLASSES OF PROTEIN-POWERED SYNTHETIC CELLS Yeongseon Jang, Ph.D., an assistant professor, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER award. With this award, Dr. Jang aims to develop a synthetic protocell constructed of protein building blocks through tuning their self-assembly behavior.

“Synthetic versions of protocells that mimic primitive cells assembled from biomacromolecules can serve as simple, precursor models of living cells and can advance understanding about the basic rules of life,” said Dr. Jang.

This prestigious award will allow Dr. Jang’s research lab to develop design strategies to control the properties of new classes of protein-powered synthetic protocells. The proposed protocells will be created by self-assembly of recombinantly engineered proteins, resulting in cell-like structures exhibiting specific activities. Ultimately, the synthetic protocells will serve as smart, autonomous cell-like particles that can be used for a wide range of applications from protein delivery systems to micro-bioreactors.

This award will also provide hands-on learning opportunities to underrepresented students from middle school to graduate students, and to develop academic curricula on the self-assembly of recombinant fusion proteins.

“Dr. Jang’s work to elucidate the principles of fusion protein assembly into protocells is an exciting example of how our faculty combine fundamental chemical engineering principles and cutting-edge biotechnology tools to obtain deeper understanding of biological systems and develop novel solutions to pressing problems,” said Dr. Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Dean’s Leadership Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering.

The Jang SMART-Bio (Soft Matter Assembly and Recombinant Technology for Biomaterials) Lab seeks to provide fundamental and practical insights into the field of supramolecular biomaterials, inspired by nature.

These biomaterials include multi-compartment vesicles, nanostructured polymer thin films, and a variety of selfassembled structures, which can serve as artificial cells, drug-eluting thin films, and antibacterial surfaces.

Dr. Jang holds a Ph.D. and a B.S. in chemical engineering from Seoul National University.

CAREER awards are the NSF’s most prestigious award for early-career faculty and are designed to help provide a foundation for a lifetime of scientific leadership. The awards are given to an outstanding scientist who exemplifies the role of teacher-scholars through research, education and the integration of education and research.

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FACULTY NEWS

Weaver Receives NSF Grant to Study Selective Methane Oxidation Jason F. Weaver, Ph.D., the ExxonMobil Gator Alumni Faculty Endowed Professor, received a National Science Foundation (NSF) grant to study selective methane oxidation using elaborately structured IrO2-based mixed metal oxides.

In this project, Dr. Weaver will collaborate with UF ChE researchers Helena Hagelin-Weaver, Ph.D., an associate professor, and David Hibbitts, Ph.D., an assistant professor and holder of the Moreno Rising Star Professorship, to develop a fundamental understanding of the selective conversions of methane to more valuable chemicals using well-defined oxide catalysts.

“Designing catalyst structures with atomic-level precision is an important step toward efficiently and selectively converting methane to chemicals.

In our new project we are trying to synthesize catalysts with small amounts of Ir dispersed throughout a less reactive host oxide. Our guiding hypothesis is that atomic scale Ir-O moieties will be able to efficiently break the first C-H bond(s) of CH4 but that the lower reactivity of the host oxide will suppress extensive oxidation and instead enable the resulting hydrocarbon groups to undergo partial oxidation or coupling to value-added products,” said Dr. Weaver.

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Currently, direct catalytic processes to convert methane to chemicals are scarce and unsuitable for commercial use. The main difficulty is that most catalytic materials must operate at high temperatures to initiate chemical conversions of methane, however milder conditions are needed to direct the subsequent chemistry toward desirable products.

“Developing efficient catalytic processes to transform methane, the primary component of shale and natural gas, to more valuable products is a grand challenge for the chemical industry and would have significant economic and environmental benefits,” said Dr. Weaver. “The availability of new and cost-effective methane-to-chemicals processes could encourage the use of shale and natural gas as a chemical feedstock rather than a combustion fuel, thereby reducing greenhouse gas emissions and assisting in a transition toward renewable energy.”

This award will provide opportunities for high school and undergraduate students to participate in their research and focus on recruiting students from underrepresented groups to engage in these activities. The project also involves a collaboration with faculty in the Chemistry Department at Brookhaven National Laboratory. For a couple of weeks each year, UF students will work in the labs of Drs. Sanjaya Senanayake and Jose Rodriguez at BNL to conduct sensitive spectroscopic measurements of catalytic methane oxidation.

The Weaver Group focuses on advancing the understanding of reactions occurring on solid surfaces on a molecular level. Such reactions are fundamental to heterogeneous catalysis and semiconductor processing yet remain poorly understood at the molecular level. They investigate surface chemical reactions using analysis methods based on ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) surface chemistry and physics as well as in situ techniques.

FACULTY NEWS

Orazem Awarded Research Contract with Canada’s Nuclear Waste Management Organization Mark Orazem, Ph.D., a Distinguished Professor and the Dr. and Mrs. Frederick C. Edie Professor, was awarded a three-year research contract from the Nuclear Waste Management Organization (NWMO) of Canada to develop a damage model of copper corrosion within nuclear fuel waste containers placed in deep geological repositories.

The NWMO is responsible for the safe, long-term management of Canada’s used nuclear fuel.

A multiple-barrier system is designed to safely contain, and isolate used nuclear fuel and protect people and the environment. The present design of Canadian nuclear fuel waste containers consists of a thick-walled steel vessel coated with a thin copper layer intended to provide corrosion protection. Each of the five barriers provides a unique and stand-alone level of protection. If any of the barriers deteriorate, the next one comes into play.

Dr. Orazem and Chen You, a Ph.D. student in the Orazem lab, are developing a model to understand how the copper-coated container will withstand humidity inside the repository environment. This modeling will help the NWMO better understand the long life cycle of the repository.

“Deep geological repositories are the international standard for the safe, long-term storage of used nuclear fuel, and the NWMO is helping to lead the way,” said Dr. Orazem. “Our work will help the NWMO assess the potential for corrosion of their copper-coated safety container.”

Sweden, among many other industrial and public projects.

“The NWMO’s research has already demonstrated the multiple barrier system is a safe, long-term solution for used nuclear fuel. The work being done at the University of Florida by Dr. Orazem’s team will further underscore our safety assessment work and add more confidence in the copper-coated container’s ability to withstand any contact with moisture, even centuries in the future,” said Dr. Scott Briggs, an Associate Engineer with the NWMO. “The modeling being worked on will increase our confidence in the corrosion allowance — the amount of copper that can be damaged over time — while still ensuring the long-term integrity of the container.”

ORAZEM PARTICIPATES IN NATIONAL ACADEMIES VIRTUAL WORKSHOP Dr. Orazem participated in a virtual workshop on Laboratory and Field Geotechnical Characterization for Improved Steel Corrosion Modeling on March 9-10, 2021.

The workshop was organized by the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.

“I discussed our efforts to model the cathodic protection of pipelines and the use of impedance spectroscopy to explore the properties of the steel-soil interface,” said Dr. Orazem. “I am honored to be asked to participate.”

Dr. Orazem contributes to the National Academies’ study of field, laboratory, and modeling methods for characterizing corrosion of steel buried in earth materials and knowledge of new developments in the prediction and monitoring of corrosion of steel in earth applications and environments.

Dr. Orazem is a renowned expert in corrosion modeling and has previously worked on other international deep geological repository projects, including the SKB project in CHE.UFL.EDU 7

FACULTY NEWS

The Rinaldi-Ramos Research Lab Investigates Nanoparticles as Diagnostic and Therapeutic Agents Fast Nanoparticle Diffusion in Synovial Fluid may hold key to Joint Disease Recovery The application of nanoparticles as diagnostic and therapeutic agents has been of great interest over the last few decades.

Understanding the diffusion of nanoparticles in biological environments is critical in their design and eventual clinical application. However, there is incomplete understanding of nanoparticle diffusion in synovial fluid, the fluid inside the joint, which consists of a mixture of the polyelectrolyte hyaluronic acid, proteins, and other components.

University of Florida professors Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D., and Kyle D. Allen, Ph.D., from the Department of Chemical Engineering and the J. Crayton Pruitt Family Department of Biomedical Engineering, are investigating the application of nanoparticles as diagnostic and therapeutic agents for joint diseases, such as osteoarthritis. In a recent study published in Science Advances, their research provides new insight into the diffusion of nanoparticles in synovial fluid and their analogues through application of state-of-the-art instrumentation to measure the translational and rotational motion of these tiny materials in complex biological fluid environments.

The study, led by recent graduate Mythreyi Unni, Ph.D., (Ph.D. ChE ’19) is the first to report faster than expected nanoparticle translational and rotational diffusion in synovial fluid and in concentrated solutions of the polyelectrolyte hyaluronic acid, one of the principal components in synovial fluid. To achieve this, the team leveraged instrumentation at the UF to measure nanoparticle rotational diffusion and at the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a U.S. Department of 8

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Energy User Facility at DOE’s Argonne National Laboratory, to measure nanoparticle translational diffusion. The study was conducted in collaboration with scientists from Argonne and Poland’s AGH University of Science and Technology.

“Our results suggest that polyethylene glycol (PEG) coated nanoparticles should be able to rapidly diffuse throughout the synovial fluid, potentially reaching targets such as cartilage, synovium, and the cells within those tissues,” said Mythreyi Unni, Ph.D., first author of the paper.

Unni is a Ph.D. alumna in the Rinaldi-Ramos Research Laboratory lead by UF Department of Chemical Engineering Chair and Dean’s Leadership Professor, Carlos M. RinaldiRamos, Ph.D. The Rinaldi-Ramos Research Laboratory investigates biomedical applications of magnetic nanoparticles, and the stability and transport of nanoparticles in complex and biological fluids.

The work was performed using the ultrabright X-rays at the APS. UF students visited the APS several times over a period of two years to measure nanoparticle translational diffusion using a technique called x-ray photon correlation spectroscopy.

“Recent advances in ultrafast x-ray detectors and enhancements in coherence of the x-rays have enabled probing dynamics in biological systems, which paves the way for many such scientific breakthroughs,” said Suresh Narayanan, Ph.D., of Argonne, a co-author in the study.

FACULTY NEWS

“ O U R R E S U LT S S U G G E S T T H AT P O LY E T HY L E N E G LYC O L ( P E G ) C OAT E D N A N O PA R T I C L E S S H O U L D B E A B L E T O R A P I D LY D I F F U S E T H R O U G H O U T T H E SY N OV I A L F L U I D, P OT E N T I A L LY R E AC H I N G TA R G E T S S U C H A S C A R T I L AG E , SY N OV I U M , A N D T H E C E L L S W I T H I N T H O S E T I S S U E S .”

Mythrei Unni, Ph.D. Ph.D. ChE ‘19

Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos Ph.D. and Mythreyi Unni, Ph.D.

“Although these findings are exciting, this is only the beginning.

Future studies will provide insight into the role of nanoparticle properties, such as size and charge, and joint disease state, which affects the composition of synovial fluid, on nanoparticle diffusion. We expect that the knowledge gained through these studies will help design next generation nanoparticle drug carriers to treat joint diseases,” said Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos, the senior corresponding author in the study.

UF RESEARCHERS USE MAGNETIC CRYOPRESERVATION AGENTS TO EXTEND DONOR ORGAN PRESERVATION TIME Researchers at UF are using colloidally stable nanoparticles and magnetic cryopreservation agents (mCPAs) to extend the preservation time of donor organs.

Currently, the preservation time window ranges from 4-36 hours depending on the organ. This time window severely restricts the time for adequate donor-to-recipient matching and the distance over which transplant organs can be offered. Researchers have been able to extend this time frame for up to one week without evidence of damage to the organ.

Since its inception, organ transplantation has saved millions of lives and improved the quality of life for many more. Despite advances in surgery and organ preservation technologies, about 70% of organs suitable for transplant are discarded. One critical reason is exceeding preservation time limits in taking organs from donors to potential recipients.

Time and distance restrictions result in a large number of organs that are not used while also contributing to using organs that

are not ideally matched to recipients, based on size or immunological factors.

“Nanowarming of cryopreserved organs perfused with magnetic cryopreservation agents (mCPAs) could increase donor organ utilization by extending preservation time and avoiding damage caused by slow and non-uniform rewarming,” said Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D., principal investigator, Dean’s Leadership Professor and Chair, UF Department of Chemical Engineering.

Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos; Andreina Chiu-Lam, Ph.D.; Edward D. Staples, M.D., an associate professor in the division of thoracic and cardiovascular surgery in the UF College of Medicine, and Carl J. Pepine M.D., in the Division of Cardiovascular Medicine, have their findings published in Science Advances.

The promise of nanowarming for biobanking, also known as tissue banking, of whole organs relies on the ability to uniformly perfuse an organ, vitrify the organ, and rapidly rewarm the organ to room temperature, avoiding damage caused during the rewarming step. It also requires removal of the solutions containing biocompatible superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) used to rewarm the organ.

The study results highlight the important role of SPION stability in formulating mCPA solutions and support the potential of nanowarming as a strategy for biobanking transplant tissues.

CHE.UFL.EDU 9

FACULTY NEWS

C h E Welcomes Two New Fac ulty Members DEPARTMENT ENJOYS STEADY GROWTH WITH 12 NEW FACULTY HIRED SINCE FALL 2018

Won Tae Choi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Ph.D., Georgia Institute of Technology Won Tae Choi, Ph.D., joined the faculty of the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida as an assistant professor in August 2021.

Dr. Choi’s research covers design, engineering, and analysis of electrochemically active soft materials for energy conversion and storage applications. He was trained on advanced techniques, such as scanning

electrochemical microscopy and ultramicroelectrodes for fundamental electrochemical analysis.

Dr. Choi was a postdoctoral researcher under supervision of Prof. Allen J. Bard in the Department of Chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. Prior to this, he worked in the corrosion research group under supervision of Prof. Preet M. Singh in the School of Materials Science and Engineering at Georgia Institute of Technology, where he earned knowledge and skills to investigate electrochemical reactions that occur at interfaces in harsh environment. He earned a Ph.D. degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology in 2017 under the supervision of Prof. Dennis W. Hess.

////////////////////////////////////////////////// Sumant S. Patankar, Ph.D. Instructional Assistant Professor Ph.D., The Ohio State University Sumant S. Patankar, Ph.D., has joined the faculty of the University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering as an Instructional Assistant Professor in January 2021.

Dr. Patankar’s research focused on studying the properties of supercritical fluids under nanopore

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confinement – a system relevant to geological systems such as shale gas. His teaching interests include semiconductor processing, and design and analysis of experiments.

Dr. Patankar received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from the Institute of Chemical Technology (ICT), Mumbai, India. He earned a Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from The Ohio State University in 2016 under the guidance of Dr. David Tomasko. He also worked for Intel Corp. in Hillsboro Oregon as a Process Engineer from 2017-2020. At Intel, he worked on developing lithography processes for the next generation of semi-conductor products.

FACULTY NEWS

Stoppel Awarded Department of Defense Grant to Develop an All-Natural Hemoglobin Carrier Whitney L. Stoppel, Ph.D., an assistant professor, was awarded a Peer Reviewed Medical Research Program (PRMP)/Discovery Award from the Department of Defense (DoD) to develop all-natural, cost-effective, and pathogenfree oxygen carrying particles.

Oxygen is carried in our blood by a protein called hemoglobin which is inside red blood cells. Following a traumatic injury or in patients with other medical complications, the blood may not be able adequately deliver oxygen to the tissues throughout the body. In the hospital, patients can get a blood transfusion; however, there are situations which may prevent a patient from receiving a blood transfusion (e.g., medical complications, religious reasons) or other supply chain complications that lead to shortages in pathogen- or virus- free blood donations. “ We

aim to address gaps in the field of oxygen therapeutics through the development of an all-natural silk protein-based material with controllable and tunable oxygen delivery capabilities using salmon hemoglobin. While we are currently focused on therapeutic oxygen delivery in patients, there may be additional applications for use in transplant organ preservation or other pharmaceutical delivery applications,”

said Dr. Stoppel. “Our goal is to design and develop the particles so that they do not require refrigeration. This feature will make the technology easily adaptable to a broad range of places and patients.”

Dr. Stoppel is spearheading the project with Co-PI Bruce D. Spiess, MD, FAHA, in the Department of Anesthesiology at the UF College of Medicine. Dr. Spiess is a worldrenowned expert in the field of artificial oxygen carriers and alternatives to blood transfusions. Together, they will investigate how silk and salmon hemoglobin can be combined to improve the ability of the all-natural nanoparticles to deliver oxygen at clinically relevant rates.

Silk fibroin is a natural protein found in the cocoons of silkworms. The body can degrade it into simple protein building blocks without any extra efforts or adverse side effects. Silk fibroin nanoparticles make good carriers for bioactive molecules as shown by many others in the field.

However, without the addition of a hemoglobin molecule or other artificial oxygen carrier, they don’t aid in oxygen delivery. The researchers aim to incorporate hemoglobin from fish into the silk particles. Fish use their hemoglobin to help them control their buoyancy in addition to keeping their bodies alive. The innovative part of this project is the unique combination of a novel fish hemoglobin with an allnatural silk-based particle.

The Stoppel Lab builds dynamic and adaptable natural biomaterials that can be leveraged to alter the behavior of cells both in vitro and in vivo for repair and rehabilitation of damaged or diseased tissue.

/////////////////////////////////////////// Promotions and Awards David Hibbitts, Ph.D., was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure

Mark E. Orazem, Ph.D., was awarded the Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/ Mentoring Award from the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering

CHE.UFL.EDU 11

FACULTY NEWS

Redefining the Scale of Unit Operations Faculty miniaturized the experience students received in the lab.

When the world closed down due to the global pandemic, faculty in the UF Department of Chemical Engineering devised new ways to continue delivering the same high-quality education while remaining physically distant.

First used in Fall 2020, the Unit Operations Lab Kit, a low-cost, 3D printed kit was provided to each student to perform their own guided lab experiments at home. The kits included miniaturized versions of the equipment that they would utilize in the lab.

Students were able to run their own guided experiments, analyze their own findings, and remain physically distant.

Fernando Mérida, Ph.D., an Instructional Assistant Professor, gave an update on the kits, and the lessons learned along the way.

Q: How have the kits been used in and outside of class?

A: Every student in the face-to-face (F2F) and online section received a box with materials required to run experiments including the 3D-printed prototypes (heat exchangers, fluidic devices, fixed bed columns, pipe connectors) and a long list of ancillary elements including pumps, electronics, sensors, plastic ware, etc. In the classroom, each student was working on a wide oval-shaped table with a large TV monitor that was used by the course instructor to project slideshows with introductory lectures, announcements, experimental procedures, etc., but students also had the freedom to connect their own computers to the TV monitor thus having experimental procedures visible at all times. Students in F2F sections brought their kit box every day of classes and took it back home once experiments were done for the day. Indeed, lots of logistics to coordinate! For 12 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

students working remotely, logistics were simpler because they would keep their experimental setup in their desk at all times without the need of relocating it when compared to students in F2F sections. Experiments were conducted individually by each student, but individual results were consolidated in a group.

At the end of the semester, most of the kit components were returned by students, however they were allowed to keep the 3D-printed prototypes as mementos!

Q: How did it work overall?

A: It worked very well! Lots of students were enthusiastic about working with these kits and despite a few technical difficulties (mostly, minor water spills and sensors not working due to electrical misconnections) occurring during kit assembly and experiment execution. Students had a good grasp of the underlying concepts of Fluid Mechanics and Heat Transfer by running these small-scale experiments. Of course, the small scale experiments will never replace the experience students can get in a Unit Operations Lab with larger equipment and instrumentation, but most students were aware of these limitations. On the other hand, there were some advantages of using small-scale experiments when compared to those traditionally conducted in the Unit Operations Lab. For example, students were able to set up experiments in multiple configurations which is something that, due to the larger scale, cannot be done (or at least not easily) in the lab. Due to this flexibility, the third week in each experimental module was used for “alternative experiments” - experiments not listed in lab manuals but open to the student’s creativity. And yes, we had lots of creative ideas including setting up pumps and heat

FACULTY NEWS

“CHEMICAL ENGINEERS SHOULD N OT S C A L E - U P P R O C E S S E S F O R I N D U S T R I A L A P P L I C AT I O N S O N LY. . .

W E M U S T M OV E I N B OT H DIRECTIONS AND IN ALL SCALES. T H AT ’ S W H AT W E A R E D O I N G N O W AT U F C H E M I C A L E N G I N E E R I N G .”

Fernando Mérida, Ph.D. Instructional Assistant Professor Fernando Mérida Ph.D., and his students using the Unit Operations Lab Kits.

exchangers in series and parallel arrangements, using sewing & jewelry materials as packing for fixed bed columns, creating tubing coils to emulate flow restriction done by a valve, etc. Things got creative and nerdy!

Q: What challenges have you faced?

A: One of the greatest challenges was the increased amount of work not only for contact hours but also for material preparation, kit troubleshooting outside the class, grading, etc. Technical difficulties with kits in the classroom were easily solved in most cases, but those happening with students doing experiments at home were sometimes very hard to fix. As for students in F2F sections, a huge challenge was the transportation of kit materials from home to school and back every day of classes, and the need of assembling & disassembling everything over and over again. The latter is a challenge I experienced too; I was required to pickup everything after classes and leave the table clean and tidy because it was a shared space.

Q: What have you learned? Any surprises?

A: I learned that some of the things we were told as Chemical Engineering students regarding the scale-up nature of processes is not entirely true, or it should be redefined at the very least. Let me explain…Typically, our knowledge in Mathematics, Physics, and Chemistry allow Chemical Engineers to design processes that typically start in small laboratories with bench top equipment and then using our knowledge of Process Economics and Design, Optimization, and Unit Operations will help in scaling up the designed processes to meet the requirements of efficiency and sustainability of large manufacturing industries. While this is true, it does not mean that the same knowledge cannot be applied to

flow in the opposite direction (from large to small) and this is something that is not traditionally taught in Chemical Engineering classes or projects unless they are dealing with a more research-oriented focus. By designing, creating, and incorporating these miniaturized experiments in a UO1 class both in-person and online, I learned that the same principles for scaling-up can also be used to scale-down processes, and that alternating or even combining the direction of scales is something we should start doing in the instruction of core and elective Chemical Engineering classes.

Q: What are the plans for the kits moving forward?

A: The plan for the kits is to keep using them as long as possible. Taking the lessons learned from using these kits for two semesters, along with great ideas from students, the Unit Operations class now has six experimental modules and three of them are hybrid: small- and pilot-scale experiments.

Plans for subsequent semesters include coupling more miniaturized prototypes for existing modules with pilotscale experiments only. Did I mention before that designing Chemical Engineering processes should range in any direction of the scale? Well, I took it seriously and that has been implemented already in UO classes. Kits will also be available for outreach activities especially those aiming to increase the recruitment of undergraduate students to our program. Important core classes in Chemical Engineering such as Materials and Energy Balances, Fluid and Solids Operations and Energy Transfer Operations are encouraged to incorporate at least one experiment throughout the semester, so kits will also be available for this purpose.

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FEATURED RESEARCH

Researchers Advance COVID-19 Testing Devices Superfast, portable COVID-19 testing method detects the virus much faster than currently available methods.

Researchers from the University of Florida, and Taiwan’s National Chiao Tung University have developed a rapid and sensitive testing method for COVID-19 biomarkers. Their findings were published in the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. The COVID-19 pandemic made it clear that technological innovations were urgently needed to detect, treat, and prevent the SARS-CoV-2 virus. As the pandemic continues to ravage many parts of the world, there is still a need for rapid, reliable and inexpensive testing.

The team of international researchers leveraged their expertise to develop a sensor system that provides detection within 1 second, which is far faster than current COVID-19 detection methods. These researchers previously demonstrated detection of biomarkers relevant in epidemics and emergency medicine, such as the Zika virus, heart attacks, and cerebral spinal fluid leaks.

“This could alleviate slow COVID-19 testing turnaround time issues,” said Minghan Xian, first author and a chemical engineering Ph.D. candidate at UF. Detecting the presence of the virus requires amplifying the numbers of the biomarker, such as the copies of viral ribonucleic acid (RNA) in the common polymerase chain 14 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

reaction (PCR) technique for COVID-19 detection, or via amplifying the binding signal for a target biomarker. The group’s method amplifies the binding signal for a target biomarker.

“Our biosensor strip is similar to commercially available glucose test strips in shape, with a small microfluidic channel at the tip to introduce our test fluid,” said Xian.

“Within the microfluidic channel, a few electrodes are exposed to fluid.

One is coated with gold, and COVIDrelevant antibodies are attached to the gold surface via a chemical method.”

During measurement, sensor strips are connected to a circuit board via a connector, and a short electrical test signal gets sent between the gold electrode bonded with COVID antibody and another auxiliary electrode. This signal is then returned to the circuit board for analysis.

FEATURED RESEARCH

The sensor system provides detection within 1 second, which is far faster than current COVID-19 detection methods.

Minghan Xian Ph.D. Candidate and Fan Ren, Ph.D.

“Our sensor system—circuit board—uses a transistor to amplify the electrical signal, which then gets converted into a number on the screen,” said Xian. “The magnitude of this number depends on the concentration of antigen, the viral protein, present within our test solution.”

While the system’s sensor strips clearly must be discarded after use, the test circuit board is reusable. This means the cost of testing may be greatly reduced.

The versatility of this technology goes far beyond detecting COVID-19.

“By altering the type of antibodies attached to the gold surface, we can repurpose the system to detect other diseases,” said Xian. “The system can serve as a prototype for modularized, inexpensive protein biomarker sensors for expedient realtime feedback within clinical applications, operating rooms, or home use.”

Xian is a Ph.D. candidate in the Ren Research Lab lead by UF Department of chemical engineering Distinguished Professor, Fan Ren, Ph.D. The Ren Research Lab aims to develop highly sensitive and low-cost health sensor technology, which can be implemented in a wireless-capable, real-time, and handheld sensor for personal and medical use.

The article, “Fast SARS-COV-2 Virus Detection Using Disposable Cartridge Strips and Semiconductor-Based Biosensor Platform,” is authored by Minghan Xian, Hao Luo, Xinyi Xia, Chaker Fares, Patrick H. Carey IV, Chan-Wen Chiu, Fan Ren, Siang-Sin Shan, Yu-Te Liao, Shu-Min Hsu, Josephine F. Esquivel-Upshaw, ChinWei Chang, Jenshan Lin, Steven C. Ghivizzani, and Stephen J. Pearton. It appeared in Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B on May 18, 2021 (DOI: 10.1116/6.0001060).

CHE.UFL.EDU 15

FACULTY NEWS

Jain Named Holder of the Shah Rising Star Professorship Carlos M. Rinaldi-Ramos, Ph.D., Chair and Dean’s Leadership Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D., Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, have named Assistant Professor Piyush K. Jain, Ph.D., as holder of the Shah Rising Star Professorship, for his contributions to developing a multi-scale biomolecular engineering platform using nucleic acids chemistry, protein engineering, and nanoengineering.

“I am truly honored to be receiving the Shah Rising Star Professorship,” said Dr. Jain. “This is a very significant event in my professional career, and I look forward to continuing to work hard towards the professorship.”

Jain’s Nano-Biomolecular Precision Lab has been working on improving CRISPR-based testing and applying it to a range of diseases including COVID-19.

His background is in pharmaceutical sciences and biomolecular engineering.

“Dr. Jain’s research in biomolecular engineering using gene editing technologies is an exciting example of how our faculty seek to advance engineering science in the

service of society,” said Dr. Rinaldi.

After a distinguished 40-year career at the University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering and Anesthesiology, Professor Emeritus Dinesh O. Shah, Ph.D., established the Shah Rising Star Professorship.

The endowed professorship is awarded to early career faculty who demonstrate distinguished performance in engineering research and teaching.

“I hope that the Shah Rising Star Professorship sets a young assistant professor on a trail-blazing path,” said Dr. Shah.

Dr. Shah’s research contributed significantly to the scientific understanding of monolayers of lipids, microemulsions, nanoparticles, solid/liquid dispersions, enhanced oil recovery by surfactant-polymer flooding, artificial tears and contact lens solutions, foams and lubrication.

During his tenure, Dr. Shah received numerous teaching, research and service awards. He contributed 10 books, 15 patents, and published over 375 papers in scientific journals, monographs and books. The Institute of Scientific Information, U.K. reported Dr. Shah among the top one percent of most frequently cited scientists in the world (1999).

Narayanan Awarded Grant to Study Gravitational Effects on the Faraday Instability Ranga Narayanan, Ph.D., a Distinguished Professor and the William P. and Tracy Cirioli Term Professor, was awarded a major grant from the National Science Foundation to study gravitational effects on the Faraday instability.

When two immiscible liquids are subject to an oscillating mechanical field that is applied perpendicular to their interface an instability may arise. This instability is manifested by the sudden generation of waves and fluid motion at the interface and is termed the Faraday instability.

“This study will be the first attempt to utilize the unique environment of microgravity to obtain information on the Faraday instability problem,” Dr. Narayanan said. “Addressing this question could impact important processes here on Earth, including microfluidic mixing in bio-separations, microscale heat transfer, additive manufacturing, atomization-fuel injection, and patterned substrate development.”

16 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

This research project seeks to validate models for the Faraday instability with defining experiments conducted in the absence of gravity on the International Space Station and comparing these to ground experiments. The project also seeks to determine when the interface saturates to standing waves and when it breaks catastrophically to rupture.

The project involves Ph.D. students Nevin Brosius, Igin Ignatius, and Jason Livesay, undergraduate students Zach Karpinski and Craig Singiser, and post-doctoral consultant Dr. B. Dinesh working with space-implementation partner engineers. The project also includes high school and middle school students from rural schools through summer science programs, in-class demonstrations, hands-on experiments, and live displays of microgravity experiments.

Dr. Narayanan’s research group studies the transport of heat, mass, and momentum. They examine the physics of the spontaneous generation of spatial patterns in processes that involve flow resonance, solidification, electrodeposition, and free-surface convection using mathematical and experimental methods.

FACULTY NEWS

Hibbitts Named Holder of the Moreno Rising Star Professorship In recognition of his outstanding scholarship, the University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering, Carlos M. RinaldiRamos, Ph.D., Chair and Dean’s Leadership Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering, and Cammy R. Abernathy, Ph.D., Dean of the Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering, have named Assistant Professor David Hibbitts, Ph.D., as holder of the Moreno Rising Star Professorship for his contributions to develop atomic-level understanding of heterogeneous catalysts by combining kinetic and isotopic experiments with computational chemistry. This is the first of two Moreno Rising Star Professorships in the Department of Chemical Engineering.

“I’m very grateful to Alex Moreno and his family for endowing this professorship. I’m also grateful to the department and the Dean for selecting me,” said Dr. Hibbitts. “I will continue to work hard to discover and design innovative materials for energy systems.”

Dr. Hibbitts’ Catalysis Lab focuses on reactions that convert methane and biomass-derived compounds into value-added fuels and chemicals, researches novel catalysts to reduce polluting emissions in car exhausts, and trains well-rounded students who understand practical and fundamental issues in heterogeneous catalysis.

He obtained his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from Clemson University in 2007, his doctoral degree in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia in 2012, and a post doc position in chemical engineering at the University of California-Berkeley. Dr. Hibbitts received an NSF CAREER Award in 2019, and the University of Florida’s Excellence Award for Assistant Professors in 2020.

“David is an outstanding early career scientist in the field of catalysis. His research seeks to provide fundamental insights into catalytic mechanisms and catalyst design through computer simulations. We are delighted to award the first Moreno Rising Star Professorship to David,” said Dr. Rinaldi-Ramos.

A desire to invest in the University of Florida and a vision for transforming the future of sustainable energy led distinguished alumnus Alejandro “Alex” Moreno (BSCHE ’83) to award $1M to the Department of Chemical Engineering to establish two Moreno Rising Star Professorships. The professorships are a part of Moreno’s $5.2M gift to the department. The professorships are intended for early career faculty who are demonstrating excellence in engineering research and teaching.

Moreno is an enthusiastic supporter of the Department of Chemical Engineering – a Distinguished Alumnus of the department, a frequent guest lecturer, and a member of its external advisory board. After graduating from UF, Moreno worked at General Electric’s Chemical Metallurgical Management Program, a highly selective management training program. From there he entered the MBA program at Harvard University. He has since launched a number of companies and projects, ranging from environmental services, healthcare staffing, to construction and development. He is currently the CEO and cofounder of ProSolus, Inc., a pharmaceutical company that specializes in transdermal patch development. He’s also the CEO and founder of Nightingale Nurses, one of the largest healthcare staffing companies in the country, and Panther Development Investments, which provides consulting services to Native American nations, particularly in the areas of energy development, infrastructure and financing. In 2018, Moreno was honored with the UF Distinguished Alumnus Award, and the Gator100 Pinnacle Award in recognition of his success as an entrepreneur and steadfast support of the university.

/////////////////////////////////////////// Chu Selected a UF International Program Global Fellow Henry C.W. Chu, Ph.D., an Assistant Professor, was selected as a Global Fellow by the UF International Program.

Through the program, UF faculty can kick-start their international research

program. A seed grant provides an opportunity to lay the groundwork for conducting international research.

Faculty can use these funds to cover expenses to travel to collect field data, to meet with international scholars, to access resources not available at UF, and to support any activity that advances research abroad.

CHE.UFL.EDU 17

STUDENT NEWS

Chem-E-Car teammates Brett Bertini, Jared Strauss, and Jash Patel

Chem-E-Car Team Wins Regionals The UF Chem-E-Car Design Team won the competition at the 2021 Southern Student Regional (Virtual) Conference on March 26-28, 2021. The team advanced to the Annual Student conference held at the AIChE Annual Meeting in Boston on Nov. 6-7, 2021.

“Winning 1st place in the regional competition was truly a team effort from all of our design leads,” said Emerick Gilliams, UF ChE undergraduate student and 2021 technical captain and electrical team lead.

18 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

The Chem-E-Car competition teaches students how to safely work with chemicals, build electrical systems, write code, and construct mechanical chassis. The UF Chem-E-Car is divided into four teams—the Power, Stopping, Electrical, and Mechanical. Together they build a small, handheld car that is powered and stopped by chemical reactions. They compete in regional and national competitions hosted by AIChE. At the competition, a judge announces a distance and specifies a weight that the car must carry. The team whose car gets closest to the announced distance after two rounds wins the competition.

“The main component of our victory was due to the significant improvement from the previously designed

STUDENT NEWS

Jash Patel sets the Chem-E-Car at the starting line.

cells,” said Gilliam.

Every aspect of the team came together to create great results.

Brett Bertini (Team Captain), Emerick Sumant Patankar, Ph.D., Gilliam - Technical keeps time for the team.

Captain/previous power team and electrical team lead), Garrett Kost (Power Team Lead) and Jash Patel (Electrical Team Lead) all made impacts with the new fuel cells. Gilliam designed and constructed it, Kost worked on perfecting functionality, and Patel and Bertini experimented with it to improve performance.

The team celebrates their win!

The team mechanical lead, Adam Lipworth, fixed a critical design issue from the previous car that caused the bottom of the car to drag on the floor. This fix was essential to the team’s success in competition.

The Stopping Team Lead, Jared Strauss produced consistently good results with the stopping chemistry in order to predict what concentrations were needed for competition.

This year’s Chem-E-Car design used a Lead-Acid Battery as the propulsion mechanism and a Chameleon Clock reaction as the stopping mechanism.

CHE.UFL.EDU 19

STUDENT NEWS

Success at the Virtual AIChE Annual Meeting

Award photo from the 2019 AIChE Annual Meeting in Orlando.

The 2020 Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) was held virtually on Nov. 1620. The virtual format didn’t stop UF students and faculty from participating and receiving many notable awards.

The UF AIChE Student Chapter received the Outstanding Student Chapter Award, for the 4th year in a row. The award is presented annually to student chapters that show an exceptional level of participation, enthusiasm, program quality, professionalism, and involvement in the university and community.

“I am so honored to be the advisor to our amazing UF ChE engineering students!” said Sindia RiveraJimenez, Ph.D., Instructional Assistant Professor and AIChE Chapter Adviser.

At the virtual AIChE Annual Meeting, the chapter also won the K-12 Module Competition with their Module Saving Lives with Centrifugation.

In the module, UF AIChE partnered with A Reason to Give to prepare lunches for the homeless.

20 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

students demonstrated the process and physics behind centrifugation in the context of blood processing. The goal was to ensure that all students understand what happens during and after donating blood in order to demonstrate its importance and to promote blood donations.

Caroline Hamric won 2nd place in her division at the AIChE annual student conference poster presentation.

Caroline is a University Scholar student and is mentored by Whitney L. Stoppel, Ph.D. Caroline Hamric

Sean Kochanowsky

Zachary Lambert

Sean Kochanowsky received the Freshman Recognition Award. This distinguished and well-deserved award is presented to one AIChE student member in each student chapter who has been the most active in their student chapter during his or her freshman year.

Zachary Lambert received the Donald F. Othmer Sophomore Academic Excellence Award. This distinguished award is presented to one AIChE student member in each student chapter who has attained the highest scholastic grade point average during their freshman and sophomore years.

STUDENT NEWS

Joseph Selected for Highly Competitive Graduate School Workshop Nedgine Joseph, a senior in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Florida, is one of 50 students who was selected to attend the Women+ of Color Project (WOCP) virtual Graduate School 101 Workshop on October 10-12, 2020. Participants chosen for the workshop were among some of the best and brightest emerging scholars and show promise as future scientists.

“I feel honored, grateful, and humbled to have been accepted into this highly competitive WOCP workshop,” Joseph said. “It serves as further validation of my potential in the research field and encourages me to persevere in my professional life.”

As a freshman, Joseph was passionate about water and air

pollution research, and immediately became involved in undergraduate research on a wastewater treatment project.

“As I took more chemical engineering technical electives, I was captivated and intrigued by the diversity, potential, and promise of energy research, specifically in bioenergy and nuclear energy.

I hope to contribute to the energy field in my future,” Joseph said.

As an active participant in this year’s virtual workshop, Joseph had the opportunity to interact with other participants in the program, speakers, panelists, and network with partnered exhibitors.

The WOCP communicates best practices and addresses the disparity amongst underrepresented minority women who are pursuing careers as academic scientists.

Chemical Engineering Students Receive NanoFlorida 2020 Awards Five University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering students won awards from the NanoFlorida Conference on Sept. 25, 2020.

Congratulations to Andrew Garcia (Honorable Mention in Materials, Devices, and Enabling Technologies); Calen Leverant (Honorable Mention in Materials, Devices, and Enabling Technologies Awards); Stephen Michel (Best Overall Undergraduate Awards); Gibson Scisco (First Place in Environmental, Agriculture, and Energy); and Minghan

Xian (Honorable Mention in Materials, Devices, and Enabling Technologies Awards).

The NanoFlorida Conference unites student researchers from across the state of Florida to share their discoveries in nanotechnology and learn from distinguished speakers from around the United States. The conference is interdisciplinary, covering many areas of nanotechnology in biological, chemical, and environmental media. This year’s conference was free of charge and hosted virtually by the University of Miami.

/////////////////////////////////////////// GRACE Research Symposium Goes Online Students presented to peers at the 22nd Annual Graduate Association of Chemical Engineers (GRACE) Research Symposium, which was conducted online via Zoom on Oct. 30, 2020. This is the first time the organization has conducted a symposium using an online format.

Wyatt Casey LaMarche, Ph.D., (UF ChE Ph.D. ‘13) Project Leader at Particulate Solid Research, Inc. (PSRI), and Adrian Roitberg, Ph.D., a Professor in the UF Department of Chemistry, delivered the keynote presentations.

The symposium is a one-day research showcase where chemical engineering Ph.D., M.S., and undergraduate students have the opportunity to present their research to their peers and a panel of judges.

GRACE appreciates the commitment, efforts, and dedication of all the participants and extends congratulations to the winners.

Session 1 First place: Ani Kulkarni Honorable mention: Vikram Mehar

Poster session First place: Caroline Hamric Honorable mention: Dirk Steyn

Session 2 First place: Chaker Fares Honorable mention: Ruwen Tan CHE.UFL.EDU 21

DEPARTMENT NEWS

The Department Welcomes Second Undergraduate Academic Advisor Shaura Thomas, M.Ed., GCDF, joined the University of Florida Department of Chemical Engineering as a new Undergraduate Academic Advisor on June 25, 2021.

Thomas earned an undergraduate degree in Family, Youth and Community Sciences, and a master’s degree in Student Personnel in Higher Education,

both from UF. She has 11 years of experience in academic advising, and most recently worked as an Advising Specialist at Santa Fe College.

Thomas joins Cynthia Sain to advise our chemical engineering undergraduates, and will lead programs to recruit, support, and retain transfer students.

//////////////////////////////////////// Endowed Distinguished Lectures DINESH O. SHAH ANNUAL LECTURE IN SURFACE SCIENCE Samir Mitragotri, Ph.D., the Hiller Professor of Bioengineering and Wyss Professor of Biologically Inspired Engineering at Harvard University, was the 2020 Dinesh O. Shah Annual Lecturer in Surface Science.

Dr. Mitragotri presented, “Understanding and Overcoming Biological Barriers For Drug Delivery” in a virtual format on Nov. 30.

Dr. Mitragotri’s research has provided new insights into biological barriers of skin and gastrointestinal tract, among others. His research has also led to new methods of transdermal, oral, and targeted drug delivery. He is an author of over 300 publications and is a Thomson Reuters Highly Cited Researcher. Prof. Mitragotri is highly active in translating his inventions to clinical and commercial products. He is an inventor on over 180 patents and patent applications. His inventions have led to several products that have been commercialized or are in advanced clinical development. He is an elected member of the National Academy of Engineering, National Academy of Medicine and the National Academy of Inventors. He is a foreign member of the Indian National Academy of Engineering. He is also an elected fellow of AAAS, CRS, BMES, AIMBE, and AAPS. The Dinesh O. Shah Annual Lecture in Surface Science was established in the Chemical Engineering Department at UF by Professor Dinesh O. Shah because of his strong commitment to the university and the field of surface science. Professor Shah retired in 2005 from UF after a distinguished academic career spanning 35 years.

22 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

ENDOWED DISTINGUISHED LECTURE IN FLUID MECHANICS Jeffrey F. Morris, Ph.D., Director of the Levich Institute, and Professor of Chemical Engineering at The City College of New York, was the 2020 Endowed Distinguished Lecturer in Fluid Mechanics.

Dr. Morris presented, “Developing the fluid mechanics of suspensions” virtually on April 5, 2021.

In his research, Dr. Morris develops constitutive and bulk fluid mechanical descriptions appropriate for suspensions, from submicron colloids to sand slurries. Defining questions are: How are these mixture flows intrinsically different from their single-phase counterparts? What is the appropriate predictive framework for these materials accounting for their multiphase nature? Unifying features of the work are an emphasis on understanding the influence of nonequilibrium microstructure on rheology and bulk flow. Dr. Morris has recently focused on frictional interactions between particles in viscous liquids, toward understanding of shear thickening.

Dr. Morris was elected Fellow of the American Physical Society (APS) in 2013 and of the Society of Rheology in 2019. He was awarded the 2015 and 2020 J. Rheology Publication Awards, the 2017 AICHE/Shell Thomas Baron Award for Fluid-Particle Systems, and 2019 Stanley Corrsin Award of the APS. He is currently the SecretaryTreasurer of APS Division of Fluid Dynamics, and an Associate Editor of the Journal of Fluid Mechanics. He authored the text A Physical Introduction to Suspension Dynamics, with Elisabeth Guazzelli.

SEMINARHIGHLIGHTS SPEAKERS STUDENT

ChE Hosts Outstanding Invited Seminar Speakers Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, UF ChE hosted a vibrant, virtual seminar series where invited speakers shared their latest research and met with faculty and students each week.

Julie Albert, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Tulane University

Hugh W. Hillhouse, Ph.D. Rehnberg Chair Professor University of Washington

Spring 2021

Fall 2020

Jorge Almodovar, Ph.D. Assistant Professor and Ray C. Adam Chair University of Arkansas

Efie Kokkoli, Ph.D. Professor Johns Hopkins University

Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Sacit Eray Aydil, Ph.D. Alstadt Lord Mark Professor New York University

Abigail Koppes, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Northeastern University

Fall 2020

Spring 2021

Martin Bazant, Ph.D. Professor Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Markita Landry, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of California-Berkeley

Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Daniel D. Burkey, Ph.D. Professor-in-Residence University of Connecticut

Jeetain Mittal, Ph.D. Professor Lehigh University

Fall 2020

Spring 2021

Tony Butterfield, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Utah

Marc Ostermeier, Ph.D. Professor Johns Hopkins University

Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Steve Caliari, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Virginia

Umit Ozkan, Ph.D. Department Chair and Distinguished Professor The Ohio State University

Spring 2021

Fall 2020

Zhenxing Feng, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Oregon State University

Sufei Shi, Ph.D. Assistant Professor Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Spring 2021

Spring 2021

Sharon C. Glotzer, Ph.D. Anthony C. Lembke Department Chair University of Michigan

Millicent O. Sullivan, Ph.D. Centennial Professor and Associate Chair University of Delaware

Fall 2020

Fall 2020

Damien S. Guironnet, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Corey Wilson, Ph.D. Associate Professor Georgia Institute of Technology

Fall 2020

Fall 2020

Brendan A. Harley, Sc.D. Robert W. Schaefer Professor University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Taylor J. Woehl, Ph.D. Assistant Professor University of Maryland

Fall 2020

Fall 2020 CHE.UFL.EDU 23

ALUMNI UPDATE

DaCosta Honored with Gator100 Award Albert DaCosta (BSCHE ‘98), honored for a second time with a Gator100 award for his fast-growing company.

DaCosta is the co-founder, president and CEO of Paragon 28, a manufacturer that develops and produces biomechanically and clinically relevant surgical solutions for the lower extremities. DaCosta has led his team in providing products that result in better surgical outcomes for patients. DaCosta’s company is a sponsor of Steps2Walk, a charitable organization taking care of people in international communities who have a crippling deformity and providing free surgery to help them walk.

Each year, the UF Alumni Association, in partnership with the UF Entrepreneurship & Innovation Center recognizes these amazing entrepreneurs with the Gator100 Awards.

////////////////////////////////////////// BLAZECK HONORED IN 2021 “40 UNDER 40” AWARDS

KIM SELECTED FELLOW OF THE ELECTROCHEMICAL SOCIETY

John Blazeck (BSCHE ’07) grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania before attending the University of Florida. At UF, he studied chemical engineering and worked with Dr. Kirk Ziegler as an undergraduate research assistant. He graduated summa cum laude from UF in 2007.

Jihyun Kim (CHE Ph.D. ‘04) was selected a Fellow of the Electrochemical Society, Class of 2021. This mark of high distinction was in recognition of his scientific achievement and service to the Society. He earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida in 2004 under the supervision of Distinguished Professor, Fan Ren, Ph.D. Dr. Kim is a professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Korea University.

After completing his undergraduate studies, Dr. Blazeck obtained a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin, performing research with Dr. Hal Alper to engineer microbial hosts to produce biofuels. He continued his research career as a Postdoctoral Fellow at UT Austin, working with Dr. George Georgiou to engineer a cancer-fighting enzyme, which will soon be tested in clinical trials.

Dr. Blazeck is now an assistant professor of Chemical Engineering at the Georgia Institute of Technology, where he teaches Chemical Engineering courses and leads a laboratory of 14 graduate and undergraduate students. His laboratory’s current work aims to understand the complex interplay between metabolism and immune function in human cancers to be able to design new therapies.

Dr. Blazeck’s work has resulted in 15 publications and five patents. He has been recognized nationally with several prestigious awards and honors, including an American Cancer Society Fellowship; a National Merit Scholarship; and more recently, an Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation Beckman Young Investigator Award, a yearly honor given to promising new professors in the biological and chemical sciences.

Dr. Blazeck now lives in Atlanta with his wife Kristina, and their three young children.

24 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

2021 NSF GRADUATE RESEARCH FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM Mackenzie Grubb and Isabella Young received the 2021 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship Program (GRFP) Award.

Grubb is a Ph.D. student in the lab of Steven Caliari, Ph.D., an assistant professor of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia. Her research is centered on utilizing hydrogel platforms to study the extracellular cues that drive pulmonary fibrosis.

Young is a Ph.D. student in Dr. Rahima Benhabbour’s lab, within the UNC Eshelman School of Pharmacy’s Division of Pharmacoengineering and Molecular Pharmaceutics. Her research is centered around developing translational and long-acting multipurpose technologies for HIV prevention and contraception for women around the world.

Share your news with us!

Email updates and a photo to communications@che.ufl.edu

DEPARTMENT SUPPORT

Gifts to the Department We are thankful to all of our donors in July 2020-June 2021. Every gift, large or small, makes a difference and helps advance and improve student experiences at ChE. Your gifts to the Chemical Engineering Excellence Fund support scholarships, fellowships, faculty, and unrestricted support for the department.

We would especially like to recognize our major donors this year:

Dr. Gary L. Allen

Mr. Nick S. Katzaras

Dr. Kent J. Probst

Dr. Douglas A. Asbury

Dr. Agis Kydonieus

Mr. Matt Pytosh

Mr. Chand Deepak

Ms. Pearl Leung

Mr. Charles R. Revette

Mr. & Mrs. Michael K. Dickinson

Dr. & Mrs. William McGrane

Mr. & Mrs. James J. Sandy III

Mrs. L. Dianne Dlouhy

Dr. Thomas M. Miller

Mr. & Mrs. Jayant R. Shroff

Mr. Robert L. Goodmark

Mr. Thomas W. Moore

Mr. David H. Vickrey

Mr. Robert J. Heinle

Mosaic Global Sales LLC

Mr. John C. Walker

Dr. J. Wayne Johnson

Dr. John P. O’Connell

Dr. Douglas C. White

Mr. Jatinder Jolly

Dr. Daniel G. O’Neil

Dr. Michael D. Williams

Randall L. Ledkins, Director of Development Each year I am humbled by the generosity and commitment of our alumni and donors to Chemical Engineering. This year is no exception. So why do people want to give?

I hear stories from our alumni every day about the impact their degree from UF has had in their career. It is the foundation in their education they attribute to their success. Many were the first in their family to attend college. Some acknowledge the chance that UF afforded them by offering them a scholarship, without which they would not have been able to attend university. Their humble beginnings at Florida set forth their pathway to great rewards, for which they are forever grateful.

Let’s begin a conversation about how you can make a difference at UF and in ChE. Whether your interest is in the support of our students, faculty, or other areas of interest, your legacy can begin today. There are many support options available from funding initiatives outright to more creative options when looking at estate planning.

Perhaps you have appreciated stocks or assets which may have capital gains or estate tax implications. A charitable contribution may be of consideration to aid with some of these burdens.

Our team offers vast resources which can make your philanthropy a reality.

Start your legacy today and let us have the conversation about how you can change the lives of generations of UF Chemical Engineers!

YOU CAN HELP POWER THE NEW ENGINEER! Make an online gift today at www.che.ufl.edu

CHE.UFL.EDU 25

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT Q: Who influenced you during your time at UF?

ALUMNI LEADERS SHARE THEIR EXPERIENCE, INSIGHT, AND ENCOURAGEMENT

KEVIN LIN, BSCHE ‘15

Senior R&D Engineer, PepsiCo

Lin presented to students in the Department of Chemical Engineering how he applies artificial intelligence (AI) in his job at PepsiCo Research and Development. While working in the Foods R&D Applied AI team, Lin leads projects to apply machine vision and machine learning to streamline manufacturing processes and accelerate the product development process. Through his time as a process engineer on the global Snacks Extrusion team, he has touched on many areas, including mechanical design, food science, and process economics.

Q: What was the best aspect of your experience at UF CHE? A: I had an amazing time as a student in UF’s Chemical Engineering department. Not only did I receive a top-notch education, but I made close connections with friends, faculty and staff; and learned so much even outside of the classroom.

The department prepared us very well for a successful career ahead, regardless of what path we decided to take!

Q: What is your favorite memory of your time as a student?

A: I have two favorite memories that I’ll share: the first memory was from a late-night study session in the Chemical Engineering Student Center. Nobody else was around, and we were all getting simultaneously tired and restless. To get the blood flowing, we decided to go all the way down to the bottom floor, take off our shoes, and try to slide around on the floor with our socks. A silly memory, but an awesome bonding experience.

The second memory is a little more heartwarming. For our class’s graduation banquet, we all voted to have Dr. Johns give the speech. We enjoyed his laid-back approach to lecturing and figured it would be fun to hear it during the ceremony as well. What we didn’t realize was that he would give one of the funniest, most touching, and most inspirational speeches that we heard in our last semester at UF. It was great being able to celebrate and enjoy one more time alongside my classmates.

26 UF | DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

A: A UF ChE professor that influenced me a lot was Dr. Yiider Tseng. I was not looking forward to a class called “Biology for Engineers,” since I wasn’t a huge fan of the rote memorization required of me back in high school biology. However, Dr. Tseng was able to translate the mechanisms of biology into a series of beautiful electromechanical and electrochemical processes and machines. He helped me develop a fascination and wonder for biology. After taking his course and getting to know him through office hours, I appreciated continuing to talk with him about career growth and development.

Q: How did this time influence your career?

A: My time at UF prepared me very well for my career in Food Engineering. Not only did the chemical engineering fundamentals enhance my technical skills and core competencies, the range of interdisciplinary learning available to me through UF and the Department of Chemical Engineering helped me to broaden my horizons and learn about applications of ChemE outside of traditional petrochemical industries. For example, I had the opportunity to be a student in Dr. RinaldiRamos’ lab, conduct the interdisciplinary IPPD senior design project, and take courses in a wide array of fields like computer science, quantum chemistry, materials science, and even financial accounting!

Q: How have you stayed connected to the Gator Nation?

A: I’ve had the opportunity to be part of the PepsiCo University of Florida Recruiting team ever since I joined the company, and because of this, I’ve been able to stay well connected with the department and the campus. We continue to bring in great talent every year, and it’s a joy to see the Gator Nation growing at PepsiCo R&D! Q: Have you faced a challenge in your career and how did you overcome it?

A: One of the bigger challenges I faced in my career was within the first year out of college, when the lead engineer on my project left the company. Suddenly, I had substantially more accountability and responsibilities. Initially, it was overwhelming, but I tried to shift my attitude and see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and demonstrate my talent. In collaboration with the many highly experienced colleagues around me, we were able to develop and commercialize the technology that saved a $30 million business!

Q: What advice do you have for current students?

A: Right now, you’re a student at the University of Florida.

But strive to be a student wherever and whenever you are.

Learning doesn’t stop after college. Learning doesn’t stop after your class finishes. There are so many people with different perspectives and capabilities that far surpass your own! There’s always something to learn from the people around you, whether it’s fellow students, your professors, or even the people you are mentoring.

ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT

HAVALA O. T. PYE, PH.D., BSCHE ’05

Research Scientist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Dr. Pye presented to students in the Department of Chemical Engineering how chemical engineering is used in research at a regulatory agency, and what it is like to work for the federal government as a scientist.

Dr. Pye’s work at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) focuses on fine particles and other airborne pollutants that can impact human health and climate change. Specifically, she develops the representation of fine particles and organic species in the Community Multiscale Air Quality modeling system (www.epa.gov/cmaq) allowing for improved quantification of air pollution impacts in regulatory analysis. In addition, methods developed by her team are being used to estimate evaporative air emissions from chemical products as part of the National Emissions Inventory which occurs every three years in the U.S. She has also worked on biogenic volatile organic compound chemistry, role of volatile chemical products in secondary pollutant formation, deposition to vegetation and other surfaces, and chemistry of suspended condensed phases such as liquid particles.

Dr. Pye has authored or co-authored 54 refereed journal articles with over 4,000 citations, including five articles in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and one in Nature Sustainability, as well as given 17 invited talks.

Dr. Pye is a topical editor for the journal Geoscientific Model Development and the recipient of multiple EPA Scientific and Technological Achievement Awards as well as a bronze medal for commendable service. In 2017, she was recognized with a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers, the highest honor bestowed by the U.S. government on scientists and engineers beginning their independent careers.

Q: What was the best aspect of your experience at UF CHE? A: UF provided an outstanding education and great training in chemical engineering. I remember taking many excellent classes, particularly in my degree field, but also in terms of electives that supported my core curriculum.

Q: What is your favorite memory of your time as a student?

A: I’m not sure I have a singular favorite. I fondly remember my freshman dorm experience and the giant mud pit created outside Riker Hall for a week of games. I also remember some busy study sessions on the first floor of chemical engineering in what may have been a computer lab. I also met my husband in fall of my freshman year.

Q: Who influenced you during your time at UF? A: Dr. Wu (Department of Environmental Engineering Sciences) was an enthusiastic research mentor and always willing to give me an opportunity. Dr. Svoronos was my go-to for anything chemical engineering related. I also remember asking someone during one of my undergraduate research projects, “Why should I be doing research? So many people know so much more than me. What am I going to do that those people can’t do better?”

The person replied, “Because you are going to try something they didn’t think of.” Even now that resonates with me and reminds me that I don’t have to know everything to do good work and make an impact.

Q: How did this time influence your career?

A: UF allowed me to get training in the fundamentals of chemical engineering which I found challenging and intellectually stimulating. I was able to pair that with my interests in environmental science and engineering to use my science in ways that would improve the environment around us. UF prepared me well to succeed in graduate school and later in my professional career where I still use many chemical engineering concepts, but they are applied to environmental questions.

Q: How have you stayed connected to the Gator Nation?

A: I continue to work in the same professional field where I did undergraduate research: aerosol science. I often see my undergraduate research advisor, Dr. Wu, at meetings and was even invited to give a department seminar this year.

Q: Have you faced a challenge in your career and how did you overcome it?

A: I attribute a significant part of my career success to persistence. New ideas are not always welcome and can be met with skepticism and even obstruction. I still regularly encounter resistance to new ideas, but I’m now better at recognizing that this initial resistance usually comes from fear of increasing workload, fear of being wrong, fear of scrutiny, or some other fear. But, when people see your great work, those fears disappear, and you end up with the skeptics as supporters.

Q: What advice do you have for current students?

A: Learning the fundamentals is important. Take challenging classes and learn from different fields. When it comes to utilizing your knowledge later, seek out additional relevant information and do what needs to be done, even if it’s not what you were specifically trained to do. With a wide skill set, you can be a chemist one year, an engineer the next, a programmer another, and an epidemiologist another. By learning fundamentals in school, you have a basis on which to build new knowledge and you have developed a strong muscle for obtaining new information and skills when you need it.

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