Chemical and Biomolecular
Engineering
Fall 2012
Department Greetings
I can’t believe winter is upon us again! A lot has happened since our last newsletter. We were saddened by the passing of two founding faculty members of the
department, Dr. Coleman J. Major and Dr. Robert W. Roberts. Dr. Coleman was
the first Head of the department (and later Dean of the College of Engineering);
Dr. Roberts was the second Department Head. The department’s continuing development bears the testimony to their great leadership and contribution.
The department has indeed continued to develop. In August we welcomed two
new faculty members, Dr. Zhenmeng Peng and Dr. Lingyan Li, and one administrative assistant, Mr. Nickolas Dahl. Dr. Peng, with a PhD degree from University
of Rochester and postdoctoral training at UC Berkeley, joined us as an assistant
professor. Dr. Li received her PhD degree from University of Washington and was
Research Fellow for 4 years at Cleveland Clinic before joining the department as
temporary faculty. Mr. Dahl has a Bachelor’s Degree in Communication Studies
from Ohio University and joined us from the School of Nursing at UA.
Departmental
Advisory Board
Mr. Larry Allen
Retired, VP of Environmental, Health
Safety and Quality
Mr. Chris Arrick
Caterpillar, Inc.
Mr. Charles A. Clerecuzio
Bard Holding, Inc.
Mr. Roger Cox
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company
Mr. Tom Flynn
The Babcock & Wilcox Company
Mr. Robert Handelman
Chemstress Consultant Company
The department now has 18 full time faculty, 3 administrators, 1 technician, and 10
other associated/supporting faculty and staff. The department’s enrollment number has also maintained the trend of continual increase for the past 9 years. This
fall we have over 360 undergraduate students and 88 graduate students. In Fall
2011 we had 320 undergraduate and 70 graduate students; and back in 2004 we had
155 undergraduate and about 40 graduate students. The increasing faculty, staff
and students also require more space. The Auburn Science West Tower renovation is completed and the department has about 7000 square feet in additional
space there. The new facility, The University of Akron Engineering Research Center is nearly completed. The faculty members in the corrosion engineering program have been busy setting up their labs and offices there.
Our student chapter of AIChE was honored as the Outstanding Student Chapter
at the recent national AIChE meeting at Pittsburgh. There are many other exciting
developments happening at the department. We hope you’ll consider visiting us
when you get the chance.
Lastly, we wish you a Happy Holiday season and a wonderful new year to come!
Dr. Lu-Kwang Ju, Department Chair
Mr. Karl Jacob (Chair)
The Dow Chemical Company
Dr. Jeffrey S. Kanel
Renewable Algae Energy, LLC
Dr. Brian Kocher
OMNOVA
Dr. Jackie Laurich
OMNOVA
Dr. Tim Mallo
Merck & Company, Inc.
Mr. Oscar Mascarenhas
Next Generation Films
Mr. Robert M. Shemenski
RMS Consulting Inc.
Dr. W. Leigh Short
Alternative Environment Strategies, LLC
Mr. Dan Spak
Firestone High School
Mr. John Zuppo
Emerald Performance Materials
Gabe Rhoads
Gabe Rhoads is currently working as a Global Account Manager at The
Lubrizol Corporation in Wickliffe, OH. Gabe joined Lubrizol after graduating from The University of Akron with a BS in Chemical Engineering in
2000. He has served Lubrizol in various roles during the last 12
years; Process Development Engineer, Program Manager, Product Manager
and Regional Business Manager - including a 2-year ex-patriot assignment in
Derby, England. During his time at Lubrizol, Gabe earned his MBA at
Cleveland State University. Gabe married an Akron engineering alumnus,
Barbara (Bogolin) Rhoads, in 2004, and the couple are enjoying their first
child – daughter Adelyn Celia Rhoads, born on August 22, 2012. Gabe is
proud to be featured in the newsletter and happy to report that his experiences at Akron provided a great foundation to start his career!
Larry Allen ’70
Retired, VP, Environmental, Health, Safety, and Quality Air Products and
Chemicals Incorporated
Larry Allen retired in 2009 from Air Products and Chemicals Inc. in Allentown, PA., as vice president of environmental, health, safety, and quality. An
Akron native, he earned a B.S. in chemical engineering in 1970 at The University of Akron and began his career with Goodyear International. During
his tenure there, Allen worked in various technical and production engineering positions in Sydney, Australia, before becoming technical manager
in 1975 for the operations in Jamaica.
In 1978, Allen joined Air Products and Chemicals. Over his 30-year career, he
has held a broad range of managerial positions in manufacturing, process
technology, product management, quality, and sales. He held the positions
of director of human resources, senior plant manager, manufacturing manager for performance chemicals, and ultimately, his post as vice president.
Allen’s achievements include his 1992 appointment as the first operations
director for chemicals manufacturing in Europe based in Manchester, England. Allen established European manufacturing organizations and was instrumental in successfully deploying EH&S processes and modernizing operations.
Allen resides in Tucson, AZ., with his wife, Susan, also an Akron native.
They enjoy traveling, hiking, biking, golf, and community activities.
Zhenmeng Peng
He received his B.S. and M.S. in Materials Science from the University of Science and Technology of China in 2002 and 2005, and his Ph.D. in Chemical
Engineering from the University of Rochester in 2010. Before joining the University of Akron, he was a postdoctoral scholar at the University of California
at Berkeley for two years. His research interests include understanding of
catalytic reactions at a molecular level, design of cost-effective and stable
electrocatalysts for fuel cell reactions, and development of advanced materials useful as heterogeneous catalysts for chemicals conversion. He and his
wife Jing have one three year old son, Yiyang.
Nick Dahl
He joined the department in August of 2012. He is doing administrative work
with our graduate students. He came from the College of Nursing at the University of Akron. He is a recent graduate of Ohio University with a degree in
Communication Studies. He is enjoying working with new people and learning new things every day. He currently lives in North Canton.
Dr. Castaneda's corrosion research group is continuing to attract
new members from around the world, with varying interests and
expertise. This unique combination of knowledge and experience
allows individuals in the group to learn from and teach each other
while accomplishing research and project objectives. The topics
being studied by the group include alloy passivity, pipeline corrosion assessment, corrosion resistant coatings, carbon dioxide corrosion, corrosion inhibitors, cathodic protection modeling, stress
corrosion cracking, corrosion in reinforced concrete, and passive
film modeling. Much of the information gathered from this research will be presented at conferences, such as NACE and The
Electrochemical Society, as well as international publications in
Electrochimica Acta, Corrosion Science, and others.
Major, 96, of Tempe, Arizona, died on August 21, 2012. He was born September 7,
1915 in Detroit Michigan. His father was an immigrant from Hungary and his mother
from Slovakia. As his father's successful construction company during the depression
collapsed, Coleman went to college, graduating with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering
from the University of Illinois, Champaign-Urbana in 1937. Subsequently he was
awarded a teaching assistantship at Cornell University and earned a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering in 1941. Holder of numerous patents, he worked both in industry and
academia, and retired in 1980 as Dean of Engineering at The University of Akron.
Edited from: azcentral.com.
Visit this site or contact the ChE Office for entire article – [email protected]
Dr. Robert William Roberts, Ph.D. F.A.I.Ch.E., 89, died October 8, 2012. He was born
in Riverside, Ill. on July 24, 1923 as the eldest son of Orville W. and Lucy E. Roberts
and is survived by his wife of 66 years, Marilyn Helen Roberts; daughter, Lynn Ellyn
Whisler (Bob) of Littlerock, CA; sons, William Allyn Roberts, M.D. (Carol) of Fairhope, AL and Robert Frederick Roberts, D.V.M. (Jane) of Bath, OH; and nine fantastic grandchildren.
Roberts received his B.S.ChE. Engineering at Washington University (St. Louis) in
1948, and his M.S. and Ph.D.degrees at the University of Iowa in 1960 and 1962. He
worked for Alcoa, W.R. Grace, Dayco and Hercules Powder Company.
After joining the Department of Chemical Engineering in 1966 as an Associate Professor at The University of Akron, he served as Professor and was the Department
Chair from 1969 to 1976. In 1979, while on leave, he served as the Head of the Plastics
Engineering School for the Algerian Institute of Petroleum near Algiers. He returned
in 1988 and continued to teach part-time until 1996 and maintained his interest in
chemical engineering education until his passing.
Besides a listing in the Who's Who of Engineering, he was elected Fellow of the
American Institute of Chemical Engineers and many additional organizations in
which he also supported. He and his wife traveled extensively throughout the world
visiting over 80 countries. Roberts served as a Communications Officer in the Air
Force during World War II in the Southwest Pacific area. He was proud to have
earned his Eagle Scout Badge with the Boy Scouts of America.
Edited from: Ohio.com
Visit this site or contact the ChE Office for entire article – [email protected]
News
Promotion
Dr. Jie Zheng recently was promoted to associate professor in our department. He has been with the department since 2007. He came from
the National Cancer Institute, NIH.
Congratulations Dr. Zheng!
Awards
The Chem-E Car team
won the poster competition at the AiChE
Competition and
AIChE also received the
outstanding Student
Chapter award.
Advisory Board Poster
Competition Winners
1st plaze: Vidja Raja
2nd Qiong Tang
3rd Anthony Coffman
Fall 2012 Seminar Speakers
Sept 6 Dr. Stephen E. Duirk, UA civil engineering
Sept 13 Dr. Ramamoorthy from University of Michigan
Oct 11 Dr. David A. Kofke from The State University of New York Buffalo
Oct 18 Dr. Mukerrem Cakmak, UA polymer engineering
Oct 25 Mr. Glenn Cormack from Lubrizol
Nov 1 Dr. LiangFang Zhang, UCSD NanoEngineering
Nov 8 Dr. Xiaoming He, OSU Biomengineering
Nov 15 Dr. Joseph J Biernacki from Tennessee tech
Nov 29 Dr. Srdjan Nesic, OU Chemical Engineering
Dr. David Kolfe during his seminar “Big
Properties from Small Simulations’”
Groups
AIChE
The University of Akron's American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) is a student run organization with the intent to generate student/faculty interaction and bridge the gap between
education and industry. AIChE has continuously increased in size each year from its start
in 1963. Currently Akron's Student Chapter has 102 students that actively participate in events
and meetings. The UA AIChE Student Chapter has hosted multiple events and fund raisers this
semester including a dunk tank, (pictures below) cook out, tail gate party, corn-hole competition, chili cook-off, WallyBall tournament and visited Omnova (Chemical Facility) and an Art
Museum that related to chemical engineering. AIChE also hosted a presentation from Jim Tressel on "Leadership-Successes and Failures" and from Deanna Dunn (Co-op Director) who helped
polish the students interviewing skills.
Chem-E Car
The Chem-E-Car team recently traveled to the national conference and competition in Pittsburgh, PA.
Akron was able to once again claim 1st place in the
poster competition but unfortunately was unable to
compete in the performance competition due to a
mix up in ordering the proper chemicals. The Chem-E
-Car team looks forward to the regional competition
in March which will be located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Photos from the “Dunk
Tank” event organized by
AIChE.
Alumni Memories
Bryan Howdyshell, Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems
Double digit inflation and home loans of 18% were my graduation present from
Chemical Engineering in 1982. My name is Bryan Howdyshell and as trite as it
sounds, U of A is a very different place – but there are many tell-tale signs of eons
past. For example, you know those stainless steel studs protruding from the ASEC
fascia? Contractors were installing those during finals week. I was sitting in a Controls final exam enjoying the cacophony of the grinding of a water cooled drill.
This symphony was punctuated with the aesthetically pleasing water fall that ran
down the back wall of the classroom when the drill broke through the back off the class room.
Of course all of my professors are long gone, but you may have heard of Dr. Roberts (R2). He was the first
professor I met when I transferred from Kent. He made a point of telling me that Kent transfers typically
wash out. Not very encouraging…but he was still one of my favorite professors. Dr. Willis was the professor in charge of getting the graduating class to a manageable size. The class of ’82 had a rather unique
personality and despite the intellectual bludgeoning, there was a mutual affection between us and Dr.
Willis.
After graduation, I started in carbon friction material research at Goodyear Aerospace – so Chemical Engineering rolled into material science, which I love. The best part of research is contracting with universities and giving professors a hard time about getting reports in on time. The other fun thing is getting
named as a co-author on technical papers just for partially funding the work. The experience I am most
proud of is the building of two plants from the ground up. One was a crisis emergency because our supplier cut us off. The other was a “greenfield” project in Kentucky.
I managed to convince all of my children that “nerds rule” and all three decided to come to U of A and be
engineers. As a parent it is hard to stand by and watch the pain of extremely difficult classes, but I assure
them that “doing” engineering (and getting paid for it) is much more fun than “learning” it (and being
broke). My biggest blessing with the students is being able to tell them that I know it is tough, but they
will make it. After you land your first job, no one will ask or care about your GPA. Do the best you can
and then let it go.
Hopefully, I have been candid enough to establish some credibility. In conclusion, I would like to say, “If
you love your job, you don’t work a day in your live.” An engineering degree is “your ticket to the dance.”
Once in industry you can do research, sales, management, process design…almost anything. Find what
you love and do that. Don’t worry about what pays the most. If you don’t like your work, the money
won’t keep you from being miserable.
Besides, everything you buy ends up in a landfill anyway. Invest in what lasts – relationships. Decide to
be interested and fascinated with your job…and with life. If you decide to marry, stay fascinated with
your spouse. Respect your spouse and your children. Many of my life lessons I have learned from my
children. Test everything, hold onto what is good.
AIChE Presenters
Nathaniel Blasdel
Topic: Flexible Resistance Detector
To Monitor The Environment
Inside The Sockets of Prosthetics
Maysam Sodagari
Topic: Rhamnolipid
Production by Long Term Pseudomonas Ae
ruginosa Fermentation
Abdullah Al Loman
Topic: Purification of Arabitol
From Fermentation Broth of
Debaryomyces Hansenii Using
Glycerol As Substrate
Alvaro Rodriguez
Topic: A MetabolismInspired Assay to
Predict Toxicity in
Drinking Water Systems
&
Real Time Corrosion
Monitoring of Microbially Induced Corrosion
in Water-Cooling Systems
Ahmadreza F. Ghobadi
Topic: Modeling Interfaces With
Step Potential for Equilibria and
Dynamics (iSPEAD)
Hamed Kayello
Topic: An Innovative
Computer-Aided
Molecular Design Approach to the Rational
Design of Novel Small
Molecule Inhibitors of
Amyloid-β Aggregation
Isaac Afreh
Topic: Non-biological inhibition
based sensing (NIBS) for detection
of disinfection by-products (DBPs)
in drinking water.
Suma Magadi
Topic: Using an Intergra
–tion Technique to Trace
Coexistence Curves:
Applications to Multi
component Phase Equilibrium
Bin Cao
Topic: Multifunctional
Zwitterionic Carboxybetaine
Hydrogel
Qiong Tang
Topic Selective gene
delivery to cancer cells
using an integrated
cationic amphiphilic
peptide
Title: New Antifouling Silica Hydrogel
Author(s): Beltran-Osuna, Angela A.; Cao, Bin; Cheng, Gang; Jana, Sadhan; Espe, Matthew; Lama Bimala.
Source: LANGMUIR Volume: 28 Issue: 25 Pages: 9700-9706 DOI: 10.1021/la301561j Published: JUN 26 2012
Title: Conformational Basis for Asymmetric Seeding Barrier in Filaments of Three- and Four-Repeat Tau
Author(s): Siddiqua, Ayisha; Luo, Yin; Meyer, Virginia; Swanson, Michael; Yu, Xiang; Wei, Guanghong) Zheng, Jie; Eaton,
Gareth; Ma, Buyong; Nussinov, Ruth; Eaton, Sandra; Margittai, Martin.
Source: JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Volume: 134 Issue: 24 Pages: 10271-10278 DOI: 10.1021/
ja303498q Published: JUN 20 2012
Title: Synthesis and characterization of pH-sensitive poly(N-2-hydroxyethyl acrylamide)-acrylic acid (poly(HEAA/AA))
nanogels with antifouling protection for controlled release
Author(s): Zhao, Chao; Chen, Qiang; Patel, Kunal; Li, Lingyan; Li, Xiaosi; Wang, Qiuming; Zhang, Ge; Zheng, Jie.
Source: SOFT MATTER Volume: 8 Issue: 30 Pages: 3848-3857 DOI: 10.1039/c2sm25861g Published: 2012
Title: Electrospun Zwitterionic Poly(Sulfobetaine Methacrylate) for Nonadherent, Superabsorbent, and Antimicrobial
Wound Dressing Applications
Author(s): Lalani, Reza; Liu, Lingyun
Source: BIOMACROMOLECULES Volume: 13 Issue: 6 Pages: 1853-1863 DOI: 10.1021/bm300345e Published: JUN 2012
Title: Rapid cell sheet detachment using spin-coated pNIPAAm films retained on surfaces by an aminopropyltriethoxysilane network
Author(s): Patel, Nikul G.; Cavicchia, John P.; Zhang, Ge; Newby, Bi-Min.
Source: ACTA BIOMATERIALIA Volume: 8 Issue: 7 Pages: 2559-2567 DOI: 10.1016/j.actbio.2012.03.031 Published:
JUL 2012
Title: Nonuniform Corrosion-Induced Stresses in Steel-Reinforced Concrete
Author(s): Xia, Ning; Ren, Qingwen; Liang, Robert Y.; Payer, Joe; Patnaik, Anil.
Source: JOURNAL OF ENGINEERING MECHANICS-ASCE Volume: 138 Issue: 4 Pages: 338-346 DOI: 10.1061/(ASCE)
EM.1943-7889.0000337 Published: APR 2012
Title: Investigation of structure-property relationships of polyisobutylene-based biomaterials: Morphology, thermal, quasi-static tensile and long-term dynamic fatigue behavior
Author(s): Goetz, C.; Lim, G. T.; Puskas, J. E.; Altstadt, v.
Source: JOURNAL OF THE MECHANICAL BEHAVIOR OF BIOMEDICAL MATERIALS Volume: 10 Pages: 206215 DOI: 10.1016/j.jmbbm.2012.02.016 Published: JUN 2012
Title: Bio-inspired cationic polymerization of isoprene and analogues: state-of-the-art
Author(s): Ouardad, Samira; Bakleh, Marc-Elias; Kostjuk, Sergei V.; Ganachaud, Francois; Puskas Judit E.; Deffieux,
Alain; Peruch, Frederic.
Source: POLYMER INTERNATIONAL Volume: 61 Issue: 2 Pages: 149-156 DOI: 10.1002/pi.3223 Published: FEB 2012
Title: Influence of e-beam irradiation on the chemical and crystal structure of poly(aliphatic/aromatic-ester) multiblock
thermoplastic elastomers
Author(s): El Fray, Miroslawa; Piatek-Hnat, Marta; Puskas, Judit E.; Foreman-Orlowski, E.
Source: POLISH JOURNAL OF CHEMICAL TECHNOLOGY Volume: 14 Issue: 2 Pages: 70-74 DOI: 10.2478/v10026-012
-0073-6 Published: 2012
Title: Analysis of Branched Polymers by High Resolution Multidetector Size Exclusion Chromatography: Separation of
the Effects of Branching and Molecular Weight Distribution
Author(s): Puskas, Judit E.; Burchard, Walther; Heidenreich, Andrew J.; Dos Santos, Lucas.
Source: JOURNAL OF POLYMER SCIENCE PART A-POLYMER CHEMISTRY Volume: 50 Issue: 1 Pages: 70-79 DOI:
10.1002/pola.24982 Published: JAN 1 2012
Title: Probing ion channel activity of human islet amyloid polypeptide (amylin)
Author (s): J. Zhao, Y. Luo, H. Jang, X. Yu, G. Wei, R. Nussinov*, and J. Zheng*
Source: BBA-Biomembranes, 1818: 3121-3130 Published: 2012
Title: Permeability of Electrospun Superhydrophobic Nanofiber Mats
Author (s): SU Patel, GM Manzo, SU Patel, PS Kulkarni, GG Chase
Source: J Nanotechnology Published: 2012
Title: Functional Nanofibers for Filtration Applications, in Functional Nanofibers and their Applications
Author (s): GG Chase, S Swaminathan, B Raghavan
Source: , Woodhead Publishing Ltd, 134, 121-152, 2012. ISBN 978-0-85709-069-0.
Title: Method and nozzle for producing electrospun fibers and fibers produced thereby
Author (s): Chase, George; Nartetamrongsutt, Kitchaporn; Varabhas, Jackapon Sunthorn; Carlson, Gary; Finley, Seth
Title: Constantine M. Electrospun fibrous nanocomposites as permeable, flexible strain sensors
Author (s): Chase, George G.; Yarin, Alexander; Tiwari, Manish K.; Megaridis, Constantine M.
Process for Producing Cellulase – Ju, Lu-Kwang
Electrospun Fibrous Nanocomposites as – Chase, George G./ Yarin, Alexander
Liquid Draining form Coalsecing Filter media With Drainage Channels – Chase, George G./patel, Shagufta
Tubular Surface Coalescers – Chase, George G.
Thermoresponsive Cell Culture Supports – Newby, Bi Min Zhang/Zhang, Ge
Anti-fouling Materials Based on Poly (B-Peptide)s – Jia, Li/ Liu, Lingyun
Method of Encapsulations and Immobilization – Ju, Lu-Kwang
Method of Creating Fluorinated photopolymerizable Hydrogels and their Application in Wound Healing – Leipzig, Nic
D.
Terepene/isoolefin Copolymer Having Substantially Heterogeneous Compositional Distribution – Puskas, Judit E
Wound Dressings with Enhance Oxygen Permeation and Antimicrobial and Other Beneficial Activities – Ju, Lu-Kwang
Nonadherent, Superabsorbent, and Antimicrobial Hydrofiber Wound Dressing Based on Poly (Sulfobetaine methacrylate) – Liu, Lingyun
Flexible Electrode for Detecting Changes in Temperature and Sodium Ion Concentration in Sweat – Monty, Chelsea
Formation of Intracellular Lipid Particles to Obtain Very High Lipid Content and Increase Lipid Yield and Productivity –
Ju, Lu-Kwang
Activity from February to October of 2012
Dr. Castaneda-Lopez, Homero
$25,000 from Mromultiple Corporate Sponsors
Dr. Chase, George
$9,955 from Mromultiple Corporate Sponsors
$36,500 from SNS Nano Fiber Technology for MPEC Coalescence Research Consortium
$39,533 from SWECO for Model to Estimate Fluid Flow Rate through a Vibrating Screen
Dr. Cheng, Gang
$105,000 from National Science Foundation for Engineering Integrated Peptides for Small Molecule Drug Delivery
$144,000 from National Science Foundation for Rapid, Selective, Onsite Detection of Bacterial Pathogens Using a Bioinspired Microfluidic Sensor
Dr. Elliott, J. Richard
$5,273 from Chemstations, Inc. for SPEADMD Molecular Modeling Research
Dr. Ju, Lu-Kwang
$37,161 from United Soybean Board (Smith Bucklin) for Improved Soy Based Fillers for Sheet Molding Compound
$122,365 from United Soybean Board (Smith Bucklin) for Enzymatic Separation of Soy Proteins and Carbohydrates
Dr. Lillard, R. Scott
$88,000 from Delphi Automotive Systems for Galvanic Corrosion of Aluminum-Copper Wiring
Dr. Monty, Chelsea
$213,747 from Federal Highway Administration through Ohio Department of Transportation for Evaluation of the
Effectiveness of Salt Neutralizers for Washing Snow and Ice Equipment
Dr. Newby, Bi-min-Zhang
$376,362 from National Institutes of Health for Zosteric Acid Integrated Thermo-Reversible Gels for Preventing Surgical
Adhesions
Dr. Puskas, Judit
$3,520 from Mromultiple Corporate Sponsors
$33,250 from National Science Foundation for Develop Greener Technology
$24,660 from National Science Foundation through Arbomatrix for SBIR Phase I:Green Nanotechnology for Medicine:
Scaling up the Synthesis of Novel Poly(ethylene glycol) Based Dendrimers for Targeted Drug Delivery Applications
Dr. Zheng, Jie
$170,448 from National Science Foundation for CAREER: Computational Studies of the Structure and Biological Activity
of Amyloid Forming Peptide
$298,106 from National Science Foundation for Molecular Design and Structural Basis of Peptide Inhibitors against Amyloid-Beta Aggregation
Enjoy the rest of the fall semester!
Send this newsletter to others who would be interested in seeing more
about our department.
It is always wonderful to hear from you. Please send us any information
that you would like to see in the next edition of the newsletter.
Please send your information to Nick Dahl at [email protected]