ChBE News—Summer/Fall 2004

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GEORGIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY • SCHOOL OF CHEMICAL & BIOMOLECULAR ENGINEERING • VOL. 12 NO. 2 • SUMMER/FALL 2004

New Associate School Chair Leads Student Initiatives

Professor Sue Ann Bidstrup Allen leading a help session for introductory ChBE courses.

Professor Sue Ann Bidstrup Allen, who joined the School in 1988, has been named the Associate Chair for Student Initiatives. The new position was established to help students take advantage of opportunities provided by several targeted programs. Dr. Bidstrup’s primary responsibilities will focus upon fulfilling the objectives outlined in the School’s last Strategic Plan. These include supporting and working with students pursuing certificate programs and minors, and assisting students enrolled in the Tech

dual-degree program with Spelman, Morehouse, or Clark Atlanta University.

Since assuming her new role, Dr. Bidstrup has also been overseeing the leadership and administration of many of the School’s special programs, including the Dow Research Mentor Program, the ExxonMobil Success Program, and the B.S./M.S. Program, which is in its first year and currently has 12 students enrolled. She is also guiding initiatives associated with undergraduate recruiting activities.

Students have already noticed the enhancements implemented under Dr. Bidstrup’s leadership.

During a recent help session for introductory-level courses, a large group of students gathered to receive extra help with particularly challenging problems. One freshman said “these sessions have made all the difference.”

Another smiled and said, “That’s right. I finally get this stuff.”

Dr. Bidstrup will also continue her teaching and research activities, some of which are profiled on page 4.

ChBE Professors Win EPA/ACS Award for Creative Chemistry From an article by John Toon

Two ChBE professors who have collaborated for more than 15 years on sustainable chemical processes are among the winners of the 2004 Presidential Green Chemistry Challenge Awards from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). The awards, which also went to four companies, recognize “creative chemistry that shows promise for improving the environment.”

Charles Liotta, who is Tech’s vice-provost for research and dean of graduate studies and holds a joint appointment with the School of Chemistry and

Biochemistry as a Regents’ Professor, and Charles Eckert, who holds the J. Erskine Love, Jr. Institute Chair, were honored for their development of benign tunable solvents that couple reaction and separation processes.

“We’re using a systems approach to processing,” explained Dr. Eckert. “We are developing methods that not only are more benign, but also have economic advantages in producing better products less expensively.”

For example, they use near-critical water, which when heated to 275 degrees Celsius under pressure dissolves non-polar organic chemicals that would be insoluble at normal conditions.

“You can do a reaction with organic molecules, and when you want to separate the products, you just go back to room temperature and they separate out,” explained Dr. Liotta. Using near-critical water instead of tradiProfessors Charles Liotta (left) and Chuck Eckert tional acid-based say their top accomplishment is processes eliminates the need giving their students an educafor a neutralization step – and tion in multi-disciplinary green the resulting production of chemistry issues. waste salts.

Despite recognition for their research, Drs. Liotta and Eckert

Continued on page 9

Student News The 16th Annual Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Graduate Symposium, co-chaired by Jeessy Medina and Donald Taylor, was held this spring in the Ford ES&T Building and at the Institute for Paper Science & Technology (IPST). The two-day conference assembled 28 graduate students to share advances in their research through oral and poster presentations. Industry representatives from 15 companies attended to review and judge the presentations and to recruit students.

Joseph V. Nguyen was selected to receive the 2003 Distinguished NaST Fellow Award. Joe is currently completing his Ph.D. dissertation under the direction of professor Chris Jones. The $1,000 award is sponsored

by Georgia Tech Materials Research Council. The Nanoscience & Technology (NaST) Certificate Program is a part of the Center for Nanosciences & Nanotechnology at Tech and works closely with the Georgia Tech Materials Council.

This year’s winners for Best Oral Presentation were Zhi Li (1st place), Luis Aguilar (2nd place), and Cindy Cheng and Alexis Hillock (3rd place tie). Poster presentation awards were not presented this year.

Undergraduates Greg Robbins, Elizabeth Costner, Catherine O’Connor, and Joe Scattergood won the 2004 product design competition sponsored by the Georgia PDMA (Product Design and Management Association). Their design for shaving cream pellets was created in professor Chris Jones’ Product Design Class in Fall 2003. The competition included students from Tech and UGA. Their success is especially noteworthy as their product was designed during the first time the class was offered by ChBE.

The annual ChBE Student Honors Luncheon, which was sponsored by Fluor and AIChE, was held this spring. Special guests included Erin Spark, ChE ‘01, Fluor Daniel; Jim Sturick, Albet uden t marle; Joy Jordan, ChE ‘92, Kimberly-Clark; S E ChB ards William Grieco, ChE ‘93, Rohm and Haas; Aw 4 0 John A. Ziegler, Phys ‘61, ‘65; William 20 Ziegler, Sr., IM ‘41; and James P. Harris, ChE ‘70, ExxonMobil.

Photo by Stephen Marek

Tech’s AIChE Chapter hosted this year’s AIChE Southern Regional Conference at the Georgia Tech Hotel and Conference Center. Joe Scattergood and Greg Robbins chaired the event under the direction of AIChE advisor professor Pradeep Agrawal. Students from Student teams, including the Univ. of Puerto Rico team shown above, participated in the 24 chemical engineering Chem-E-Car competition sponsored by BP programs in nine states during the AIChE Southern Regional Conference. and Puerto Rico joined Tech students for three days of informative meetings and exciting competitions. Tech chapter members worked together and hosted an outstanding conference, for which the School is extremely proud. Industry executives who sponsored various events during the conference were noticeably impressed with its success as well. The School extends sincere appreciation to these sponsors for their continued support of ChBE: Eli Lilly, Milliken and Company, Celanese, Procter & Gamble, BP Amoco, Eastman Chemical Corporation, and ExxonMobil Corporation.

In addition to the 35 undergraduates recognized for exemplary academic achievement, the following students were also recognized for their accomplishments, leadership positions, and special awards: Charles Lee, AIChE Student Chapter President Debnil Chowdhury, AIChE Student Chapter Vice President Joe Scattergood & Greg Robbins, AIChE Southern Regional Conference Co-Chairs James Jordan, AIChE Outstanding Service Award Abimbola Balogun, AIChE National Paper Competition Winner Stephen Marek, Omega Chi Epsilon Student Chapter President Matthew Swisher, Omega Chi Epsilon Student Chapter Vice President Kamber Christensen, Omega Chi Epsilon Excellence Award Nicholas Holiday, Omega Chi Epsilon Student Chapter President Esinam Glakpe, Albemarle Corp./Dixie Goins Outstanding Sophomore Award Matthew Swisher, BASF Outstanding Junior Award Joe Scattergood & Greg Robbins, AIChE/Kimberly-Clark Outstanding Senior Award Julie Hietpas, Rohm and Haas Sophomore Scholar Award Michael McKittrick, 2004 Ziegler Award for Best Paper Co-author and Advisor: Dr. Chris Jones Padmini Rangamani, 2004 Ziegler Award for Best Proposal Thesis Advisor: Dr. Tim Wick Jeessy Medina & Donald Taylor, 2004 Symposium Chairs Raymond Chafin, Paul Wissmann, & Ross Weikel, 2004 Teamwork Awards John Richardson, 2003 NSF Fellow Jeessy Medina, 2003 NASA Fellowship Award Shing-Yi Cheng, 2003 Best Poster Award, Georgia Life Sciences Summit John Richardson, 2004 Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award

Students enrolled in ChBE’s spring semester design course this year had the unique opportunity to work on solving a problem for a Fortune 500 company – DuPont. External Advisory Board member Ray Miller, ChE ‘72, inspired professors Matthew Realff and John Muzzy to use an issue DuPont is researching as the problem topic for the class. Mr. Miller, who is a Program Director in Bio-Refinery and Business Development for DuPont’s Bio-Based Materials and Growth Enterprises, made a presentation to the class about the company’s thrust in renewable materials focusing on the sustainability profile of SoronaTM, DuPont’s new polymer made from a co-monomer of 1-3 propane diol and terephthalic acid. He and other members of his team, including Cathy Babowitz, answered questions and provided data for key design calculations. They returned at the end of the semester to hear the three best design presentations and to assist in selecting recipients of the awards DuPont funded.

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Focus on Communication

Behind the Red Pen — Spotlight on ChBE’s Writing Program Director

By Jacqueline Mohalley Snedeker

I have been the Writing Program Director for the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering since May 2002. My main focus is on improving the written and oral communication skills of the School’s undergraduates, with a particular emphasis on technical writing. Primarily, I serve as a coinstructor in the Unit Operations laboratory course, currently taught by professor Jeff Empie. I also co-teach a ChBE elective course, “Effective Communication for Professional Engineering,” with professor Mark Prausnitz.

In my efforts to improve the technical communication skills of undergraduates, I emphasize three major areas: coherence, clarity, and concision. Using interactive instructional methods, I teach students the best ways to improve in these three areas, as well as addressing matters of grammar, punctuation, and report format. I also require students to meet with me at least once during a semester to “workshop” a draft of a report. These individual conferences are the best way for me to address each specific

student’s needs, discuss methods of overcoming particular problems, and track student progress throughout the semester.

After returning to the U.S. in 1995, I taught middle school in California for a while and then went on to graduate school at the University of Illinois in UrbanaChampaign, where I received an M.A. in English literature and also taught freshman composition.

In addition to coherence, clarity, and concision, I also emphasize the importance of critical thinking and constantly encourage students to think beyond the “what” of an experiment to the “how” and the “why.”

I followed a somewhat circuitous path to my current role as the School’s Writing Program Director. I grew up mainly in the southeastern U.S. and actually went to high school in the Atlanta area. As a child, I always loved reading and writing and used to walk around the house with an open book at all times.

Naturally, I majored in English, and took several fiction writing classes as well. After receiving my B.A. from Stanford University in 1992, I went on to the Stanford Teacher Education Program, earning an M.A. in Education as well as a teaching certificate. From there, I joined the Peace Corps and went to Lovech, Bulgaria for two years to teach English to Bulgarian high school students.

Jacqueline Mohalley Snedeker with one of her infamous red pens.

In 1999, I moved back down to Atlanta and became a technical writer and instructional designer of Web-based training courses, dealing with subjects ranging from database administration to human resources law. Although I enjoyed my time in the private sector, I soon found myself drawn back to academia again, and was delighted to receive a call from the School to interview for the Writing Program Director position. More than two years later, I am enjoying my rather “unique” role in the department.

Most of all, I enjoy getting to know the students and helping

them to improve their communication skills.

On a personal note, I was married in November of 2002 to Ben Snedeker. We are one pet away from the City of Decatur’s 5-pet limit (one golden retriever and three cats). In my spare time, I like to read, watch CSPAN, go to the movies, and stock up on red pens.

Air Products and Communications, Inc. has sponsored the ChBE Writing Program since 1996. The School is grateful for its stalwart support.

Timothy Wick Named Chair for Interdisciplinary Degree Program College of Engineering Dean Don Giddens recently named ChBE professor Timothy M. Wick the program chair for the Interdisciplinary Bioengineering Graduate Program. The BIOE Program comprises both M.S. and Ph.D. degrees and is offered by several schools in the College of Engineering, including ChBE, and the College of Computing.

Professor Timothy Wick

Dr. Wick has been extremely active in bioengineering, both research and education, for a number of years. His current research is primarily focused on bioreactors for tissue engineering and cell culture models of cell adhesion.

Dr. Wick replaces Regents’ Professor Ajit Yoganathan, who has guided the BIOE Program since its inception in 1994. The foundation laid under his tenure has served as the basis for the rapid expansion of bioengineer-

The Program currently has 178 graduate students and 50 faculty among eight departments at Tech and Emory.

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ing and biomedical engineering at Tech in the past decade. A special lecture symposium was established in Dr. Yoganathan’s name to commemorate his outstanding leadership and service. The inaugural event was held this summer and featured numerous speakers who are leading researchers in bioengineering and biomedical engineering.

For information about the BIOE program, please visit http://www.bioengineering. gatech.edu.html

Focus on Research Microelectronics Sue Ann Bidstrup Allen

Dennis W. Hess

Clifford L. Henderson

Paul A. Kohl

Dr. Bidstrup Allen and coworkers in the Microelectronics Research Center are developing new polymeric systems that could revolutionize fabrication processes for manufacturing microelectronics, microfluidics, and microelectromechanical (MEMs) devices. The core of this new technology is based on the use of a sacrificial polymer, which, upon heating, decomposes into low molecular weight gases that diffuse out of the device, leaving behind air channels. These air channels can range from millimeters to sub-microns in diameter. Applications for these air channels include insulation layers between electrical interconnects, fluidic cooling channels for thermal management in electronic packages, and release layers for micro-fabricated actuators. In addition, the Georgia Tech Packaging Research Center is exploring this technology for the construction of a fluidic biosensing platform that uses arrays of micro- and nanomechanical resonators for detection of biological and biochemical species. This platform will have a wide range of applications including clinical diagnostics, food processing, environmental monitoring, and anti-terrorism.

Dr. Hess’s research interests are in the areas of thin film science and technology, microelectronic device fabrication, and electronic materials. Advances in integrated circuits (ICs) depend on the fabrication of ever decreasing feature sizes (<100 nm). Continuation of these trends requires that the SiO2 (gate) insulator in transistors be replaced with a higher dielectric constant material. Dr. Hess’s group is investigating the use of various metal oxides, oxynitrides, and silicates as possible replacement layers. Fabrication of small feature sizes also requires novel processes for film patterning. The group is also investigating the direct formation of thin graphitic structures that can serve as stencils for pattern generation, and the selective growth of film layers by atomic layer deposition.

Chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) for surface planarization depends on the synergy between chemical and mechanical alteration of a surface. They are developing spectroscopic methods to quantify changes in polymer surfaces during CMP. In order to improve the yield and reliability of ICs, surface cleaning processes are being developed that use environmentally benign, low viscosity, low surface tension super-critical and sub-critical CO2-based fluids.

Dr. Kohl and others are creating a new way to power integrated circuits and other electronic devices. The work is taking place within the Pettit Microelectronics Research Center. The group has developed a way to integrate thinfilm fuel cells into electronic devices. Liquid or gaseous fuels can be used in these cells. The integration of fuel cells into electronic devices has required a complete redesign of the traditional fuel cell so as to take advantage of the materials and processes already used in constructing electronic devices.

The new fuel cell membranes are much thinner than traditional membranes and do not need to be as robust since they are built onto an electronic substrate. Critical parts of the fuel cell are put in place during construction of the electronic component, such as a sensor. This process will hopefully lead to low-cost, small form-factor, self-powered devices. The power and energy output of fuel cells make them especially applicable to sensors and control functions that wirelessly communicate over a local area network. A constant pressure methanol reservoir has been designed and tested. Hydrogen storage reservoirs, developed by others, can also be used. The technology is being commercialized by WiSPI.net (Wireless Self-powered Integrated Networks).

Dr. Henderson’s research focuses on micro- and nanofabrication, with a strong emphasis on micro- and nanolithography. Lithography refers to the materials, tools, and processes used to fabricate the micron-to-nanometer-scale patterns that are used to build modern microelectronic (e.g., the microprocessor and memory chips in personal computers) and microelectromechanical systems (MEMS).

A significant amount of the current work in Dr. Henderson’s group is focused on developing new photosensitive and radiation sensitive materials that can be used as imaging layers for advanced, high resolution lithographic processes. In addition, Dr. Henderson and his team are working to expand the use of lithographic methods into other fields by developing novel new materials and processes for the production of microfluidic (commonly referred to as “lab-on-a-chip”) devices and polymeric scaffolds for tissue engineering. As a part of this work, Dr. Henderson’s group conducts extensive work into the synthesis of new polymeric materials and the fundamental characterization of the behavior of polymer thin and ultra-thin films.

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Faculty News Sujit Banerjee developed a technology that has been licensed to Eka Chemicals/Akzo Nobel for an “Online Sensor for Microstickies in Process Streams of Paper Recycle Mills.”

Carson Meredith presented lectures at the World Biomaterials Congress in Sydney, Australia, at the Eastman Chemical Company, and at ATOFINA Petrochemicals. Also, his paper that appeared in the April 2002 edition of the MRS Bulletin was listed as one of the most cited in the field of combinatorial chemistry by the database service Thompson-ISI.

Charles Eckert presented two lectures on October 8 in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Florida in Tampa. One was for faculty and graduate students on “Nontraditional Solvents for Sustainable Chemical Processes,” and the other was for undergraduate students on “Chemical Engineering Graduate School – Is It Right For You?”

Sankar Nair and William Koros have been awarded an NSF-NIRT (Nanoscale Interdisciplinary Research Team) grant for a four-year period as part of a larger team involving researchers from the University of Minnesota, Georgia Tech, and Virginia Tech. The team will develop a class of next-generation hollow fiber polymer/porous-layer nanocomposite membranes for gas separations.

Martha Gallivan presented a seminar on “Modeling and Control of Small-Scale Process Dynamics” at the University of California, Santa Barbara as part of the Department of Chemical Engineering’s 290 Seminar Series. She also served as a guest editor for a series of journal issues on “Control at the Nanometer Scale,” which appeared in the International Journal of Robust and Nonlinear Control.

Athanasios Nenes received a CAREER AWARD from the National Science Foundation, a New Investigator Award from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), and a BlanchardMilliken Junior Faculty Fellowship from the College of Sciences at Georgia Tech. He was also an invited speaker for five lectures, including at the Aspen Global Climate Institute, in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the National Technical University of Athens, Greece, and at the NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center.

Cliff Henderson delivered an invited seminar at the University of California, Santa Barbara in May on “Patterning at the Nanoscale Using Polymers: Properties of Ultra-Thin Film Materials.”

Dennis Hess was appointed Editor-in-Chief for the journal Electrochemical and Solid State Letters. He also co-organized the Plasma Processing Symposium for The Electrochemical Society Meeting held in San Antonio earlier this year and served as a member of the Scientific Advisory Committee for the 18th International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering held in Chicago.

Mark Prausnitz and Mark Allen, together with others in their research team, received a patent for “Devices and Methods for Enhanced Microneedle Penetration of Biological Barriers.” On October 1, Dr. Prausnitz also presented a keynote address at the North Carolina State University Biotechnology Program Annual Symposium entitled “The Biotechnology Revolution: At the Interface of Science and Innovation.”

Chris Jones was selected to receive the 2004 Georgia Tech Center for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL)/BP Junior Faculty Teaching Excellence Award. The recipient of the award is chosen based upon numerous criteria, including educational innovations, demonstrated connections between research and teaching, and educational outreach beyond the classroom and laboratory. In addition to publishing nine journal articles, he also presented seminars at the University of Pittsburgh in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering, at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and at the Eastman Chemical Corporation. Along with professors Matthew Realff and Carson Meredith, Dr. Jones also received a $150K P&G Foundation Curriculum Development Grant for “Chemical Product Design, Optimization, and Engineering.”

Ronald Rousseau was appointed an Executive Editor of Chemical Engineering Science.

Recently retired professor Arnold Stancell was named one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science” for 2004 by Science Spectrum magazine. The selection was made on the basis of “lifelong work in making science part of global society.”

Mark White, along with others in his research team, received patents for “Adsorbents, Methods of Preparation, and Methods of Use Thereof ” and for “Silicon Based Nanospheres and Nanowires.”

Paul Kohl, along with others in his research team, received patents for “Electrostatic Actuators with Intrinsic Stress Gradient” and for “Compliant Wafer-Level Packaging Devices and Methods of Fabrication.” He also gave a presentation on “The Future of Fuel Cells” at the Nichols Award Symposium for the American Chemical Society.

Timothy Wick gave a plenary talk on “Design and Validation of Bioreactors for Large-Scale Production of Human Tissues” at Tercer Congreso de Ingeniería Química y Ambiental in Guadalajara. He was also an invited speaker at a symposium entitled “Engineering Today” organized by the students in the Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering at Instituto Tecnologico de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO) in Guadalajara, Mexico.

Jay Lee accepted an invitation to serve on the International Editorial Board for the Journal of Process Control and IEEE Transactions in Control Systems Technology. He also gave an invited lecture at the University of Stuttgart in Stuttgart, Germany this fall.

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Development Details and Updates The last issue of ChBE News recognized some of the gifts that have been made by Tech alumni to enhance the quality of the School’s facilities and programs. This issue spotlights more of these generous contributions, including those made by industry partners.

Mrs. Wilma Thomas of Charlottesville, Va. recently provided funding for scholarships for co-op students pursuing a degree in engineering.

The monies will help students defray expenses during semesters when they are enrolled in classes. Mrs. Thomas is the widow of Newton W. Thomas, who graduated from Tech in 1935 with a BSChE degree.

Robert Vaughn

Victor Vaughan The Victor Vaughan Faculty Office for ChBE has been dedicated to memorialize the late Victor Vaughan, IE ‘51. His best friend from Tech, Robert Vaughn, ChE ‘51 and his wife Frances Vaughn funded the gift. The Vaughns surprised Victor’s widow with the honor and all three celebrated the dedication together. [The office was most recently the workplace of Professor Emeritus Arnold Stancell (shown above left.) An article about Dr. Stancell’s retirement appears on page 7.]

During a recent visit to Tech, Carl Widerquist, ME ‘76, Solvay Advanced Polymers Vice President of Operations (left), presented School Chair Ron Rousseau with a framed photograph of the Physics Council in Brussels, circa 1915. Dr. Rousseau had admired a copy of the photo and was honored to receive the gift. The photo is proudly displayed in the Silas Suite for the Chair of ChBE.

Long-time ChBE supporter Kimberly-Clark funded a classroom in the Ford ES&T Building. The dedication brought together (from left): Carson Meredith, ChBE professor; D. Keith Osteen, Dir. of Global Nonwovens R&D, Kimberly-Clark; Sylvia Little, ChE ‘88, M.S. ChE ‘02, Sr. Research Scientist, Kimberly-Clark; Mary Mallory, ChE ‘01, Research Scientist, Kimberly-Clark; and School Chair Ron Rousseau.

BASF executives Julie Lee, Mgr. of Human Resources, and Marion Campbell, ChE ‘73, Operation Dir. of S.E. Headquarters, share the honor of cutting the ribbon to dedicate the BASF Corporation Classroom located in the Ford ES&T Building.

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Dr. Arnold Stancell Retires After an Exciting Industry and Academic Career Arnold Stancell, ChBE professor and Turner Leadership Chair, has retired after ten years. He taught “Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II,” was active on a number of ChBE and institute committees, and was frequently sought out by undergraduate and graduate students for academic and career advice.

In his role as Turner Leadership Chair, he initiated the Georgia Tech Leadership Program, an effort to introduce leadership and teamwork skills development to all Tech undergraduates.

He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from MIT in 1962 and then joined Mobil Oil Corporation in research and development. He rose through the R&D ranks, becoming Manager of Chemical Process Development. Dr. Stancell then

Most recently, he was named one of the “50 Most Important Blacks in Research Science” for 2004 by Science Spectrum magazine.

The selection recognized his “lifelong work in making science part of global society.”

moved on to the business side – first in planning and then in a number of management jobs.

He worked as the general manager of a plastics business, as a regional executive of European marketing and refining, as a V.P. of the U.S. oil and natural gas business, and as V.P. of the Middle East, Europe, and Australia oil and natural gas business. One of his most memorable accomplishments was successfully negotiating an $18 billion natural gas joint venture with the State of Qatar.

His time on campus led him to become an avid Jackets fan who attended many sports events. He says that when he arrived at Tech, he did not understand why there was a “little” enmity against the University of Georgia. Now, he does not care for them either and will continue to root for the “white and gold” although he no longer works at Tech.

Joining Tech was a return to academia for Dr. Stancell. He previously taught at MIT in 1970 on a leave of absence from Mobil, and was offered tenure but decided to return to business.

Among a number of honors, he was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 1997.

He will also continue to be active as Co-Chair of the Board of Chemical Science and Technology (National Research Council), which advises the U.S. government on a number of issues,

Professor Arnold Stancell

including homeland security. He is also a member of the advisory boards for Chemical Engineering at MIT, Carnegie Mellon, and City College New York.

The School Welcomes Dr. Rachel Chen Rachel Chen joined the School this fall as an associate professor.

She received her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Biology in 1994 from California Institute of Technology. Her thesis research and a brief postdoctoral stint were in the area of metabolic engineering under the mentorship of the late Dr. James E. Bailey.

Afterwards, she took a research scientist position with BristolMyers Squibb Company in Syracuse where she developed interest and expertise in biocatalysis. In 2000, she began her first academic appointment at Virginia Commonwealth University as an assistant Chemical Engineering professor.

Dr. Chen has broad interests in biomolecular engineering and has successfully developed projects in metabolic/cellular engineering, biocatalysis, directed evolution, and green chemistry. She has raised funds for research and teaching

from the American Cancer Society, NSF, USDA, and Philip Morris USA.

the-art molecular biology techniques are being applied to address these issues.

Dr. Chen has established the Chen Biomolecular Engineering Laboratory at Tech and is currently recruiting graduate students to assist her in continuing the important research she has been pursuing for several years.

One of the major focus areas in Dr. Chen’s research is the emerging field of glycomics (glycoscience/ glycobiology) concerning carbohydrate moiety of biomolecules. The objective is to develop widely applicable biocatalytic synthesis methodologies for complex carbohydrates of biomedical interest.

These complex carbohydrates are potential therapeutics for cancers and potential anti-viral, anti-microbial pharmaceuticals for various debilitating diseases with urgent medical needs.

This research is in a very broad field of biocatalysis and uses isolated enzymes and whole cells as catalysts in synthesis processes.

Through multidisciplinary approaches, Dr. Chen addresses some of the most challenging issues in biocatalysis such as the cofactor requirement of many useful enzymes, limited substrate permeability imposed by cellular membranes, and limitations of natural enzymes in various aspects of process applications. Metabolic engineering, directed evolution, molecular modeling and state-of-

Green chemistry is another focus area in Dr. Chen’s research, and a natural and important application of green enzyme/microbial technology. The ultimate goal of her research is to reduce reliance for chemical raw materials on petroleum and to help safeguard the 7

Professor Rachel Chen

environment, an issue of great societal importance.

She is a member of the AIChE, the ACS, the American Society for Microbiology, and the Society for Glycobiology. Dr. Chen is also the proud mother of two wonderful children, Jennifer and George.

In her scarce spare time, she indulges herself in classical music and utilizes her creativity in cooking and gardening.

Focus on forCollaboration New CD4 Center Drug Design, Development and Delivery Focuses Efforts on New Pharmaceuticals The last issue of ChBE News spotlighted Tech’s Center for Process Systems Engineering (CPSE), which recently was formed by ChBE professors Jay Lee and Matthew Realff as an interdisciplinary venture among several academic units on campus and with the University College of London’s CPSE. Now, the School is proud to announce that another ChBE professor, Mark Prausnitz, has launched a new research and education initiative known as the Center for Drug Design, Development and Delivery (CD4).

From an article by John Toon

The goals of the new center are to better integrate the multi-step process involved in creating new pharmaceuticals and to focus Tech’s interdisciplinary efforts on helping industry bring new products to market. The effort involves more than 20 faculty members from six different academic areas at Tech.

“One of our goals in this center is to pull together these activities in a synergistic way so the process of bringing a drug to market will be more integrated,” says Dr. Prausnitz, director of the center. “By bringing together people from a variety of backgrounds in science and engineering, we can provide a broader perspective and understanding of the pharmaceutical development process.”

Georgia Tech has long-standing strengths in drug development and design, as well as in the complex and demanding chemical engineering necessary for specialty chemicals. In recent years, it has built a research program in drug delivery techniques – and working with Emory University, has grown a large research and education activity in broad areas of biology and biomedical engineering, including genetics, bioinformatics, and proteomics.

The new center will emphasize industrial collaboration to ensure that its activities have real-world implications and that its students learn skills that will equip them to make contributions to the pharmaceutical industry.

“We want to work with industry on the most important problems that are going to meet

critical needs,” Dr. Prausnitz says.

“To do that, we need to have strong interactions with industry to guide our research and education agendas.”

With a background in technologies for delivering drugs through the skin, Prausnitz sees a need to focus on delivery concerns early in the drug design process. The growing complexity of drug compounds and rising importance of gene therapies will make drug delivery an increasingly important concern, he says.

Professors Mark Prausnitz (left) and Andreas Bommarius

Examples of faculty who are part of the initiative include:

FOCUS ON DR. PRAUSNITZ

• Andreas Bommarius, professor in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. Dr. Bommarius focuses on improving biological catalysts to produce drugs such as anti-cancer agents and HIV protease inhibitors.

In addition to conducting innovative research and providing outstanding leadership, Dr. Mark Prausnitz has also been the recipient of numerous professional awards and honors, including the NSF CAREER Award in 1996.

Earlier this year, he added the distinguished Curtis W. McGraw Research Award to his list of accomplishments.

• Donald Doyle, assistant professor in the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Dr. Doyle is developing new drugs against diabetes and cancer using novel techniques to control gene expression by manipulating nuclear hormone receptors.

Established in 1957, the annual award recognizes outstanding early achievements by young engineering college research workers.

The award is sponsored by the Engineering Research Council with the assistance of the McGraw-Hill Book Company.

• Joseph LeDoux, assistant professor in the Wallace Coulter Department of Biomed ical Engineering operated jointly by Geor gia Tech and Emory University. Dr. LeDoux is designing new viruses that can be safely and efficiently used for gene therapy, especially for diseases of the lung, such as cystic fibrosis.

Award recipients must demonstrate achievement of important advances accepted by colleagues and others in the field of specialization with emphasis on quality rather than quantity as well as sound and productive thinking and with a promise for making other significant contributions.

Beyond research, the center will focus on educational programs designed to help students at both the undergraduate and graduate levels understand the needs of pharmaceutical industry. With funding from the U.S. Department of Education’s Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need (GAANN) program, it has already launched a program of doctoral fellowships that supports 12 students.

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Recipients must also be active professionally through academic publishing, membership in educational societies, and developing or improving laboratory techniques or devices.

Dr. Prausnitz joins a noteworthy group of prior recipients, including fellow chemical engineer, Eric W. Kaler, who is the current dean of the College of Engineering at the University of Delaware.

Focus on Alumni

Alumni Spotlight: Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, ChE ‘79 to be elected President and was the group’s youngest president in its 85year history. Additionally, she was named a Master of the ACP in 2001, joining the small group of highly distinguished Fellows of the College who have achieved outstanding recognition in medicine.

By Jenny Daley

“Chemical Engineering at Tech is always looking ahead,” says Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, ChE ‘79, who took some time recently to think back to her days at GT. Sandy just came across a memento at her mother’s home: her own diary from her time in the School’s program at University College of London. “It was fun to look through it and remember that summer. I really had a great experience at Tech.”

Top-notch professional credentials and her experience with the media have led Sandy to television appearances as a medical expert on national and local programs, speaking about health-related topics including bioterrorism, anthrax, Dr. Sandra Fryhofer vaccine issues, heart disease, depression, obesity, and thyroid disease. She easily combines explanations of complicated issues and sometimes contradictory studies with practical advice like suggesting to baby boomers that they “be conscious about their retirement health now, before it’s too late, just as they have to plan for their retirement nest egg.”

Sandy says that along with many pleasant memories of her time at Tech, she counts earning her ChE degree among the accomplishments she’s most proud to claim. And that’s saying a lot.

Now a well-regarded internist with a private practice in Atlanta, Sandy dreamed of being a doctor as a young girl. She explains that she chose to study Chemical Engineering at Tech because she wanted a “degree that would mean something” as she prepared for medical school. Also, she felt that a BSChE would provide many other options should her career path change. “Chemical Engineering opens an unlimited number of doors,” Sandy says.

Alumni who were on campus when Sandy was here may remember that she earned the title of Miss Georgia while a Tech student. During her time as Miss Georgia, she was trained for and developed an ease with public appearances. After taking a year off related to her state service and to compete in the Miss America pageant, Sandy returned to her studies and continued earning high marks.

Sandy is enjoying serving on the Class of 1979 Reunion Committee and speaks enthusiastically about the changes at Tech since she was here. She believes that students have opportunities for more well-rounded educations now, citing as an example more offerings for international experiences like she had through the School.

Sandy graduated from Tech with academic honors, then achieved her childhood dream by earning a medical degree. She says that her BSChE provided her “instant credibility” throughout her advanced studies and as she began practicing medicine. She kept setting her sights high professionally, building a reputation as a physician who listens closely to her patients and treats their concerns using more than just their medical test results. In 2000-2001, she served as President of the American College of Physicians-American Society of Internal Medicine (ACP-ASIM), the nation’s largest medical specialty society. She is only the second woman

She remains an advocate of studying in the School, saying that she is “impressed with how the School is on the cutting edge of its discipline.”

She keeps track of what’s happening at Tech because of another part of her life in which she takes great pride: she and her husband have twins, good students who are just starting ninth grade and are active in sports and fine arts. Though Sandy stays busy and focused on the present, perhaps she is looking ahead to another generation of Yellow Jackets studying at Tech.

Award continued

“The reason we do research is because it’s such a good way to train students,” said Dr. Eckert.

“Interdisciplinary research is the vehicle for educating students about collaboration and partnerships to solve problems.”

For Drs. Eckert and Liotta, collaboration is much more than a pragmatic partnership to win research contracts. Though administratively part of two different colleges, the professors share laboratory space and house their students together, mixing graduate

and undergraduate student chemists and chemical engineers in ways designed to break down traditional barriers.

“The major social and scientific problems we will face in the 21st century are going to require a multi-disciplinary approach, looking at things from a variety of viewpoints,” said Dr. Liotta. “Our students are educated in cooperative and collaborative research with other disciplines.” Drs. Eckert and Liotta work in the Ford Environmental Science and 9

Technology Building, which was designed for just that kind of intermingling. Biologists, chemical engineers, atmospheric modelers, chemists, and faculty with other backgrounds work in adjacent offices and laboratories, all part of a concerted effort to bring researchers together around environmental issues.

The pair met more than 20 years ago when both were consultants to DuPont. Dr. Liotta had a reputation for work in phase-transfer catalysis, which allows the reaction

of molecules that are not soluble in a common solvent. Dr. Eckert’s background was in molecular thermodynamics and phase equilibria, and he was a pioneer in the use of supercritical fluids for separations and reactions.

At Tech, they have not only combined their respective fields, but also merged their careers.

“This has evolved into a fantastic relationship,” adds Dr. Liotta with a grin. “We just had the right chemistry to make it work.”

Alumni News 1940

Frank Parker Hudson received an award for Advocacy from the Georgia Historical Records Advisory Boards for his publication “Wilkes County, Georgia Tax Records, 1785-1805” and for creating awareness about preserving unbound courthouse records in Georgia. Hudson lives in Atlanta.

1963

John Koger, ChE ‘63, M.S. Met ‘65, of Knoxville, Tenn., became the first Yank to be a walking scorer in the British Open at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland. Koger, an Engineering Hall of Fame member, worked his entire career at the Oak Ridge atomic energy complex. He now consults with small metallurgical and chemical engineering companies when he’s not on a golf course.

1979

C. Garry Betty was among 11 Tech alumni and one staff member chosen by the Atlanta Business Chronicle as the most influential people in Atlanta.

1980

Gary Brush was made a principal at Purvin & Gertz Inc., a leading international energyconsulting firm. Brush lives in Bellaire, Texas.

1986

Christine S. Grant, M.S. ChE ‘86, Ph.D. ‘89, an associate professor of Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University, received a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. Grant was one of nine individuals and eight institutions receiving the award from the National Science Foundation on behalf of President George W. Bush.

The awardees are honored for

encouraging women with disabilities to participate in these subjects during their education.

Grant is one of only six tenured African-American women faculty members in Chemical Engineering nationwide.

a productions manager with Rayonier Inc. and Eaddy is a CPA with Sea Island Co. The family lives on St. Simons Island, Ga.

1995

Brittany Robinson was presented with the 2004 Outstanding Young Alumnus Award. She was chosen from among all Tech graduates for this award, which honors the laudable performance of a young alumnus who has not yet turned 40. Among her other accomplishments, she has managed a scholarship program that has provided 36 Savannaharea students with more than $55,000 in scholarships. She lives in Savannah, Ga.

Gregg Worley and his wife, Karla, announce the birth of their first child, Maisie Rae, on May 26. Worley is a manager with the EPA in Atlanta. The family lives in Dunwoody, Ga.

1993

Patty Laxton Patterson and her husband, Jeff, announce the birth of a daughter, Audrey, on July 15. Audrey joins brother Liam at the family’s home in New York City. Patterson is a full-time mother.

Whitney Kirk McGuire and Brian Edward McGuire, ChE ‘96, of Vacaville, Calif. announce the birth of their first child, Mary Isabelle “Molly Belle,” on January 22. Brian is area manager of the brew house and fermenting at the AnheuserBusch brewery in Fairfield, and Whitney is a law student at the University of California, Davis.

Meredith Taylor Ivey and Russell Ivey, EE ‘94, announce the birth of a daughter, Christine Leigh, on June 23. Christine joins brother Brandon at the family’s home in Huntsville, Ala. Russell completed his master’s degree in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Arizona in May 2003. The family relocated in June 2003 to Alabama, where Russell is a software engineer with Scientific Research Corp.

Meredith is a full-time mother.

1996

Ben Riley and Mary Beth Young were married Jan. 2. The couple live in Chicago where Riley is a marketer for Nalco Co. Doug Reed and his wife, Tina, announce the birth of a son, Troy Douglas, on Dec. 20. The family lives in Sturbridge, Mass.

Reed is a quality assurance engineer with Schott Fiber Optics.

Whitney Kirk McGuire received her law degree from Washington University in St. Louis in May. McGuire was designated Order of the Coif for graduating in the top 10 percent of her class. She lives in Vacaville, Calif.

1997

Jessica Volavka and Kevin Sapough, Math ‘92, announce the birth of a son, Henry Michael, on April 13. Jessica is a process engineer at AMEC and Kevin is a software developer with Radiant Systems. The Sapough family lives in Norcross, Ga.

1998

Holly Richards and Keith Stanton, ChE ‘98, announce the birth of a daughter, Sydney Julia, on Feb. 4. Keith is a senior process engineer for Air Products and Chemicals and Holly is a high school Physics teacher. The family lives in Baton Rouge, La. Continued

David Suleiman, M.S. ‘92, Ph.D. ‘94 and Agnes Padovani, Ph.D. ‘02 were married on May 30 in Agnes’ hometown, San German, Puerto Rico. The couple met in Puerto Rico many years ago before she attended Tech and before he worked for DuPont.

Agnes then lived in Phoenix where she worked for Intel as a Senior Materials Engineer while David was at the University of Puerto Rico. Two years ago, they met again at an Eagle Scout award ceremony where David was invited as a former Scout and Agnes’ brother received an award. The rest, according to David, “is history.”

David is currently the Associate Director of the Research & Development Center at the University of Puerto Rico. The couple is expecting a baby next year.

1994

Russell Sams and Eaddy Lindsey Sams, ME ‘93, announce the birth of their first child, James “Parker,” on Feb. 18. Russell is 10

Gregory Stephanopoulos Delivers the 20th Annual Ashton Cary Lecture these key research projects are being dissected and optimized using the tools of chemical engineering – namely, kinetics, thermodynamics and transport.

School Chair Ronald Rousseau (left) with Professor Gregory Stephanopoulos after the Ashton Cary Lecture.

Gregory Stephanopoulos, who is the Bayer Professor of Biotechnology and Chemical Engineering at MIT, presented the Annual Ashton Cary Lecture this spring. He delivered an exciting and informative presentation on “Chemical and Biological Engineering: A New Dimension to a Successful Paradigm,” making the 20th annual lecture a memorable one.

Dr. Stephanopoulos’ presentation was especially relevant and timely as his was the first Ashton Cary lecture to be given since the School added the word “Biomolecular” to its official name. He discussed the essential role that chemical engineers play in biological research and emphasized that biology at the molecular level is mostly a chemical science because biological systems and processes are critically dependent upon the type and extent of chemical reactions occurring in them.

Dr. Stephanopoulos’ long list of professional accomplishments includes authoring more than 200 publications, receiving 12 patents, and currently serving on the editorial boards of seven scientific journals and as the editor-in-chief of Metabolic Engineering. He has also received numerous awards and honors, including the Dreyfus Foundation Teacher Scholar Award, the Excellence in Teaching Award, and the Technical Achievement Award of the AIChE. He has also been a Presidential Young Investigator and the Chairman of the Food Pharmaceutical & Bioengineering Division of the AIChE. In 1992, he was a Visiting Professor at the International Research Center for Biotechnology at Osaka University and was elected a Founding Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering. He chaired the first Conference on Metabolic Engineering and gave the inaugural Bayer Lecture on Biochemical Engineering at the University of California at Berkeley in 1996. He has been honored with the AIChE FPBE Division Award, the Marvin J. Johnson Award of the ACS, and the AIChE Wilhelm Award in Chemical Reaction Engineering. He was elected to the Board of Directors of the AIChE in 2002 and was inducted into the National Academy of Engineering in 2003.

The Cary Lecture Series in the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering was established in 1984 as a memorial to Ashton Hall Cary, a chemical engineering graduate of Georgia Tech, Class of 1943. Mr. Cary served in the U.S. Army after graduation and later built a career in Georgia’s textile industry. The Cary Lecture Series was initiated with a gift from Dr. Freeman Cary, who also studied chemical engineering at Tech. The Cary Lectureship Fund is used to sponsor a lecture series by distinguished scholars in fields of significance to chemical engineering.

He spoke about numerous areas of biological research, such as the regulation of gene expression, design of antimicrobial peptides and other bioactive proteins, controlled drug delivery, manipulation of cellular metabolism to maximize productivity, and cell and tissue targeting for gene therapy. Dr. Stephanopoulos explained that all of

Tearsa Coates, CEO of Teruko Productions, a multimedia company that develops interactive life tools for teens, was awarded a $10,000 prize as the first-place winner of the National Black MBA Association’s business plan competition on Sept. 25. Teruko has created “MissFit,” an interactive fitness video for children.

1999

Amy L. Arnold and James Clinton “Clint” Marshall, III, ChE ‘99, were married in May 2003. Amy works for Southern Co. and Clint works for Akzo

Nobel. The couple lives in Vidalia, Ga.

2001

Elizabeth Hoover and Nathan Smith, ChE ‘01, were married in Atlanta on May 8. The couple lives in Gibsonville, N.C. Elizabeth is a process engineer with Konica Minolta Manufacturing, and Nathan has recently started his own pulp and paper services company, SmithTech, based out of Gibsonville.

2003

Shawn P. Davis, Ph.D. ‘03, and Geneva “Gen” Allen were

married May 15 in Landrum, S.C. Shawn is employed by Milliken & Company as a development engineer. The couple lives in Spartanburg, S.C.

2004

Richard Lau is working as a Facilities Engineer at BP in Amarillo, Tex., and volunteers as an assistant coach for a local high school swim team.

Lisa Hofler and Bob Baxley, EE ‘03, were married July 4 in Piedmont Park in Atlanta. Lisa is attending medical school at Emory University and Bob is 11

pursuing his Ph.D. in electrical engineering at Tech. In May, Lisa became the 1,000th President’s Scholarship Graduate, earning a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a minor in French.

OBITUARIES 1936

Conway Mizelle of College Park, Ga., passed away on Feb. 24. He was a major in the Artillery in World War II. Continued

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We Welcome Your Questions, Comments, or News: ChBE Newsletter: Josie Giles (404) 385-2299 Email: josie.giles@chbe.gatech.edu

ChBE Development & Alumni News: Jenny Daley (404) 894-0987 Email: jenny.daley@chbe.gatech.edu

ChBE Program Information: ChBE Main Office (404) 894-1838 Email: grad.info@chbe.gatech.edu Email: ugrad.info@chbe.gatech.edu

Susan Hutcheson (404) 894-8475 Email: susan.hutcheson@chbe.gatech.edu

OBITUARIES Doyle R. Johnson of Toone, Tenn., passed away on Feb. 26.

He enjoyed a long career with Procter and Gamble.

Eugene C. Hadlock of Baton Rouge, La., passed away on September 27, 2003. He retired from Exxon in 1983 and went on to teach part-time at LSU in order to increase the emphasis given to laboratory work in Chemical Engineering.

Correspondence May Be Mailed to this Address: School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Georgia Institute of Technology Atlanta, GA 30332-0100 www.chbe.gatech.edu

1948

John F. Rowan of Madison, Ga., passed away on Oct. 16.

1947

E

1954

C. Edwin Beckler of Palatka, Fla., passed away on April 27.

He had been president of Bainbridge Motors.

1956

James M. Williams of Kingsport, Tenn., passed away on Dec. 3 after a lengthy illness.

He was a licensed professional engineer and a member of the

ChB

S n o s u Fo c

AIChE, the ACS, and the American Institute of Mining Engineers. He also served in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for two years of active duty and in the reserves for six-1/2 years.

He retired in 1997 as the Vice President of SF Industries in Rock Springs, Wyo. after 33 years in the phosphate industry.

1979

Samuel Bruce Vick, III of The Woodlands, Tex., passed away on Oct. 23, after a heart transplant. He was the safety advisor at Chevron Phillips. His daughters, Brittany and Wendy, are living with Mr. Vickâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s sister and brother-in-law, Vivian and Roger Lehman, ChE â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;77, in Baton Rouge, La.

1966

James R. Knight of North Augusta, S.C., passed away on Nov. 14. He retired from Westinghouse Savannah River Co.

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