UF ChE News_Spring/Summer 2016

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SPR IN G/SUMMER 2016

N EWS PROF ESSOR W I NS DOC T OR A L / DISSERTAT ION A DV ISOR / M EN T OR I NG AWA R D PAGE 8

PA PER S H IGH L IGH T ED A S COV ER A RT & F RON T ISPI EC E PAGE 6

H IGH SC HOOL R ESE A RC H ER S NA M ED F I NA L IST & SEM I F I NA L IST I N I N T EL SC I ENC E TA L EN T SE A RC H PAGE 14

F A C U LT Y PROFESSORSHIPS ANNOUNCED PAGE 5

G R A D U AT E STUDENT WINS M R S S I LV E R AW A R D PAGE 13

W W W.CH E . U F L . ED U

CHAIR’S MESSAGE

Dr. RICHARD DICKINSON CHAIR, DEPARTMENT OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Greetings from Gainesville!

As the 2015-16 academic year comes to a close, we wish hearty congratulations to our new Chemical Engineering BS, MS, and PhD graduates!

AS YOU KNOW, GATOR CHEME GRADUATES ARE HIGHLY SOUGHT AFTER from industr y and academia. The vast majority of our graduates already had job offers lined up by the time of graduation from outstanding companies around the nation such as Ex xonMobil, Dow, Kraft-Heinz, Intel and Michelin, as well as great Florida companies such as Anheuser-Busch, Tropicana and Johnson & Johnson Vision Care. Several of our new graduate school bound students ended up at top Chemical Engineering PhD programs, including Caltech, University of Minnesota, University of Texas-Austin and the University of Michigan. I was privileged to conduct exit interviews with all 116 spring B.S. graduates, and ever y class is even more impressive than the last. What do students appreciate most about our program? The excellent, caring faculty and the camaraderie and friendships they enjoyed with their fellow students—something they will always carr y with them into the future as part of the greater Gator Nation.

These are exciting times for Gator engineering! The College received a ver y generous gift of $50 million from the Herbert Wertheim family, which will lead a $300 million investment into the newly named Herbert Wertheim College of Engineering. The Wertheim transformation will lead a new building, state-of-the-art new facilities and several new faculty positions. Among these, we anticipate growth of Chemical Engineering from 21 currently to 25 faculty in the next few years. In particular, we will build on our research strengths in chemical energy systems, bioengineering, nanotechnology and multiphase fluid dynamics.

Our faculty continue to be leaders in their research fields, generating high-profile research publications this year in prestigious journals such as Advanced Materials, Angewante Chemie, and the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science.

Our success is supported largely by the tremendous financial support from the friends, faculty and alumni of Gator Chemical Engineering.

In the last four years, bequests, commitments and cash gifts have exceeded a remarkable $11 million, ensuring a ver y bright future for Gator Chemical Engineering! We now have seven endowed faculty positions in the department, up from two only a few years ago. Endowed faculty positions honor and help support the research and education activities of those faculty who bring great prestige to our department and have the greatest positive impact on our reputation and on the students. The most recent endowed position is the Dinesh O. Shah Distinguished Faculty Fellow in Surface Science, which was awarded to Professor Anuj Chauhan. Congratulations, Anuj! Our graduate program now enjoys two annual endowed lectureships, one in Fluid Mechanics on the Dinesh O. Shah Lectureship in Surface Science. These serve to honor and bring to campus the most distinguished researchers in these respective research areas.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU NEX T FALL AT HOMECOMING OR OTHER ALUMNI EVENTS. IF YOU ARE IN SAN FR ANCISCO AT THE ANNUAL AICHE MEETING, PLEASE STOP BY AND VISIT US AT OUR ANNUAL DESSERT AND COCKTAIL RECEPTION ON TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 15TH. 2 Powering The New Engineer

CONTENTS

FACULTY HIGHLIGHT......... 4

6

Prof. Jason Weaver has developed a worldrenowned research program at UF that focuses on the growth and surface chemistry of oxide films that are important in applications of heterogeneous catalysis.

PROFESSORSHIPS...............5 Three professorship winners announced at the ChemE April awards ceremony.

8

PAPERS................................6 Faculty research frequently appears in leading academic journals and periodicals and is frequently cited. Additionally, faculty papers are featured as cover art and frontispiece.

FACULTY NEWS.................. 8 10

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT..........10

12

STUDENT NEWS................ 12 MRS Silver Award winner, poster winners, essay contest winners and more.

OTHER NEWS.....................14 14

2016 SHAH LECTURE........15

PROFESSORSHIP WINNERS ANNOUNCED

5

15 To Transform the Future 3

F A C U LT Y H I G H L I G H T P R O F E S S O R JAS O N W EAVE R EAR N ED H IS BACH ELO R S AN D MASTER S D EG R EES I N CH EM I CAL EN G I N EER I N G FR O M U F AN D J O I N ED O U R FACU LT Y I N 1999 AF TER CO M P LETI N G H IS P h D AT STAN FO R D. P R O FESSO R W EAVER HAS D EVELO P ED A WO R LD - R EN O WN ED R ES EAR CH P R O G R AM AT U F THAT FO CU S ES O N TH E G R O W TH AN D SU R FACE CH EM ISTRY O F OXI D E FI LMS THAT AR E I M P O RTANT I N AP P LI CATI O N S O F H ETER O G EN EO U S CATALYS IS .

A KEY GOAL OF WEAVER’S

develop on catalytic metal surfaces. They are also the first

research is to identify the

group to demonstrate that a highly-crystalline PdO film can

molecular processes that

be generated in UHV, which has enabled them to conduct the

govern chemical reactions

first model studies of PdO surface chemistry. This work has

on solid surfaces, and to use

been published in top chemistry journals, including Chemi-

this information to develop

cal Reviews, Chemical Society Reviews, Accounts of Chemical

kinetic models that can predict

Research, JACS and Angewandte Chemie. On the topic of PdO

how heterogeneous cata-

surface chemistry, Prof. Weaver is best known for showing that

lysts perform. To achieve this

alkane activation and oxidation is highly facile on PdO, and

understanding, Weaver and

advancing the mechanistic understanding of this import-

his students study chemical

ant chemistry. Their discovery of facile alkane activation

reactions on well-defined

on PdO has been quite exciting as it is providing

metal oxide surfaces using sensitive experimental methods of

new opportunities to develop more efficient and

ultrahigh vacuum (UHV) chemistry and physics, in combination

selective catalysts for processing alkanes. In

with quantum chemical simulations performed by their collab-

addition to funding from the DOE and NSF,

orators. Combining experiment and theory has allowed them to

Prof. Weaver recently received a substan-

make significant advances in understanding the molecular-scale

tial grant from a private company to conduct

details of chemical reactions on oxide surfaces.

fundamental studies on the catalytic transfor-

Prof. Weaver’s interest in studying oxide surface chemistry orig-

mations of methane.

inally came from reports that the formation of thin metal oxide

Prof. Weaver’s research has benefited immensely from

layers can significantly alter the performance of precious metal

strong collaborations. For the past ten years, Prof. Weaver

catalysts such as Pd and Pt in applications of oxidation catal-

has maintained a fruitful collaboration with Prof. Aravind

ysis. Prior to Prof. Weaver’s work, relatively little was known

Asthagiri at Ohio State University to investigate oxide surface

about the surface chemical properties of late transition-metal

chemistry using molecular simulations in conjunction with

oxides due to the difficulty in preparing these materials for

UHV experiments. He has also developed collaborations with

detailed scientific study. Near the start of his career at UF, Prof.

researchers in Germany and Sweden to investigate the surface

Weaver and his students demonstrated that plasma-generated

chemical properties of rare earth oxides and various doped

oxygen atom beams can readily oxidize late transition-metal

metal-oxides. These collaborations are allowing Prof. Weaver

surfaces in UHV, allowing, for the first time, detailed experimen-

and his students to apply new experimental methods in their

tal investigations of the oxidation of Pt and Pd surfaces and the

research, including X-ray techniques at synchrotron facilities

surface chemical properties of Pt and Pd oxides.

in the U.S. and Europe, and provide great opportunities for his

Their studies of metal oxidation have provided new and broadly applicable insights about the mechanisms by which oxide films

students to work abroad and gain international experience. weaver@che.ufl.edu

Although his research program has grown significantly over the years, Prof. Weaver continues to be an enthusiastic course instructor and is highly regarded by our students. As a native Floridian and UF alum, Prof. Weaver has a special connection with our department and students that inspires his teaching.

4 Powering The New Engineer

PROFESSORSHIPS

A N UJ CH AU H A N IS AWARDED THE DINESH O. SHAH DISTINGUISHED FACULTY FELLOW The Dinesh O. Shah Distinguished Faculty Fellow in Surface Science was endowed to recognize a faculty member of the Chemical Engineering Department at the University of Florida for distinguished scholarship in the area of surface science and interfacial phenomena. The Distinguished Faculty Fellow also oversees the annual Shah Distinguished Lectureship in Surface Science.

Anuj Chahuan received his PhD from the Levich Institute, CUNY, and has over 100 publications in the field of interfacial and transport phenomena mostly applied to ophthalmological problems. He has served as graduate coordinator for nine years and as the Associate Chair of Graduate Affairs and has received the UF Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/ Mentoring Award, the College of Engineering Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award and has four patents, with five more pending.

JA SO N W E AV ER IS AWARDED THE WILLIAM P. AND TRACY CIRIOLI TERM PROFESSORSHIP The William P. and Tracy Cirioli Term Professorship was endowed in 2015 to recognize a faculty member for outstanding scholarship in education, research and service to the Department and the chemical engineering profession. The Cirioli Professor represents the highest values and standards of our profession and serves as a role model for students.

Jason Weaver has developed a world-renowned research program at UF that focuses on the growth and surface chemistry of oxide films that are important in applications of heterogeneous catalysis. Prof. Weaver is a UF Research Foundation Professor and a renowned expert in heterogeneous catalysis and chemical reactions at the gas-solid interface. In addition to funding from the DOE and NSF, Prof. Weaver recently received a substantial grant from a private company to conduct fundamental studies on the catalytic transformations of methane. He has over 80 refereed publications.

SPY R OS S VO R O N OS IS AWARDED THE HARRY AND BERTHA BERNSTEIN PROFESSORSHIP The Harry and Bertha Bernstein Professorship was endowed in 2015 to recognize a faculty member who has demonstrated through outstanding service, teaching, and/or educational research a deep commitment to undergraduate education in the Department of Chemical Engineering. The Bernstein Professor represents the highest values and standards of our profession, serves as a role model for students and other faculty and supports the undergraduate education mission of the department.

Spyros Svoronos received his Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota and is the former interim ChemE Department Chair. His research interests are biotechnology and process modeling and optimization, and has authored over 60 journal papers. He has received several teaching awards and has helped develop the Integrated Product and Process Design program at UF.

To Transform the Future 5

PAPERS & PUBLICATIONS

RESEARCH FEATURED AS A FRONTISPIECE OF ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE Research performed as collaboration between Professors Helena Hagelin-Weaver in Chemical Engineering and Clifford Russell Bowers in Chemistry has been featured as a frontispiece in a recent issue of Angewandte Chemie. In this work, the hydrogenation of propene to propane was investigated over CeO2 nanocubes, nanorods and nano-octahedra using parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). PHIP-NMR is a unique method which can identif y if the two hydrogen atoms added across the double-bond of propene originate from the same molecule (pair-wise addition of hydrogen) or is the result of random addition, and can thus give insight into the mechanism of hydrogenation reactions.

The highlighted research reveals that while the hydrogenation of propene over CeO2 is strongly dependent on the CeO2 surface structure (and thus also CeO2 shape), the pair-wise addition of hydrogen is not.

This research collaboration has also resulted in the JACS paper below.

JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIET Y PAPER ON ALKENE HYDROGENATION In a recent paper published in Journal of the American Chemical Society, Professors Helena Hagelin-Weaver (Chemical Engineering) and Clifford Russell Bowers (Chemistry) investigated the hydrogenation of propene to propane over titania-supported platinum (Pt/TiO2) catalysts using parahydrogen induced polarization (PHIP) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Using PHIP-NMR, a small amount of propane product resulting from the pair-wise addition of hydrogen over the supported metal catalyst was observed. Furthermore, PHIP signal was observed also on the propene reactant. It was shown that this is the result of a previously hidden pathway of pairwise replacement, i.e. dehydrogenation and pairwise rehydrogenation, over this catalyst.

RECENT PAPER FEATURED AS HIGHLIGHT AND COVER ART OF JOURNAL OF CELLUL AR PHYSIOLOGY Research performed by Qiao Zhang and his coworkers was recently selected to be a highlight article and cover art by the Journal of Cellular Physiology. Despite being densely packed with DNA, nuclear bodies and a nucleoskeletal network, the nucleus is a remarkably dynamic organelle. Chromatin loops form and relax, RNA transcripts and transcription factors move diffusively, and nuclear bodies move. Zhang’s work shows a new type of motion of RNA splicing speckles in the cell nucleus. Small speckles move to larger speckles with which they fuse in an ATP and RNA polymerase II dependent manner. The random motion of speckles is regulated by both intra- and extra-nuclear forces. Qiao and his coworkers also devised a novel method to create a pressure gradient flow inside the nucleus. Speckles moved and deformed along curvilinear paths in respond to the pressure flow, suggesting the presence of channels with a low mechanical resistance to motion through which the speckles can move.

SMART SHAPE MEMORY POLYMERS PUBLISHED IN NATURE COMMUNICATIONS Shape memory polymers are a class of smart materials that can memorize and recover their permanent shape in response to an external stimulus, such as heat, light, and solvent. They have been utilized in a wide spectrum of applications ranging from biomedical devices to aerospace morphing structures. Led by a Chemical Engineering graduate student Yin Fang, Prof. Jiang’s group has recently pioneered a new type of shape memory polymer that can be instantaneously triggered by applying an external pressure or by exposing to a large variety of vapors, such as acetone and toluene. These unconventional stimuli induce an easily perceived color change of the special polymer. This striking chromogenic effect could find important applications in reconfigurable/rewritable nanooptical devices for all-optical integrated circuits, reusable and inexpensive chromogenic vapors sensors for homeland security and environmental monitoring (e.g., detecting explosives and toxic vapors in buildings), novel biometric and anti-counterfeiting materials, and healthcare screening. The results have recently been published in Nature Communications (doi: 10.1038/ncomms8416) and Advanced Materials (doi: 10.1002/adma.201500835). Dr. Curtis Taylor from UF Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Dr. Vito Basile from National Council of Research, Italy are major collaborators of the work. DTRA, NASA, and NSF sponsored this discovery.

6 Powering The New Engineer

CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS PAPER ABOUT CO-SURFACTANT STATES AROUND CARBON NANOTUBES Research performed by Chemical Engineering Ph.D. student, Yang Zhao, under the advisement of Dr. Kirk Ziegler was recently published in Chemical Communications. Single wall carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) contain a mixture of nanotubes with different chiralities known as (n,m) types. This work reports the formation of thermodynamic co-surfactant states around SWCNTs. The stability of these thermodynamic states enables high-fidelity separations of specific SWCNT (n,m) types based on their selective desorption from hydrogels. By modulating the surfactant concentration of sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and sodium deoxycholate (DOC), the Ziegler group found a very specific co-surfactant ratio that elutes a high-purity (90%+) fraction of (6,5) SWCNTs. The elution of only one (n,m) type at a specific co-surfactant ratio while other types are exposed to more surfactant suggests that each (n,m) type forms a thermodynamically-stable structure in the co-surfactant solution. These findings provide a promising foundation for the development of large-scale, high-throughput chromatographic separations that can collect each (n,m) type sequentially. This work was performed in collaboration with the Dr. Jean-Claude Bonzongo group (Environmental Eng. Sciences Department, UF).

RESEARCH FEATURED AS A FRONTISPIECE OF ADVANCED OPTICAL MATERIALS The research conducted by a Chemical Engineering graduate student, Yin Fang, with Professors Jiang and Taylor (UF Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering) was featured as a frontispiece in the recent issue of Advanced Optical Materials. This work explores a new type of smart nanooptical coatings with bistable optical states using thermoresponsive shape memory polymers.

The heat-triggered transition between a disordered temporary state and a 3-D ordered permanent state leads to an easily perceived color change, which provides a unique mechanism for developing reconfigurable nanooptical devices for all-optical integrated circuits.

PAPER CHOSEN AS EDITOR’S PICK IN JVST B The “Elevated Temperature Performance of Si-implanted Solar-Blind beta-Ga 2 O 3 Photodetectors” Paper by Professors Fan Ren and Stephen Pearton et al has recently been selected as Editor’s pick in the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology B. High temperature (up to 350ºC) performance of planar, solar-blind β-Ga 2 O 3 photodetectors fabricated on thin films were investigated. There is strong interest in the development of deep ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors that exhibit cut-off wavelengths of 280 nm or below and are therefore solar-blind, enabling detection of UV wavelengths in military applications and flame sensing in the presence of the solar radiation that can penetrate the Earth’s atmosphere. There are a number of wide bandgap semiconductor materials systems that are potentially suitable for these applications, including the high Al-content AlGaN alloys, BN, SiC, diamond, ZnSe, ZnS and ZnMgO. All of these have shown promising and even excellent results in some cases, but all have some limitations, such as the persistent photoconductivity in AlGaN, the indirect gap of SiC, the environmental sensitivity of ZnO-based materials and the cost, lack of availability of high quality films/substrates and lack of doping technology for some of the other materials.

ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE PAPER ABOUT ALK ANE ACTIVATION The Weaver group recently published a paper in Angewandte Chemie that reports the first vibrational spectra of a “pre-activated” alkane adsorbed on a solid surface. A strong interaction between propane and the metal atoms of a palladium oxide surface causes the activated C-H bonds to undergo a large downshift in their stretching frequencies which the Weaver group could measure using surface infrared spectroscopy. By using partially deuterated propane compounds, Weaver and his students were able to show that the adsorbed propane molecules adopt highly specific configurations in which the primary C-H bonds are selectively activated by the metal oxide. Their work demonstrates that geometrical registry between the molecules and the surface plays a decisive role in determining the preferred bonding configurations of alkanes adsorbed on metal oxides. These findings can provide guidance to future efforts aimed at designing catalyst structures with potential to achieve selective alkane conversions.

SEE ALL PAPERS & PUBLICATIONS ON OUR HOMEPAGE: www.che.ufl.edu

To Transform the Future 7

FACULT Y AWARDS & NEWS

FA C U L T Y A C H I E V E M E N T S I N T E A C H I N G & R E S E A R C H A R E C

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR MARK ORAZEM

ANUJ CHAUHAN

MARK OR AZEM

PROFESSOR & ASSOCIATE CHAIR

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

Professor Anuj Chauhan wins the 2015-2016 Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award.

Distinguished Professor Mark Orazem featured in Reuters Technology & UF News’ Global Impact Section.

The Doctoral Dissertation Advisor/Mentoring Award is one of

Senior Director of UF Media Relations, Steve Orlando, recently inter-

the most prestigious and coveted awards offered to the faculty

viewed Mark Orazem about the research being done in mining-water

at the University of Florida. The life of the university is greatly

purification. Orazem’s research was also featured in Reuters.

enhanced by the quality of our doctoral students, and they take their direction from our many outstanding faculty members. This award honors excellence, innovation and effectiveness in mentoring doctoral students.

Cleaning up the water left over from mining operations can literally take generations – 25 to 50 years on average—leaving billions of gallons of the precious resource locked up and useless. Orazem has figured out how to trim that time dramatically—to just two to three

Nominations for this award comes from current graduate students,

hours, a potential boom to mining companies, the environment and

graduate alumni, faculty members, graduate coordinators, depart-

global regions where water is scarce. His team’s idea has attracted the

ment chairs, school directors, college deans and higher-level

attention of the Minnesota-based Mosaic Company, which produces

administrators. The award gives $3,000, with an additional $1,000

phosphate and potash for fertilizer and operates four phosphate

for use in supporting doctoral students.

mines in Central Florida.

When asked about his approach to mentoring, and the theory and

Mining operations use water for mineral processing, dust suppres-

methodology behind his success, Anuj states, “Inspiring the stu-

sion and slurr y transport. When they’re finished with it, the water

dents to pursue their dreams is a critical element of mentorship.

holds particles of mineral byproducts, known in the phosphate

I think passion and excitement for learning is highly contagious—

mining business as clay ef fluent. In the case of phosphate mines

when my students see how passionate and excited I am about their

that are so common in Florida, the clay ef fluent has the consistency

work, they get excited as well. Excitement, in turn, inspires them to

of milk. Orazem’s team has created a lab-sized prototype; the next

set even higher goals and then work hard to achieve those. Early in

step is to determine how to scale it up to a point where it can work in

their PhD projects, I play a more active role in directing the students

a real-world mine.While Orazem’s concept was designed for Florida

by giving them more specific tasks. However towards the end, I only

phosphate mines, he said it could be used any where and would be

give very broad directions, expecting the students to use their own

especially useful in arid North Africa. In Morocco and the Western

creativity to drive the research. I believe in the philosophy of ‘once

Sahara, with 85 percent of the world’s phosphate reser ves, water is

a mentor, always a mentor’. I continue to stay in touch with my stu-

especially in short supply.

dents and help if they need it.”

Stories & video: http://che.ufl.edu/Faculty_Awards.htm 8 Powering The New Engineer

FACULT Y AWARDS & NEWS

O N S I S T E N T LY R E C O G N I Z E D B Y N U M E R O U S O R G A N I Z A T I O N S .

FAN REN

DINESH O. SHAH

DISTINGUISHED PROFESSOR

PROFESSOR EMERITUS

Distinguished Professor Fan Ren featured in ECS Publication & has a paper that reaches 6000 downloads.

Professor Emeritus Dinesh O. Shah is awarded the 2016 Surfactants in Solution Kash Mittal Award.

The Electrochemical Society highlights the life-saving technology

Professor Emeritus Dinesh O. Shah has received the 2016 Sur-

and research of Dr. Ren’s research and explores his career in the

factants in Solution (SIS) Kash Mittal Award at this year’s SIS

field of electronics and semiconductor devices in an article titled,

Conference in China. The Kash Mittal Award is an international

“Building Better Electronic Devices”. Dr. Ren is the new Technical

award in the field of surface and colloid science, and is offered

Editor of the ECS Journal of Solid State Science and Technology and

every alternate year in recognition of the outstanding scientific

he chatted with ECS reporter Amanda Staller on his wide-ranging

achievements and many years of scientific contributions to the

career at the last biannual meeting.

colloid and surfactants science, especially to the Surfactants in

Dr. Ren and his team are working on the development of gallium

Solution Society.

nitride-based sensors. By functionalizing the already-existing semi-

The Surfactants in Solution (SIS) conference series was initiated in

conductor devices and adding the biomarkers and antibodies that

1976, when it was first held in Albany, New York, under the chair-

can detect a multitude of cancers, Ren and his team are opening

manship of Kash Mittal. The title “Surfactants in Solution” has

new doors in the arena of cancer detection—specifically, the detec-

been retained for this series of conferences although the breadth

tion of breast cancer.

of topics covered has widened considerably over the years.

Access the article: http://www.electrochem.org/redcat-blog/

A particular feature of the SIS conferences has been the coverage

building-better-electronic-devices/

of both fundamental and applied research, presenting a great

Additionally, one of Professor Ren’s papers has reached great success in the book “Biosensors for Health, Environment and Biosecurity”, published with InTech. The chapter, “AlGaN/GaN High

opportunity and platform for scientists from industrial research and development (R&D) organizations to meet people working on the basic aspects of surfactants and interface science.

Electron Mobility Transistor Based Sensors for Bio-Applications”,

The SIS Kash Mittal Award started in 2002, with Dr. Shah being

has achieved impressive readership results. His paper has been

the eighth recipient of this award and the first recipient of Indian

accessed over 6000 times, with the top downloads coming from:

Heritage. Previous scientists who were presented this award have

the US, China, India, Algeria and the Republic of Korea.

been from Sweden, the US, France, UK, Israel and Australia.

Access the chapter: http://www.intechopen.com/books/show/ title/biosensors-for-health-environment-and-biosecurity

To Transform the Future 9

ALUMNI

HIGHLIGHTS

Yuyin Xi, MS ‘12

Yuyin Xi received the Jagjeet and Janice Bindra Endowed and Chemical Endowed Fellowship in 2013, Clean Energy Institute (CEI) Fellowship Award in 2015 and was designated as 2016 Clean Energy Institute Graduate Fellow from the University of Washington.

Yuyin is currently pursuing his doctorate degree in chemical engineering at the University of Washington. His research focuses on engineering the morphology of conjugated polymers, which would enhance the charge transport, thus improve the performance of devices such as batteries and organic photovoltaics (OPVs). Yuyin earned his master’s degree under the supervision

10 Powering The New Engineer

of Prof. Fan Ren in chemical engineering from the University of Florida.

The Jagjeet and Janice Bindra endowed fellowship was established by Jeet Bindra (MS’70), president of global refining for Chevron, and his wife Janice, also a UW graduate. Each year the funding is granted to a meritorious graduate student to help cover tuition and stipend.

The CEI fellowship aims at encouraging excellence in research by providing support to highly talented, motivated and engaged graduate studentS in the areas of solar energy, energy storage materials and grid systems.

ALUMNI HIGHLIGHT

Alex Theodore, BS ‘08 GOVERNOR RICK SCOTT RECOGNIZES ABHI LOKESH AND UF CHEME ALUM, ALEX THEODORE, WITH THE YOUNG ENTREPRENEUR AWARD. During a meeting of the Florida Cabinet on May 10th this year, Governor Rick Scott recognized co-founders of Fracture, Inc., CEO Abhi Lokesh and CTO Alex Theodore, with the Governor’s Young Entrepreneur Award. Fracture, Inc. was founded in Gainesville in 2008, and is a modern photo décor company that specializes in photo printing directly onto glass surfaces. The company employs more than 35 Floridians and plans to continue growing.

Governor Scott said, “Abhi and Alex have worked very hard to create a successful and innovative business in Florida. I am proud to recognize them today with the Young Entrepreneur Award and look forward to seeing Fracture, Inc. continue to grow.”

Alex Theodore, CTO and co-founder of Fracture, Inc., said, “It’s exciting to be recognized by Governor Rick Scott today for starting our own business. We have tirelessly worked to foster a spirit of excellence at Fracture and have seen our customer base continue to expand. Thanks to Florida’s business-friendly environment, our company has the opportunity to keep growing.”

For more information about Fracture, Inc., visit www.fractureme.com/. To learn more about the Governor’s Young Entrepreneur Award, visit HireFloridaGrads.com.

Sto r y co u r te sy o f t h e s ta f f a t fl g ov.co m

To Transform the Future 11

Congratulations to Stephen Gibbs and Elliot Mackrell, who both received the prestigious NSF Graduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship recognizes and supports outstanding graduate students in NSF-supported science, technology, engineering, and mathematics disciplines who are pursuing research based master’s and doctoral degrees at accredited US institutions. NSF received close to 17,000 applications and made 2,000 award offers this year.

Undergraduate Students 3

1 1

POSTDOC Dr. Christopher P. Muzzillo Muzzillo’s paper, “Cu-Ga-In Thermodynamics: Experimental Study, Modeling, and Implications for Photovoltaics”, was recently selected as a finalist for the Robert W. Cahn Best Paper Prize.

His paper was selected from 86 papers this past April.

2

Graduate Students 3

12 Powering The New Engineer

4

5

1. Under the aegis of AIChE and its ScaleUp Program, ScaleUp corporate sponsors, UOP and DOW, awarded $500 scholarships to be used as travel stipends for this year’s AIChE Annual Student Conference in San Francisco in November. Chemical engineering students had to complete a written essay on a topic determined by one of the corporate sponsors. John Hursh (BSChE) won the Dow Essay Award, answering the question: “What can chemical engineers do to boost the confidence of the general public in chemistry innovations?”. See more at http://www. aiche.org/community/awards/scaleup-sponsors-essay-contest.

2. Recent PhD graduate, Dr. Sarah Mena (2nd from left), placed 2nd in the Particle Technology Forum Poster Session at the 2015 AIChE Meeting in Salt Lake City for her poster, “Dilute Suspension Flow Studies Using LDV”, and was presented an award at the PTF Dinner. Dr. Jennifer Curtis is also an author on this poster.

3. PhD student Kristin Powell won 1st place, which included a $500 award, for her poster titled, “The Adsorption and Surface Activity of Particle Dispersants for Oil Spill Remediation” in the graduate technical poster competition at the SWE Annual Conference in Nashville, TN. Kristin is a fourth year Ph.D. candidate who’s dissertation research focuses on fundamental studies on the dynamic interfacial tension and the dilational rheology of oil-water interfaces to understand the emulsion stability of various systems.

4. PhD student Morgan Harding (5th from right) was selected as finalist for the C200 Scholar Award at the Committee of 200 (C200) 2016 Leadership Summit on campus in March.

The C200 is an organization formed by the world’s most successful women entrepreneurs and corporate innovators. This year, C200 joined the UF Engineering Leadership Institute to bring world-renowned thought leaders to the UF campus for a unique and inspiring one-day event. This year’s theme was, “Powered to Lead: Transforming the Future as Women”. As a finalist, Morgan was also awarded a cash prize.

5

STUDENT NEWS & AWARDS

Italian Technology Award in Packaging Josh Diblin ChemE Undergrad, Minor in Packaging ChemE Packaging Engineering student, Joshua Diblin, has been awarded an Italian Technology Award in Packaging, which includes an all-expenses paid trip to Italy. The Italian Trade Agency (ITA), in partnership with UCIMA (the Italian Packaging Machinery Manufacturers Association) developed this award for a group of US students and professors to gain firsthand knowledge of Italian machinery and technology for the machinery manufacturing in packaging.

This opportunity is provided through the “Italian Technology Awards” (ITA) – Packaging Sector program—an essay writing competition for packaging students at selected academic institutions organized by the ITC and UCIMA. The Italian Trade Agency-ICE is the Government agency that supports the globalization of Italian firms, implementing the strategies of the Ministry of Economic Development. Italy has long been recognized as an industry leader in the packaging sector, and is known for its innovation and flexibility.

The Italian packaging machinery industry is noted for holding significant global market shares—Italian packaging machinery manufacturers provide one of every four machines worldwide. Most of the packaging machinery produced is absorbed by the food sector (which accounts for around 60% of the industry’s sales) and pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and toiletries (just under 25%). The remaining is targeted toward other sectors, particularly tobacco, where the Italian machinery industry has a long tradition, chemicals/petrochemicals and tissue.

Josh is on his second packaging engineering co-op (Kraft and Wrigley’s), is from Gainesville and attended St. Francis Catholic High School.

At the 2015 MRS Fall meeting in Boston, graduate student Yin Fang won the Silver MRS Graduate Student Award for his talk on novel multi-stimuli-responsive shape memory polymers. Yin is the second UF recipient of this prestigious award in the past 14 years. The MRS Graduate Student Awards are intended to honor and encourage graduate students whose academic achievements and current materials research display a high level of excellence and distinction.

To Transform the Future 13

OTHER NEWS

2 0 16 17 T H A N N UA L GR ACE SYMPOSIUM The Graduate Association of Chemical Engineers (GRACE) held its annual symposium on April 14th. UF ChemE alumnus and Advisory Board member, Dr. Eric Bretschneider, was the Keynote Speaker.

Dr. Bretschneider is the Chief Technology Officer at EB Designs & Technology. This one-day research showcase gave PhD, MS and ME students the opportunity to present their research in a conference style format (presentation or poster) to their peers and a panel of judges.

Session III VJ TOCCO

WINNERS

“Nuclear volume expansion induced by cell shape changes during migration”

Session I MORGAN HARDING “Mathematical models for the impedance response of subcutaneous glucose sensors” Session II KEVIN BUETTNER “Development of collisional dissipation rate models for nonspherical particles using the discrete element method”

Session IV MYTHREYI UNNI “Molecular oxygen as a reactive species in the thermal decomposition synthesis of magnetic nanoparticles with improved magnetic properties” Poster Session PHILLIP DIXON “Modification of soft contact lenses for stabilization and ocular delivery of cysteamine”

SEE PHOTOS A ND A BST R ACTS FOR T HIS A ND PAST SY M POSIU MS AT H T T P:// W W W.CHE.U FL.EDU/GR ACE/SY M POSIU M.ASPX

OUTREACH

HIGH SCHOOL R ESEARCHERS NAMED FINALIST & SEMIFINALIST IN 2016 INTEL SCIENCE TALENT SEARCH Two senior high school researchers, Beverly Ge (left) and Danielle Liu (right), both working in Prof. Jiang’s labs, have been named as the finalist (top 40) and semifinalist (top 300) in the prestigious Intel Science Talent Search 2016 competition. Beverly is working on developing new chromogenic vapor sensors using a new type of shape memory polymer; while Danielle is developing smart, self-cleaning antireflection coatings for renewable energy. Beverly will compete in Washington, DC in March for more than $1 million in awards.

14 Powering The New Engineer

SEMINAR SERIES

D.O. SHAH ANNUAL LECTURE IN SURFACE SCIENCE

L to R: Professor Emeritus, Dinesh O. Shah; Guest Lecturer, Dr. John Berg; Professor & Chair, Dr. Richard Dickinson

The Department of Chemical Engineering welcomed Dr. John Berg as this year’s Lecturer for the D.O. Shah Annual Lecture in Surface Science on April 11th. Dr. Berg is the Rehnberg Professor of Chemical Engineering at the University of Washington. He earned his BS Degree from Carnegie Institute of Technology and PhD from the University of California (Berkeley). He has authored 210 articles and book chapters, and two books, including his recent (2010) textbook: An Introduction to Interfaces and Colloids: The Bridge to Nanoscience, a bestseller which has been adopted at more than fifty colleges and universities worldwide.

He served twelve years as Editor of Advances in Colloid and Interface Science.

The D.O. Shah Annual Lecture in Surface Science was established by Professor Emeritus 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.

Dinesh O. Shah received his B.S.in Physics and Mathematics from the University of Bombay, India in 1959 and his Ph.D. in Biophysics from Columbia University in 1965. He joined UF in 1970 with a joint appointment in the Chemical Engineering Department and in the Anesthesiology Department. He was appointed as the director of the Center for Surface Science & Engineering in 1984.

DR. SHAH SERVED AS CHAIR OF THE UF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT FROM 1987-1991.

To Transform the Future 15

PROFESSORSHIPS

P. O . B O X 1 1 6 0 0 5 GAINESVILLE, FL 32611 W W W.CHE .U FL .EDU