Issue No. 20 / Fall 2016
William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering KOFFOLT NEWS a publication for alumni and friends of Ohio State ChemE (CBE)
Unit Operations in New Koffolt Laboratories
INSIDE: • L.-S. Fan wins new DOE funding • Nicholas Peppas gives lectures • Undergraduate Research • Petroleum Engineering minor returns • Reconstructing the distillation column • Peer mentoring Letter From The Chair
Dear Alumni and Friends, We are very pleased to report that our students continue to perform exceptionally well, coming into the program with The 2016-2017 academic year is off an average ACT a little over 30. Undergraduate student to a great start. L.-S. Fan and Andrew Lagnajit Pattanaik won a Barry M. Goldwater Scholarship, Tong won two Department of and recently, three CBE undergrads had the opportunity Energy awards: $1.7M to apply Fan’s to perform research at the world-renouned CERN Lab chemical looping process to biomass in Geneva, Switzerland. Read these and other intriguing gasification, and Tong recently undergraduate research stories in our special report won another $1.5M DOE award beginning on page 10. to investigate heat integration optimization and dynamic modeling for advancing the coal direct chemical looping Alumni continue to engage with the department in a variety process. In other faculty news, David Wood won The Ohio of important ways. Just recently the newly-convened CBE State University College of Engineering Lumley Research Advisory Board, led by chairman Richard Schwarz, ‘73, Award, and Jessica Winter was recognized by the College gathered on campus for a full day of invigorating discussion. of Engineering Faculty Diversity Excellence Award. The Board will meet again in the spring to follow up on key issues. The National Campaign for New Koffolt Laboratories, We are grateful that new faculty Li-Chiang Lin, Katelyn led by department namesake Bill Lowrie, ‘66, has continued Swindle-Reilly, and Ilham El-Monier joined us this fall. The to meet as the Koffolt Committee, working to find ways to department is currently searching for additional faculty. It increase economic support for the department. would be a great help to the department if you could please visit the CBE website and refer candidates! One bit of late-breaking news that did not make it into this issue is that alumnus Doug Baughman, ‘82, was On the student front, enrollment is at an all-time high, with named a College of Engineering Distinguished Alumnus. nearly 1,000 undergraduates enrolled. However, as our Congratulations, Doug! enrollment has grown, so has the demand from industry, so students continue to get good jobs. Go Bucks!
To add even further to that dimension, CBE is excited to announce the return of the petroleum engineering minor. The first class will be offered this spring by Dr. El-Monier and the plan is to begin offering a formal minor in the fall of 2017. Andre F. Palmer
100 free ’s @ #DonutsWithTheDean
This past spring, Dean Manderscheid and Chairman Palmer, left, greeted students at #Donuts with the Dean, a fun social media event.
“...Tweet #5 – Did someone say free donuts!? Join us along w/ @ASCatOSU at 2:45 pm in the CBEC atrium for #DonutsWithTheDean!”
More on page 17.
Department Chair What’s Inside Andre Palmer 614-292-6033 Faculty Awards and Honors Faculty Awards 4-5 Aravind Asthagiri 688-8882 Lowrie Lectures: Nicholas Peppas 6 Bhavik Bakshi 292-4904 Lowrie Lectures Student Awards Banquet 7-8 Robert Brodkey* 292-2609 Graduate Student Research Highlight: Kilho Lee 9 Nicholas Brunelli 688-3400 Jeffrey Chalmers 292-2727 Special Report: Undergraduate Research John Clay 688-8254 Lagnajit Pattanaik: Goldwater Scholar 10 Ilham El-Monier 688-2762 COE Undergraduate Research Forum 10 L-S. Fan 688-3262 Denman Undergraduate Research Forum 10 Martin Feinberg 688-4883 Megan Ireland: Targeted drug delivery 11 Ed Haering* Nicholas Liesen: Nanofluid systems 11 Harry Hershey* 888-0812 Eileen Elliott: Safer, more efficient MRIs 12 Lisa Hall 688-1017 Nate Olson: Hybrid nanotubes 13 Winston Ho 292-9970 Nathaniel Kramer: Better ethylene production 14 Kurt Koelling 292-2256 Bryan Gemler: Reducing food waste 14 Isamu Kusaka 688-8302 Steven Back, Kevin Ikeda: Off-grid energy 14 James Lee 292-2408 Bradley Schockman: Improving solar cells 14 Li-Chiang Lin 688-2622 Ivan Pires: Artificial blood 15 Umit Ozkan 292-6623 Benjamin Whiteman: Carbon nanotubes 15 Andre Palmer 292-6033 Lucas Watson: Increasing heat transfer 16 Michael Paulaitis* 247-8847 James Rathman 292-3760 Undergraduate Program News Katelyn Swindle-Reilly 292-4602 Petroleum engineering minor 17 Carlo Scaccia 688-8254 Peer mentoring 17 Thomas Sweeney* Donuts with the Dean 17 David Tomasko 292-4249 Unit Operations distillation column update 18 Andrew Tong 292-8255 Unit Operations moves to semesters 19 Jessica Winter 247-7668 Student facts and figures 19 David Wood 292-9636 Barbara Wyslouzil 688-3583 Graduate Program News S-T. Yang 292-6611 Graduate Research Symposium 2016 20 Jacques Zakin* 688-4113 #Day in the Life 20 * = Emeritus Alumni News CBE Advisory Board reorganizes 21 In Memorium 22 Staff Remembering Paul Bates, ‘49 22 Angela Bennett, Graduate Program 292-9076 Alumni Giving Opportunities 23 Katie Bush-Glenn, Academic Advisor 688-5686 David Cade, Building Coordinator 292-2728 T. William Cory, HR Manager 247-2449 Brian Endres, Advising Coordinator 292-6986 Leigh Evrard, Design Engineer 292-2780 ON THE COVER: Lynn Flanagan, Grants Manager 688-3309 Design Engineer Leigh Evrard Sean Gallagher, Development 688-2153 applies final touches to the Geoffrey Hulse, Sr. Systems Mgr. 292-3589 distillation column in the Scott Osborne, Business Officer 247-4386 James and Patricia Dietz Unit Susan Tesfai, Fiscal Associate 292-5086 Operations Laboratory. Jessica Schmitt, Development 292-5564 Michael Wilson, Machinist 292-2780 -Photo by Geoff Hulse Wenda Williamson, Public Relations 292-7907 KOFFOLT NEWS was written and designed by Wenda Williamson, MPA email: [email protected] Faculty Awards and H
New $1.7M Department of Energy research grant for Fan, O Tong to adapt chemical looping for biomass gasification L.-S. Fan, who pioneered coal-direct “Our goal is to optimize biomass chemical looping, the leading clean- utilization,” Tong said, “whether it’s coal technology in the United States, for liquid fuels production or chemical received a $1.7 million Department of manufacturing. We want to develop a Energy grant to apply a similar process technology that can help capitalize on for the thermochemical conversion of the availability of this carbon-neutral biomass to methanol. He and Research source.” Assistant Professor Andrew Tong will lead the “Biomass Gasification for He added that biomass’ relatively low Chemicals Production Using Chemical energy density—compared to coal N Looping Techniques” project. or natural gas—demands extreme efficiency in the energy conversion Chemical looping involves the delivery process in order to be cost-competitive of oxygen from air—via a tailored iron- to the traditional fossil fuel approach. based oxygen carrier—to a fuel source to perform the chemical reactions. The economic assessment will be Ohio State’s approach partially oxidizes performed by project partner Nexant. biomass -- plant-based materials such Other collaborators include Shell as switchgrass and corn stalks that Global Solutions, Peloton Technologies, are not used for food or feed -- to form Commercial Aviation Alternative Fuels synthesis gas consisting of carbon Initiative, ZeaChem, Community Power O monoxide and hydrogen, the building Corporation, AdvanceBio, Gulf Process blocks used in methanol production. Gases, Kurtz Brothers and the Ohio Corn Market Program. Tong said that the project’s goal is to prove that the biomass-to-syngas Professor Fan’s chemical looping chemical looping process is a highly processes for electricity, hydrogen, efficient and economical approach fuel and chemical product have been to substantially reduce the cost of licensed and are currently being chemicals or liquid fuels production. demonstrated at a pilot scale for commercial applications. “This single-step to high purity syngas R from biomass process has the potential to reduce capital costs for syngas production by 44 percent,” he said.
Primarily used as a feedstock in chemical manufacturing, methanol is also an emerging energy fuel for running cars, trucks, buses and even electric turbines. This simple molecule packed with hydrogen and no carbon- to-carbon bonds burns cleaner than S most energy sources and provides a viable, readily available alternative to traditional fossil fuels.
- 4 - Winter receives Faculty Wood wins Lumley Diversity Excellence Award Research Award Jessica Winter received the College David Wood’s research contributions of Engineering’s Faculty Diversity and productivity were recognized with Excellence Award for her commitment The College of Engineering’s Lumley to developing future diverse leaders Research Award, which considers the through mentorship, research, and last five years of a faculty member’s teaching. achievements.
To receive the award, recipients must Wood’s research areas focus on demonstrate excellence and success in protein engineering for bioseparations, the development and implementation biosensing and drug discovery. of models, strategies, practices and His work seeks to develop highly programs that foster and enhance useful biotechnologies through diversity in the College. engineering proteins and enzymes for specific applications. So far, these Dimensions of diversity recognized applications include new ways to by this award include but are not purify recombinant proteins, bacterial exclusive to gender, race, ethnicity, biosensors that incorporate human age, sexual orientation, physical ability, drug targets, and new capabilities in socioeconomic status and political, drug discovery and drug delivery. religious and other ideological beliefs. Wood is becoming widely known for Winter is known for her work on his groundbreaking research in self- magnetic quantum dots and refining cleaving affinity tag technology for the breast cancer diagnostic methods purification of recombinant proteins, using these materials. She is an elected which is currently being utilized in a fellow of the American Association for DARPA-funded project to develop a the Advancement of Science and was laptop-sized “pharmacy in a briefcase” recently recognized by her peers by which could be utilized to produce induction into the American Institute medicines on site/on demand. for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), which represents the top two In addition to other awards, Professor percent of the medical and biological Wood received the NSF CAREER engineering community nationwide. Award in 2003.
- 5 - Nicholas Peppas
Lecture 1: Advances in Protein and sIRNA Nicholas Peppas gives Lowrie Lectures Delivery Through Smart Polymers of Medicine, National Academy of Engineering the molecular design of Inventors, the National Academy intelligent biomaterials by controlling of France, the Royal Academy of structure, recognition and specificity is the Spain, the Academy of Athens and first step in coordinating and duplicating the Academy of Texas. He has been complex biological and physiological recognized with awards from AIChE processes. Recent developments in (Founders Award, William Walker siRNA and protein delivery have been Award, Institute Lecture, Jay Bailey directed towards the preparation of Award, Bioengineering Award, targeted formulations for protein delivery Materials Award), the Biomedical to specific sites, use of environmentally- Engineering Society (Distinguished responsive polymers to achieve pH- or Scientist Award), the American Institute temperature-triggered delivery, usually in of Medical and Biological Engineering modulated mode, and improvement of the (Galletti Award), the Society for behavior of their mucoadhesive behavior Biomaterials (Founders, Clemson and and cell recognition. We address design Hall Awards), the Controlled Release and synthesis characteristics of novel Nicholas A. Peppas is the Cockrell Society (Founders, Heller and Eurand crosslinked networks capable of protein Family Regents Chaired Professor Awards) and other societies. release as well as artificial molecular in the Departments of Chemical, structures capable of specific molecular Biomedical Engineering, Surgery In 2008, AIChE named him one of the recognition of biological molecules. and Pharmacy, and Director of the One Hundred Chemical Engineers Molecular imprinting and microimprinting Institute of Biomaterials, Drug Delivery of the Modern Era. He is President of techniques, which create stereo-specific and Regenerative Medicine of the the International Union of Societies of three-dimensional binding cavities based on University of Texas at Austin. His Biomaterials Science and Engineering, a biological compound of interest can lead work in biomaterials, polymer physics, Chair of the Engineering Section of to preparation of biomimetic materials for drug delivery and bionanotechnology the American Association for the intelligent drug delivery, drug targeting, and follows a multidisciplinary approach by Advancement of Science, and Past- tissue engineering. We have been successful blending modern molecular and cellular Chair of the Council of BME Chairs. in synthesizing novel glucose- and protein- biology with engineering principles to binding molecules based on non-covalent design the next generation of medical Previously, he served as President directed interactions formed via molecular systems and devices for patient of SFB and the Controlled Release imprinting techniques within aqueous media. treatment. Over the past 40 years he Society. He is a fellow of AAAS, We have also developed structurally superior has set the fundamentals and rational AIChE, APS, ACS, MRS, SFB, BMES, materials to serve as effective carriers for design of drug delivery systems and AIMBE, CRS, AAPS, and ASEE. He has siRNA delivery to combat Crohn disease and developed models of drug and protein supervised the research of more than ulcerative colitis. diffusion in controlled release devices 100 PhDs and about 180 postdocs and and biological tissues. graduate students. Lecture 2: A Historical Perspective of Nanotechnology and Bioengineering in an In 2012 he received the Founders Peppas holds a Dipl. Eng. from the NTU Evolving Chemical Engineering World Award of the National Academy of Athens (1971), a Sc.D. from MIT (1973), of Engineering (NAE), the highest and honorary doctorates from the Nanotechnology and Bioengineering recognition of the Academy, for these Universities of Ghent, Parma, Athens, have evolved out of chemical engineering contributions to the field. Peppas is a Ljubljana and Patras, and an honorary because of the need to address important member of the NAE, National Academy professorship from Sichuan University. societal problems. Emphasis in such areas has led to the solution of complex chemical engineering problems that required non- Newtonian flows, non-ideal thermodynamics, multi-component systems, macromolecular analysis, and diagnostic/intelligent responsive systems. The introduction of these fields also created an emphasis on translational research, product engineering, Dr. Nicholas Peppas development of devices/systems and receives the Lowrie processes, and an associated emphasis Lecture Award from on applications and commercialization. Chairman Andre Palmer An unfortunate result of these changes at the Lowrie Banquet, was a shift of Chemical Engineering from following Professor fundamentals to applied sciences. We Peppas’ first lecture examine the underlying reasons for this shift earlier in the day. with emphasis on changes in societal needs -Photo by Geoff Hulse. in the 1970s to translational research that started in the late 1980s. We examine the impact of these changes on ChE education, including the academic shift towards applied sciences and the de-emphasis of fundamentals. We address new educational and research directions that will provide a corrective path towards convergence in chemical engineering. LOWRIE AWARDS BANQUET
Student achievements honored at Lowrie Awards Banquet
OUTSTANDING UNDERGRADUATE AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING GRADUATE AWARD FOR RESEARCH RESEARCH EXCELLENCE: EXCELLENCE: Back Row: Chris Poore, Hussein Alkhatib, Lucas Watson, Back Row: Dongzhu Wu, Witopo Salim, Xin Xin, Umit Ozkan, Jack Zakin, Umit Ozkan, L.-S. Fan, Nicholas Brunelli, Lagnajit Andrew Maxson, Jack Zakin, L.-S. Fan, Varun Vakharia, Pattanaik; W.S. Winston Ho; Front Row: Minkyu Kim, Youngmi Seo, Front Row: Elena Blair, Abbey Empfield, Cailin Buchanan, Chi Cheng, Kuldeep Mamtani, Zi Tong, Ankita Majumdar, Nathaniel Kramer, Yaadata Abdalhalim (receiving for Mike Andrew Amaya. Not pictured: Matthew Gallovic, Gauri Jindra). Nabar.
AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTS FOUNDATION AIChE STUDENT AWARDS AWARDS L.-S. Fan congratulates Hussein Alkhatib for receiving the Erica Brackman (AIC Outstanding Undergraduate Student); AIChE Central Ohio Section Outstanding Student Award. Not Mandar Kathe (AIC Outstanding Graduate Student), Seval pictured is Anne McAllister, who won the Donald F. Othmer Gunduz (AIC Outstanding Postdoctoral Award); L.-S. Fan, AIChE Sophomore Academic Excellence Award. Umit Ozkan.
CHEMICAL HYGIENE COMMITTEE (CHYCOMM) AWARDS (at left) Outstanding Lab Safety Award - Department Wide: Dr. Ozkan’s group; Outstanding Lab Safety Award - Bio: Dr. Palmer’s group; Outstanding Lab Safety Award - Traditional: Dr. Ho’s group. Left to right: Varun Vakharia, Sreshtha Sinha Majumdar, Umit Ozkan, and Donald Belcher.
OUTSTANDING POST-DOC AWARD FOR RESEARCH EXCELLENCE Not pictured: Zhuo Cheng (L.-S. Fan).
-Photos by Geoff Hulse.
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Lowrie Banquet - Special Recognitions
Yuanxin Chen: One of four finalists for the Science & Yensil Park: American Association for Aerosol Research Technology Award from DSM and the American Institute of (AAAE), Poster Competition Winner. (Advisor: Wyslouzil) Chemical Engineering (AIChE). (Advisor: Ho) Zi Tong: 2016 Elias Klein Founders’ Travel Supplement Jeffrey Ethier: Elected delegate of the university-wide Award, North American Membrane Society (NAMS). (Advisor: Council of Graduate Students. (Advisor: Ho) Ho)
Varsha Gopalakrishnan: International Travel Scholarship, Varun Vakharia: North American Membrane Society (NAMS) 2015 ISIE Conference, University of Surrey, UK. (Advisor: Annual Meeting, Membrane Processes category, Third Place Bakshi) in the Poster Paper Competition. (Advisor: Ho)
Kilho Lee: First place, Hayes Graduate Research Forum. (Advisors: Winter, Wyslouzil)
Student Leadership
AICHE CHAPTER OFFICERS ChemE CAR Back row: Mitch Anderskow, Hussein Alkhatib, Nicholas Kevin Ikeda, Ben Heimbach, Steven Back. Not pictured: Braun, Viraj Shah, David D’lima, Dennis Tran. Front row: Michael Ciccone, Lauren Crall, Griffin Jenkins, Adrianna Torie Krebs, Cynthia Sanchez, Yara Mohamad, Lena Ta, Schneider, Ben Snyder, Trevor Wendt. (Advisor: Tomasko) Lynn Bakes. Not pictured: Courtney Prebul, Thomas Menker, Kevin Beyersdorf, Mike Jindra, Eric Collins. (Advisor: Rathman)
CEGC OFFICERS GRADUATE RESEARCH SYMPOSIUM Angela Bennett, Jeff Ethier, Hyuntae Sohn, Nick Wood, Back row: Matt Gallovic, Sumant Patankar, Elena Abilasha Dehankar, Atefah Alizadehbirjandi, David Wood. Chung, Amoolya Lalsare, Yensil Park. Front row: Varsha Not pictured: Sourabh Nadgouda. Gopalakrishnan, Ankita Majumdar, Mariah Whitaker, Abhilasha Dehankar, Kyoung-Joo Jenny Park. Not pictured: -Photos by Geoff Hulse. Viraj Modak, Sourabh Nadgouda, Yaswanth Pottimurthy.
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Graduate student research highlight: award-winning research
Kilho Lee: Thinking big by thinking small Using nanocomposites to enhance cancer diagnostics and therapetics such as bio-imaging and cell separation is one of the Winter Lab’s foci. But synthesizing nanocomposites, which consist of one or more dimensions of less than 100 nanometers, has three challenges: 1) small scale operation - low throughput, 2) the time it takes to complete the process (hours or days), and 3) the use of a surfactant, which requires a downstream purification step that can be difficult to achieve.
Kilho Lee, who won first prize in the Hayes Research Forum for his project, “High-throughput, Semi-Continuous Micellar Nanocomposite Synthesis via Liquid-in-Liquid Electrospray,” is developing novel technology with his team to synthesize micellar nanocomposites - polymer aggregates that encapsulate nanoparticles with unique properties at the core in order to package nanoparticles of different functionalities for the purpose of targeting cancer cells.
The technology used to produce them is called Liquid-Liquid Electrospray (LLE). The LLE electrospray techniques widely used in aerosol science enable synthesis in a surfactant- free environment in a manner that is semi-continuous and tunable (high throughput with better controllability of the overall process).
Lee’s group believes that LLE is the first surfactant-free synthesis route among emulsion-based nanocomposite formation. Recently, LLE-synthesized nanocomposites have been characterized; and this demonstrates the feasibility of achieving quality, high- throughput synthesis. Top picture: Liquid-Liquid Electrospray setup for high-throughput nanocomposite synthesis. Bottom two pictures: MultiDots (nanocomposites encapsulating quantum dots) exhibit fluorescence upon UV exposure. -Photos by Geoff Hulse.
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SPECIAL REPORT: UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH PROJECTS
used to make other molecules found in polymers, plastics and fuels. It's Denman Undergraduate greener than using petroleum to Research Forum winners make polymers," Lagnajit said. Four CBE students placed in the “I’ve always been a good student, but engineering category of the 21st I’ve learned to be patient in research. Annual Denman Undergraduate You go in expecting 100% success Research Forum held in March 2016: and then find out that a 10% success rate is actually good,” said Lagnajit. Thomas Groseclose, 2nd Place: “Evaluation of enxymatic breakers “I have also learned about how for the reduction of environmental much preparation is needed to and health hazards associated with do good research. So much of hydraulic fracturing fluids.” (Advisor: research is reading what others Kurt Koelling) Dr. Nicholas Brunelli and Lagnajit Pattanaik have done before you, and thinking about how you can improve on it... Lagnajit Pattanaik and Kory Sherman, understanding your project and what 2nd Place: “Selective biomass Goldwater Scholarship for you are trying to achieve,” he added. conversion using immobilized solvent Lagnajit Pattanaik effects.”(Advisor: Nicholas Brunelli) His nickname is “Lucky,” but luck "What I really like is when you run had very little to do with Lagnajit an experiment and it supports your Ziwei Wang, 3rd Place: “Settling Pattanaik winning the most prestigious theory -- that's a cool feeling. In dynamics of spherical particles in undergraduate research scholarship in chemistry, you can't see things fracking fluids.” (Advisor: Kurt Koelling) the country - the Barry M. Goldwater. working, so when you can quantify that you were right, and then extend Panayiotis Kolliopouos, 4th Place: “I was a bit surprised to win, but the technology so that it can make a “Modeling and simulation of non- Dr. Nicholas Brunelli has given me difference in the world when applied isothermal gas-assisted injection tremendous encouragement. He to a larger scale, it just makes you modeling for viscous Newtonia fluids.” motivates me every day. No one is feel very good,” he said. (Advisor: Kurt Koelling) harder working than him, and we recently got our first big federal grant, The Richard J. and Martha D. Denman which is exciting. This award is not just Undergraduate Research Forum is mine, it's Dr. Brunelli's and the group's, a university-wide competition for as well -- a culmination of effort," he research projects and creative works.. said with a smile.
COE Undergraduate It makes you think Research Forum “about how we can placements
get our technology Abbey Empfield and Peter to help other people. Sandvik, both students in L.-S. Fan’s laboratory, won prizes Because at the end in the seventh annual College of Engineering Undergraduate of the day, that’s Research Forum competition. Abbey Empfield explains her research to our goal. It’s a really Prizes were awarded to the Professor David Tomasko. top three presentations, and big motivator for two prizes were handed out for promising new researchers. me . -Lucky Pattanaik Abbey Empfield won third place ” overall, and Peter Sandvik "It was my interest in chemistry that received one of the “promising led me to Dr. Brunelli's group," said new researcher” awards. Lagnajit. “Our lab uses more organic chemistry than other chemE areas. We model catalysts after enzymes and study catalysis for biomass conversion -- converting organic molecules like fructose, glucose and eventually Peter Sandvik chats with a forum attendee cellulose to 5 hydroxy methyl furfural about his research. (HMF). HMF is an intermediary material - 10 - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
Megan Ireland Megan Ireland wins Undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship , a biomedical Megan Ireland Liesen consults with Professor Isamu Kusaka. -Photo by Geoff Hulse. engineering undergrad and a Humanitarian Engineering Scholar, won an undergraduate research fellowship Nicholas Liesen: Research Scholar learns how to learn from The Ohio State University Undergraduate Research Office to work Last fall, Nicholas Liesen began a applicable at nanometer scales without with Professor Barbara Wyslouzil’s research project expecting to learn how any modification, Nick’s research is part Aerosol Research Group. Ireland to run simulations, but in the process, of the ongoing effort to understand studied Liquid-Liquid Electrospray he also learned how to learn. transport phenomena in general on (LLE) to produce PLGA microspheres the basis of statistical mechanics, and encapsulating therapeutic agents for Preparing his research proposal to was assisted by his advisor’s new book, targeted drug delivery. the OSU Undergraduate Research Statistical Mechanics for Engineers Office for a Research Scholar Award (Isamu Kusaka, 2015, Springer). The The objective of PLGA microspheres involved a literature search, identifying, research builds on a method known sythesis via LLE is to show 1) high- assessing and reading more than 30 as dissipative particle dynamics, a throughput synthesis of PLGA different papers in detail. “Through mesoscale particle-based simulation microspheres and 2) the encapsulation this process, I not only learned about technique. efficiency of PLGA microspheres my subjects; I learned how to read produced via LLE vs. standard research papers,” Nick wrote in a Nick determined the phase behavior techniques. Ireland also studied the progress report for his project, “The of the model system, and began to effects of having different surface determination of transport properties explore its interfacial properties and ligands on the nanoparticles in forming using dissipative particle dynamics: a new set of simulations to determine micellar nanocomposites. Investigation of nanofluid systems transport coefficients, such as viscosity involving vapor-liquid equilibrium.” and thermal conductivity, quantities She worked under the direction of of major importance in understanding second-year graduate student Kilho “Reading a text book and reading the above mentioned hydrodynamic Lee (see page nine). research papers are very different instability. endeavors,” he wrote. “Research papers are written for researchers “I have gained critical insight into how in the field, so one must read the these simulations are run and to see related papers and consult the source theory in action. This experience was 2015-16 Office of Undergraduate and reference materials to get the very valuable to me. In addition to Research Summer Research background and definitions of terms.” allowing me to investigate some very Fellowship Recipients interesting topics, this crucial research After winning the award, Nick eagerly Eileen Elliott (advisor: Jessica experience which will help me to began to explore his central research further my long-term goals,” he said. Winter); Megan Ireland (advisor: question of whether thermally-driven Barbara Wyslouzil); Nathaniel hydrodynamic instability in nanometer Kramer (advisor: Umit Ozkan); scale liquid film plays a key role during Nathaniel Olson (advisor: a certain nano particle self-assembly Nicholas Brunelli); John Osburn process. Since it is unclear if classical (advisor: Daniel Dotson); Ivan fluid dynamics based on the continuum Pires (advisor: Andre Palmer); description of matter remains Mitch Raith (advisor: David Wood); Bradley Schockman (advisor: Yiying Wu).
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Eileen Elliott: ‘Accidentally’ discovering a career in chemical engineering
When Eileen Elliott was about 13 years old, a car accident changed her life...
The resulting knee surgery helped Ultra-Low Field MRIs. Ultra-Low Field restore her mobility, but left her in MRIs operate at 100 µT, a much lower chronic pain. Around the same time, her electromagnetic field than the 1.5 to sister was looking at graduate schools 3 T fields current clinical MRI systems for chemical engineering, and told use. The lower electromagnetic field Eileen about the incredible research emissions of Ultra-Low Field MRIs being done in various programs. would allow for a safer and more cost- efficient diagnostic tool. However, with One project in particular stood out: the smaller magnetic field, the signal received is lower. “My sister explained that within the chemical engineering field there are Eileen’s challenge: Instrument methods professors with the ability to create to increase the signal and contrast seen live tissue, such as cartilage, which can in the MRI images. be placed back into the human body,” Eileen said. Her project: Create resonators to complete dynamic nuclear polarization She thought about how she might have experiments to increase the signal, knee pain for the rest of her life due to and to then instrument magnetic the cartilage that had to be removed, nanoparticles in order to increase the and realized that chemical engineering contrast seen in the images. Eileen Elliott stands inside the ULF-MRI she might be able to help her. worked with on her summer research project. “Obviously, this project is not one typically associated with chemical engineering,” Eileen said. “However, that is why chemical engineering is Chemical a powerful major; it can span across “ engineering many different fields of science. Chemical engineering does this by combining all the natural sciences, is extremely throws in engineering courses, and powerful. creates one incredible major,” she said. What’s next? Elliott, who has been -Eileen” Elliott part of biological-based research as a To think that chemical engineers research assistant in the laboratory of had the ability to remove that pain! Professor Jessica Winter for the past Eileen became dedicated to studying three years, hopes to continue similar the natural sciences, and ultimately work by pursuing a Ph.D. in tissue pursued chemical engineering at The engineering and regenerative research. Ohio State University. Her goal is to help others suffering from joint problems and other issues. Safer, more cost-efficient MRI’s
Over the summer, Eileen participated in The Ohio State University Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF) program. Her placement, funded by the National Institute for Standards and Technology, was at an NIST branch in Boulder, Colorado.
The mission at NIST is “to promote U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards, and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life.”
Eileen’s project sought to improve Eileen Elliott loads samples of water into the the quality of life through research on ULF-MRI.
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Nate Olson: Reaching for the moon with nanotechnology
Many students study chemistry in electronics, optics, and other fields of high school, but not everyone takes to materials science. Thinner than a hair it. From his very first chemistry class, but stronger than steel, nanotubes however, Nate Olson found a passion can be integrated with other materials which ultimately led to a dream of such as polymers to form lightweight working in chemical engineering to but extremely strong nanocomposite support space exploration. materials.
“What I find most interesting about Imogolite, a type of inorganic, chemistry is the fact that it is aluminosilicate nanotube that forms omnipresent. There is no part of the naturally in soils of volcanic origin, but world around us where chemistry can also be made in the lab using a low is absent,” said Nate, who works in temperature, solution-phase synthesis. Professor Nicholas Brunelli’s lab. Nate’s work focuses on how to tune the Olson uses a rotary evaporator to concentrate properties, structure, and behavior of his imogolite nanotubes during synthesis. “I already had an interest in problem imogolite through rational changes to solving, tinkering, and doing various the synthesis. building projects. These engineering- like interests and my love of chemistry Catalysis, separations, and sensing made chemical engineering a perfect are three main areas where imogolite fit,” he explained. nanotubes could be applied. However, pure imogolite is inert and generally “An aspect of chemical engineering I unreactive. To make imogolite useful especially enjoy is that it brings together in specific molecular recognition chemistry, physics, mathematics, and applications, its properties need to be biology. With the chemical engineering modified. curriculum, you get to study a wide range of fascinating science. It is a field Nate’s challenge: Create hybrid with a huge amount of breadth. With nanotubes to form an industrially-viable this degree, I think you could do just heterogeneous catalyst that could about anything you want.” be utilized in an efficient and green process. In particular, Nate enjoys the challenges of research and the opportunity to His project: Introduce heteroatoms make an impact on the world through into the nanotube structure to create discovery and innovation. hybrid imogolite. By including other atoms in the structure, the reactivity and “I hope to someday do research and structure of imogolite could be changed. development for space exploration,” Nate continued. “I think nanotechnology There’s another thing that Nate will play a key role in expanding has learned beyond chemistry and humanity’s reach into space due to chemical engineering: the value of the ability to create strong, lightweight communication. materials, advanced electronics, and nanosensors. I hope I can be a part of “Initially, I was reluctant to distract others my generation’s moon landing, whether from their work,” Nate said, “But once it be a visit to Mars, establishment of a I began to ask questions, I realized moon colony, or some other endeavor,” that everyone was always willing to he added. help. I cannot stress how important it 2015-16 Research Scholar is to discuss your project with fellow Awrds, Office of Undergraduate ‘Green’ catalysts inspired by natural students in the lab. The knowledge and Research materials advice that I’ve received from other students in the lab has been invaluable,” Nicole DiRando (advisor: John he said. Lanutti); Jonathan Jih, Abby One nano-scale material that holds Lyons, Evan Martindale, Melissa great promise for the future Nate What’s next? Nate intends to pursue Mickeley (all advised by Andre envisions is the nanotube – a long, Palmer); Mitch Raith (advisor: hollow structure with nanometer-sized a doctorate in chemical engineering, focusing on nanotechnology research. David Wood); Nicholas Liesen diameters. Due to the unique chemical (Isamu Kusaka); John Osburn bonds that hold the nanotube’s (advisor: Daniel Dotson); and particles together, nanotubes exhibit Samantha Thobe (advisor: extraordinary strength, thermal Katelyn Swindle-Reilly). conductivity, and mechanical and electrical properties which have valuable applications in nanotechnology,
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Nathaniel Kramer: Brewing Students solve problems Bradley Schockman: A up the job of his dream in Switzerland’s CERN lab sunny future Would you like to work in the brewing Last summer, CBE undergrads Steven Sophomore Bradley Schockman industry? Nathaniel Kramer would. Back, Bryan Gemler, and Kevin Ikeda doesn’t mess around with penny ante And as a ChemE– for whom process- were among the first group of un- goals. His goal is to change something improvement is a key skill – he has a dergraduates in the world to work in that really matters in today’s world. very good chance at it. the IdeaSquare innovation lab of the Dye-sensitized solar cells for More economical and internationally acclaimed European sustainable energy environmentally-friendly ethylene Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) lab in Geneva, Switzerland. Bradley works in Dr. Yiying Wu’s lab production with graduate student Kevin Click, who Nathaniel currently works in Dr. Umit Nineteen Ohio State students in the is working to develop realistic energy- Ozkan’s lab on electrocatalysts for Integrated Business and Engineering conservation sources such as more oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. honors program worked with some of efficient solar cells. One project is to “Basically, we are using a fuel cell in the world’s most illustrious scientists test an aqueous p-type dye-sensitized reverse, applying a current to the cell and Nobel Peace Prize winners at for a tandem cell design. The aqueous in order to get a favorable reaction CERN, the birthplace of many of the version has never been studied due to to occur,” Nathaniel explained. “We world’s top innovations of the past a lack of stability of the hydrophobic want to convert ethane—which is not 60 years, including the creation of dye in aqueous conditions, and the cell very useful industrially—to ethylene, the World Wide Web, the building of will be the first of its kind. which is a significant ‘building block’ antimatter and the discovery of the molecule for chemical syntheses. Higgs boson particle. They engaged The group hopes that their aqueous solar cell will lead to new discoveries Ethylene is just two CH2 groups regularly with Dr. Markus Nordberg, attached with a double bond, so it is who worked on the Higgs boson and a more efficient and effective useful as a precursor for many organic project. dye-sensitized solar cell for solar fuel molecules, since it can be used to production. form larger carbon chains or have Reducing food waste; Off-grid functional groups attached to it. The energy production and storage Bradley’s challenge: In addition to most common use is for polymers,” his work with Kevin Click, Bradley Nathaniel said. Challenge I: In the US alone, over a is performing his own research to third of food ends up in a landfill. optimize usage of NiO films in dye- Nathaniel’s challenge: Current sensitized solar cells and water- methods to produce ethylene include The project: Bryan Gemler’s group splitting devices. steam cracking, which requires developed a container that can detect high temperatures and thus large when chicken spoils by studying the His project: Develop methods to amounts of energy, while the oxidative kinetic relationship between microbial eliminate waste with dye-sensitized dehydrogenation method is both growth during chicken spoilage and solar cells, which comes from using an less energy-intensive and more the volatile gases that the microbes inefficient amount of NiO. Eliminating selective than steam cracking. Thus, produce. For more info visit go.osu. waste would help facilitate the goal of his challenge is to find an effective edu/FoodSense. scaling up profitable production of the catalyst for oxidative dehydrogenation cells. of ethane to produce economic and Challenge Ii: Rural areas in third world environmental benefits. countries need ways to generate and What’s next? “My goal is to eventually store their own power. synthesize my own dyes for the cells, His project: Synthesize a series of which would involve a lot of organic previously untested catalysts, including The project: Kevin Ikeda and Steven chemistry, which I will be abke ti take niobium-doped strontium titanates and Back devised an ultra-efficient, this year as a sophomore. Until now, lanthanum-doped strontium cobaltates. economical, low-impact energy I’ve been self-teaching, which has Later, he will conduct packed-bed tests generation and storage initiative for been a great success as well as a of these catalysts to determine their rural hospitals in Ethiopia by using a great struggle at times,” he said good- activity, followed by conductivity tests solar collector to heat drums of water, humoredly, “but well worth the effort.” on the most effective catalysts in order which in turn could be used to run to further determine their suitability for Stirling engines. Photo: Bradley Schockman sets up a water- electrocatalytic applications. splitting device using a dye sensitized niO film.
- 14 - . UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
the kidneys, where it can lead to kidney failure. One such therapeutic is apohemoglobin, which has the ability to scavenge free heme in solution.
Ivan’s challenge: Explore the efficacy of using apohemoglobin to protect against heme toxicity.
His project: Develop a process to successfully scale up the production of apohemoglobin by removing heme groups from hemoglobin, and quantify its ability to bind free heme in solution.
Ivan finds his research to be extremely engaging. He has also found that the Ivan Pires: R&D for blood challenges of intensive research can Benjamin Whiteman: CNTs Blood: our lives depend upon it. Yet even extend beyond the laboratory. As part of the Deutscher Akademischer voluntary, unpaid blood donations Austauschdienst (DAAD RISE program), must increase rapidly in more than half “What stands out for me during the Benjamin Whiteman paired up with a the world’s countries in order to ensure last few months is that, many times, PhD student at Universität Heidelberg, a reliable supply, says the World Health things don’t go as expected. I found where he worked for nearly three Organization. How can chemical this to be especially true when I once months testing growth conditions for engineers help? told a friend who was going to give small-diameter, single-walled carbon me a ride that I would be done in 20 nanotubes via CVD processing. Creating artificial blood minutes. Five missed calls and 13 angry text messages later, I noticed that Carbon nanotubes for ongoing is worked in the laboratory Ivan Pires an hour had passed. What I thought research efforts of Professor last summer. Andre Palmer was going to be straightforward The group five-minute procedure required Benjamin’s challenge: “What brought me to chemical Ben was working with focused on three different attempts and four engineering is the major’s versatility nanomaterials for optoelectronics different modifications. However, these and broad curriculum. I’ve always and as such the carbon nanotubes he challenges posed opportunities to test liked biology, physics and chemistry, hoped to grow were intended for use in and develop my knowledge and skills – so chemical engineering was a very ongoing research efforts. CNTs have a if not the limits of my friend’s patience logical choice for me. This also explains number of fascinating mechanical and – and made the accomplishments even my interest in Dr. Palmer’s research, electrical properties which make them more rewarding,” he said which encompasses all those subjects,” ideal in optoelectronics research and he said. applications.. What’s next? Ivan, who is a sophomore this fall, wants to further his academic Dr. Palmer’s laboratory engineers His project: With tens of variables to hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers knowledge by obtaining a master’s investigate and only ten weeks to get (HBOCs) for applications in transfusion degree and potentially a Ph.D. “I’m not familiar with CNT growth conditions medicine and tissue engineering. In decided on a specific research area yet. and begin testing, Ben selected a essence, he is creating artificial red What interests me the most right now limited number of potentially interesting blood cells (RBCs) and plasma. is to pursue a career in research and parameters to evaluate and was able to development or bio-pharmaceutical thoroughly test three key variables and While real whole blood serves many process development/managing,” he lay the groundwork for further efforts different functions, artificial RBCs said. toward the goal of selective growth of are designed for the sole purpose Photo, top left: Pires working on the Tangen- small-diameter, single-walled CNTs. of transporting oxygen and carbon tial Flow Filtration system for hemoglobin dioxide throughout the body. HBOCs purification. (hemoglobin-based oxygen carriers) are a class of RBC substitute that use the natural oxygen-carrying 2015-16 College of Engineering protein molecule hemoglobin (Hb) Undergraduate Research to store and transport oxygen, and Scholarship Recipients could potentially be used as a short- term RBC replacement to greatly Amjad Akif, Hussein Alkhatib, improve the care of accident victims, Cailin Buchanan, Christopher wounded soldiers, and RBC transfusion Chang, Brian Diep, William Drees, recipients, especially when blood is in Lavanya Easwaran, Kevin Ikeda, short supply. Patrick Kinnunen, Nathaniel Kramer, Blaise Kimmel, Michael Palmer’s lab is also developing Lindell, Lagnajit Pattanaik, therapeutics to treat heme toxicity Sushmitha Ravikumar, Xutao Shi, (i.e. byproduct of Hb breakdown), Eugenia Stanisauskis, Lena Ta, which results from the destruction of Dennis Tran, Lucas Watson, Trevor red blood cells in the blood. Heme is toxic to cells and organs, especially Wendt, and Hopen Yang.
- 15 - UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCH
farm from Germany. They started from this is one of the reasons I chose to scratch and didn’t even have electricity. come to Ohio State.” My grandmother, who was orphaned at 15, supported herself and worked Luke’s enthusiasm for research means very hard her whole life. So who am that regular coursework pales in I to sit around and play video games, comparison. “It’s hard to focus on rote when I could be trying to live up to the learning vs. solving real problems. standard set by my family?” he mused. “I really enjoy Professor Kusaka’s Luke decided to study chemical classes, though. He’s a great professor. engineering because he “likes to do He poses a broad problem and everything. I like to do interesting, you learn which assumptions are original things. It doesn’t do any good reasonable and what you need in to just reinvent the wheel.” order to solve the problem. This is in contrast with some classes that require Watson and Zakin examine a faulty stepper It’s this broader aspect of chemical students to blindly accept certain motor. -Photo by Geoff Hulse. engineering which attracts him. “What I assumptions. Having internships and like about chemical engineering is that research opportunities like this is so Lucas Watson: Energized it’s on a bigger scale. Chemistry tends valuable – it’s where the real learning engineer to be more abstract, studying small and knowledge acquisition take place samples and working within its own --not following a set procedure, but Engineers like to see how things work. discipline. Chemical engineering has having an open-ended question with They like to understand processes enough physics to enable you to be a no one answer, and finding a creative and the underlying forces at work in mechanical engineer, plus chemistry, way to solve the problem,” he said. a particular system. Probably most and process controls, which could be of all, they are curious -- can they used in computer programming or “The goal of my summer project was to invent something new, or improve hardware,” he said. find a more cost-effective process to something to make it more cost- increase heat transfer in drag-reducing efficient? Lucas Watson, a sophomore solutions which is also easier to retrofit who received an Undergraduate Things are the to different applications. It will basically Summer Research Scholarship from the “way they are for a be mechanical engineering, studying College of Engineering last summer, how surfactants are affecting the demonstrates all of these qualities and solution. The project mixes physics, then some. reason, but they mechanical engineering, and a chemical understanding of surfactants. Luke, whose advisor is Jacques Zakin, don’t have to be worked on micelle destabilization “Normally, surfactants self-assemble using an electric field for heat transfer -- you can change and make these long threads that enhancement of turbulent drag suppress turbulence. That reduction reducing surfactant solutions. things. And I do in turbulence reduces drag, but also heat transfer. Reversing that process “Research has been the most enjoyable enjoy a good uses a lot of energy. So if you wanted thing for me in school,” said Luke, to add these to a system to make it who in high school self-taught for four challenge. more cost-efficient, you would need to locally disrupt the surfactant threads, AP exams in chemistry, government -Luke” Watson politics, calculus and history because do the heat transfer, allow the particles he found classroom work too simplified. In planning his college education, Luke to re-assemble, and then disrupt it To set his curriculum, he went to forums visited a number of schools, including again. I’ll use electrophoresis, which for professors and grad students Ohio State because of its emphasis on is essentially an electrical field used and got their recommendations for undergraduate research. He visited to move particles in the solution. I’m books, reading several from different during Easter break: hoping that with an electrical field, sources to see how they all fit together. the self-assembly process can be “Chemistry, for example, tended to “It was getting dark, and it was cold interrupted,” Luke explained. either dumb down the material too and windy outside. I was surprised that much or rush over it, so having multiple old Koffolt Labs was even open. But I Luke envisions getting a PhD and even sources on the subject gave me a fuller wanted to meet a professor, because now is getting ideas for possible focus picture,” he said. I had read that was a good thing to do areas. “I suggested a research project when choosing a school, so I went in which one of our PhD’s is now pursuing Studying history, particularly his own and wandered around this deserted – a self-assembled drag reducing family history, may have been one of building with half the lights turned chemical system for organic solvents. the factors that contributed to Luke’s off until I found Professor Zakin, who Right now polymers are used, but they work ethic and values. “I think it’s was still in his office. He was so warm, degrade,” he said. “I also would like to selfish to say that something is too gracious, and welcoming, and he was start a project to switch Ohio State’s hard to even try. Our ancestors have excited to share his research program chilled water HVAC systems over to done much more work than I’ve ever with me. Clearly here was a professor using these drag reducing solutions. been required to do. For instance, who was very interested in teaching We could save tens of thousands of my great-grandparents came here to and helping people,” Luke said, “and dollars per year,” he said with a smile.
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UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM NEWS Petroleum minor returns New peer mentoring program enhances student success
More than 50 years ago, H.C. “Slip” Adjusting to life at Ohio State and Eddie Janini is also serving as a peer Slider, a beloved professor who wrote starting college-level engineering mentor. “I let students know that I’m one of the first textbooks on petroleum studies can be daunting for freshmen, here for questions or problems of any engineering, headed up a petroleum but the new CBE Peer Mentoring kind – roommate troubles, how to engineering minor in the chemical and Program offers help. Now in its second balance studying with recreation -- I’m biomolecular engineering department. year, the program pairs 6-10 freshmen a resource for whatever is needed. But after Slip’s passing, enrollment with one of 10 juniors and seniors who There was so much I didn’t know as a declined nationally and the subject serve as a resource for the undergrads freshman. My favorite band came and disappeared at Ohio State. Now, with played, but I missed it because I didn’t plentiful shale gas reserves in Ohio and Academic Advisor Katie Bush-Glenn know how to get tickets in time!” Janini students expressing interest in the U.S. came up with the idea to help students said. Society of Petroleum Engineering, it is gain access to information while set to return as a minor in CBE. connecting with their peers. “One of the things I wished I had known as a new student was that the “The energy industry is a major “When I was a freshman, I didn’t know courses you take in your first year employer of engineering graduates anyone and felt overwhelmed,” said are not necessarily what you will be from Ohio State. Having the petroleum mentor Taylor Fitzgerald. “There were doing for the duration of your career. I engineering minor will help students so many things to find out. For instance, nearly dropped out because I didn’t get started more quickly with energy I was so worried about what would enjoy calculus or general chemistry, companies, and will also provide happen if I didn’t make it into the major. but when I got to my second year and visibility to this career path for many Now I can help my peers understand could take the courses I was more more students,” said Associate Dean their options. It feels great to be able to interested in, my enthusiasm really for Undergraduate Education David help others in ways that I know I would kicked in,” said Peter Guiguis, who is Tomasko, who is also a CBE professor have appreciated myself,” she said. also a peer mentor.
Petroleum engineering can be taught in Tatum Magill so valued her experience Peer mentor Brian Kulp, who has either geology or chemical engineering, as a mentee that she decided to connected with seven of his nine and some of the courses being become a mentor herself. “As a new mentees, introduced himself to his offered next fall will in fact be taught pre-chemical engineering student, I mentees by sharing two interesting by geology professors. The benefit was overwhelmed at first. I really things about himself and what he was to learning about it within chemical was grateful to have a mentor willing most excited about for the coming year, engineering is that students will also to answer any questions about the and asking his mentees to do the same. be able to apply their knowledge of concerns I had with freshman year. I thermodynamics, separations, and learned from an upperclassman’s “Some students are shy about transport phenomena to the field, says experience and gained motivation from connecting with their mentor, but once Professor Stuart Cooper, the former seeing the results of four years of hard they realize that it is not connected to department chair. work. I thought it was such a helpful their grade or academic performance, resource, that I am now a peer mentor they feel more comfortable about Current Department Chair Andre as well. I am very excited to connect checking it out,” Bush-Glenn said. “The Palmer adds that “opportunities in with my mentees and help them in any program is definitely having an effect petroleum engineering are cyclical way I can!” Tatum said. on retention,” she said. and driven by the price of oil, but it’s a field that has legs. In the long view, having a background in it creates #Donuts with the Dean and Chairman Palmer opportunities to expand into that area. People who are properly trained in it CBE teamed up with the are worth their weight in gold. Industry College of Arts & Sciences representatives say that studying it as & Chemistry last spring for a major is not necessary.” a fun Twitter promotion: #Donuts with the Dean. Petroleum engineers focus on finding and harvesting oil and gas in the safest Four days before the event, not-so- and most efficient manner possible. subtle hints about FREE DONUTS began This could include discovering appearing on Twitter, along with emails reservoirs, estimating their size, to students encouraging them to follow determining the most efficient way to go.osu.edu/CBEtwitter for clues about harvest, and designing transportation the final time and location of the event. methods for getting the material to processing plants. Over 100 students came to get a free donut, meet The minor is expected to be formalized Dean Menderscheid and by fall of 2017, with the first new Chairman Palmer and chat courses offered in the spring. with friends.
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New distillation column in the James and Patricia Dietz Unit Operations Lab complete The current Unit Operations Laboratory “I lost a lot of sleep over that column,” automate key features, including was built as one of the centerpieces Mike Wilson said. “We designed and the valve controlling the reflux ratio. of the new Chemical and Biomolecular measured everything very carefully in Students control the system and Engineering and Chemistry (CBEC) CAD, but you don’t really know until monitor performance on a graphical building. The generous financial you actually build it. And when it was user interface (GUI) screen, simulating leadership of James and Patricia Dietz finally erected, it took four of us to a control room in a chemical plant. was instrumental in establishing the lift the 75-pound condenser in place. laboratory as a state-of-the-art facility That was very stressful, since the first During the experiment, the feed tray for practical undergraduate education. Unit Ops class in the new building was and reflux ratio are varied, and samples While many chemical engineering scheduled to start that week.” are obtained at different locations in departments are down-sizing their the column to monitor the ethanol laboratories, reducing the number of However, the massive project was a concentration. A refractometer is used experiments offered to students and success and on September 2, 2016, as an indirect measure of the ethanol using smaller experiments to save the distillation column experiment was concentration, with a calibration curve cost and space, the Dietz’s leadership performed for the first time in the new generated to link the instrument results has reinforced OSU’s emphasis on building by students in the fall semester to the ethanol mass fraction. Students undergraduate education for chemical lab, which is held every Friday. use standard distillation analysis engineers. methods to calculate the column Automated sampling ports were added efficiency. The equipment in the lab is similar in to the column based on a design by size and capabilities to equipment Leigh Evrard. Now, with the push “I live for Fridays,” said Mike Wilson. students will use in co-ops, internships, of a button, students could obtain “Unit Ops is very trying at times, but and in their jobs. Being able to samples from each tray in the column. seeing the group effort -- you just feel learn how to safely and efficiently The column was also upgraded to the energy in the air.” perform laboratory experiments in the unit operations lab offers OSU undergraduates a competitive advantage when interviewing.
The most impressive experiment in the Unit Operations Laboratory is the continuous distillation column. Spanning over twenty-five feet, the column is visible from the lobby of CBEC and provides a striking visual for visitors to CBEC. The twelve-tray bubble-cap distillation column is used to distill a mixture of water and ethanol.
An immense engineering challenge CBE faced when moving to the new CBEC building was the dismantling and reassembly of the distillation column. Since the column is glass and quite large, the risk of damage necessitated that the column be disassembled and moved piece-by-piece.
CBE staffmembersLeigh Evrard and Mike Wilson led efforts to catalog and label the individual components of the column to ensure that it could be reassembled correctly, and a professional moving company was hired to help move individual pieces.
Putting the column back together in the new location was a long and methodical process. It was critical to ensure that the components interfaced with each other to provide a leak-proof column supported by the superstructure around it. Design Engineer Leigh Evrard examines the automated sampling ports which were added to the column to facilitate tray-by-tray compositional analysis. -Photo by Geoff Hulse.
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Above: Students from the 2015-16 Unit Ops. Unit Operations “rite of passage” lives on in semesters
“The best experience I hope I never engineering problems and data has have to repeat.” been established. Some of the most CBE Student Facts important aspects of the laboratory This quote was from a student who experience involve determining the Undergraduate Program: recently completed the Unit Operations reasons why data from an experiment • 1,045 students: 38% women and Laboratory, and it captures the essence does not match the theory. minorities; of the course in a nutshell. • Departmental scholarships: 147; Students perform experiments ranging • Honors program participants: For over fifty years, CBE’s Unit Ops from continuous distillation, to liquid- 40%; course was taught in a single six-week liquid extraction, to fuel cells, to • Retention rate: 91%; session. Today, it is taught throughout fluidization. Most of the equipment in • Avg freshman ACT Composite: 30 the year, partly to avoid conflicts with the lab is pilot scale, giving students (the National Average is 21); summer internships, but also because • Bachelors degrees conferred: the opportunity to learn practical 203; of a burgeoning enrollment and the equipment and instrumentation • Average starting salary for switch from quarters to semesters. handling skills and laboratory safety graduates: $69,538. A secondary benefit is that short best practices. experimental summaries can be Graduate Program: conducted to support other courses. Key goals include application of • 105 graduate students: 34% For example, when the Separations chemical engineering principles women and minorities; course is reviewing the theory of liquid- in experiments, technical report • US News & World Report liquid extraction (LLE), students can writing, and pilot scale equipment Program Ranking: 26; witness batch and continuous LLE in operation. Ancillary goals include • Graduate degrees conferred: 15 the lab. enhancing soft skills with respect to PhDs, 16 masters degrees. group dynamics and opportunities to The extremely rigorous and improve techniques related to technical National Scholarships (past 10 yrs): technically challenging nature of presentations. • 16 National Science Foundation CBE provides an opportunity to Graduate Research Fellowships; move from theory to practice and is The Unit Operations Laboratory “rite • 5 Barry M. Goldwater an invaluable component of a ChE of passage” continues to serve as scholarships; education. Typically, students have one of the defining courses for CBE • 2 Fulbrights; already taken most of their core undergraduates, who often feel • 1 Morris K. Udall scholarship. courses, so the theoretical framework an immense sense of pride and for analyzing relevant, chemical accomplishment upon its completion.
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GRADUATE PROGRAM NEWS AL Graduate Research Symposium 2016 The 5th Annual Graduate Research Symposium sponsored by Dow Chemical featured alumnus Paul Matter, CEO of pH Matter, as keynote. Dr. Matter (‘01 BS, ‘06 PhD) reviewed his career path from grad school to working in industry to starting up a company, comparing the various challenges / advantages of careers in Educational. Attendees hear from a variety of researchers. This year’s keynote was Paul Matter academia vs. a national lab or industry. (left), CEO of pH Matter.
Twenty participants from Becton Dickinson, Dow Chemical, Eli Lilly, ExxonMobil, Intel, Nalco Champion, Momentive, The Ohio State University’s College of Business and the Technology Entrepreneurship and Commercialization Intitute, Owens Corning, pH Matter LLC, Procter & Gamble, Royal Bond, and Shell attended.
The poster session was held in the Thought-provoking. GRS offers opportunities for stimulating dialog and pause for reflection. Cartoon Room at The Ohio Union. Event attendees found the session enjoyable and helpful. “I really appreciate your efforts in organizing this great Symposium!” said Huang Wenyi from Dow Chemical Company. “It was an enjoyable and eye-opening session.”
Ashley Morgan of Owens Corning said, “It was a wonderful event and I was excited to see all the great research being done at OSU!!” Networking and relationship-building. Students, professors, and industry reps have a chance to meet and interact. -Photos by Prateek Kumar.
#Day in the Life
This fall, CBE hosted the
“Day in the Life of a CBE Grad Student”
series on social media.
Shown at left is a montage of posts from the Fan Group.
To see more, search #CBEGradLife
on
go.osu.edu/CBEfacebook
and
go.osu.edu/CBEtwitter !
- 20 - ALUMNI
ALUMNI NEWS AL
Dan Coombs of LyondellBasell takes a moment to discuss an Richard Schwarz, right, and other meeting attendees find a light experiment with a student in Unit Ops. moment amidst the discussion.
Professor Barbara Wyslouzil manages to make curriculum and Attendees Rich Brandon, Dan Coombs, Ron Harris, Leonore learning outcomes planning entertaining. Witchey-Lakshmanan, Drew Weber, Mike Winfield, Bob Tatterson, Richard Schwarz (chair), and Gary Spitznogle.
Reorganized CBE Advisory Board meets 2016-17 CBE Advisory Board Members The CBE Advisory Board embarked on a new path on Friday, September 9 with its inaugural meeting under the direction of Aisha Barry, ‘95, Interim GM and Senior Global Marketing Director, alumnus Richard Schwarz, ‘73. Cardiac Rhythm and Heart Failure, Medtronic; Rich Brandon, ‘83, Global Supply Chain Director, Mergers & Nine of the fifteen board members met to discuss such Acquisitions, Dow Chemical Company; matters as the proposed petroleum engineering minor; Linda Broadbelt, ‘89, Sarah Rebecca Rowland Professor and departmental goals; student recruitment and enrollment; Chair, Northwestern University Department of Chemical and placement following graduation; faculty recruitment; alumni Biological Engineering; engagement; technology licensing and commercialization; Terry Chern, ‘82, Director of Technology, Honeywell International; research expenditures; and rankings in U.S. News and World Daniel Coombs, ‘78, Executive VP, Global Olefins & Polyolefins Report. and Technology, LyondellBasell Industries; Ron Harris, ‘61 BS/MS, Retired EVP, Nabisco R&D; Adjunct The board also provided input on which undergraduate Professor, The Ohio State University; learning outcomes would be most beneficial, from an industry Lawrence Latta, ‘76, PE/PMP, Sr, Project Manager, Varo Engineers; perspective, to help ensure that CBE’s curriculum is in line Sunil Satija, ‘81 MS, ‘84 PhD, Global Technology Director, Axalta with today’s needs. Coating Systems, Inc.; Frank Schuh, ‘56 BS/MS, President, Drilling Technology, Inc.; The Board will meet again this spring to follow up on several Richard Schwarz, ‘73, Partner, Edgewater Capital Partners; key issues. Gary Spitznogle, ‘98, Vice President, American Electric Power; Robert Tatterson, ‘87, VP and Chief Technology Officer, Sealed Air Thank you to all of our Advisory Board members for your input Corporation; and regard for the department! Andrew Weber, ‘82, Business Director, DuPont; Michael Winfield, ‘62, Retired President & CEO, UOP LLC; Leonore Witchey-Lakshmanan, ‘83 BS, ‘84 MS, Principal Consultant, Pharma CMC / IP.
- 21 - Hearing Voices: CBE Receives Input of Advisory Board 8 1970s ALUMNI Albert M. Gesenhues, ‘83 BS, of Louisville, OH, chemical engineer, Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, passed away on 8/29/2015.
1980s In Memorium Donna M. Walter ‘87 BS, of Kernersville, NC, supplier quality engineer, Tyco Electronics Corporation, passed away on 11/10/2015. 1940s 1970s
Paul E. Bates, ‘49 BS, of Woodlawn, Albert M. Gesenhues, ‘83 BS, of OH, retired associate director at Louisville, OH, chemical engineer, Procter & Gamble, passed away on Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, 3/5/2015. passed away on 8/29/2015.
William C. Blackwood, ‘48 BS, Brussels, Belgium, passed away on 1980s 12/29/2015 Donna M. Walter ‘87 BS, of .Donald E. Darr, ‘48 BS, of Aiken, SC, Kernersville, NC, supplier quality retired chemical engineer at PPG engineer, Tyco Electronics Corporation, Industries, passed away on 7/21/2016. passed away on 11/10/2015.
Robert E. Farison, ‘43 BS, of Lenanon, OH, retired chief engineer at Hydro Systems Co., passed away on 12/2/2015.
James G. Hanlin, ‘47 BS, of Bakersfield, CA, passed away on 7/9/2016.
Robert H. Hill, ‘47 MS, ‘52 PhD, of Pittsburgh, PA, retired senior scientist at Neville Chemical Co., passed away on 7/10/2016.
Robert H. Miller, ‘48 BS, of Western Springs, IL, passed away on 10/12/2015.
Howard G. Wittmer, ‘49 BS, of Toledo, OH, retired engineer at Owens-Illinois Inc., passed away on 10/13/2015.
1950s PAUL E. BATES, a World War II veteran, Drepression-era survivor, co- holder of two U.S. patents, civic and International Executive Service Corps Cesar B. Bautista, ‘59 MS, of Malabon volunteer and graduate of The Ohio State University (‘49) who was named Rizal, Philippines, ambassador, Court a Distinguished Alumnus in 1999, finished his 38-year career at Procter and of Saint James, passed away on Gamble as the associate director of research and development. But it was 12/9/2015. also at Procter & Gamble that he started something very special - The Paul E. and Ruth M. Bates Chemical Engineering Scholarship Fund. Philip L. Fondy, ‘57 BS/MS, of Dayton, OH, owner of Midwest Spray Booths, Bates established the fund at P&G to help disadvantaged women and passed away on 10/10/2015. minorities who wished to study chemical engineering. Bates and his beloved wife, Ruth, who passed away in 2012, took great satisfaction in helping Richard G. Sudak, ‘52 MS, of others, and volunteered to help educate and tutor children, build museum Oceanside, CA, passed away on exhibits and refurbish computers for schools and non-profits. “Often, what 11/21/15. you get back is much greater than what you put in,” Bates had remarked.
Since the Bates Scholarship was established, 46 students have benefitted, 1960s including Japheth Pritchett, ‘01, now a manufacturing site leader at Procter & Gamble. “Paul was an incredible mentor for me and a great friend. Both Nelson W. Barnhill, ‘63 BS, of of my grandfathers had passed before I was born, so I never really had the Englewood, OH, retired engineer, opportunity to experience that type of relationship until I met Paul,” Pritchett General Motors Company, passed away said. “He was such an energetic and kind person that I miss very much.” on 11/23/2015. Watch this moving tribute to Paul and Ruth Bates as Paul explains in more Oliver L. Davies, ‘65 BS/MS, of detail the inspiration and mission behind the Bates Scholarship: Montevallo, AL, retired engineer, The go.osu.edu/Bates. Southern Company, passed away on 7/11/2015. To donate to the Bates Scholarship Fund in memory of Paul and Ruth Bates, or to inquire about mentoring a chemical engineering student, please contact Sean Gallagher at [email protected].
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... and not just to the student who benefitted from your support and worked to become a chemical engineer. It means everything to the cancer survivor whose faster cancer diagnostic will mean an improved survival rate. And everything more to people here and around the world who need access to fresh, clean water. It might even mean everything to you, personally, should you one day find yourself in an emergency room in need of artificial blood during a national shortage.
These are just a few of the things that your donations are helping Ohio State students, faculty and researchers to achieve -- and we can’t thank you enough. You care about others, and we hope you will be able to continue to support your Ohio State ChemE by using the form below (or the website) to make a gift. If you are interested in gift planning options, perhaps you’d like to also consider helping someone you may not have thought about lately: yourself.
A Charitable Remainder Trust can provide you with an income stream for life; a charitable income tax deduction; and a partial bypass of capital gains -- all while establishing generous future support for your Ohio State ChemE department. Plan for the future... receive current benefits... and provide lasting support for your alma mater -- all at the same time. What’s not to like? Whatever the size or type of gift you may make, please know this: it truly matters.
For more information contact: Sean Gallagher, Director of Development THANK YOU for remembering your Ohio State ChemE. [email protected]; 614.688-4414
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ENG-0-CBE_AlNewsLet-DM-S - 23 - William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
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The Homecoming Parade of 2016 marches past CBEC.
-Photo by Geoff Hulse.
William G. Lowrie Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
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