ChBE NewsSchool of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering @ Georgia Tech

FALL/WINTER VOLUME 16 2008-2009

he School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering at GeorgiaTech is one of the nationʼs leaders in chemical engineering re‑search. Recently, the School welcomed two strategically posi‑tioned initiatives to produce internationally recognized

research that will transform (1) the technologies of gas separation forpetrochemicals and natural gases and (2) the development of cutting‑edge materials for the semiconductor industry.

The KAUST Investigator Award: Advanced Membranesand Sorbents for More Sustainable Hydrocarbon Uti‑lization led by William J. Koros

Dr. William J. Koros, Roberto C. Goizueta Chair and Georgia ResearchAlliance Eminent Scholar in Membranes in the School of Chemical & Bio‑molecular Engineering, received one of twelve research grants awardedby the Global Research Partnership of the King Abdullah University of Sci‑ence and Technology (KAUST). The grant is valued at $2 million per yearfor five years.

Dr. Korosʼ proposal, entitled “Advanced Membranes and Sorbents forMore Sustainable Hydrocarbon Utilization,” is designed to develop bettermethods to purify oil and natural gas hydrocarbons. These improvedmethods will reduce cost, pollution, and energy consumption for all large‑scale separation and purification processes, not just oil and gas. Improvedbiofuel processes are also expected to result from the work.

Under the terms of the grant, the research will be conducted on theGeorgia Tech campus. Dr. Koros will spend three weeks each year atKAUST, where he will interact with students, faculty, and other researchersfrom around the world.

Dr. Korosʼ research will focus on separation processes that use pres‑sure to force materials through a membrane that retains some substanceson one side and allows others to pass to the other side. This process is bestknown as “reverse osmosis” (RO) for its use in desalination (removing saltfrom sea water to make fresh water), but it can be used for gases as well.

One of the objectives of Dr. Korosʼ research is to develop ad‑vanced membranes and sorbents (designed to purify gases and tocapture CO2 for sequestration) capable of 10 times finer filtering thanconventional membranes.

The Materials Research Science and Engineering Center(MRSEC) – The Georgia Tech Laboratory for New Elec‑tronic Materials led by Dennis W. Hess

Dr. Dennis W. Hess, Professor and Thomas C. DeLoach, Jr. Chair inthe School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, is director of thenew Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) –The Georgia Tech Laboratory for New Electronic Materials.

The National Science Foundation (NSF) awarded funding toGeorgia Tech to create the new MRSEC center, which is one of onlythirty‑one in the country.

The laboratory focuses its efforts on the development of new ma‑terials to serve as the successors to silicon in the semiconductor in‑dustry. Specifically, the development of graphene – which holdstremendous promise as an electronic material – will be the initial coreof research and development at the Center.

ChBE Awarded Two Research Centers

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King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) funds new initiative to developsustainable hydrocarbon utilization and The National Science Foundation (NSF) funds newcenter to create viable successor to silicon in semiconductors.

Dr. William Koros and postdoctoral fellow Wulin Qiu.

Photo by Gary Meek

Centers continued on page 16

EAB ProfileDedicated to the White and GoldJim Harris has been a rising star from the moment he entered Georgia Tech.Although his schedule at ExxonMobil is demanding, he always makes timeto be a Yellow Jacket!

“I stay involved because I love to in‑

teract with the students, faculty,

and staff. It keeps me in touch with

cutting‑edge research and the next

generation of engineers.”

ames “Jim” P. Harris, ChE ʻ70, is the senior vice president, Polymers, for ExxonMobil Chemi‑cal and a Yellow Jacket through and through. “I like staying involved with Georgia Tech andthe School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering,” says Jim. “It keeps me in touch withthe environment that gave me the confidence and assurance to succeed.” His commitment

to ChBE and Georgia Tech is reflected in his service on its External Advisory Board, of which he hasbeen a member since 2000, as well as, being a trustee of the Alumni Association from 2005‑2008.

Jimʼs path to Georgia Tech, and specifically to the field of chemical engineering, was not di‑rect. Having been born and raised in southwestern Virginia, Jimʼs inclination was to enroll at Vir‑ginia Tech or the University of Virginia after high school. However, he always had a dream ofstudying and playing football at Georgia Tech, where he had applied and been accepted as an in‑dustrial engineering student.

During the spring, his father drove him to Atlanta for a tour of the Georgia Tech campus.While on a tour with a friend from the Roanoke area, Jim asked about that bright new building inthe distance. His friend said: “Oh thatʼs chemical engineering – itʼs the hardest major and theirgraduates make the most money.” With enough scholarship money to cover the out‑of‑state dif‑ference, Jim accepted and changed his major that day!

Jim recalls that he always had a strong love of math and chemistry so chemical engineeringwas the perfect fit. He did “walk‑on” and played freshman football, but by spring practice it be‑came clear that football and six‑hour chemistry labs did not mix. He told Coach Bud Carson thathe would need Thursday afternoons off to attend chemistry lab, and that was the end of that – aneasy decision in retrospect.

While on campus at Georgia Tech, Jim was active in his fraternity, Kappa Alpha, serving as itspresident during his senior year, and was a resident advisor in his dorms for two years.

After receiving his bachelorʼs degree from Georgia Tech (with highest honors, by the way),Jim enrolled at the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania and received his MBA in1972. Jim then began his career with Exxon Chemical as a financial analyst at the Baytown Chemi‑cal Plant. He has worked in the United States and Europe in a variety of supervisory and manage‑rial positions in manufacturing, sales, and technology and has held his current position since1997. Jim attributes a great deal of his success to his alma mater. “Georgia Tech is very importantto me because it taught me how to solve problems, make strategic choices, and work with others.I stay involved because I love to interact with the students, faculty, and staff. It keeps me in touchwith cutting‑edge research and the next generation of engineers,” says Jim.

Beyond Jimʼs generosity and involvement with ChBE, he also assists with the campus‑wideRoll Call initiative and encourages his fellow employees to use the ExxonMobil Matching Gifts Pro‑gram as much as possible. This past year, ExxonMobil gifts from employees who are Georgia Techalumni increased by over 40%. “The three‑to‑one match is unlike any other corporate program Iam aware of,” says Jim. “We encourage ExxonMobil employees to give back to their institutionsand communities, and the generous matching fund helps maximize their gift.” In 2008, ExxonMo‑bil matching funds and employee gifts to colleges and universities totaled $36 million.

Jim is very involved internationally, serving on the Board and Executive Committee of Cefic,the European chemical industry association, as well as the Board of the Plastics Division of theAmerican Chemistry Council. “Many people only think of ExxonMobil as an oil company but weare much more. In terms of size we are among the top three chemical companies in the world,but arguably the most profitable,” says Jim.

In his spare time Jim concentrates on what he feels are his top three priorities: health, family,and career. He enjoys spending time outdoors; heʼs an avid golfer and hunter, and his other activi‑ties include building model railroads.

There are few members of the alumni body who are more dedicated than Jim to the Insti‑tuteʼs continued success. His generous contributions to Georgia Tech and to ChBE through bothtime and financial commitments have been invaluable.

J

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Professor & J. Erskine Love, Jr. Institute Chair in Engineering Charles Eckerthas been elected a Fellow of the American Association for the Advance‑ment of Science (AAAS). Each year the Council elects members whose “ef‑forts on behalf of the advancement of science or its applications arescientifically or socially distinguished.”

Undergraduate student Erika Gemzer was selected as a top‑five finalist inthe 2008 Ms. Georgia Tech program, an event which recognizes the top tensenior women at Georgia Tech for academic and leadership accomplish‑ments. She will graduate in May 2009 and join Shell Oil Company.

Assistant Professor Martha Grover gave an invited talk at the PASI2008 work‑shop in Argentina. The workshop is aimed at advanced graduate students,postdoctoral fellows, and young researchers in the area of process systemsengineering under the Pan‑American Advanced Studies Institute (PASI) Pro‑gram from the Americas. Funding for this PASI workshop is provided by theNational Science Foundation (NSF) and the Department of Energy (DoE) .

Professor Chris Jones was selected as one of eight recipients of a Camilleand Henry Dreyfus Foundation fellowship in the Postdoctoral Program inEnvironmental Chemistry for 2009. The program is open to all academic andother not‑for‑profit organizations in the United States that have well‑estab‑lished research efforts in environmental science or engineering. The awardsupports the development of scientific leadership in the field of environ‑mental chemistry by awarding $120,000 to a principal investigator for theappointment of a postdoctoral fellow for two years.

Dr. Jonesʼ research developments on CO2 capture from smokestackshave received extensive media coverage. Articles have appeared in IEEESpectrum, Scientific American, and Georgia Techʼs Research Horizons. Addi‑tionally, 11Alive News produced a segment on his findings, which aired onlocal Atlanta television. Dr. Jonesʼ research may have solved a problem longplaguing researchers: creating an ideal substance that is both effective andcost‑efficient at absorbing CO2 emissions. His group has developed a materialthat contains nitrogen‑rich compounds called amines grown on porous silica.The amines are bases that neutralize the acidic carbon dioxide gas. Heatingthe substance releases trapped CO2 for later storage. The low‑cost materialhas a hyperbranching structure, which helps it hold many amines, and thestrong chemical bonds holding it together allow it to be reused often.

Additionally, Dr. Jones was selected as the 2008 Hesburgh TeachingFellow at Georgia Tech, a program which is administered by the Center forthe Enhancement of Teaching and Learning (CETL).

Jeong‑Woo Lee, a PhD student in Professor Mark Prausnitzʼs research group,won the AIChE Food, Pharmaceuticals and Bioengineering Division PosterAward for his work on “Micro Thermal Ablation for Transdermal Drug Deliv‑ery.” Co‑recipients include Priya Gadiraju, Jung‑Hwan Park, Dr. Mark Allen,and Dr. Prausnitz. The award, along with a cash prize, was given at the 2008AIChE meeting in Philadelphia.

After nine years as vice provost for research and dean of graduate studies,Regentsʼ Professor Charles Liotta has stepped away from his administrativeduties to devote his full attention to teaching and research. In addition to fo‑cusing on his research collaboration with Dr. Charles Eckert, Dr. Liotta is cur‑rently serving as interim chair of the School of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

ChBE Alumnus and External Advisory Board member Ray W. Miller, ʻ72, alongwith his research team, received the 2008 Bolton/Carothers Innovative ScienceAward for developing a solid technology and business foundation for theSorona® polymer business. This special award is given by DuPont to recognizeR&D employees who deliver high‑value solutions to meet vital business objec‑tives and critical customer needs through innovation.

Assistant Professor Sankar Nair has been selected to receive a National Sci‑ence Foundation (NSF) CAREER Award for his work entitled “Engineered

Nanoscopic Objects via Controlled Creation and Rearrangement of Amor‑phous Nanoparticles.”

Associate Professor Athanasios Nenes has been honored with the AmericanMeteorological Societyʼs (AMS) highest award, the 2009 Henry G. HoughtonAward. The Henry G. Houghton Award is given annually to young, promisingatmospheric scientists who have shown outstanding ability in their fields.

The National Academy of Engineering (NAE) presented its Founders Award toProfessor Robert M. Nerem for his contributions to the field of bioengineering.

Fourth‑year undergraduate student Brendan O'Leary was voted as a MasterLeader for FASET Freshman Orientation in Summer 2008. He also completeda co‑op appointment as a process engineer with Honeywell International intheir Specialty Materials – Chemicals & Resins division.

Professor Mark Prausnitz was named one of the newest members of theCollege of Fellows by The American Institute for Medical and Biological En‑gineering (AIMBE). The newly elected Fellows were nominated and ap‑proved by current Fellows of the College, consisting of more than 900engineers and scientists. Recipients of this honor are recognized for theiroutstanding achievements in medical and biological engineering.

Keith Reed, a PhD student in Associate Professor Carson Meredithʼs researchgroup, was awarded an Applied Materials Graduate Fellowship for 2008‑09.

PhD student Anne Ruffing, who works in Professor Rachel Chenʼs researchgroup, was selected to receive a 2008‑09 P.E.O. International Award. ThePhilanthropic Educational Organization International recognized Anneʼsoutstanding academic and research achievements, as well as her extensiveoutreach activities.

Shu Shu, PhD ʻ07, who worked in Professor William Korosʼ research group,was selected as the winner of ChBEʼs 2007 Outstanding PhD Thesis Award.

Regentsʼ Professor and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies Amyn Tejapresented an invited talk at a symposium celebrating the 100th Anniversaryof the ACS journal Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research at the ACS National Meeting in Philadelphia in August 2008. Dr. Teja was also invited to present two talks at the International Conference on Hydrotheramand Solvothermal Methods at the University of Nottingham (UK) in September 2008.

News Briefs

The LaRoche family gathered in 2008 to dedicate the ChBE unit operationslaboratory in memory of family patriarch William W. LaRoche Jr., ʻ49. Picturedfrom left: Glen Knight, Louanne LaRoche‑Knight, Ruby Eloise Brown, CashKnight, Anna Klompen, Vicki LaRoche‑Klompen, W. Walter LaRoche III, LealanLaRoche, and Lea LaRoche. 3

1950Clinton Bastin, a retired chemical engineer andnuclear scientist, is listed in the 2008 “WhoʼsWho in the World” at the age of 80. Clinton,who is working to resolve Americaʼs energychallenges, recently taught a course, Energy,the Environment, and the World, at Emory Uni‑versityʼs Lifelong Learning Center.

1955Darryl C. Aubrey, who retired as vice presidentof Chem Systems in 2002, was re‑elected to theVillage Council of North Palm Beach, Fla., inMarch and subsequently elected president protem by his fellow council members. He first waselected to the council in 2006.

1962Stephen David Clements received the LifetimeAchievement Award for meritorious service tothe field of cardiology from the Georgia chapterof the American College of Cardiology in No‑vember 2007. Stephen, who received his M.D.from the Medical College of Georgia in 1966, is acardiology professor at the Emory UniversitySchool of Medicine in Atlanta.

1971Sherman J. Glass, Jr., ChE ʻ71, MS ChE ʻ72, hasbeen appointed president of ExxonMobilRefining & Supply Co. and elected vice presi‑dent of the corporation. Sherman previouslyserved as senior vice president of ExxonMobilChemical Co.

1975Charles E. Hodges has been selected as a Tech‑nical Association of the Pulp and Paper Industry(TAPPI) Fellow. In March, he completed threeyears on the TAPPI board of directors. Presidentand CEO of the Port Townsend Paper Corp., heand his wife, Kathi, live in Port Townsend, Wash.

1980Lisa Gareis Korslund is transferring from theUnited Kingdom to Lausanne, Switzerland, inher role as packaging R&D manager for CerealPartners Worldwide (CPW), a joint venture be‑tween General Mills and Nestlé. She and herhusband, Jim, are both employed by CPW. Thecouple is looking forward to learning the Frenchlanguage and taking up snow skiing with theirchildren, Hannah, 10, Kate, 10, and Ryan, 16.

1984Tom Hendricks is living in Singapore with hiswife, Barbara, and son, Brent. Tom has beenwith Fluor, the worldʼs largest publicly tradedengineering, construction, and maintenancecorporation, for 20 years. He is the project direc‑

tor leading engineering and construction on a$2 billion solar energy plant for Renewable En‑ergy Corp. He also is the Fluor executive liaisonwith Georgia Tech.

1985Thomas Rollbuhler, a senior engineering spe‑cialist, was awarded Patent Project of the Yearby AKZO Nobel in November 2007. Thomaslives in Woodstock, Ga.

1994David Matos and Catherine Moseley Matos, AEʻ94, MS AE ʻ95, PhD AE ʻ01, announce the birthof a son, Sean Christopher, on July 11, 2008.Sean joins brother Marc, 4, at the familyʼs homein Lake Spivey, Ga. David is an environmentalpermitting manager for the Georgia Environ‑mental Protection Division, and Catherine is anassistant professor of mathematics at ClaytonState University.

1995Chris Nichols and Ginger Wilde Nichols, ChE ʻ00,of Thomasville, Ga., announce the birth of a son,Eli, on Nov. 9, 2007. Ginger is a full‑time motherand Chris is the area director for Young LifeThomas County.

1996Jun Kamata has joined the Seattle office ofMcKinsey & Company as an associate. Jun grad‑uated from the Kellogg School of Managementat Northwestern University with an MBA in June2008. He completed a summer internship atMcKinseyʼs Seattle office in 2007.

Tawnya Plummer Laughinghouse received a2007 Rising Star award at the National Womenof Colorʼs Science, Technology, Engineeringand Math Conference in Atlanta. The award isgiven annually to young women who have ex‑celled quickly in the technology field and havedemonstrated exceptional achievement intheir workplaces and communities. She worksat the NASA Marshall Space Flight Center,where she is the lead materials engineer for thebooster separation motor aft closure assembly.She and her husband, Scott, have a 1‑year‑oldchild, Tai Senait.

1997Andrea Hill and Jason Hill, Mgt ʻ94, announcethe birth of a daughter, Ashley Drew, on May 8,2007. Ashley joins brother Graham at theirhome in Conyers, Ga. Andrea is the director ofproduct availability with Coca‑Cola Enterprises.Jason manages his family business, Still LumberCo., and serves on the Rockdale County boardof commissioners.

1998Angie Abraira, of The Woodlands, Tex., an‑nounces the birth of a son, Alan Wyn Miller,on Dec. 26, 2007. Angie is a process develop‑ment engineer.

Diana Rochester McCray and her husband,Jim, announce the birth of a son, Jacob Worth,on Dec. 11, 2007. The family lives in HollySprings, N.C.

Dan Alexander and Heather Greenlee Alexan‑der, IE ʻ00, announce the birth of a daughter,Haylee Elizabeth, on April 7, 2008. She joinsbrothers Braden, 3, and Ryan, 5, at the familyʼshome in Florence, Ky. Dan is a senior engineerat Procter & Gamble, and Heather is a full‑time mother.

Courtney Huskamp Huggins and R. Brian Hug‑gins, ChE ʻ98, announce the birth of a daugh‑ter, Meredith Erin, on Sept. 28, 2008. Courtneyis a senior technical analyst at NuVox Commu‑nications, and Brian is a production engineerat Cytec Industries Inc. The family lives in An‑derson, S.C.

Emily Leichliter Berner and Brian Berner, ME ʻ96,announce the birth of a daughter, BethanyJoyce, on May 16, 2008. A full‑time mother,Emily stays at the familyʼs Zebulon, Ga., homewith Bethany and their dogs, Jake and Rodney.Brian is general manager of the Southern StatesService Division in Hampton, Ga.

1999Jonathan Cole and his wife, Judy, announce thebirth of a daughter, Caroline Elise, on December4, 2007. Jonathan is a nephrologist with theUniversity of Virginia Health System. The familylives in Charlottesville, Va.

David Weber married Shannon Bates in October2007. David, who received his MBA from theUniversity of Tennessee in December 2006, is asupply chain manager for INVISTA. The couplelive in Chattanooga, Tenn.

James C. Fill and his wife, Amanda McFarlin Fill,Mgt ʻ99, announce the birth of a son, AndrewJames, on Sept. 22, 2008. Andrew joins sisterElizabeth, 2, at the familyʼs home in Leesburg,Ga. James is employed as a manager at Procter& Gamble, and Amanda is a full‑time mother.

Ingrid Beatriz Jimenez Redmon and Todd Red‑mon, PTCh ʻ97, both work at Shaw Industries,where Todd has been promoted to materials re‑sources manager. The MRM group supportsShawʼs green edge sustainability commitment

ChBE Class News

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through development and management of col‑lection, sale, and disposal of all post‑industrialand post‑consumer waste streams generated in‑ternally. Ingrid was named a 2008 Hispanic Engi‑neer National Achievement Awards ConferenceLuminary honoree for her contributions to theHispanic technical community. The Redmonslive in Atlanta.

2001Josh Hernstrom and his wife, Stacia, announcethe birth of a son, Samuel Quinn, on Dec. 18,2007. Josh is a software engineer for National In‑struments of Austin.

Robbie Richter married Laci Bellot on April 11,2008. Robbie is a process engineer withChevron. The couple lives in San Francisco.

Chrissy Pruess Stovall and James F. Stovall IV,CS ʻ01, announce the birth of a son, James “Jay”Frank Stovall V, on Sept. 30, 2008. The familylives in the Atlanta area, where Chrissy is a phar‑macist with Piedmont Hospital and James is amanager with Deloitte Consulting.

2002Asha A. Macon Hope and her husband, Silas, an‑nounce the birth of a daughter, Sydni Tatumn,on Aug. 7, 2008. Hope is a supplier quality engi‑neer for the Simmons Bedding Co. The familylives in the Atlanta area.

Mercedes Harris announces the birth of son,Harlem Jelani Stern, in March. Mercedes, a busi‑ness support and planning manager, receivedan MBA from Carnegie Mellonʼs Tepper Schoolof Business in May. The family lives in SouthWindsor, Conn.

Jenny Schwerman Molaison, ChE ʻ02, MS MEʻ04, and her husband, Chris, announce thebirth of a son, Jack Reynold, on April 7, 2008.Jenny is an engineer at GE Energy. The familylives in Atlanta.

2004Katelyn Swindle received a PhD in energy, envi‑ronmental, and chemical engineering fromWashington University in St. Louis in August2008. She now works in the department of bio‑medical engineering at Saint Louis University.

OBITUARIES

1938James Corbett Barber, of Florence, Ala., on Nov.3, 2007. Following retirement from the Ten‑nessee Valley Authority (TVA) as a chemical en‑gineer after a 40‑year career, he founded JamesC. Barber and Associates, a consulting firm spe‑cializing in the field of phosphorous technology.He began working for the TVA as a co‑op stu‑dent at Georgia Tech.

1937Sol Tobias Lipsius, of Atlanta, on Dec. 14, 2007.Sol was the president of Empire Laboratories.

1940James Hughlett LaRoche, of Baton Rouge, La.,on Jan. 28, 2008. James worked for Exxon Chem‑ical Co. in Baton Rouge for 42 years. He was atrustee of the Womenʼs Health Foundation, forwhich he served as president of the board in1978. He served four years in the Air Force dur‑ing World War II and retired as a captain.

1941Frank Parker Hudson, of Atlanta, on January 8,2007. After serving as an ordnance officer dur‑ing World War II, Frank led Spotswood Parker &Company and its subsidiaries until he retired in1987. In 1958, he developed and held a patentfor a burner fire safety control system. In retire‑ment, he devoted his time to genealogical re‑search and published several books andreceived awards and honors for his work. Frankserved in ROTC at Georgia Tech and entered theArmy Air Corps in June 1941. He retired from theArmy Reserve in 1978 with the rank of colonel.Memorials in his name may be made to theGeorgia Tech Foundation.

1943Reuben Thornton Savage, of Lufkin, Texas, onJanuary 14, 2007. Reuben retired as the corpo‑rate vice president of Chevron‑Texaco Corp. AtGeorgia Tech, he was a member of Pi KappaAlpha fraternity.

George T. Stribling, of Aiken, S.C., on December14, 2007. George retired from Honeywell Inter‑national, Inc.

Daniel C. Bell, of Portland, Ore., on April 22,2008. Daniel completed two tours of duty as aMarine in the Korean War. In his Palm Springs,Calif. community, he served as president of theBraille Institute.

L. Blain Whitehead, Jr., of Tyler, Texas, on March13, 2008. Blain worked at Goodyear Tire andRubber Co. for 43 years. A co‑op student atGeorgia Tech, he served in the Navy in the Pa‑cific theater during World War II.

1948Jack Willbanks, of Allendale, Mass., on June15, 2008.

1949John B. Rhyne, of Panama City, Fla., on January4, 2008. John was a chemical engineer withSeminole Kraft Corp.

1951Joe Wilbur Lynch Jr., MS ChE ʻ51, of Inman, S.C.,on Feb. 24, 2008. Following WW II, Joe became a

civilian senior chemical process design engineerfor the Department of the Army at Fort Detrickin Frederick, Md. He retired in 1981. He served inthe Navy in the Pacific theater from 1943 to 1946and attained the rank of lieutenant commander.He was a former member of the AmericanChemical Society, the National Society of Profes‑sional Engineers, the Francis Scott Key post ofthe American Legion in Frederick, and the Na‑tional Association of Retired Federal Employees.

1952Claude William Jenkins, Jr., of Crosby, Texas, onOct. 26, 2007. He retired as a consultant withExxon Chemical Co. in 1994. After serving in theNavy, Claude worked for 10 years with Shell Oilbefore joining Exxon.

Archibald James “Arch” McNeill Jr., ChE ʻ52,MS ChE ʻ56, of Houston, on April 17, 2008.Arch, who served as a commissioned officer inthe Navy, worked as a project manager forlarge engineering and construction projectsaround the world. Memorials in his name maybe made to the Georgia Tech Foundation forthe Arch McNeill Fellowship in Chemical &Biomolecular Engineering.

1955George W. Bernard, of Phoenix, on Dec. 10,2007. He was a project manager with Envi‑roneering Inc.

1956James B. Scoggins, MS ChE ʻ56, of Columbia,S.C., on Dec. 27, 2007. An Army veteran, heretired from Hahn Laboratories after 40 yearsof service.

1957William Warren Seaton Jr., of Suwanee, Ga., onNov.18, 2007. He served in the Navy, retiring as acaptain. A member of the Church of Jesus Christof Latter‑Day Saints, he served as the Sugar Hillstake patriarch and sealer in the Atlanta temple.

T. Lewis Thompson, of Tucson, Ariz., on Novem‑ber 28, 2007. Lewis was a senior research engi‑neer with the Environmental ResearchLaboratory at the University of Arizona, forwhich he had worked since 1973. He previouslywas chief of research for Life Support Inc. Re‑search Laboratory in Melbourne, Fla. Lewis wasawarded 26 patents and was the author or co‑author if 54 scientific papers and reports. Sur‑vivors include his brother, Robert LeeThompson, IM ʻ57.

1963Ralph H. Cooper, Jr., of Atlanta, on April 2, 2008.Ralph worked for the Coca‑Cola Company for 35years. A co‑op student at Georgia Tech, he was amember of Delta Sigma Phi fraternity.

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Edward Hays Zeigler, Jr., of Radford, Va., on May23, 2007. Hays took great joy in imparting/receiving knowledge and was considered a men‑tor by family members, friends, and co‑workers.He was renowned in the field of propellants, par‑ticularly for working with NASA on the develop‑ment of the propellant that allows space shuttlesto land safely. He began working for Hercules,Inc. in 1971, and worked for Alliant Techsystemsuntil his passing. He had a passion for motorcy‑cles and was a professional motorcycle racer forfive years, racing a vintage Manx Norton.

1964Julio Luis Fuentes, of Richmond, Texas, on May12, 2008. A senior process engineer for many oilcompanies, including Mobil, Bechtel, CE Lum‑mus, Brown & Root, S&B Engineers, Fluor Daniel,

and Mustang Engineering, Julio designed refin‑ery plants across Texas and South America.

FriendsRonnie Spencer Roberts, of Ocean Springs, Miss.,on June 22, 2008. Ronnie retired from GeorgiaTech as an emeritus professor of chemical engi‑neering in 2002.

Rashad R. Qazi, a senior ChBE student from Dubai,United Arab Emirates. Rashad was an excellentstudent, and a bright, interesting person whowas only one semester away from graduatingand received his BS posthumously. He wasthought highly of by all of his professors.

Christopher J. Russell, PhD candidate in ChBE, on Oct.10, 2008. Christopher received his BS in

chemical engineering from MIT. He won twoprestigious fellowships at Georgia Tech – theFACES Fellowship and the IBM Focus Fellow‑ship. He made commendable progress in his re‑search project and was preparing to present hislatest results at the AIChE Annual Meeting inNovember 2008. He was selected for the 2008Dow Chemical Company BEST Symposium,which brings together outstanding doctoralstudents from all over the country to discuss ca‑reer opportunities at Dow.

From left: Kevin Morris, Director, RM&T Engineering Recruiting, HumanResources, ConocoPhillips, Pradeep Agrawal, and Tim Langlais, ʻ05, Di‑rector, Industrial Products, ConocoPhillips Lubricants.

radeep Agrawal, ChBE Associate Chair of Undergraduate Studies,now has an additional title: ConocoPhillips Faculty Fellow. Thanks tothe generosity and vision of the company, the School received$50,000 through the ConocoPhillips Faculty Sponsorship Program

to be used for undergraduate activities.In addition to funding, the program provides opportunities for Dr.

Agrawal and ChBE students to learn more about ConocoPhillips and thecompanyʼs values. By building long‑term, strategic relationships, Cono‑coPhillips can identify top students for potential future employment.

Only sixteen awards were made nationally in all fields supported byConocoPhillips for the 2008‑2009 academic year. Dr. Agrawal will join theother recipients at the companyʼs corporate headquarters in Houston thisspring for a site visit and meeting with corporate representatives.

This gift is in addition to ConocoPhillipsʼ annual contribution to Geor‑gia Tech, which supports a variety of programs and activities that stimulateinterest and professional development among students and faculty in theirchosen disciplines.

PPradeep Agrawal Named ConocoPhillips Faculty Fellow

A Shell recruiter demonstrates how to change a tire like a NASCAR pit crewmember during the Shell Campus Pit Stop Challenge.

he Shell Campus Pit Stop Challenge puts a new spin on campusrecruiting. Last fall, students from across the Georgia Tech cam‑pus had the opportunity to participate in the fast‑paced event.Working individually and in teams, students raced against the

clock for the fastest time as they changed a NASCAR tire. Winners receiveda $100 Shell gift card.

Corporate recruiters manned the Pit Stop Challenge and spoke withstudents about the numerous employment opportunities available atShell. This event is just one of the many ways the company reaches out tocollege students across the United States.

Additionally, Shell supports ChBE students by providing scholarshipsfor international study at Georgia Tech Lorraine in Metz, France.

TShell Sponsors Campus Pit Stop Challenge

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For more information about career opportunitiesat Shell, go to: www.shell.com/us/careers.

intia Nojima, a fifth‑year student and current chair of the ChBE Student Advi‑sory Board (SAB), is focused on making a difference for ChBE undergraduatestudents. She, along with her fellow members of the SAB, works diligently toensure the student voice is heard.

“The SAB provides critical information to undergrads and also provides a channelfor students to communicate with faculty and administration on how to improve theundergraduate experience,” says Cintia.

The SAB was established six years ago in an effort to promote communication be‑tween the administration and ChBE students. The board consists of seven to ten stu‑dents who represent the entire ChBE student body by identifying areas in the ChBEprogram that need improvement and then implementing solutions that enhance thequality of the School.

Based on the feedback provided by students at weekly meetings and town hall dis‑cussions, the SAB has impacted areas such as course schedules, faculty/student mentor‑ing programs, and advising. The SAB also assists undergraduates by providing comprehensive information about ChBE activities and opportunities.

The board members compile a weekly newsletter that provides a one‑stop source of information for students to easily find resources on the is‑sues that pertain to them. They also maintain a website where the SAB newsletter and additional information are posted. One of the groupʼs mostimportant accomplishments is the development of an online course scheduler tool that allows students to enter their completed course informa‑tion to quickly determine if pre‑requisites have been met for higher‑level courses.

“The online course scheduler has made a significant impact upon the ease with which our undergraduates can plan their individual programs,”says Dr. Pradeep Agrawal, Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies. “Each student can now accomplish on a computer in a matter of momentswhat previously took a considerable amount of time by hand with pencil and paper,” he says.

Cintia, who is pursuing a minor in international affairs, is an excellent example of the wonderful student leaders found in the School. In additionto her role as chair of the SAB, she also serves as the 2009 Regional Conference Chair for the Society of Women Engineers and vice president of theAmerican Red Cross Club. Cintia conducted research in inorganic nanotubes in Dr. Sankar Nairʼs research group, completed two co‑op terms with theKimberly‑Clark Corporation, and completed internships with Clorox and Kurt Salmon Associates. In her spare time she enjoys traveling, playing theviolin with the GT Symphony Orchestra, cooking/baking, horseback riding, and indoor rock‑climbing.

C

Student Advisory Board Makes a Difference for UndergradsSAB Chair Cintia Nojima enjoys dedicating hertime to improving the undergraduate experiencefor all ChBE students.

7

or 23 years, the School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engi‑neering has celebrated the memory of Ashton Hall Cary,ʻ43, through an annual lecture series established by hisbrother, Dr. Freeman Cary, who also studied chemical

engineering at Georgia Tech. The lecture series brings a distin‑guished scholar in fields of significance to chemical engineer‑ing to present lectures and participate in informal discussionswith ChBE faculty and students.

The 2008 event featured Dr. Bruce C. Gates, a professor ofchemical engineering at the University of California, Davis, whopresented “Hurry Up!: Accelerating Chemical Transformationswith Catalysts” and “Molecular Catalysis on Surfaces.” Dr. Gatesfocused on examining different catalysts, what they do, howthey work, and how scientists and engineers discover, under‑stand, and apply them. He explored in depth the supportedmetal molecular catalysts that are an emerging class of materi‑als offering new reactivities and catalytic properties.

The attendance of members of Ashton Caryʼs family madethe 2008 lecture especially memorable.

F

The Cary Family, from left: (sitting) Katherine Cary, Jeanne Cary, Sara Cary, Bradley Cary,(standing) Clay Cary, Chip Cary, John Cary, Stephen Cary, Ashton Cary III, Dr. Freeman Cary,Tom Coleman, Edna Coleman, and Robin Cary.

The 24th Annual Ashton Cary Lecture will be held on Wednesday, April 1, 2009,featuring Dr. David A. Tirrell, Ross McCollum‑William H. Corcoran Professor and Chair,Division of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at Caltech.

ChBE Holds 23rd Annual Ashton Cary Lecture

ow well do you remember fourth grade? It is unlikely that yourecollect specific classroom lessons. For most of us, memories ofelementary school are of friends and the playground, not les‑sons in science or math. Bringing the excitement of recess into

the classroom is one of the challenges with which teachers strugglemost. If memories of classroom lessons become as powerful as otherchildhood memories, then more students may be inclined to pursuehigher education.

Founded in 1991 as a program of Georgia Techʼs Center for Educa‑tion Integrating Science, Mathematics and Computing (CEISMC), theGeorgia Intern‑Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) program helps educatorsteach students how math and science apply to the real world. The pro‑gram brings a level of excitement into the classroom that leads to highertest scores, graduation rates, and an increase in qualified applicants fortechnology positions in the workforce.

GIFT has placed elementary and secondary teachers in more than1,300 positions statewide. Over the last two years, ChBE faculty membersVictor Breedveld, Martha Grover, Sankar Nair, and Hang Lu welcomedteachers into their labs for six to eight weeks during the summer semes‑ter. After working closely with the teachers to develop instructional units,the professors assisted with classroom implementation.

“The opportunity to help create unique and challenging, yet funmaterials for young students was very rewarding,” says Dr. Breedveld. “It

gave me an opportunity to identify complex chemical engineering prin‑ciples occurring in everyday objects and to consider the work that I dothrough the perspective of a child.”

Dr. Breedveld partnered with Lindsay Phillips, who teaches fourthand fifth grades at Sagamore Hills Elementary School in Atlanta. In sum‑mer 2007, Ms. Phillips worked in the laboratory with Dr. Breedveld andmembers of his research team to develop a science unit called Super‑market Science: Complex Fluids in Everyday Life. The objective of theunit is to teach students fundamental concepts of materials science byusing examples from everyday life and hands‑on experiments withcomplex fluids.

The topic of complex fluids is typically not introduced into the cur‑riculum until high school chemistry. Yet teachers are exploring novel ap‑proaches designed to increase graduation rates. Ms. Phillips believes thatthe early introduction of advanced‑level topics is one of the best meth‑ods to ensure that students advance through the educational system.

“I now have a unique opportunity to present material to my stu‑dents by using items with which they are familiar. If I can help them un‑derstand advanced concepts like homogenous and heterogeneous fluidsby making Jell‑O, I believe they will be excited about the learning processand more likely to maintain that interest into high school,” she says.

Throughout the 2008 class year, the students learned about the un‑derlying science of everyday objects. By examining Silly Putty, tooth‑

Feature

Sharing the Perfect GiftFour ChBE professors recently participated in a unique program that allowedthem to use their research to improve academic programs in Georgia publicschools. In the process, they shared their love of learning.

“It gave me an opportu‑

nity to identify complex

chemical engineering

principles occurring in

everyday objects and to

consider the work that I

do through the perspec‑

tive of a child.”

– Dr. Victor Breedveld

8

H

paste, shampoo, shaving cream, and mayonnaise, they mastered the con‑cepts of viscosity and elasticity and discovered the meaning of key wordslike surfactant, suspension, and emulsion. By making their own gummyworms, they learned that polymers are long, flexible chains of moleculesthat are bonded together, and they discovered the different effects of saltand calcium on a polymer bond.

The Supermarket Science unit has been well received by students,parents, and administrators. In response to its success, Dr. Breedveld pre‑sented the unit at the Georgia Science Teachers Association meeting inAthens in February 2008, and is working towards implementing the mod‑ule as standard curriculum statewide.

Although Dr. Breedveld is the only ChBE professor who helped de‑velop an elementary school curriculum, the other faculty members whoparticipated in the program found the experience equally refreshing. “Ihad become so accustomed to interacting with others who already under‑stand complex mathematical and scientific procedures that the materialhad become second nature to me,” says Dr. Grover. “Working with Ms.Jayosree Mukherjee revitalized my appreciation for the complexities of ad‑vanced computations.”

Ms. Mukherjee, a math teacher at Cobb Countyʼs Campbell HighSchool, worked with Dr. Groverʼs group during the summer of 2008 to de‑velop class materials with real data sets to teach data analysis and statistics.The collaboration received additional funding through the National Sci‑ence Foundation Research Experience for Teachers (RET) Program.

PhD student Paul Wissmann, who graduated in fall 2008, assistedwith the development of the modules based on a chemical vapor deposi‑tion system. In one module, pressure in the chamber is measured as afunction of time to compute the residence time of the deposition process.In the class activity, students fit a straight line to the data and use the idealgas law to compute the volume of the chamber. Because of the successfulimplementation in Ms. Mukherjeeʼs classroom, CEISMC is disseminatingthe materials to teachers throughout the state.

Dr. Sankar Nair also welcomed a high school teacher into his labora‑tory this past summer. His research group worked with Dr. Chuck Lockert,an engineering instructor from the Gwinnett School of Science, Mathe‑matics, and Technology (GSMST) in Duluth. They designed and built an ex‑perimental module for demonstrating the use of nanoporous membranesfor separation of biofuels, such as ethanol from water. The unit will be im‑plemented this year, allowing students to synthesize a nanoporous mem‑brane and investigate its separation characteristics. Kate McFadden, agraduate student in Dr. Nairʼs group, collaborated on the project.

Dr. Nair says, “Complementary classroom materials will introduce stu‑dents to the role of chemical engineering and materials science in solvingbroader energy and sustainability problems.” The module will be part ofGSMSTʼs Alternative Energy Course, one of the first introduced in a Georgiahigh school. Like the math module created in Dr. Groverʼs laboratory, theNSF‑RET program provided funding for this project.

Dr. Hang Lu offered her expertise in the field of biotechnology tocreate an advanced‑level unit for students enrolled in Lakeside HighSchool in DeKalb County. Working with teacher Dr. Annette Parrott, Dr.Lu drew from her specialized research involving C. elegans, the tinynematode that serves as a model organism, to develop a module forbiology classes.

Dr. Parrott used C. elegans to demonstrate basic biological phenom‑ena, including cell biology, developmental biology, evolutionary biology,and genetics in her classroom. Dr. Lu anticipates welcoming Dr. Parrottback to explore other microfluidic systems.

Introducing students to nontraditional curriculum topics is one of theimportant steps to cultivating a life‑long interest in learning. The GIFT pro‑gram is instrumental in helping educators design meaningful classroomcontent by giving them the conceptual framework to inspire the next gen‑eration of scientists and engineers.

9

In honor of Dr. Wardʼs countless contributions to the Georgia Tech community, theWard family has established a scholarship endowment to perpetuate his legacy.For more information on how you can contribute, please contact Melisa Baldwin at404‑894‑0987 or Melisa.Baldwin@chbe.gatech.edu.

aying farewell to a member of the ChBE family is never easy, especially when thefamily member is someone who has made a tremendous impact on not only theSchool but also on the entire Institute. Henderson Crawford Ward, professor emeri‑tus of chemical engineering, died October 4, 2008, in Atlanta, after a long illness.

After receiving his BS degree in chemical engineering in 1948, from Georgia Tech, he workedas a chemical engineer for Carbide and Carbide Chemicals Corporation in Oak Ridge, Ten‑nessee. He returned to Georgia Tech, receiving a master's degree in applied mathematics in1952 and a PhD in chemical engineering in 1953. He was employed as a chemical engineerfor Ethyl Corporation in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, until 1954 when he returned to GeorgiaTech as a professor.

Dr. Ward was named Teacher of the Year in chemical engineering on several occasionsand Teacher of the Year Institute‑wide in 1983. He retired as professor emeritus from GeorgiaTech in 1985. In September 1992, he was elected a fellow of the American Institute of Chemi‑cal Engineers. In 2003, he was inducted into the Georgia Tech Engineering Hall of Fame.

Despite all of the accolades bestowed upon him, Dr. Ward considered co‑authoring ACentury of Chemical Engineering at Georgia Tech, which was published in 2006, as one of hismost outstanding accomplishments. As with all of his endeavors, Dr. Ward dedicated himselfto the book project and worked tirelessly to ensure that it accurately reflected the birth and growth of the School. As a student, teacher, and alum‑nus, he unfalteringly loved Georgia Tech and the process of learning. He will be missed by all who knew him.

SProfessor Henderson Ward, 1922-2008

Dr. Prausnitz uses biomaterials science to developnovel drug delivery systems. Topics include self‑administered microneedle patches for influenzavaccination, bioadhesive microdiscs for treatmentof glaucoma, and laser‑activated carbon nanopar‑ticles for improved gene therapy.

Flu vaccines are usually given by clinical person‑nel using a hypodermic needle. The Prausnitz lab,in collaboration with Dr. Richard Compans at theEmory Vaccine Center, is working to developpatches containing dozens of micron‑scale nee‑

dles coated with vaccine that can be self‑applied to the skin. Challenges in bioma‑terials include the design of microneedles with sufficient mechanical strength, lowcost, and biocompatibility as well as the formulation of coatings that adherestrongly to microneedles, dissolve rapidly in skin, and provide stability to vaccinesduring storage.

Treatment of glaucoma is challenging because patients do not take their re‑quired multiple daily eye drops. The Prausnitz lab is collaborating with Dr. HenryEdelhauser at Emoryʼs Department of Ophthalmology to develop drug‑loaded mi‑croparticles with increased residence time on the eye to reduce the dosing fre‑quency. Biomaterials challenges include design of polymer particles that encap‑sulate and release drugs at controlled rates, adhere to the eyeʼs mucous surface,and have a disk shape that minimizes removal by convective flow of tear fluid.

Gene therapy has been plagued by the need for a safe and effective genedelivery method. In collaboration with Drs. Thom Orlando and Mostafa El‑Sayed inGeorgia Techʼs School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, the Prausnitz lab has ob‑served that exposure of carbon nanoparticles to near‑infrared laser light stimu‑lates the carbon‑steam reaction of C(s) + H2O(l) → CO(g) + H2(g). The resulting largevolume expansion generates a shock wave that temporarily permeabilizes cells toentry of DNA. Biomaterials challenges emphasize design of nanoparticles that op‑timize gene delivery.

Dr. Breedveldʼs complex fluids group studies themicrostructure and mechanical properties of arange of biological materials. Examples includeproteins in drug formulations, biopolymers asthickeners in food and cosmetic products, andhydrogel‑forming block copolypeptides for tissueengineering and drug delivery applications. Forall these materials, it is very important to estab‑lish the relation between the structure of individ‑ual molecules, their assembly into largerstructures and the macroscopic mechanical

properties (viscosity and gel strength) of the resulting materials. Novel microrheological techniques developed in the Breedveld group play

a critical role in these studies. Microrheology can be applied to very small samplevolumes (microliters), which makes the method feasible for high‑throughputscreening of many different samples; for example, for the optimization of newprotein‑based drug formulations. These solutions typically contain many addi‑tives to stabilize the drug formulation during manufacturing and storage, but theimpact of additives on protein structure and functionality is often unknown. Sys‑tematic testing of the impact of each component is prohibitively expensive, andexperimental proteins are often only available in very small quantities. Dr. Breed‑veldʼs group is investigating the use of high‑throughput microrheology as ascreening tool for these drug formulations.

In another project, his group has been studying the formation of hydro‑gels from synthetic block copolypeptides. The inherent biocompatibility ofpolypeptides makes them excellent candidates for tissue engineering and drugdelivery. In collaboration with Prof. Deming at UC, Los Angeles, systematic stud‑ies have been performed to reveal the relation between molecular architectureand gel properties. A particular focus of the research in the Breedveld group hasbeen to investigate the response of these materials to changes in pH and ionicstrength, mimicking in vivo conditions during potential applications.

Dr. Taiteʼs research interests focus on the devel‑opment of bioactive materials that can be usedto guide tissue growth and deliver drugs to spe‑cific cells and tissues. From the initial characteri‑zation of these materials and their encourage‑ment of biological responses, she can assess theability of these materials in building effectivetools for biomedical applications and can ex‑plore using more advanced techniques inchemical synthesis to tailor the activity of thesebiofunctional materials.

A major focus in Dr. Taiteʼs research group is the application of biologicalprinciples and engineering to develop substitutes that restore, maintain, or im‑prove the function of human tissues or organs. Research projects use novelmaterials that mimic the natural cellular environment, and focus on promotingcell adhesion, controlling synthesis of matrix proteins, and regulating cellgrowth. Current projects are centered on materials that can serve as cardiovas‑cular substitutes for patients in need of bypass grafts and matrices that supportthe growth of cancer cells for the study of tumor progression and metastasis.

Dr. Taiteʼs group is also involved in the development of novel drug deliv‑ery systems for cardiovascular applications and cancer therapies. Nitric oxide(NO) has several biological functions that make it a therapeutic candidate fora wide range of disease states. Studies are currently underway to target novelNO donors to sites of disease as both a therapeutic and a tool to further studythe effects of NO on cells and tissues.

Research in the Taite lab spans several fields with the common goal ofproducing biocompatible materials having broad clinical relevance. As such,the laboratory is interdisciplinary, with interests in chemical and biological en‑gineering, cell and molecular biology, and polymer chemistry.

Dr. Meredithʼs research in biomaterials involvestwo major thrusts: (1) using combinatorial andhigh‑throughput approaches to rapidly screen cellinteractions with new polymers for biomedical de‑vices and (2) developing novel polymer‑metalnanoparticle composites for imaging applications.These two project areas fit nicely into his groupʼsoverall research efforts in advanced interfacial ma‑terials. The key to biomaterials development is en‑gineering the interface between the material(often a polymer) and the biological system (cells

& proteins). Dr. Meredith has pioneered techniques for rapid‑screening of thesecomplex interactions. Using combinatorial methods, libraries containing thou‑sands of distinct polymers can be cultured with cells in a single experiment. Forexample, this method enabled discovery of a novel way to blend existing FDA‑ap‑proved polymers to create unique control over bone and cardiovascular smooth‑muscle cells. The key is controlling the surface micro‑ and nanostructures, towhich mammalian cells are very sensitive. Certain sizes and shapes of surface mi‑crostructures interfere with the cellsʼ ability to communicate with one another.This interference is used constructively by Dr. Meredith to adjust growth rate andother cell functions. This control “knob” is important in developing regenerativemedical devices, such as those that could be used to treat arteries damaged bycardiovascular disease. Graduate students Pedro Zapata, Jing Su (BME), GracyWingkono, and Charlene Rincon contributed to these advances.

The Meredith group has also developed new ways to package and deliverimaging contrast agents – used to enhance or enable images of tissues in MRIs, X‑rays, and optical cameras. Working with collaborators Jeff and Valerie Sitterle ofGTRI, ChBE undergrad Lance Rodeman, and ChBE graduate student Jung HyunLee, the team recently filed an invention disclosure on a new process for embed‑ding highly light‑scattering nanoparticles into polymer microbeads that can besafely used in diagnostic procedures.

Biomaterials Research

10

Carson MeredithVictor Breedveld

Mark Prausnitz Lakeshia Taite

Spotlight

Understanding the CloudsWhen Luz Padró arrived at Georgia Tech as a chemical engineering graduatestudent, she never imagined that her research would lead her to Mexico Cityto study one of the worldʼs most populated and polluted cities.

“I chose Georgia Tech because its program

offered so many different professors conduct‑

ing a variety of research. I liked the fact that I

had a lot of different opportunities.”

he scope of chemical engineering research continually expands,reaching beyond traditional core areas such as petroleum, plastics,and paper. Many of the emerging concentration areas are expected,including biomaterials and alternative fuel cells, while others are

somewhat surprising.Although environmental projects exploring carbon capture, water pu‑

rification, and biofuel alternatives are already hot topics in chemical engi‑neering research, reducing air pollution and predicting climate change areareas that are somewhat nontraditional. Solving these environmental chal‑lenges has been on the forefront of atmospheric science research for manyyears. Investigators have learned the benefit of applying models and processsystems methods developed by chemical engineers to their work. The preci‑sion of investigative equipment now allows researchers to examine the indi‑vidual chemical components that make up atmospheric aerosols (i.e.,suspended particulate matter) and improve air quality and climate models.

After arriving on the Georgia Tech campus as a 2004 graduate of Vir‑ginia Techʼs chemical engineering program, PhD candidate Luz Padró wasimmediately intrigued by the cloud studies under investigation in Dr.Athanasios Nenesʼs lab. “I chose Georgia Tech because its program offeredso many different professors conducting a variety of research,” Luz says. “Iliked the fact that I had a lot of different opportunities.”

Although Luzʼs undergraduate research consisted of biomedical topics,including protein kinetic experiments with surface plasmon resonance (SPR)to investigate the kinetics of ligand binding reactions, the switch to environ‑mental projects was an easy decision.

“I thought it would be interesting to learn how our practices affect theecosystem and where we live so that we can all get a better understandingof what we need to do as a culture to make a significant change,” she says.

The recipient of several honors, including a NASA Earth System ScienceFellowship, a Goizueta Foundation Fellowship, and an AIChE Womenʼs Initia‑tives Committee grant, Luz is a native of Puerto Rico, where her parents andsiblings currently reside. She will graduate in spring 2009, after completingtwo field campaigns, including working on the ongoing Megacities Impacton Regional and Global Environment (MIRAGE)‑Mex field campaign in March2006 (mirage‑mex.acd.ucar.edu/index.shtml), a project that examines thechemical and physical transformations of atmospheric constituents (gasesand aerosols) in the polluted Mexico City outflow.

The MIRAGE‑Mex project coordinates and integrates observations fromground stations, aircraft, and satellites, and provides a rich database for im‑proving regional and global models of the transport and transformations ofaging urban pollutants. Because the atmosphere is a complex, dynamic, andfragile system, it is essential for scientists to accurately understand and pre‑dict the global effects of air pollution, especially on climate change andstratospheric ozone depletion. Organized by The National Center for Atmos‑pheric Research‑Atmospheric Chemistry Division (NCAR‑ACD), MIRAGE‑Mexis part of the Megacity Initiative: Local and Global Research Observations

T

continued on page 1311

Letter from the Chairlumni and Friends ofthe School:

In determining howwell our students are

developing, it is instructive toparticipate in two initiativesthat have become regularevents in the School. One in‑volves senior design and theother is for graduate studentsknown as the Fourth‑Year Col‑loquium. At the end of each se‑mester in which process designis taught, student teams makepresentations on their designsto several faculty members(usually somewhere between

five and ten) and often to industrial sponsors of the designproblem. You have no idea how terrific it is to see suchhardworking, talented seniors addressing design criteria,process options, and overall economics associated withtheir work. It makes you proud of both the students andthe faculty members who have taught them so well, andgives confidence in the future of the profession and the in‑dustries into which these students will move. Such was thecase at the end of the summer semester when studentspresented their reports on production of propylene from awet gas stream leaving a fluidized catalytic cracker. Thecourse was taught by Matthew Realff and Jim Frederick,and the presentations from the students were filled witheconomic analysis, equipment sizing, and recommenda‑tions that reflected a remarkable level of maturity.

The Fourth‑Year Colloquium involves all students be‑ginning the fourth year of their PhD program. It beginswith presentations by winners of the Zeigler Awards, whichwere established by family and friends of the late ProfessorWaldemar T. Zeigler. The two awards are presented for bestpaper authored or co‑authored by a graduate student andfor best PhD research proposal. Following presentations bythe award winners the fourth‑year students present ontheir research. In 2008, 25 students participated in the Col‑loquium, and almost all faculty members attended. Theevening concluded with a celebratory dinner for graduatestudents and the faculty. We are grateful to the Dow Chem‑ical Company for sponsorship of the event.

This is the 100th anniversary of our primary profes‑sional society, the American Institute of Chemical Engineers(AIChE). The annual AIChE meeting was held in Philadel‑phia and I found it noteworthy that 29 of the faculty mem‑bers of the School accounted for 74 of the presentationsand chaired five of the sessions. The School hosted a recep‑tion at the Philadelphia Sheraton that welcomed alumnifrom the region and around the country, which gave us achance to update them on activities in the School. The

AIChE identified several groups who had made extraordi‑nary contributions to society and the profession. Among alist of “25 Industrial Executives” who were cited for theiroutstanding careers were Ed L. Ekholm, ʻ46, and Cecil J.“Pete” Silas, ʻ53. I was fortunate to be selected for inclusionin the list of 30 “Authors and Their Groundbreaking Chemi‑cal Engineering Books.” Among “Fifty Chemical Engineersof the ʻFoundation Ageʼ” was Warren K. Lewis, father oflong‑time Georgia Tech faculty member Clay Lewis. “Chem‑ical Engineers of the Modern Era” included for achievementJames R. Fair, ʻ42; for leadership Ed Ekholm, ʻ45, Henry Lin‑den, ʻ44, and James Wei, ʻ52; and for new frontiers, our col‑league, Arnold Stancell.

This fall we welcomed three new faculty colleagues.Yoshi Kawajiri obtained his PhD from Carnegie Mellon Uni‑versity and spent a postdoctoral year at the Max Planck In‑stitute for Dynamics of Complex Technical Systems inMagdeburg, Germany. We expect him to add to our core ofinstructors in design and to address research problems inseparations, especially those important in pharmaceuticaland specialty chemical manufacturing. Michelle Dawson re‑ceived her PhD from Johns Hopkins and completed a post‑doctoral appointment at Massachusetts General Hospitaland Harvard Medical School. Her research experiences withbone marrow‑derived cells in tumor growth and metastasisis expected to contribute to a program that seeks to de‑velop novel gene delivery methods and the behavior ofmesenchymal stem cells in cancer. Michael Filler completedhis PhD at Stanford and a postdoc at Caltech. His researchhas focused on materials related to the capture of solar en‑ergy and will address development of efficient and scalabledevices for that purpose. We think these are excellent addi‑tions to our very strong faculty and look forward to person‑ally introducing them to you.

The College of Engineering Awards ceremony in No‑vember honored Allen C. Merritt, BS ʻ67, MS ʻ69, PhD ʻ76,and Philip W. Matos, ʻ58, with induction into the Hall ofFame; James Bayer, ʻ77, into the Academy of DistinguishedEngineering Alumni; and Robert W. Glenn Jr., ʻ94, Charles“Brent” Hastie, ʻ95, and Douglas R. Pendergast, ʻ91, into theCouncil of Outstanding Young Alumni.

Visit the web site: chbe.gatech.edu/alumni/awards.phpto see the names of all past award winners and criteria fornominations. You are encouraged to send to me namesand brief biographical and professional information onthose you consider appropriate nominees.

Finally, I conclude by reporting to you that the Schoolis doing well, especially considering the uncertainties asso‑ciated with difficult financial times. We are committed toproducing outstanding graduates and research and wel‑come your visits to see the work of the remarkable menand women in the School.

12

The ConocoPhillips/C. J. “Pete” Silas Program in Ethics and Leader‑ship Lecture will be held on Wednesday, March 4, 2009, featuringJames J. Mulva, Chairman and CEO, ConocoPhillips.

A

(MILAGRO), a larger set of coordinated field campaigns that together en‑able investigation of megacity outflow chemistry on a variety of scales(www.eol.ucar.edu/projects/milagro).

“Working on such an environmentally significant project was an in‑credible experience,” says Luz. “I spent one month in Mexico City and Inever saw the horizon because the scattering light around the mountainstraps the pollution and makes it constantly hazy.” After experiencing theprofound pollution firsthand, Luz felt a personal connection to her work.“Living in that environment every day is not a pleasant experience,” shesays. “It was exciting for me to know that my research may one day helpprovide solutions to the improvement of the air quality.”

While in Mexico City and the immediate surrounding area, Luz col‑lected aerosol samples on filters using an instrument called a Hi Vol. Thesamples consisted of particulate matter that is less than 2.5 microns, smallenough to breathe and potentially dangerous to human health. The filterswere white when placed on the Hi Vol but after twelve hours of collection,the filters turned dark gray, clearly indicating the severity of polluted mat‑ter. Luz stored the samples in a freezer and then brought them back to herGeorgia Tech lab for analysis.

Luz analyzed samples from the communities immediately outside ofMexico City to determine how atmospheric conditions are impacting thespread of pollution. Luz says that “Air pollution doesnʼt stay in one place –winds and weather play an important part in the transport of pollutionand it affects everything it comes in contact with.”

Unlike greenhouse gases, which warm the climate, clouds can havethe opposite effect and cool the climate by reducing the amount of solarradiation that reaches the Earth. It is currently thought that aerosols coolthrough their interactions with clouds and are one of the largest sourcesof uncertainty in climate model predictions of anthropogenic climatechange. Aerosols affect clouds by acting as the seed for droplet (or icecrystal) formation. Pollution tends to increase the number of seeds; hence,polluted clouds tend to have more droplets than their pristine counter‑parts. As a result, there is more surface area for sunlight to reflect upon;the droplets also tend to be smaller and may lead to clouds that are lessefficient in producing rain. To predict how many cloud droplets will form

in a polluted air mass, one needs to know the particle size distribution andchemical composition of the particles. The latter is quite a challenge formodels, since a large fraction of particle mass (up to 70%) is composed ofa “soup” of organic compounds. “We already know how inorganic matteraffects cloud formation, but we need to develop a better understandingof the organics present in aerosols,” says Luz. Most of Luzʼs research fo‑cuses on characterizing the organic‑water interactions important for for‑mation of cloud droplets by analyzing the water uptake and cloudcondensation nuclei (CCN) activity of atmospheric aerosols captured fromdensely polluted areas. By comparing these data against clean regionsand laboratory‑generated particles, Luz is unraveling the properties of thismysterious mixture and their role in aerosol‑cloud interactions.

“We need to reduce the uncertainty of how much clouds cool theEarth so that we can make more accurate predictions of global change,”says Luz. “We still need to develop methods to better understand the ki‑netics of droplet formation, especially the potential slowing of it from thepresence of organic surfactants.”

Now that Luz has made her contribution to the problems facing thefuture of the global climate, she is considering taking her research onaerosols in a new direction while building on her undergraduate foun‑dation in the area of biomedicine. “I am considering exploring the possi‑bility of using aerosols as a method of drug delivery,” she says. “Also, Ihave a strong personal desire to investigate the effects of aerosols onhealth degradation.”

Regardless of where the future may lead, Luz knows that her long‑term goals include obtaining an academic appointment at a teaching‑oriented institution. Another element of her future has already been determined. On January 2, she married Roel Sigifredo Sanchez‑Carrera,who is a recent PhD graduate of Georgia Techʼs School of Chemistry andBiochemistry. The couple is searching for a location where they both canpursue their professional careers. In the meantime, Luz says that she islooking forward to completing her thesis and enjoying a little downtime. “Ilove watching CSI and Without a Trace and reading crime and suspensenovels,” she says. The past five years of intense research and travel haveleft little opportunity for that luxury, and Luz plans to indulge herself a lit‑tle before tackling her next research challenge.

arry Betty, ʻ79, President and CEO of EarthLink, Inc. was one of ChBEʼs mostaccomplished alumni when he passed away in January 2007. His legacy in‑spires others through the Garry Betty Scholarship for International Studies.ChBE established the scholarship after Garryʼs death to commemorate his

passion for adventure and to encourage others to pursue study abroad opportunities.Jessica Swearengen, a ChBE senior, is the 2008 recipient of the scholarship.

“When applying for the award, I had the opportunity to learn about Mr. Betty and thetremendous impact he had on this world. It is an honor to be a Garry Betty Scholar,”says Jessica.

The scholarship supported Jessicaʼs studies at the Imperial College of Londonthis past summer. ChBE has participated in a summer program in London for morethan 30 years. Participation is limited to a total of 25 students who have completedprerequisites for the unit operations laboratory course. In addition to receiving sixcredit hours, the four‑week program includes opportunities for students to partici‑pate in cultural events and sightseeing.

“The program really changed my career outlook. I had never been outside of theU.S. before this trip. Going to Europe changed my perspective. I am now consideringpositions in and out of the country,” shares Jessica. “I would encourage other students to seek out international learning opportunities, and I amgrateful for the scholarship support I received to make this trip a reality for me.”

GGlobal Learning

To learn more about supporting ChBE students through scholarships, please contactMelisa Baldwin at 404.894.0987 or melisa.baldwin@chbe.gatech.edu.

Clouds continued from page 11

13

14

avid Sholl joined the faculty in 2008 as The Michael E. Tennen‑baum Family Chair and GRA Eminent Scholar in Energy Sus‑tainability. Previously, he was on the faculty of theDepartment of Chemical Engineering at Carnegie Mellon Uni‑

versity for nine years. He grew up in Australia, receiving his undergradu‑ate degree in physics from the Australian National University inCanberra. He received a PhD in applied mathematics at the University ofColorado in 1995. Before beginning his faculty position at Carnegie Mel‑lon, Dr. Sholl completed postdoctoral positions at Penn State (in chemi‑cal engineering) and Yale (in chemistry).

Dr. Sholl has received a number of awards for his research, includingan NSF CAREER award, a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher‑ScholarAward, and an Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellowship. In 2008, he re‑ceived a DoE Hydrogen Program R&D Award for his work on the devel‑opment of materials for hydrogen storage. He is currently on theeditorial advisory board for the ACS journal Langmuir and the corporateadvisory board for Elsevier.

Primarily, Dr. Shollʼs research interests involve using detailed mate‑rials modeling to accelerate the development of new materials andprocesses for energy‑related technologies. He says, “The challenges fac‑ing our global society in solving the complex supply, national security,and environmental aspects of energy use are stunning in scope.” Be‑cause the scale of these issues means effective research must combinethe highest levels of science with in‑depth knowledge of commercialand practical realities, most of Dr. Shollʼs projects involve close collabora‑tion with academic and industrial teams.

Dr. Sholl and members of his research group have published morethan 140 papers on topics including the development of microporousmaterials for gas separations and membrane‑based applications, the

screening of metal hydride mix‑tures as materials for reversiblestorage of hydrogen, the develop‑ment of metal alloy films as mem‑branes for large‑scale hydrogenpurification, and heterogeneouscatalysis on metal and metaloxide surfaces.

This year will see the publica‑tion of a book co‑authored by Dr.Sholl and Jan Steckel (from theNational Energy Technology Lab‑oratory in Pittsburgh) entitledDensity Functional Theory: A Prac‑tical Introduction. In the lastdecade, Density Functional Theory calculations have revolutionized theareas of science and engineering that rely on detailed modeling ofchemical bonding. To date, however, no book has been available toguide new researchers in learning how to use these calculations for thecomplex materials relevant in engineering applications. His book aims tofill this gap.

Dr. Sholl is married to Connie, whom he says he met in the “highlyromantic setting of an undergraduate physics class at UCSD.” Their threechildren, Kevin, 11, Rachel, 9, and Martin, 7, are all greatly enjoying At‑lanta and keeping the Sholl home lively. Dr. Sholl plays the piano and vi‑olin and his children are learning both instruments, so there is plenty ofmusic in the house. All of his children have dual US‑Australian citizen‑ship, which he says “they use to baffle their neighbors with games ofcricket on the driveway.”

DChBE Welcomes David Sholl

ankar Nair is leading a team of Georgia Tech faculty and academicprofessionals who has received a two‑year grant from the Na‑tional Science Foundation to establish a Nanotechnology Certifi‑cate Program for undergraduate students at Georgia Tech.

The fifteen‑credit program of lecture, laboratory, and researchcourses brings together faculty working in different areas ofnanoscience and nanotechnology to develop a comprehensive educa‑tional package that prepares students for rewarding careers in nan‑otechnology‑enabled industries. The program, to begin this year, willbe open to College of Engineering and College of Sciences juniors andseniors. One unique feature of the program is the hands‑on Nanosys‑tems Laboratory course, which will be held in the Ford EnvironmentalScience and Technology Building.

In addition to Dr. Nair, Professors Ian Ferguson (ECE), Peter Hes‑keth (ME), Elisa Riedo (Physics), Z.L. Wang (MSE), John Zhang (Chem‑istry); and Drs. Leigh Bottomley (Chemistry) and Jon Gordon(Assessment), are developing the program.

“Nanoscience and nanotechnology are quickly emerging as two ofthe most in‑demand areas of research in the world, and undergradu‑ates who receive a certificate in nanotechnology will have a cuttingedge over their peers upon graduation,” says Dr. Nair.

Research in nanoscience and nanotechnology is revolutionary andhas the ability to fundamentally change the way almost everything isdesigned and manufactured, from automobile tires and tennis racquetsto air purifiers and life‑saving vaccines. Some of the most common vi‑sions of a nanotechnology‑fueled future are tiny body‑examining cam‑eras that can be swallowed like pills, supercomputers 500 times morepowerful than those currently available, and chips the size of sugarcubes capable of storing the entire contents of the Library of Congress.

NANOChBE ̶ Nanotechnology in Chemical Engineering Currently, seventeen ChBE professors are conducting research in con‑structing, manipulating, and understanding nanoscale and nanostruc‑tured materials or devices. Many of these projects are collaborations withresearchers in other science and engineering disciplines.

NANOTECH ̶ Nanoscience + Nanotechnology @ Georgia Tech Georgia Tech is one of the world leaders in nanoscience and nanotech‑nology research and design. More than 100 faculty members at GeorgiaTech are already involved in nanoscience and nanotechnology researchprojects, and participation is growing.

S

“Science of the Small” Promises Big ThingsChBE Assistant Professor Sankar Nair leads the development of new certificateprogram in nanotechnology, a revolutionary area of technology‑based research.

lsa Reichmanis, who recently joined the ChBE faculty, was previ‑ously a Bell Labs fellow and director of the materials research de‑partment at Bell Labs, Alcatel‑Lucent. She received her PhD andBS in chemistry from Syracuse University. In 1984, she was pro‑

moted to supervisor of the Radiation Sensitive Materials and ApplicationGroup, followed by a promotion to head of the Polymer and OrganicMaterials Research Department in 1994. Her research interests includethe chemistry, properties, and application of materials technologies forphotonic and electronic applications, with particular focus on polymericand nanostructured materials for advanced technologies.

Dr. Reichmanis has had an impact on the field of microlithography,which is central to the manufacture of electronic devices. Her work hascontributed to the development of a molecular level understanding ofhow chemical structure affects materials function, leading to new fami‑lies of lithographic materials and processes that may enable advancedVLSI manufacturing. Notably, she was responsible for the design of newimaging chemistries for 193 nm lithography that were the first readilyaccessible and manufacturable materials for this technology. In a relatedarea, she was involved in the design and characterization of “closed‑pore” nanoporous low‑dielectric constant (k > 1.4) materials exhibiting ahigh degree of mechanical and environmental stability. She is currentlyexploring imaging and hybrid organic/inorganic materials chemistriesfor photonic applications, in addition to materials and processes forplastic electronics.

Elected to the National Academy of Engineering in 1995, Dr. Reich‑manis has participated in several National Research Council (NRC) activi‑ties. She recently served as co‑chair of the NRC Board on ChemicalSciences and Technology and is a member of the Visiting Committee onAdvanced Technology of the National Institute of Standards and Tech‑nology (NIST). She is also a member of the Bureau of the InternationalUnion for Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC). She has been active inthe American Chemical Society (ACS) throughout her career and waspresident of the Society in 2003. In other technical activities, she servedas a member of the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board.

Dr. Reichmanis is the recipient of several awards, including nameduniversity lectureships. She was presented with the 1993 Society of

Women Engineers AchievementAward and in 1995 was named BellLaboratories Fellow. She is the 1996recipient of the ASM EngineeringMaterials Achievement Award; shewas elected a Fellow of the Ameri‑can Association for the Advance‑ment of Science in 1998, and wasawarded the ACS Award in AppliedPolymer Science in 1999. In 2001,she was awarded the Society ofChemical Industryʼs Perkin Medaland was the recipient of the ArentsMedal from Syracuse University. In2002, she was elected Fellow of thePolymer Materials Division of the ACS, and in 2003 she was the recipientof the first Braude Award from the ACS Maryland local section. In 2004,she was elected as a Foreign Member of the Latvian Academy of Sci‑ences, and in 2005 was named Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry.She is also a member of the American Physical Society, the Materials Re‑search Society, and the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineersand is associate editor of the ACS Journal, Chemistry of Materials.

Excited about her move to Georgia Tech, Dr. Reichmanis is enjoyingher interactions with students, post‑docs, and faculty. Her researchgroup is currently exploring process characteristics of polymer semicon‑ductors and their impact on materials morphology and device perform‑ance. She is looking forward to expanding her group into the broadareas of electronic and photonic materials.

Dr. Reichmanis and her family enjoy living in Atlanta and exploringwhat the city has to offer. She and her husband, Frank Purcell, havefour children, Patrick, 22, Elizabeth, 21, and 17‑year‑old twins, Edwardand Thomas. Her favorite pastimes include reading, listening to music,and needlepoint.

EChBE Welcomes Elsa Reichmanis

he story of the Solvay group began in Belgium on April 15, 1861, whenErnest Solvay patented a revolutionary ammonia‑soda process for produc‑ing sodium carbonate – also known as soda ash – using common salt, am‑monia, carbon dioxide (CO2) and lime. Together with his brother Alfred, he

founded the company Solvay & Cie on December 24, 1863, to implement the newprocess for the industrial production of sodium carbonate. What began as a very spe‑cialized company has grown to become a global chemical and pharmaceutical groupactive in three sectors: pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and plastics.

Solvay is dedicated to partnerships with higher education and through thatcommitment, recently funded the naming of one of ChBEʼs classrooms in the FordEnvironmental Science and Technology Building. On November 10, 2008, ChBEhosted a dedication ceremony attended by many of Solvayʼs top‑level executives, in‑cluding René Degrève, Region General Manager, Solvay North America. Also in atten‑dance were George Corbin, President & CEO, Solvay Advanced Polymers; Dr. StephenHill, M.D., President & CEO, Solvay Pharmaceuticals U.S.; and James Daly, Vice Presi‑dent, Peroxygens, Solvay Chemicals, Inc., and several other Solvay representatives.

In addition to a reception and remarks, the event included the unveiling of five posters that have been permanently installed in the class‑room. One chronicles the history of Solvay, another recognizes GT ChBEʼs alumni who have gone on to work at Solvay, and the others representeach of Solvayʼs individual sectors.

TSolvay Dedicates Classroom

School Chair Ronald Rousseau and René Degrève, Region GeneralManager, Solvay North America.

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To date, studies indicate that the speed of microelectronic devicesand integrated circuits based on graphene is enhanced relative to that ofsilicon‑based components. The Georgia Tech team, in conjunction withexternal partners, has already pioneered the use of epitaxial graphene toachieve some of the desired goals. Specifically, Georgia Tech Physics Pro‑fessors Walt de Heer, Phil First, and Ed Conrad are worldwide leaders in thegrowth and characterization of epitaxial graphene.

NSF funding provides $8.1 million for six years of research and devel‑opment. The MRSEC office suite is housed in Georgia Techʼs new MarcusNanotechnology Research Center Building.

The laboratory is a cross‑disciplinary effort utilizing the talent and re‑sources of Georgia Tech and four additional institutions: University of CaliforniaBerkeley, University of California Riverside, Alabama A&M, and the University ofMichigan. Currently, Georgia Tech has thirteen faculty members involved inthe laboratoryʼs efforts, with five additional members representing the partnerschools. Collaborations are already in place with several companies and na‑tional laboratories within the U.S. and abroad.

Graphene, a sheet of carbon only one atom thick, holds the potential to become the core material for microelectronic devices and in‑tegrated circuits, which continue to become smaller in size. Silicon, comparatively, has fundamental limitations that inhibit operation in theever‑shrinking devices used in microelectronics, optics, and sensors.

Georgia Tech will develop the fundamental science and technology to maximize grapheneʼs potential as a component in future elec‑tronics technologies. In addition, the MRSEC Center will provide the core curriculum, train a diverse workforce, and develop the future aca‑demic and industrial leaders needed for this new direction in the semiconductor industry.

Centers continued from page 1

Dr. Dennis Hess in his laboratory.

Photo by Eric Turner

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