Graduate Program: Recent Graduates

Departmental graduates have, over the years, successfully pursued careers covering a broad range of fields, consistent with their talents and interests. Several graduates are corporate chief executive officers or vice presidents of research, while some have started their own companies in fields as disparate as finance and the manufacture of sophisticated instruments. Many have gone into academic teaching and research, both in this country and abroad, and several among them are or have been chairs of chemical engineering departments, deans of engineering, and provosts. Below are listed those students who received their Ph.D. degrees in the past seven years, along with their undergraduate institutions, dissertation titles, advisors' names, independent proposition ("Second Proposition") titles, and present positions. The success of our graduates is the strongest testament to the value of our program.

Year of Graduation

2007

Arthur T. Andrews, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., University of Virginia)
Dissertation: "Filtered Models for Gas-Particle Flow Hydrodynamics" [Sundaresan]
Independent Proposition: "Estimating the Surface Tension of Organic Liquids Using an Artificial Neural Network"
Present Position: Advanced Engineer, ExxonMobil Corporation, Annandale, NJ

Christopher P. Calderon, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., Purdue University)
Dissertation: "On the Development of Numerical Methods Driven by Atomistic Phase Space Statistics" [Kevrekidis/Panagiotopoulos]
Independent Proposition: "The Application of Variational Stochastic Calculus to Quantum Mechanics"
Present Position: Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Rice University, Houston, TX

Owen J. Hehmeyer, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., University of Texas at Austin)
Dissertation: "Molecular Modeling of Confined Polymers" [Panagiotopoulos]
Independent Proposition: "A General Monte Carlo Based Model for the Investment Evaluation of Wind Energy Projects"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Corporation, Houston, TX

Stacy L. Janak, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., Texas A&M University)
Dissertation: "Scheduling of Multiproduct and Multipurpose Batch Plants: Modeling and Algorithmic Developments" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Feature Selection and Multiclass Classification for Cancer Diagnosis using Gene Expression Data"
Present Position: Aspen Technology, Houston, TX

Philip J. Lenart, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., University of Pittsburgh)
Dissertation: "Monte Carlo Simulations of Complex Fluid Mixtures with Multibody Electrostatic Interactions" [Panagiotopoulos]
Independent Proposition: "Simulation of Protein Adsorption on Chemically Patterned Surfaces"
Present Position: Research Engineer, ExxonMobil Corporation, Fairfax, VA

Thomas F. O'Connor, Ph.D. *07 (B.S., Cooper Union)
Dissertation: "The Rational Design of Protein Solutions: The Effects of Carbohydrates on Protein Stability" [Debenedetti/Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "Using Non-Equilibrium Capillary Electrophoresis to Study the Role of Electrostatic Interactions in Protein -- DNA Binding"
Present Position: Advanced Engineer, ExxonMobil Corporation, Fairfax, Virginia

Walid S. Saad, Ph.D. *07 (B.S.E, University of Minnesota)
Dissertation: "Drug Nanoparticle Formation via Flash NanoPrecipitation: Conjugation to Encapsulate and Control the Release of Paclitaxel" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Design of Novel Fragrance Formulations"
Present Position: Senior Research Scientist, Schering-Plough, Kenilworth, NJ

2006

Eric A. Adelizzi, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., Yale University)
Dissertation: "Entrainment and Drainage Behavior of Thin Soap Films Containing Associating Hydrosoluble Polymer" [Troian]
Independent Proposition: "Manipulation of Droplets via Scanning Polarization Force Microscopy"
Present Position: Technical Consultant, Institute for Defense Analyses, Alexandria, Virginia

Shilpa H. Bhansali, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of Michigan)
Dissertation: "Nanostructured L3 Phase Thin Films for Enhancing the Sensitivity of Piezoelectric Resonators" [Carbeck/Aksay]
Independent Proposition: "Single Molecule Force Microscopy to Probe the Structure of a Telomeric Quadruplex DNA: Implications in Cellular Ageing and Cancer Therapy"
Present Position: Wyeth Research, NY

Daniel W. Cheong, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., Carnegie Mellon University)
Dissertation: "Phase Behavior of Ionic Systems by Monte Carlo Simulations" [Panagiotopoulos]
Independent Proposition: "Effect of Surfactant Concentration and Charge on the Structure of a Biomembrane"

Ee-Sunn Joanne Chia, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of Virginia)
Dissertation: "A Chemical Reaction Engineering Perspective of Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells" [Kevrekidis/Benziger]
Independent Proposition: "Applying Coarse Integration to Contact-mediated Pattern Formation in Fibroblast Cells"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Corporation, Virginia

Lea A. Goentoro, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of Wisconsin-Madison)
Dissertation: "Inferring the Thiele Modulus of the Gurken Morphogen Gradient in Drosophila Oogenesis" [Shvartsman/Schupbach]
Independent Proposition: "Modeling Analysis of Cell Fate Specification in Caenoharbditis elegans"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Sau Loi (Lawrence) Lee, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of Virginia)
Dissertation: "Towards a Better Understanding of Biomolecular Stability at Low Hydration" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "A Study of Water Dynamics in DNA-water Systems by Quasi-elastic Neutron Scattering (QENS)"
Present Position: U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Maryland

James P. Nehlsen, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., Lehigh University)
Dissertation: "Developing Clean Fuels: Novel Techniques for Desulfurization" [Benziger/Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition: "The Grätzel Imager: An Electrochemical Alternative to Silicon for Digital Imaging"
Present Position: Senior Research Engineer, Exelus, Inc., Livingston, NJ

Djordje L. Nikolic, Ph.D. *06 (B.S.E., Tulane University)
Dissertation: "The Impact of Spatial and Temporal Patterns on Multi-Cellular Behavior" [Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "Heterotypic Co-Culturing in an Improved 3D Breast Cancer Model: Determining the Role of AKT"

Upma Sharma, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., Purdue University)
Dissertation: "New Analytical Techniques for the Quantification of Protein Charge and Hydrodynamic Size" [Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "The Development of Novel Polymeric Fibers to Eliminate Burst Release in Drug Delivery"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, TX

Georgios Skretas, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., National Technical University of Athens)
Dissertation: "Engineering protein-Based Molecular Switches: In Vivo Regulation of Protein Activity and the Construction of Simple Biosensors" [Wood]
Independent Proposition: "A Novel Screening System for Identifying Agonists/Antagonists of the Human Growth Hormone"

Obioma U. Uche, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of California, Berkeley)
Dissertation: "Manipulation of the Density and Structure of Many-Particle Systems" [Torquato]
Independent Proposition: "Investigation of the Microstructural Evolution of Non-Stoichiometric Oxides"
Present Position: Post-Doctoral Researcher, Sandia National Laboratories, Livermore, CA

Katsuyuki Wakabayashi, Ph.D. *06 (B.S., University of Pennsylvania)
Dissertation: "Structure-Property Relationships in Semicrystalline Copolymers and Ionomers" [Register]
Independent Proposition: "A Novel Technique to Measure Mechanical Properties of Materials in a Temperature- and Humidity- Controlled Environment"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL

2005

Meirav Apel-Paz, Ph.D. *05 (B.A., B.S., M.S.E. Technion University)
Dissertation: "Membrane Perturbation as Strategy for Contraception and STD Prevention" [Vanderlick]
Independent Proposition: "Programmed Cell Death in Bacteria--The Chase After the Persisters"
Present Position: Schering Plough Research Institute, Union, NJ

Debra T. Auguste, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Association of Hydrophobically and Electrostatically-Modified Poly(ethylene glycol) with Liposomes" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Impact of Increased Steric Hindrance on the Secondary Structure of a Biomimitic Polymer Based on Spider Dragline Silk"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Chemical Engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA

Mahmoud Reza Banki, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., University of California-Berkely)
Dissertation: "Fast and Cheap Protein Purification: Economical Alternatives to Conventional Chromatography-based Recombinant Protein Purification" [Wood]
Independent Proposition: ""Engineering Hydrogen Production in Chlamydomonas reinhardtii"
Present Position:

Joelle Frechette, Ph.D. *05 (B.E., Ecole Polytechnique De Montreal)
Dissertation: "Investigation of Double Layer Forces and Adhesion Using an Electrochemical Surface Forces Apparatus" [Vanderlick]
Independent Proposition: "Self-Assembly of a Diamond Crystal Structure"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of California at Berkeley, Berkeley, CA

Steven F. Maria, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., Brown University)
Dissertation: "Chemical Signatures for Sources and Reactions of Organic Atmospheric Aerosols" [Russell]
Independent Proposition: "Measurements of Density Gratings in Azo-Containing Polymers"
Present Position: Research Scientist, SciTec, Inc., Princton, NJ

Christopher R. Martin, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Development of Lead Zirconate Titanate Cantilevers on the Micrometer Length Scale" [Aksay]
Independent Proposition: "Direct Patterning of Large Area 3-D FCC Crystals Formed by Evaporation-Induced Colloidal Self-Assembly"
Present Position:

Leonard F. Pease III, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., Brigham Young University)
Dissertation: "Pattern Formation in Polymer Via Electrohydrodynamic Instabilities and Glassy Fracture" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Dynamic Measurement of In Vivo Cortisol"
Present Position:

Cecilia A.P. Petit, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., New Mexico Institute of Mining and Technology)
Dissertation: "Micropatterning Stretched and Aligned DNA for Sequence-Specific Nanolithography" [Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "A Lattice-Free Approach to Modeling the Growth of Tumors: Combining Monte Carlo-Based Cellular Proliferation with Finite Elements Methods"
Present Position: CDP Engineer, Air Products and Chemicals, Inc., Trexlertown, PA

William D. Ristenpart, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., University of California at Davis)
Dissertation: "Electric-Field-Induced Assembly of Colloidal Particles" [Saville/Aksay]
Independent Proposition: "Nanopore Sequencing of DNA: A Scale-Up Approach Using Macroporous Polymers"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Harvard Engineering and Applied Science, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Michael Scott Shell, Ph.D. *05 (B.E., Carnegie Mellon University)
Dissertation: "Advances in the Simulation and Theory of Soft Matter: Novel Perspectives on Liquids, Glasses, and Proteins" [Debenedetti/Panagiotopoulos]
Independent Proposition: "A Statistical-Mechanical Perspective on Biomolecular Recognition"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, Dept. of Pharmaceutical Chemistry, University of California at San Francisco

Wanwipa Siriwatwechakul, Ph.D. *05 (B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Viscoelastic Rodlike Surfactant Micelles: Rheology and Flow through Porous Media" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Biodegradable Polymer in Lipid Cubic Phase Matrix and Its Applications in Drug Delivery"
Present Position: ZS Associates, Princeton, NJ

2004

Melissa Feeney, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., Penn State University)
Dissertation: "An Investigation of the Thermodynamics and Dynamics of Network-Forming Fluids at Low Temperatures" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "Interactions of Anionic Macromolecules with Dendrimer-DNA Complexes"
Present Position: Scientific Advisor, Darby & Darby PC, New York, NY

W. Todd Gilleland, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., Montana State University)
Dissertation: "New Bounds to Estimate the Sedimentation Velocities of Monodisperse and Binary Colloidal Suspensions" [Russel/Torquato] Independent Proposition: "A Proposed Kinetic Theory for Shear Induced Migration"
Present Position: SciTec, Inc., Princeton, NJ

Nathanial J. Gleason, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Engineering of New Microsystems for the Study of Biological Phenomena" [Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "High Surface Area Electroactive Materials for the Immobilization of Biocatalysts in Biofuel Cells"
Present Position: Sandia National Laboratories, California

Li-Bong Lee, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., Louisiana State University)
Dissertation: "Polymer Crystalline Texture Controlled Through Film Blowing and Block Copolymerization" [Register]
Independent Proposition: "Methanotrophic Bacteria in Rice Paddies: Kinetic Study and Lipid Characterization of Dominant Species Under Atmospheric Methane Conditions"
Present Position: Engineer, ExxonMobil Corporation, Houston, TX

Anthony Y. Ku, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., M.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Guided Self-Assembly and Directed Restructuring of Mesoscopic Silica Using Electric Fields" [Aksay/Saville]
Independent Proposition: "Electrochemical Detection and Manipulation of DNA Using Micro-Patterned 'Touch-Screen' Surfaces"
Present Position: GE Corporate Research and Development, Schenectady, NY

Scott Miller, Ph.D. *04 (B.E., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "Fabrication of Macroelectronics by Letterpress Printing and Guidelines for Printable Structures" [Troian/Wagner]
Independent Proposition: "Separation of DNA by Diffusion Constant in a Microfabricated Electrophoresis System with Electro-Osmotic Recirculation"
Present Position: General Electric, NY

Clifford A. Meyer, Ph.D. *04 (M.S.E., University of Cape Town)
Dissertation: "Convex Relaxations and Convex Envelopes for Deterministic Global Optimizaiton" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Computational Methods for Ribozyme Design"
Present Position: Harvard University, Cambridge, MA

Max Shtein, Ph.D. *04 (B.S., University of California, Berkeley)
Dissertation: "Organic Vapor Phase Deposition and Organic Vapor Jet Printing for Molecular Organic Electronics" [Forrest/Benziger]
Independent Proposition: "A Novel Photovoltaic Fiber"
Present Position: Assistant Professor, Materials Science & Engineering, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

2003

Jeffrey Davis, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Dynamics and Linear Stability of Thermocapillary Spreading Films on Homogeneous and Micropatterned Surfaces" [Troian]
Independent Proposition: "Formed by the High-Velocity Impingement of Liquid Drops on Solid Surfaces"
Present Position: Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts at Amherst

Benjamin Fischer, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., Brown University)
Dissertation: "Non-Modal Linear Stability Analysis of Thin Film Spreading by Marangoni Stresses" [Troian]
Independent Proposition: "Particle Deposition at the Contact Line of an Evaporating Droplet"
Present Position: Research Engineer, ExxonMobil Corporation, Houston, TX

Zeynep Gümüs, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., Bogazici University; M.S., University of Cincinnati)
Dissertation: "Global Optimization for Bilevel Programming Problems and Applications" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Structure-Based Drug Design for Human Immunodeficiency Virus"

Brian Hamilton, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., Case Western Reserve University)
Dissertation: "Preparation and Characterization of Polyelectrolyte Coated Particles" [Russel/Saville]
Independent Proposition: "Polyvinyl Alcohol-Graphite Nanocomposites for Improved Thin Film Vapor Permeability"
Present Position: Unilever Research, Edgewater, NJ

Brian Johnson, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "Flash NanoPrecipitation of Organic Actives via Confined Micromixing and Block Copolymer Stabilization" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Topological Fractionation of Supercoiled DNA via Cationic Surfactants"
Present Position: Merck & Company, Rahway, NJ

Xiujiang Li, Ph.D. *03 (B.E., Dalian University of TZ-CH)
Dissertation: "Dynamics and Pattern Formation on Microcomposite and Addressable Catalytic Surfaces" [Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition: "Electrical Wave Propagation in a Heart Model with Minimal Realistic Geometry and Fiber Structure"
Present Position: Senior Chemical Engineer, Merck & Co., West Point, PA

Jim Liang, Ph.D. *03 (B.S.E., Brown University)
Dissertation: "Mechanics of Evolving Thin Film Structures" [Suo]
Independent Proposition: "Liquid Crystalline Cellulose Derivative for Environmentally Friendly Modified Atmosphere Packaging"
Present Position: Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, OR

Xiaoxia Lin, Ph.D. *03 (B.E., Tsinghua University)
Dissertation: "Scheduling, Planning, and Design of Chemical Processing Systems" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Environmentally Benign Solvent Design with Computer-Aided Molecular Design Models Using Multi-Criteria Decision Making Techniques"
Present Position: Research Fellow, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA

Peter Loezos, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., University of Maryland at College Park)
Dissertation: "An Investigation Into Dense and Dilute Phase Gas-Particle Flows" [Sundaresan]
Independent Proposition: "Modeling and Control of Forced Flow/Thermal Gradient Carbon-Carbon Composite Processing Using Multiple Hydrocarbon Component Precursors"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Corporation, Houston, TX

Jack Lum, Ph.D. *03 (B.E., Yale University)
Dissertation: "Colloidal and Brownian Forces in Protein Crystal Growth" [Saville]
Independent Proposition: "Electohydrodynamic Reduction of Spreading of Liquid Ink Droplets on Solid Substrates"
Present Position: Photon Research Associates, Inc., Arlington, VA

Xiaoxia Meng, Ph.D. *03 (B.E., Tsinghua University)
Dissertation: "Correlations Between Molecular Structure, Aggregation, and Rheology for Telechelic Associative Polymers in Aqueous Solutions" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Acid Diffusion in Deep-UV Lithography"
Present Position: National Starch and Chemical Company, Bridgewater, NJ

Russell Negin, Ph.D. *03 (S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "The Thermodynamic Linkage of Proton Binding and Protein Function" [Carbeck]
Independent Proposition: "A New Bioreactor for the Production of Ethanol"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Research Associate, U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, Rockville, MD

Heather Schafroth, Ph.D. *03 (B.S. and B.A. Classical Studies, Iowa State University)
Dissertation: "Prediction of Peptide Binding to MHC Molecules via Molecular Modeling and Global Optimization" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "A Bioinformatics and Chemical Engineering Model of Cell-to-Cell Communication"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY

Vincent Shen, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., University of California at Berkeley)
Dissertation: "Computational and Theoretical Investigation of Mechanical Strength in Glasses and Superheated Liquids" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "A Computational Investigation of the Fundamental Aspects of Sorption in Porous Siliceous Glasses"
Present Position: Postdoctoral Associate, National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD

Scott Shoemaker, Ph.D. *03 (B.S., Drexel University)
Dissertation: "The Mechanical Properties of Model Biological Membranes" [Vanderlick]
Independent Proposition: "An Improved Nanofabrication Method Using the Secondary Assembly of Vesicles"
Present Position: Merck & Company, West Point, PA

2002

Yu Cheng, Ph.D. *02 (B.E., Tsinghua University)
Dissertation: "Reaction and Diffusion of Enzyme Molecules in Condensed Polymer Matrices" [Prud'homme]
IndependentProposition:  "Rational Design of Molecularly Imprinted Polymers"
PresentPosition:  Merck & Company, West Point, PA

Hsien-Liang Ker, Ph.D. *02 (B.S. and M.S. Metallurgy and Materials Science, National Cheng Kung University; M.S. Ceramics, Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Development of Plasticity in Aqueous Colloidal Solids" [Aksay]
Independent Proposition: "Synthesis of Inorganic/Organic Nanocomposite Particles by Reactions in Inverse Microemulsions, Micelles, and Admicelles"
Present Position: AVX Corporation, Myrtle Beach, SC

John Klepeis, Ph.D. *02 (S.B. and M.S.C.E.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Global Optimization in Protein Folding" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Elucidating the Structure of Metabolic Networks"
Present Position: D.E. Shaw and Company, New York, NY

Jim Lee, Ph.D. *02 (B.S., Rice University)
Dissertation: "Design and Synthesis of Biocompatible Ceramic/Polymer Composites via Stereolithography" [Aksay/Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Polymeric Analogues to Multiple Emulsions for Controlled Non-Systemic Drug Release"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Corporation, Houston, TX

Hang-Shing Ma, Ph.D. *02 (B.Eng., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
Dissertation: "Aggregation-Structure-Elasticity Relationship of Gels" [Scherer]
Independent Proposition: "Polyelectrolyte Gel as Fast Mechanical Actuator"
Present Position: Intel Corporation, Hillsboro, OR

Hak Fei Poon, Ph.D. *02 (B.Eng., Hong Kong University of Science and Technology)
Dissertation: "Electrohydrodynamic Printing" [Aksay/Saville]
Independent Proposition: "Design and Application of Micromechanical Tweezers"
Present Position: General Electric Corporate Research and Development, Schenectady, NY

Krishnan Sankaranarayanan, Ph.D. *02 (M.Sc., Delft University of Technology)
Dissertation: "Lattice Boltzmann Simulations of Gas-Liquid Bubbly Flow" [Sundaresan/Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition: "Conducting Polymer Immobilized Biological Fuel Cells"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Fairfax, VA

Anuj Srivastava, Ph.D. *02 (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay)
Dissertation: "Dense Phase Gas-Solid Flows in Circulating Fluidized Beds" [Sundaresan]
Independent Proposition: "Mitigation of CO Poisoning in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells through Electrical Pulsing/Hydrogen Peroxide Addition Method"
Present Position: Hindustan Lever Ltd., Bangalore, India

Bing-Shiou Yang, Ph.D. *02 (B.S. and M.S., National Taiwan University)
Dissertation: "Interaction Between Hydrophobically Modified Polymer and Surfactant Meso-Phases" [Prud'homme/Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Mass Transfer in an Aerated Stirred Tank with a Vertically Asymmetric Concave Blade Impeller"
Present Position: Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, New Brunswick, NJ

2001

Stacey Elliott, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., Carnegie Mellon University)
Dissertation: "The Effects of Soluble Polymer on the Structure and Rheology of Colloidal Dispersions" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Transport of Branched Polymers Through Nanoporous Membranes"
Present Position: DuPont Automotive Products, Marshall Laboratories, Philadelphia, PA

William Esposito, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., Lehigh University)
Dissertation: "Global Optimization in the Estimation, Control, and Synthesis of Chemical Processes" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Modeling of Differential-Delay Systems Using Neural Network Technology"
Present Position: Praxair, Tonawanda, NY

Stephen Harding, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Dissertation: "Analysis and Design of Nonideal Distillation Processes" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "A Mathematical Programming Approach for the Part Nesting Problem"
Present Position: Advanced Process Combinatorics, West Lafayette, IN

Jawahar Krishnan, Ph.D. *01 (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras)
Dissertation: "Patterns and Their Instabilities in Catalytic CO Oxidation" [Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition: "Application of Wavelet-based Reduction Methods to a Model Convection, Dispersion and Reaction in a Packed Bed"
Present Position: Associate Research Scientist, Electrical and Computer Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD

Yueh-Lin Loo, Ph.D. *01 (B.S.E. and B.S.E. Materials Science and Engineering, University of Pennsylvania)
Dissertation: "Controlled Polymer Crystallization Through Block Copolymer Self-Assembly" [Register]
Independent Proposition: "Towards Understanding the Kinetics of Film Formation: Time-resolved MSANS Measurements"
Present Position: Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX

Srividya Ramakrishnan, Ph.D. *01 (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Madras)
Dissertation: "Solvent and Ion Effects on the Molecular Interactions of Kappa-Carrageenan" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Multi-layer Assembly Using Molecular Recognition for Optoelectronic Devices"
Present Position: Unilever Research, Edgewater, NJ

Vera Romagnoli, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "Control of Spray Drop Size by Rheology" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "In Search of a Better Cookie: An Investigation into the Effect of Alternative Natural Sweeteners and Flours on the Mechanism of Cooking Baking"

John Sebastian, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., University of Notre Dame)
Dissertation: "Rheology of Spherical-Phase Block Copolymer Melts and Solutions" [Register/Graessley]
Independent Proposition: "Fabrication of a Photostrictive Device Utilizing Polymeric and Fullerene-based Materials"
Present Position: 3M Corporate Research, St. Paul, MN

Neena Tierney, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., Purdue University)
Dissertation: "Chain and Ion Dynamics in Random Ionomer Melts" [Register]
Independent Proposition: "NMR Techniques to Evaluate the Effects of Chemical Penetration Enhancers Upon Skin Lipid Bilayers: Applications for Transdermal Drug Delivery Systems"
Present Position: Johnson & Johnson Consumer Products, Skillman, NJ

Thomas Truskett, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., University of Texas at Austin)
Dissertation: "Statistical Geometry, Ordering, and Association: Theoretical Investigations of the Liquid and Glassy States" [Debenedetti/Torquato]
Independent Proposition: "A Computational and Theoretical Investigation Concerning Fundamental Aspects of the Depletion Force"
Present Position: Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Texas, Austin, TX

Jane Werling, Ph.D. *01 (B.S., University of Notre Dame)
Dissertation: "Supercritical Antisolvent Methods for Particle Formation: Mass Transfer Theory and Protein Precipitation Experiments" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "Interaction of Antibiotics with Lipid-Protein Monolayers"
Present Position: Baxter Healthcare, Round Lake, IL

2000

Kapil Agrawal, Ph.D. *00 (B.S., University of Rochester)
Dissertation: "The Role of Meso-Scale Structures in Rapid Granular and Gas-Solid Flows" [Sundaresan]
Independent Proposition:  "Pulsatile Flow in Arteries:  The Effect of Blood Rheology"
Present Position:  Barclays Capital, New York, NY

Surita Bhatia, Ph.D. *00 (B.S., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "Structure and Rheology of Associative Triblocks in Microemulsion Solutions" [Russel]
Independent Proposition:  "A 1H and 35Cl NMR Technique for Measuring Lipid-Water Partitioning of Drugs in Vesicle Solutions"
Present Position:  Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA

Tu Lee, Ph.D. *00 (B.S. Chemistry, New York University; B.E. and M.E., The Cooper Union)
Dissertation: "Nanopatterned Barium Titanate on Block Copolymers" [Aksay]
Independent Proposition: "Pharmaceutical Nano-Reactors and Their Products"
Present Position: Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, New Brunswick, NJ

Quynh Pham, Ph.D. *00 (S.B., Massachusetts Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Phase Behavior and Rheology of Telechelic Associative Polymers in Solution and Latex Dispersion" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Recovery of Diblock Copolymers from Membrane Filtration: A Light Scattering Study"
Present Position: Unilever Research, Edgewater, NJ

Alexander Routh, Ph.D. *00 (B.A. and M.Eng., University of Cambridge)
Dissertation: "A Process Model for Latex Film Formation" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "A Study of Freeway Traffic Flow"
Present Position: Lecturer in Chemical Engineering, University of Sheffield, Sheffield, United Kingdom

James Vartuli, Ph.D. *00 (B.S.E. Mechanical Engineering, Yale University)
Dissertation: "Design and Processing of Multi-Layered Flextensional Piezoelectric Actuators" [Aksay/Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Copper Electrode Printing for Microelectronic Applications"
Present Position: General Electric Corporate Research and Development, Schenectady, NY

1999

Evdokia Achilleos, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., Pennsylvania State University)
Dissertation:  "Computational Modeling and Experimental Study of Solvent Transport in Polyelectrolyte Gels" [Kevrekidis/Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition:  "Effect of Flow Parameters on Biofouling of Reverse OsmosisMembrane During Sea-Water Desalination:  In-line Biofilm Monitoring"
PresentPosition:  Hyperion Systems Engineering, Nicosia, Cyprus

Amer Akhras, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., University of Virginia)
Dissertation:  "Vapor Phase Nitration of Aromatic Compounds Over Solid Acid Catalysts" [Sundaresan/Wei]
Independent Proposition:  "Polymer-Filler Redistribution In the Plastic Packaging of Microelectronic Devices"
Present Position:  Praxair, Tonawanda, NY

Rajeev Garg, Ph.D. *99 (B.Tech., Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi)
Dissertation: "Stereolithographic Processing of Ceramics: Photon Diffusion in Colloidal Dispersions" [Aksay/Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Interaction and Diffusion at Metal-Polymer Interface"
Present Position: Abbott Laboratories, North Chicago, IL

Chiajen Lai, Ph.D. *99 (B.S. and M.S., National Taiwan University)
Dissertation: "Block Copolymer Phase Behavior - From Melt To Solution" [Register/Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Fabrication of Liquid Crystal Ordering Arrays on Semiconductor Substrate"
Present Position: Bristol-Myers Squibb Pharmaceutical Research Institute, New Brunswick, NJ

Christopher Roberts, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "A Theoretical and Computational Study of the Thermodynamics, Structure, and Dynamics in Supercooled Hydrogen Bond Network-Forming Liquids" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "A Computational and Theoretical Investigation of Solid and Fluid Structures and Their Coexistence in a Model of Polymerically-Modified Colloidal Systems"
Present Position: Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware, Newark, DE

Carl Schweiger, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., Case Western Reserve University)
Dissertation: "Process Synthesis, Design and Control: Optimization with Dynamic Models and Discrete Decisions" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition: "Robust Process Control for Nonlinear Systems via Internal Model Control"
Present Position: ExxonMobil Research and Engineering, Fairfax, VA

Stanislav Shvartsman, Ph.D. *99 (B.S. Physical Chemistry, Moscow State University; M.S., Technion, Israel Institute of Technology)
Dissertation: "Dynamics and Control of Reaction-Diffusion Systems" [Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition: "Transport Effects in Autocrine Signaling"
Present Position: Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

Mark Sowa, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Dissertation: "Mechanism for the Selective Etch of Silicon Dioxide in a High-Density, Low-Pressure Inductively Coupled Fluorocarbon Plasma" [Cecchi]
Independent Proposition: "Modeling of the Hydrodynamic Lubrication Fluid Layer at the Polishing Pad/Wafer Interface During Copper CMP"
Present Position: Strigidae Technologies, Inc., Cincinnati, OH

Michael Winters, Ph.D. *99 (B.S., University of Virginia)
Dissertation: "An Experimental Investigation of Protein Precipitation in Supercritical Carbon Dioxide" [Debenedetti]
Independent Proposition: "A Model for the Late Folding Intermediate Structure of Cytochrome c from a Noncovalent Peptide Complex"
Present Position: Merck & Company, West Point, PA

1998

Claire Adjiman,Ph.D. *98 (M.Eng., Imperial College)
Dissertation:  "Global Optimization Techniques for Process Systems Engineering" [Floudas]
Independent Proposition:  "Hazard Identification in Chemical Plants: A New Quantitative Approach"
Present Position:  Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom

Jason Anderson, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., University of Oklahoma)
Dissertation:  "Nonlinear Dynamical Systems Analysis: Characterization with Neural Networks and Adaptive Bifurcation Detection" [Kevrekidis]
Independent Proposition:  "Self-Tuning Nonlinear Observers Based on Synchronization"
Present Position Exxon Research and Engineering, Houston, TX

Christopher Burcham, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign)
Dissertation:  "The Electrohydrodynamic Stability of a Leaky Dielectric Liquid Bridge in an Axial Electric Field with Zero Bond Number" [Saville]
Independent Proposition:  "An Experimental Investigation of the Onset of Type I Immiscible Mixing"
Present Position:  Eli Lilly & Co., Indianapolis, IN

David Dean, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University)
Dissertation: "The Influence of Transcrystallinity on Matrix Microstructure and Flexural Properties of Fiber-Reinforced Polypropylene Composites" [Register/Rebenfeld]
Independent Proposition:  "Ultraviolet Absorption Characteristics of Inorganic/Organic Hybrid Coatings"
Present Position:  DuPont Packaging and Industrial Polymers, Wilmington, DE

Michele Gittings, Ph.D. *98 (B.S. Carnegie Mellon University)
Dissertation: "Electrokinetics of Colloidal Particles with Adsorbed Neutral Polymer" [Saville]
Independent Proposition: "A Comparative Study of the Deformation Behavior of Leukemia Cells and Healthy Neutrophils"

Michael Johnson, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., University of Delaware)
Dissertation: "Scintillator Purification and Study of Light Propagation in a Large Scintillation Detector" [Benziger]
Independent Proposition: "Application of Cyclic Adsorption Systems for Removal of Carbon Dioxide and Radon From Air"
Present Position: Praxair, Tonawanda, NY

Glenn Mandigo, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., Worcester Polytechnic Institute)
Dissertation: "Imperfections and Heterogeneities in Polyelectrolyte Gels" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Plasma Assisted Chemical Vapor Deposition of Diamond and Diamond-like Thin Films onto Plasma Etching Tool Surfaces Using an Electron Cyclotron Resonance Reactor"
Present Position: Mathematics Master, The Lawrenceville School, Lawrence, NJ

Omar Matar, Ph.D. *98 (M.Eng., Imperial College)
Dissertation: "The Dynamic Behavior of an Insoluble Surfactant Monolayer Spreading on a Thin Liquid Film" [Troian]
Independent Proposition: "Theoretical Study of a Vertically Vibrated Granular Layer"
Present Position: Lecturer in Chemical Engineering and Chemical Technology, Imperial College, London, United Kingdom

Santipharp Panmai, Ph.D. *98 (B.S., University of California - Berkeley)
Dissertation: "Shear and Elongational Rheology of Solutions of Hydrophobically Modified Polymers with Spherical and Rodlike Surfactant Micelles" [Prud'homme]
Independent Proposition: "Controlled Release of DNA through Complexation with Block Copolymer of Poly(ethylene Glycol) and Polylysine"
Present Position: Merck & Company, West Point, PA

See-Eng Phan, Ph.D. *98 (B.S.E., Cornell University)
Dissertation: "Thermodynamic and Rheological Properties of Hard Sphere Dispersions" [Russel]
Independent Proposition: "Elongation of Red Blood Cells and Application of Optical Tweezers"
Present Position: Applied Materials Corp., San Jose, CA