November 2013 - Che-student-staff-list

ChE Director of Graduate Studies
by Varma, Arvind 28 May '14

28 May '14

Dear Colleagues, After serving since January, 2009 as our School's Director of Graduate Studies (DGS), Prof. Litster recently requested relief from this service, to devote more time to his teaching and research. Reluctantly, I accepted his request. On behalf of our School's faculty, staff and graduate students, I express deep gratitude to Jim for his outstanding service in this role. Simultaneously, I am pleased to inform that, effective July 1, Prof. Mike Harris has accepted to become our School's DGS. In this capacity, he will advise the graduate students and oversee the operations of the graduate office. I am grateful that Mike has accepted this position of leadership and service. Sincerely, Arvind Varma R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering Purdue University

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Cristina Farmus
by Varma, Arvind 10 Feb '14

10 Feb '14

Dear Colleagues, With very mixed emotions, I am writing to inform that Cristina Farmus has accepted a position as Senior Policy Associate with the Office of Global Affairs. Her start date is November 14 - she'll be there most of November 14 and 15, but work half-time in ChE and OGA for the following two weeks, until November 27. Cristina joined our School in July 2004 as the Business Manager and served admirably in this role for four years. Since September 2008, she has served as the first Administrative Director for our School. This was a new position created to address a wide range of administrative needs in ChE. In this capacity, she has overseen essentially all non-academic aspects related to operating our School: finances, facilities, staff, computer network, corporate relations, marketing, and strategic plan implementation. She has defined the Administrative Director position and has performed in an exemplary manner in all her activities. In addition to her regular duties, Cristina undertook many other tasks. She was a member of the Centennial Planning Committee and helped to organize all the School Centennial activities in 2011. Among many tasks, she worked with co-authors Phil Wankat and Nicholas Peppas to issue a new edition of our School's history book, titled "100 Years of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, 1911-2011." During this process, a new book project emerged, and thus a coffee table style book was published "A Pictorial History of the School of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, 1911-2011" for which Cristina is a co-author along with Phil Wankat. Cristina was a member of ChE Strategic Planning Committee in 2009, whose charge was to define the 2010-2014 ChE Strategic Plan and assess its progress - she has led the latter process since its inception. She is also a member of the ChE Industrial Advisory Council (IAC), handles all communications related to the IAC and coordinates all the School's corporate relations. For her extraordinary work, she received the CoE New Employee Excellence Award in 2005. In addition, she received the 2012 CoE Leadership Award for staff members. Cristina has performed at a superb level in all her activities. She has been absolutely central for our School's operation for many years but is now interested in broadening her background, which is understandable. She has worked closely with me and helped me tremendously to do my own job. I know that I speak for all of us that her professionalism and positive attitude in all her activities will be sorely missed by all. Pl join me in wishing Cristina the very best for the future. Arvind Arvind Varma R. Games Slayter Distinguished Professor Jay and Cynthia Ihlenfeld Head of Chemical Engineering Purdue University

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Graduate Seminar Announcement - Prof Floudas 12/3
by Ewing, Virginia G 02 Dec '13

02 Dec '13

Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering Graduate seminar series Prof. Christodoulos A. Floudas Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering Princeton University "Discovery and Computational Characterization of Novel Materials for Shape Selective Separations: Theoretical Advances and Applications" Tuesday, December 3, 2013 9:00-10:15 a.m. FRNY G140 Reception at 8:30 a.m. in Henson Atrium Abstract: In silico discovery of novel materials such as zeolites and metal organic frameworks, MOFs, offers great promise towards the development of energy and cost efficient separation processes for a plethora of important applications that include carbon dioxide capture, natural gas purification, air separation, propane/propylene, ethane/ethylene, and xylenes separations. In this seminar, we will focus on recent theoretical and computational advances towards the prediction and characterization of zeolites and metal organic frameworks for shape selective separations and catalysis. Part 1 will introduce a geometric and optimization-based framework for the two-dimensional characterization, analysis, and screening of zeolites. Part 2 will address the three-dimensional computational characterization and shape selectivity of zeolites and MOFs. Part 3 will present a new framework for the selection of novel materials for application to carbon dioxide capture through pressure swing adsorption, PSA, and vacuum swing adsorption, VSA, technologies. Part 4 will present computational findings for the discovery of novel materials for natural gas purification from carbon dioxide lean and rich mixtures. Bio: Dr. Floudas is the Stephen C. Macaleer '63 Professor in Engineering and Applied Science, Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Princeton University. His research interests lie at the interface of chemical engineering, applied mathematics, and operations research, with principal areas of focus including chemical process synthesis and design, process control and operations, discrete-continuous nonlinear optimization, local and global optimization, and computational chemistry and molecular biology. Professor Floudas is the author of two graduate textbooks, Nonlinear Mixed-Integer Optimization (Oxford University Press, 1995), and Deterministic Global Optimization (Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2000). He has co-edited ten monographs/books, has over 289 refereed publications, and is the chief co-editor of the Encyclopedia of Optimization (2nd edition, Springer, 2008). He is the recipient of numerous awards and honors for teaching and research that include the NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, 1988; the Bodossaki Foundation Award in Applied Sciences, 1997; the Best Paper Award in Computers and Chemical Engineering, 1998; the Aspen Tech Excellence in Teaching Award, 1999; the 2001 AIChE Professional Progress Award for Outstanding Progress in Chemical Engineering; the 2006 AIChE Computing in Chemical Engineering Award; the 2007 Graduate Mentoring Award, Princeton University; Member of National Academy of Engineering, 2011; One thousand Global Experts, China 2012-2015; SIAM Fellow, 2013; TIAS Fellow and Eminent Scholar, 2013-14; AIChE Fellow, 2013; and National Award and HELORS Gold Medal, 2013.

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AIChE Food Drive
by Hendryx, Sandra K 26 Nov '13

26 Nov '13

AIChE is hosting a food drive in the last two weeks of school! There will be boxes around Forney from Monday, December 2 through Thursday, December 12 to collect your food donations. All of the items will go to Food Finders in Lafayette. All nonperishable food is gratefully accepted, such as canned goods, pasta, and cereal. Thank you, Kevin Bock AIChE Philanthropy Head

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Notes about Registration (including clarification on when to sign up for CHE 699 Research vs. CHE 698 Research)
by Field, Catherine A 25 Nov '13

25 Nov '13

Hello ChE Grad Students, Advising Faculty, and Support Staff: I am writing to follow up on my e-mail to the grad students back in October about spring registration. Spring registration is now open and will close on January 15th. There are several important things graduate students (and their advising faculty and support staff) need to know when grad students are registering for spring classes. TO THE GRAD STUDENTS (See special notes to those of you intending to graduate and those of you in your second year and beyond): 1. Please use Form23A attached to this e-mail to list your classes. It is also available in hard copy in my office and in the magazine rack outside of the Undergrad Office (FRNY 1057). 2. Please consult with your thesis advisor about your spring schedule and then list all classes (including ChE 690 Seminar), your research hours on this form, and your weekly meeting (if your advisor holds weekly meetings) on Form23A. Be sure to include all CRNs on the form. 3. Please sign this form and have your advisor sign the form, and then return it to me (slide under my office door if office is closed). I will register you for your research hours and for your weekly meeting and graduation candidate status (if applicable-for more information, please see below). You will register yourself for everything else, including Seminar. 4. ATTENTION SECOND YEARS AND BEYOND: If you have taken your Qualifier, you should sign up for CHE 699 Research (NOT CHE 698) from this point forward. 5. ATTENTION THOSE OF YOU INTENDING TO GRADUATE WITH YOUR PH.D. OR PICK UP YOUR MASTER'S IN THE SPRING: a. Consult the Graduate School deadlines calendar to be sure you will meet all their deadlines to get your degree in May. http://www.gradschool.purdue.edu/calendar/calendar.cfm?type=Deadlines b. NOTE: YOU MUST HAVE FILED YOUR PLAN OF STUDY BEFORE THE SEMESTER IN WHICH YOU INTEND TO GRADUATE. THIS ALSO INCLUDES THOSE OF YOU WHO INTEND TO PICK UP A MASTER'S DEGREE. If you plan to get a Master's degree, you must file a Master's plan of study (separate from the Ph.D. plan of study) the semester before you intend to pick up your Master's. In this case, you must have filed your Master's or Ph.D. plan of study by January 12th. c. Check with your advisor to see which candidate status you need to be registered for. There are three options, and you will put one of these on your Form23A, and when you return that form to me with your advisor's signature, I will sign you up as a candidate for graduation using one of these three codes. You may choose to do the following: 1. Register as CAND 991 (Candidate) and sign up for your designated number of research hours (whatever you and your advisor determine is correct for your next semester) OR 2. Register as CAND 992 (Degree Only). You use this designation if you defend and deposit by the end of this fall semester (but you missed the graduation deadlines for the fall) OR 3. Register as CAND 993 (Exam Only). You use this designation if you have completed all graduation requirements and if you can defend and deposit by March 7th. You register for Exam Only if you can defend and deposit by March 7th. d. ATTENTION INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS INTENDING TO GRADUATE: If you register with a reduced course load the semester you intend to graduate, you must fill out a special form stating you are registering for a reduced load and turn it into the Office of International Students and Scholars. This form is available in my office and in the Office of International Students and Scholars. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns, and thank you. Best, Katie Catherine Field, Ph.D. Graduate Program Administrator/Counselor School of Chemical Engineering Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, Room 1051 480 Stadium Mall Drive West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2100 Phone: 765-494-4057 Fax: 765-494-0805 Email: field2(a)purdue.edu<mailto:field2@purdue.edu> Website: www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE<http://www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE>

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Graduate Seminar Announcement - Prof Cheng 12/5
by Ewing, Virginia G 25 Nov '13

25 Nov '13

Purdue University School of Chemical Engineering Graduate seminar series Prof. Stephen Z.D. Cheng College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering University of Akron-Ohio "Giant Molecules Based on 'Nano-Atoms': A New Platform for Engineering Structures at Nanometer Feature Sizes" Thursday, December 5, 2013 9:00-10:15 a.m. FRNY G140 Reception at 8:30 a.m. in Henson Atrium Abstract: To create new materials with multiple functionalities for advanced technologies, control over their hierarchical structures and orders is vital for obtaining the desired properties. Our research focuses on a new route to build up materials via giant molecules based on "nano-atoms". We utilize molecular nano-particles (MNPs) to be the basic unit for "nano-atoms" which are compact and rigid, possess precisely-defined symmetry and surface functionalities. These NMPs may be polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxane (POSS), [60]fullerene (C60), polyoxymatalates, and globular proteins. With the help of those accurately-defined surface functionalities to generate collective physical bonds to construct giant molecules which are precisely defined macromolecules. Giant moelcules include shape amphiphiles, giant polyhedra and giant surfactants etc. While these particles share some common features, they are intrinsically different in many ways, such as the overall shape, physical properties, and chemical composition. By diverse periphery functionalization, they serve as versatile "nano-atoms" for the construction of giant molecules with controlled hierarchical structures in multi-dimensions across different length scales. A large variety of thermodynamically stable and metastable hierarchal structures is observed in the bulk, thin-film, and solution states of these "giant molecules". All the results demonstrate that MNPs are unique elements for macromolecular science, providing a versatile platform for engineering nanostructures that are not only scientifically intriguing, but also technologically relevant. Bio: Stephen Z. D. Cheng received his Ph.D. degree at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute at Troy, New York in 1985. His research interests are in the area of chemistry, physics and engineering of polymers and advanced functional materials including crystal structure, crystal morphology, transition thermodynamics, kinetics, molecular motions, liquid crystals, liquid crystalline polymers, hybrid materials and phase transitions of these materials with different shapes, chemical and physical architectures and interactions, as well as in nanoconfined environments. He is also in the developing researches in high performance polymers, conducting polymers, photovoltaics, and polymer photonics. He currently holds the Robert C. Musson and Trustees Professor and Dean, College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering at The University of Akron. More than 73 Ph.D. students and 23 M.S. students have been graduated from his research group. He has published 440 articles and one book titled "Phase Transitions in Polymers: The Role of Metastable States" in 2008, and given over 650 invited talks and lectures. He has served as a senior editor of Polymer, and members of editorial and advisory boards of more than ten scientific journals. In 1991, he received The Presidential Young Investigator Award from the National Science Foundation. He was also the recipient of the American Physical Society John H. Dillon Medal (1995), the North American Thermal Analysis Society Mettler-Toledo Award (1999), the Education Ministry of China Cheung-Kong Scholar (1999), the TA-Instrument Award of International Confederation for Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry (2004), the Cooperative Research Award of Division of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering of ACS (2005), the Polymer Physics Prize of American Physical Society (2013), and was elected to be a Fellow of the American Physical Society in 1994, a Fellow of American Association for the Advancement of Science (2006), an Honorary Fellow of Chinese Chemical Society (2011), a Fellow of Division of Polymer Materials Science and Engineering of American Chemical Society(2012). In 2008, he was selected to be a member of the National Academic of Engineering of the USA.

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Faculty Lectureship Award Nominations due to the Grad Office by Dec. 13th
by Field, Catherine A 25 Nov '13

25 Nov '13

Hello Everyone: A quick note to say that the Faculty Lectureship Award Nominations are due to the Grad Office (field2(a)purdue.edu<mailto:field2@purdue.edu>) by Friday, December 13th. The Faculty Lectureship Award is meant to reward scholarly research and publication by a Purdue Chemical Engineering graduate student. The winner of the award will be given a certificate, a $500 monetary award, and will be invited to give a 30 minute lecture to the faculty and graduate student body on their research. The winner will be selected by the Graduate Committee based on a broad evaluation of their scholarship and potential. At most one award per year will be made, but the Graduate Committee may elect not to grant an award if no truly outstanding candidates are identified. A graduate student may be nominated by any Purdue ChE faculty member. Requirements for the nomination are: (1) A nomination citation, which is not to exceed 1 page. The nominee may help develop and write the citation, but it must be approved, signed, and endorsed by the nominating faculty member. (2) The student's CV, which is not to exceed 2 pages. (3) A copy of one first-authored published (or accepted) manuscript that is to be representative of their scholarly ability. For this year's award, nominations are due to the graduate program administrator by email, no later than close of business Friday, December 13, 2013. The Graduate Committee will announce the winner early in the spring semester. Best, Katie Catherine Field, Ph.D. Graduate Program Administrator/Counselor School of Chemical Engineering Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, Room 1051 480 Stadium Mall Drive West Lafayette, Indiana 47907-2100 Phone: 765-494-4057 Fax: 765-494-0805 Email: field2(a)purdue.edu<mailto:field2@purdue.edu> Website: www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE<http://www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE>

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Katie Smith's Dissertation Defense is Tomorrow, Friday, November 22nd, at 3:00 p.m. in FRNY G060A
by Field, Catherine A 21 Nov '13

21 Nov '13

This e-mail is to announce that Katie Smith will be defending her dissertation, Particle Adhesion in Nano-structured Microelectronics Systems, on Friday, November 22nd, at 3:00 p.m. in FRNY G060A. The dissertation is being directed by Dr. Steve Beaudoin, and the abstract is attached. All are welcome to attend. Catherine Field, Ph.D. Graduate Program Administrator/Counselor School of Chemical Engineering Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, Room 1051 480 Stadium Mall Drive West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050 Telephone: 765-494-4057 Fax: 765-494-0805 www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/

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Sang Ha Son's Dissertation Defense Tomorrow, Friday, November 22, in FRNY 3062A at 10 a.m.
by Field, Catherine A 21 Nov '13

21 Nov '13

This e-mail is to announce that Sang Ha Son will be defending his dissertation, Development of Quantitative FT-IR methods for Analyzing the Cure Kinetics of Epoxy Resins, on Friday, November 22nd, at 10 a.m. in FRNY 3062A. The dissertation is being directed by Dr. Jim Caruthers, and the abstract is attached. All are welcome to attend. Catherine Field, Ph.D. Graduate Program Administrator/Counselor School of Chemical Engineering Forney Hall of Chemical Engineering, Room 1051 480 Stadium Mall Drive West Lafayette, IN 47907-2050 Telephone: 765-494-4057 Fax: 765-494-0805 www.engineering.purdue.edu/ChE/

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AIChE Panda Express Skip-A-Meal
by Hendryx, Sandra K 20 Nov '13

20 Nov '13

AIChE is hosting a skip-a-meal at Panda Express this Sunday, November 24th from 5 PM to 8 PM. If you bring a flyer with you to the Panda Express on Chauncey (next to the West Lafayette Public Library), 20% of your purchase will go to the American Cancer Society! Flyers will be passed out in some classes today, and there should be extras in the undergraduate office. Alternatively, you can print out the attached flyer. Be sure to bring all of your friends (whether they're chemical engineers or not), and thanks for helping us fight cancer together!

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