COLLEGE STATION, Texas, June 3, 2009 – Arul Jayaraman, assistant professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, has been awarded a Faculty Early Career Development (CAREER) Award sponsored by the National Science Foundation (NSF).

As a recipient of the prestigious award, Jayaraman will receive $400,000 throughout the next five years for his research, which is aimed at developing an integrated research and educational program in molecular systems biology (MSB). His project focuses on soluble signal-mediated signaling between bacteria and human cells, termed inter-kingdom (IK) signaling, as the research paradigm for MSB.

Jayaraman, who completed his undergraduate career at the Birla Institute of Technology and Science in India, earned his Ph.D. at the University of California, Irvine in 1998. He was an instructor in bioengineering at Harvard Medical School for four years prior to joining Texas A&M in 2004.

At Texas A&M, Jayaraman’s research focuses on investigating molecular mechanisms underlying inflammatory diseases and bacterial infections using integrated experimental and modeling approaches. His research projects include systems biology of interleukin-6 signaling in liver inflammation; metabolic engineering and proteomics of adipocytes during hypertrophic enlargement; and role of quorum sensing signaling in bacterial communication and infection.

His NSF-funded research has the potential to impact several areas, he says, noting the molecular systems signaling framework to be developed in the project will lead to a fundamental understanding of signals, receptors and recognition mechanisms. This, in turn, will further the advancement of emerging areas such as synthetic biology, Jayaraman says.

In addition, the research is expected to form the basis of novel molecular therapeutic strategies against E. coli and other pathogens, Jayaraman explains. The microfluidic tools and reporter cells to be developed in this work can be applied to other paradigms in biology and medicine where spatio-temporal behavior is important, he notes. Also, the dynamic profiling method utilized in this project will synergistically further efforts in computational systems biotechnology through the development of new models and algorithms for describing biomolecular dynamics and interactions, Jayaraman says.

The CAREER Award was established to support junior faculty within the context of their overall career development, combining in a single program the support of research and education of the highest quality and in the broadest sense. Through this program, the NSF emphasizes the importance on the early development of academic careers dedicated to stimulating the discovery process in which the excitement of research is enhanced by inspired teaching and enthusiastic learning.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, May 29, 2009 – Yue Kuo, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been elected chair of the Electronics and Photonics Division of the Electrochemical Society (ECS).

Kuo succeeds Albert Baca of Sandia National Laboratories and will serve as chair of the division for a two-year period during which time he also will serve as a member of the society’s board of directors.

Kuo’s research is concentrated on nano and microelectronics with special interests in semiconductor materials, processes and devices as well as thin films and plasma technology. In his thin film nano and microelectronics research laboratory, he develops new materials, novel processes and advanced devices with the ultimate goal of creating high-performance, highly reliable, manufacturable devices for current and future applications. He is a Fellow of the ECS and IEEE Electron Devices Society.

Most of the ECS technical activities are conducted through its divisions and special initiative committees. Divisions represent established technical areas through which members may become active in the ongoing work of ECS.

Established in 1931, the Electronics and Photonics Division, which is the largest division within ECS, actively promotes the dissemination of information involving electronic materials and materials processing techniques for the manufacture of useful devices, circuits and systems.

One of the oldest technical societies in the United States, ECS was founded in 1902, bridging the gap between electrical engineering and chemistry. The society’s membership has included many distinguished scientists and engineers, including Thomas A. Edison and H. H. Dow, founder of Dow Chemical Company.

-30-

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, May 8, 2009 – Jerry Bradshaw, senior lecturer in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, has been named this year’s recipient of the Fluor Distinguished Teaching Award.

The award recognizes Bradshaw for his dedication and outstanding contributions to the education and professional development of chemical engineering students at Texas A&M.

“Quality of teaching is very important to us, and we’re very pleased to partner with Fluor to present this teaching award,” said Department Head and Charles D. Holland Professor Michael V. Pishko. “Jerry does a fantastic job in teaching the labs and has done it with a lot of integrity, class and professionalism throughout his time here.

“In addition to his work with the labs, Jerry has been a mentor to a large number of students, working closely with them to build an attitude of professionalism and helping them to find jobs. He has served our department well.”

Prior to joining Texas A&M in 1989, Bradshaw amassed nearly 30 years of domestic and international industry experience in chemical manufacturing, plant startups, business management, safety management, maintenance management, distribution management and plant management.

During his 20 years at Texas A&M, he has been named adviser, teacher or professor of the year on six occasions by the school’s student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and has been awarded college and university level Distinguished Teaching Awards. In addition, he has chaired the Instrumentation Symposium for the Process Industries for the past 10 years.

Fluor Corporation is the spring 2009 sponsor of the department’s plant design competition, a capstone chemical engineering course in which seniors are tasked with conceiving a fully functional chemical processing plant that operates per Flour’s specifications. In conjunction with Fluor’s annual plant design sponsorship, the company also presents a teaching award to an outstanding faculty member within the chemical engineering department.

Employing a global workforce of more than 46,000 people, Fluor is one of the world’s largest, publicly owned engineering, procurement, construction and maintenance services companies. A FORTUNE 500 company that is ranked first in FORTUNE magazine’s “Engineering, Construction” category of America’s largest corporations, Fluor maintains a network of offices in more than 25 countries across six continents.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 28, 2009 – Gilbert Froment, research professor in Texas A&M University’s Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering and the Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center, will present his research Thursday, April 30 at the University of Texas at Austin as part of the Chemical Engineering Graduate Spring Seminar Series.

Froment is scheduled to deliver his presentation, “Kinetic Modeling of the Hydrocarbon Processing and Catalyst Deactivation by Coke Formation,” at 3:30 p.m. in room 2.218 of the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Building.

His talk will detail an approach developed for hydrocarbon processes catalyzed by acidic solids, loaded or not with metals. These processes, Froment says, involve very complex reaction networks, yet the approach expresses the chemistry of the process in terms of the elementary steps of carbocation chemistry and completely eliminates lumping in the generation of the reaction network.

For example, the hydrocracking of vacuum gas oil into gasoline and jet fuel involves a network containing about one million reacting species, he says. Furthermore, the number of elementary steps on the acid sites of the catalyst amounts to 125 million. Nevertheless, the number of independent coefficients using elements of modern quantum chemistry to model the rate coefficients does not exceed 30-40, Froment notes.

This method is presently applied in the modeling of refinery processes. These processes, Froment explains, are plagued by coke formation, which deactivates the catalyst. The kinetics of coke formation are dealt with along the same lines. The approach provides evidence that coke is not an inert substance but may be involved in steps which are sometimes of the same type as those leading to the main products of the process.

Froment’s research focuses on the kinetic modeling of hydrocracking, catalytic cracking, catalytic reforming, hydrodesulfurization, synthesis gas production by steam reforming and catalytic partial oxidation of natural gas, solid acid alkylation, methanol-to-olefins on ZSM5 and SAPO 34, olefins production by steam cracking of hydrocarbon mixtures and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

Froment is a foreign associate of the U.S. Academy of Engineering, a member of the Texas Academy of Medicine, Science and Engineering, the Belgian Academy of Science and the Belgian Academy of Overseas Science. He received his master’s and doctoral degrees from the University of Gent, Belgium.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 21, 2009 – Two faculty members and one staff member from the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University have been recognized by the school’s student chapter of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) for their outstanding service and dedication.

Assistant Professor Carl Laird, Senior Lecturer John Baldwin and Randy Marek, scientific instrument maker, each received awards for their contributions to the education of the students within Texas A&M’s chemical engineering department as part of an AIChE annual event through which students network with members of chemical engineering academia and industry.

Laird was honored as professor of the year, Baldwin was named adviser of the year, and Marek received staff of the year honors. Each of the recipients received a plaque commemorating his honor.

The Texas A&M University student chapter of AIChE is dedicated to providing its members with educational experiences beyond the classroom. Through the society, students have the opportunity to develop a network of contacts in academia and in industry as well as enhance their understanding of the applications of a chemical engineering degree. By participating in AIChE events and projects, students further develop their leadership and teamwork skills.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 21, 2009 – M. Sam Mannan, director of Texas A&M University’s Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center, will speak about mitigating the risks caused by potential spills of liquefied natural gas as part of a keynote presentation at the annual spring meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE).

Mannan, who is holder of the T. Michael O’Connor Chair I in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, is scheduled to deliver his presentation Wednesday, April 29 in Tampa at the event’s Gas Utilization Luncheon at the Tampa Convention Center.

The increasing demand for natural gas has significantly increased the possibilities of LNG imports in the United States and the construction of new LNG terminals, Mannan said. Because of its highly flammable nature, LNG poses the hazard of flammable vapor cloud formation from a release, which may result in a massive fire, he noted.

“This potential risk posed by LNG has created controversy over facility siting involving the LNG industries, local and federal government regulatory bodies, and the public adjacent to the proposed facilities,” Mannan said.

“Understanding of LNG vapor dispersion phenomena and LNG fire characteristics for the development of effective safety measures to prevent and mitigate an accidental release of LNG are critical,” he added.

Mannan, a professional engineer and certified safety professional, is an internationally recognized expert on process safety and risk assessment. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Safety Engineers, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration and National Fire Protection Association.

In addition to his many professional honors and achievements, Mannan has served as a consultant to numerous entities in both the academic and private sectors, including the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

He also has testified before the U.S. Congress on multiple occasions, lending his expertise on matters of national security as it relates to chemical safety and infrastructure. Mannan is a co-author of “Guidelines for Safe Process Operations and Maintenance.”

More information on Mannan’s research into LNG-related fires can be accessed at http://psc.tamu.edu/links/lng-white-paper-on-pool-fire-modeling.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 16, 2009 – M. Sam Mannan, director of Texas A&M University’s Mary Kay O’Connor Process Safety Center, will discuss emerging trends in process safety management as part of the keynote address at the national meeting of the Auditing Roundtable, talking place April 21-23 in San Antonio.

Mannan, regents professor and holder of the T. Michael O’Connor Chair I in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, is scheduled to deliver his presentation at 12 p.m., Tuesday, April 21 at the Hyatt Regency San Antonio.

The Auditing Roundtable is a professional organization dedicated to the development and professional practice of environmental, health and safety (EHS) auditing. This year’s theme, Doing More with Less,” is intended to showcase the ways companies can improve EHS performance through enhanced auditing, which conference organizers say has become essential in an environment of transparency and accountability.

The conference is expected to focus on new regulations, standards and interpretations related to environmental health and safety while detailing opportunities for better program design, use of resources and using information technology more effectively.

Mannan, a professional engineer and certified safety professional, is an internationally recognized expert on process safety and risk assessment. He is a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, American Society of Safety Engineers, International Institute of Ammonia Refrigeration and National Fire Protection Association.

In addition to his many professional honors and achievements, Mannan has served as a consultant to numerous entities in both the academic and private sectors, including the Columbia Accident Investigation Board.

He also has testified before the U.S. Congress on multiple occasions, lending his expertise on matters of national security as it relates to chemical safety and infrastructure. Mannan is a co-author of “Guidelines for Safe Process Operations and Maintenance.”

For more information on the Auditing Roundtable, visit www.auditing-roundtable.org.

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 9, 2009 – Kenneth R. Hall, associate dean of engineering and deputy director of the Texas Engineering Experiment Station (TEES), was one of three individuals honored with an Innovation Award by The Texas A&M University System on Thursday, April 9.

Hall was presented the award during the 2009 Patent and Innovation Awards hosted by the A&M System’s Office of Technology Commercialization (OTC) at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center in the George Bush Presidential Library complex.

Additionally, eight individuals from the Dwight Look College of Engineering and TEES were recognized for being granted patent protection from the United States Patent & Trademark Office in 2008.

The Innovation Awards were presented to scientists and inventors whose research exemplifies the spirit of innovation within the A&M System.

Hall is an inventor or co-inventor in 12 patents including four that supports the gas-to-liquids process that is licensed to Synfuels, Inc. His research interests include thermophysical fluid properties, obstruction flowmeters and gas-to-liquid processing.

The OTC describes Hall as a strong and effective leader in working across the engineering departments and centers and with other system members to identify, propose and support commercialization efforts.

As well as being an active researcher, Hall is a professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering where he holds the Jack E. and Francis Brown Chair. He also served as the head of the department for four years.

The other two Innovation Awards went to the Texas Transportation Institute Roadside Safety Division Inventors and Darwin Prockop of Texas A&M’s Health Science Center.

Those receiving patent awards include: Mark Holtzapple (chemical engineering); Gary Noyes (professor emeritus in mechanical engineering); Edward Dougherty (electrical and computer engineering); David Claridge (director, Energy Systems Laboratory); William Turner (past director, Energy Systems Laboratory); Randall Tucker (TEES researcher and lecturer, mechanical engineering); Alan Palazzolo (mechanical engineering); and John Criscione (biomedical engineering).

Story by Tim Schnettler, Engineering Communications

COLLEGE STATION, Texas, April 2, 2009 – Mariah Hahn, assistant professor of chemical engineering in Texas A&M University’s Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering, has received the 2009 American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) Gulf Southwest Section Outstanding Young Faculty Award.

The award was established to encourage and recognize young faculty participation in ASEE or engineering education activities and events.

Recognition as an outstanding young faculty member is based in part on contributions in a number of areas, including laboratory and curriculum development; authorship of instructional materials; publication and presentations at professional meetings that enhance engineering education; contributions and participation in ASEE events or educational activities at other professional societies; scholarly activities related to engineering or engineering technology; and advising and service to graduate and undergraduate students.

Hahn’s research focuses on understanding cell-cell and cell-material interactions at a more fundamental level to rationally guide tissue regeneration. Areas of her current research emphasis include controlling material mechanical and chemical properties at the microscale, vascular tissue engineering and vocal fold regeneration.

Hahn earned her doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2004. Prior to that, she received her master’s degree in electrical engineering from Stanford University in 2001 and attended the University of Texas at Austin as an undergraduate where she received her bachelor’s in chemical engineering in 1998.

Earlier this academic year, Hahn was named a Texas Engineering Experiment Station Select Young Faculty member.

COLLEGE STATION, March 30, 2009 – Mahmoud El-Halwagi, professor in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University, recently presented research on advanced optimization-based techniques for the simultaneous process and product design at the University of Oklahoma.

El-Halwagi, an internationally known authority on process integration, led a graduate seminar for the university’s Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering.

As part of his presentation, El-Halwagi presented a systematic approach to the synthesis and selection of products and their manufacturing processes. This approach, he said, is particularly attractive in the cases of emerging industries such as integrated biorefineries and therapeutics manufacturing. The key concept, he explained, is that the various reactants, material utilities and products are best designed in conjunction with the design of the process itself.

El-Halwagi is holder of the McFerrin Professorship at Texas A&M, where he teaches senior-level undergraduate and graduate classes, covering the areas of process design, simulation, economics, integration and optimization. He has written two widely used texts on process integration, and earlier this academic year he was named a recipient of the Lockheed Martin Excellence in Engineering Teaching Award as well as the first-ever Teaching Excellence Award, part of a voluntary, student-selected honors program launched last fall by The Texas A&M University System.