Chemical Engineering News

Cassandra Porter

#GINNing Podcast: Pirouettes to Polymers - 3/15/24 8:00 AM

Cassandra Porter. Cassie Porter. Cass Porter. She goes by many names. And she has even more pursuits. She's a former professional ballerina. A current fossil hunter. And a day-jobbing assistant professor of chemical engineering. Curious? Well then join us as we pass through the walls of mystery surrounding this membrane manipulating maestro. 

Jada Neal is among the university's 13 inaugural Matthews Scholars Program fellows, and the only fellow representing Auburn Engineering.

Senior in bioprocess engineering is college's only Matthews fellow - 3/4/24 10:00 AM

Jada Neal, an Auburn University Undergraduate Research fellow, is using biopolymers to find skin care solutions.

Auburn AIChE officers, from left to right, Sam Sessions, Tyler Lunsford, Della Kelly, Minjae Jung, McKinley Reese, Jessica Brouillette, Tyra Babbs, Jerin Thomas, Benjamin Gunasekaran, Harrison Edwards and Ishan Patel.

Auburn to host AIChE Southern Regional Conference March 15-16 - 2/19/24 9:00 AM

The 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Student Southern Regional Conference brings together like-minded undergraduate students to learn from one another, put their skills to the test, and develop new ones.

Xinyu Zhang said project is designed to create a paradigm shift in opioid crisis management, offering tangible solutions that can reduce opioid misuse, enhance public safety, and inform effective policymaking.

Professor in chemical engineering developing portable opioid biosensors - 2/13/24 11:10 AM

Xinyu Zhang and a team of researchers are developing innovative, cost-effective and portable opioid biosensors capable of providing immediate and accurate opioid detection and monitoring.

Jingyi (Ginny) Zheng, Shuai Shao, Lauren Beckingham, Maria Auad and Nima Shamsaei

NSF award to significantly boost Auburn metal AM qualification research - 1/24/24 2:25 PM

A successful Major Research Instrumentation (MRI) proposal funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) will soon significantly boost researchers at Auburn University's National Center for Additive Manufacturing Excellence (NCAME) in model-assisted qualification for additive manufacturing (AM) by establishing microstructure-property relationships in AM metallic materials.

Entrants must record a video presentation using animation, simulation, diagrams, pictures, or even demonstrations explaining an overview of their respective study, but at a level where general audiences can understand. Each video must not exceed 60 seconds.

Registration under way for AUSome Science in 60 Seconds - 1/19/24 2:30 PM

Last spring’s AUsome Science in 60 Seconds research pitch competition was so successful, Auburn Engineering is hosting it again.

Elizabeth Lipke, left, the Mary and John H. Sanders Professor in chemical engineering, and Yuan Tian, a post-doctoral researcher in chemical engineering, won first place at this past August's Alabama Launchpad Cycle 2 concept stage finals.

Chemical engineering start-up nominated for prestigious Ignite Award - 1/16/24 12:20 PM

VivoSphere, a biomedical engineering start-up founded by chemical engineering researchers Elizabeth Lipke and Yuan Tian, has been selected as one of the most promising new ventures in the bio-diagnostics industry.

Bruce Tatarchuk, professor of chemical engineering and CEO/co-founder of IntraMicron, explains the importance that battery cooling has on pulse-powered systems.

Professor demonstrates high-power battery for next-generation defense - 12/12/23 3:15 PM

A revolutionary means to safely meet the extreme demands of pulse-power electrical systems was demonstrated on Dec. 7.

Camylle Lollar

#GINNing Podcast: Stand up and holler for Lollar - 12/8/23 12:00 PM

A chemical engineering honors student with an appetite for undergraduate research? You can bet your bottom dollar you'll be hearing about Camylle Lollar. 

Auburn Chem-E car team members competing in Orlando were, from left, Emma Kim (stopping team), Jeffrey Rice (faculty advisor), Katie Wolfe (design team), David Swafford (design team lead), Minjae Jung (stopping team lead), Jerin Thomas (safety lead), Ishan Patel (captain), Logan Phillips (power team lead), Greydon Franck (stopping team), Drew Arnold (power team), Saim Siddiqui (design team).

Chemical engineering student team wins international Chem-E car crown - 12/7/23 8:00 AM

Auburn’s 25-student Chem-E Car Team built an automated lead-acid battery-powered car, capable of stopping within a meter of its desired target.

Symone Alexander records high-speed video data of the slingshot spider extending and releasing its web at the Tambopata Research Center in the Peruvian Amazon rainforest.

Assistant professor earns grant to study tiny spider's exoskeleton - 11/30/23 8:45 AM

Symone Alexander earns NSF grant to further examine "ultrafast gripping and release mechanisms in slingshot spider legs."

William Nist had the opportunity to gain experience in various areas of paper machine, pulp mill and utilities operations.

Senior in chemical engineering named Vandegrift Co-op Student of the Year - 11/15/23 10:00 AM

Will Nist enjoyed his co-op rotations at Packaging Corporation of America's manufacturing facility in Valdosta, Georgia.

CPAC offers an array of research opportunities. Here, a self-folding polystyrene shape-memory polymer is placed beneath thermal energy from an infrared radiation lamp.

CPAC a melting pot for collaborative, multi-disciplinary research - 11/13/23 8:25 AM

Launched in 2015, CPAC offers researchers campus-wide 5,000-square feet of space in Gavin Laboratory, a plethora of equipment, and expertise.

Senior Anya McDaniel, left, is working toward a chemical engineering degree with specialization in biomedical engineering, while Collins Keith graduated in May with a chemical engineering degree with specialization in biomedical engineering.

Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society awards have chemical engineering flavor - 11/6/23 7:20 AM

Anya McDaniel, now a senior, named Outstanding Undergraduate Student, while Collins Keith, who graduated in the spring, was named Outstanding Senior Scholar.

Chemical engineering graduate students Felix Mendoza, left, and Jacob Faulkner discuss upcoming research strategies with Center for Microfibrous Materials Manufacturing Director Bruce Tatarchuk.

Center for Microfibrous Materials Manufacturing creates innovative impact - 10/27/23 3:40 PM

Founded in 1996, the center continues to be a hub for innovation that impacts multiple industries.

Ryan Pollard won first place for oral presentation, honorable mention for poster presentation and Best in Show overall.

Student in mechanical engineering wins Best in Show at research showcase - 10/16/23 9:40 AM

Ryan Pollard, a first-year graduate student, earned 'Best in Show' honors for his oral and poster presentation, "A Kinematics-Based Approach to Future Joint Angle Prediction."

Abhinav Sannidhi is Nanoxort's research and development manager and the principal investigator on the Small Business Innovation Research Phase II grant-winning project, “Novel size-changing, gadolinium-free contrast agent for magnetic resonance angiography.”

Startup with chemical engineering roots awarded $1 million NSF grant - 10/10/23 10:00 AM

Nanoxort, LLC, a biomedical startup, offers an MRI contrast agent that's safer and more reliable than traditional gadolinium

The Samuel Ginn College of Engineering's newly launched pilot program aims to help students take their engineering career to the Next Level.

Next Level program aims to develop career skills in students - 9/28/23 10:00 AM

The College of Engineering's newly launched pilot program, titled Next Level, aims to enhance career preparedness and to improve first destination satisfaction by focusing on formative career development in the classroom.

Emmanuel Winful, right, is the college's health and safety manager.

Auburn Engineering named Green Cross Award semifinalist - 9/25/23 8:20 AM

College recognized for advocating transformational research that doesn't push the boundaries of safety.

The 11th annual Graduate Engineering Research Showcase offers $8,250 in prizes.

Almost 200 registered for annual Graduate Engineering Research Showcase - 9/21/23 8:00 AM

Students will exchange ideas, hypotheses and fresh concepts between one another and faculty judges on Thursday, October 12.

The 2023 Auburn Alumni Engineering Council award winners included Distinguished Auburn Engineer Ed Yeilding, ’72 electrical engineering; Distinguished Auburn Engineer Pam Boyd, ’92 electrical engineering; Distinguished Auburn Engineer Richard Kretzschmar, ’90 and ’96 aerospace engineering; Outstanding Young Auburn Engineer Rodmesia Clarke, ’08 chemical engineering; Distinguished Auburn Engineer Metrick Houser, ’93 chemical engineering; Distinguished Auburn Engineer Mike Ogles, ’89 mechanical engineering, represented by his son Will Ogles; Outstanding Young Auburn Engineer Brandon Young, ’10 electrical engineering; Outstanding Young Auburn Engineer Christa Musgrove, ’07 mechanical engineering; and Superior Service Steve Duke, chemical engineering associate professor and the college’s former associate dean for academics.

Auburn Alumni Engineering Council honors 9 with college’s highest awards - 9/18/23 1:30 PM

Eight outstanding engineering alumni and one longtime faculty member of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering were honored by the Auburn Alumni Engineering Council during a ceremony Friday, Sept. 15, for their distinguished professional careers.

Auburn Engineering's undergraduate programs rank No. 3 among public institutions in the Southeastern Conference and No. 1 in the state.

Auburn Engineering undergraduate programs receive No. 30 public ranking - 9/18/23 12:00 PM

Auburn Engineering's undergraduate programs climbed three spots in the latest U.S. News & World Report rankings.

Matthew Garnett

#GINNing Podcast: Clocks and Chemicals - 9/15/23 10:00 AM

When it comes to dialysis, chemical engineering doctoral student and Jordan-Hare Stadium play clock operator Matt Garnett definitely wants to delay the game.

Auburn Engineering professors Fa Foster Dai, J. David Irwin and Bruce Tatarchuk have been recognized as NAI fellows, while professor Jin Wang is an NAI senior member.

AU ranked by National Academy of Inventors among Top 100 U.S. universities granted utility patents - 9/14/23 7:00 AM

Auburn innovators earned 12 new patents in 2022

Fundamental and applied research in line with the pulp and paper industry’s research agenda are vital missions of the Center.

Center for Paper and Bioresource Engineering builds students into leaders - 9/13/23 4:15 PM

Within this program, students learn biosystems engineering, chemical engineering, electrical engineering, environmental engineering, process control and optimization, material engineering, mechanical engineering and more.

Elizabeth Lipke, left, the Mary and John H. Sanders Professor in chemical engineering, and Yuan Tian, a post-doctoral researcher in chemical engineering.

Chemical engineering researchers win $25,000 at Alabama Launchpad - 8/25/23 12:25 PM

Elizabeth Lipke, professor in chemical engineering, and Yuan Tian, a post-doctoral researcher, won $25,000 for their co-founded biomedical company VivoSphere

What can we learn from the movie iRobot, where human-like machines performed tasks and became a threat?

Artificial intelligence-themed film festival kicks off Tuesday, August 29 - 8/22/23 3:00 PM

Viewers will have the opportunity to view five movies, then learn from an Auburn University professor about what they witnessed and how it can be applied today… and tomorrow.

From left, Zhihua Jiang, the Auburn Pulp and Paper Associate Professor in chemical engineering, Symone Alexander, assistant professor in chemical engineering, and Selen Cremaschi, the B. Redd & Susan W. Redd Professor and chemical engineering chair.

Researchers in chemical engineering part of $4 million NSF grant - 8/18/23 2:50 PM

Symone Alexander, Selen Cremaschi and Zhihua Jiang are part of a four-year, $4 million multi-disciplinary collaborative study with researchers from the University of Southern Mississippi.

Michael Howard said, "The reason I became an engineer is because I like to solve problems."

Assistant professor in chemical engineering earns $430k NSF grant - 8/18/23 6:00 AM

Michael Howard is developing computer models to help scientists understand and design soft materials, from industrial fluids and consumer products to nanoparticles delivered to complex environments like the body.

Chemical engineering professors Jin Wang, left, and Peter He.

Chemical engineering professors collaborate on USDA, NSF-funded projects - 8/17/23 10:00 AM

Jin Wang and Peter He co-authored a pair of USDA and NSF studies that explore means to convert bio-gas into animal feed – creating a sustainable circular aquaculture industry – and remove methane from the atmosphere.

From left, Zhihua Jiang, the Auburn Pulp and Paper Associate Professor in chemical engineering, and Selen Cremaschi, the B. Redd & Susan W. Redd Professor and chemical engineering chair.

Researchers part of project to reduce paper mill carbon dioxide emissions - 7/20/23 12:45 PM

Selen Cremaschi, the B. Redd & Susan W. Redd Professor and chair of Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering, and Zhihua Jiang, the Auburn Pulp and Paper Associate Professor in chemical engineering, are co-principal investigators of the study funded by the U.S. Department of Energy.

Selen Cremaschi

#GINNing Podcast: Ross Boss - 7/7/23 12:00 PM

There's a new chair over in Ross Hall. And we're not talking La-Z-Boy.  Listen to Selen Cremaschi, the B. Redd and Susan W. Redd Eminent Scholar Chair Professor, discuss her new role in Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering on the latest episode of the award-winning #GINNing Podcast below, or on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Play, iHeartRadio or wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts by searching #GINNing.

Selen Cremaschi

Selen Cremaschi named as the next chair of chemical engineer - 6/28/23 10:20 AM

Selen Cremaschi, the B. Redd and Susan W. Redd Eminent Scholar Chair Professor, has been named as chair of Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering. 

Nick Zou

#GINNing Podcast: Brine of the Times - 5/26/23 12:00 PM

A lot of people just whine about brine. But not assistant environmental engineering professor and wastewater recycling wunderkind Nick Zou.

The Research Support Program and the Creative Work and Social Impact Scholarship Funding Program provide a competitive internal funding source to support faculty and provide an opportunity for them to experience a small-scale, yet high-quality funding program and refine their projects before competing for larger, external awards.

Engineering professors awarded via research funding programs - 5/16/23 1:25 PM

Congratulations, Chris Kieslich, Michael Howard, Pengyu Chen and Chad Rose!

Mario Eden

#GINNing Podcast: New Boss Level - 5/12/23 12:00 PM

As chemical engineering chair, Mario Eden led the department to its highest-ever U.S. News & World Report Graduate Program ranking; increased undergraduate enrollment to record numbers with incoming freshmen with ACT scores of 30 or higher for 11 years in a row; successfully added 17 tenure-track faculty members and two full-time lecturers during the past 10 years, including the department achieving the highest percentage of female full professors among any chemical engineering department in the country; increased philanthropic support of the program by millions of dollars; and successfully led the department through the national accreditation process in 2016 and 2022. Last month, he was appointed the new dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering. But in terms of lasting impact, his latest distinction — #GINNing Podcast guest — stands alone.

Katie Leonard

#GINNing Podcast: Since she was 13 - 5/5/23 3:00 PM

Katie Leonard, Auburn's latest NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipient, graduates in May with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, something that's been in the works since was 13.

Mousumi Akter, a graduate student in computer science and software engineering, with Graduate School Dean George Flowers, was among the college's 13 students recognized.

Grad School honors 13 students, 4 faculty/staff from engineering - 5/5/23 8:00 AM

Students, faculty and staff recognized at the annual Auburn University Graduate School awards ceremony, Friday, April 28, in the Melton Student Center Ballroom.

Steve Taylor

Taylor named SVP for Research and Economic Development - 5/4/23 2:00 PM

Taylor has served as the interim dean of Auburn’s Samuel Ginn College of Engineering since April 2022. Taylor will begin his new position on June 1.

Michael Greene, associate professor of nutritional sciences, left, with Grace Hester, a senior in chemical engineering, Elizabeth Lipke,  Mary and John H. Sanders Professor in chemical engineering, and Justin Harvell, a graduate student in chemical engineering.

AUsome Science in 60 Seconds challenges student researchers - 4/28/23 11:00 AM

The research-based competition presented by the Council of Engineering Graduate Students tasked students to create videos and explain their respective projects in a minute or less.

Auburn has climbed 10 spots in U.S. News' Best Engineering Graduate Program rankings over the past four years.

Auburn Engineering climbs to No. 31 in U.S. News and World Report ranking - 4/25/23 5:44 AM

Auburn Engineering has climbed 10 spots in the Best Graduate program rankings over the past four years

Chemical engineering seniors Katie Leonard and Peter Abraham

Two Auburn Engineering students receive NSF Fellowships - 4/21/23 1:55 PM

Two Auburn Engineering undergraduates - Katie Leonard and Peter Abraham - were among four Auburn University recipients of the National Science Foundation's Graduate Research Fellowship.

Maggie Nelson (left) and Yoorae Noh extrude recycled filament and feed it into a new spool.

CPAC gives used 3D printing filament new life through recycling program - 4/21/23 12:50 PM

Through ReMake, the Center for Polymers and Advanced Composites is collecting 3D printing waste and recycling it into filament that can be redistributed to labs across campus.

Click on the image above for more information.

CPAC Summer Seminar Series kicks off May 30 - 4/20/23 1:00 PM

The annual seminar series hosted by the Center for Polymers and Advanced Composites is an opportunity for graduate students to share their research and foster interdisciplinary research collaboration at Auburn.

Mario Eden has been named as the 14th dean of Auburn University's Samuel Ginn College of Engineering

Auburn University appoints Eden as its new dean of engineering - 4/14/23 2:00 PM

Following a national search, Mario Eden, the Joe T. and Billie Carole McMillan Professor and chair of Auburn University’s Department of Chemical Engineering, has been named as the 14th dean of the Samuel Ginn College of Engineering, according to an announcement by Interim Provost Vini Nathan.

Interim Dean of Engineering Steve Taylor kicks off the 2023 Spring Awards Ceremony.

Spring awards recognize outstanding students, faculty, staff and alumni - 4/14/23 1:45 PM

The Auburn University Samuel Ginn College of Engineering hosted its annual spring awards ceremony, which recognizes students, faculty, staff and alumni who have shown outstanding leadership and devotion to the college.

Friday's event will discuss the need to prioritize resilience of U.S. space systems.

McCrary Institute to host virtual roundtable on securing space - 4/11/23 2:25 PM

Event Will Discuss Need to Prioritize Resilience of U.S. Space Systems

Leadership from Auburn Engineering and the Technical University of Applied Sciences at Wurzburg-Schweinfurt discussed collaboration efforts during a week-long summit March 26-31.

Auburn bolsters relations with German technical institute - 4/10/23 2:35 PM

Fostering the spirit of collaborative research and educational programs, Auburn University leadership hosted a delegation from the German Technical University of Applied Sciences at Wurzburg-Schweinfurt, March 26-31.

Katie Leonard

#GINNing Podcast: Since she was 13 - 4/5/23 3:00 PM

Katie Leonard, Auburn's latest NSF Graduate Research Fellowship recipient, graduates in May with a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering, something that's been in the works since was 13.