Department Newsletter (December 2005)
FACULTY NEWS
The department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering is pleased to announce that Professor Helim Aranda-Espinoza joined our faculty in Fall 2005 with a joint appointment in the graduate Bioengineering Program.
Professor Aranda-Espinoza comes to us from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was working as a postdoctoral fellow in the Bioengineering Department under Professor Daniel Hammer. Prior to the University of Pennsylvania, Dr. Aranda-Espinoza was at the University of Delaware. He earned his Ph.D. in Physics from the Universidad de San Luis Potosi, Mexico in 1998.
Aranda-Espinoza’s research interests are in: Cardiovascular engineering, Neuroengineering and Cellular mechanics. His long term goals are to develop a fundamental understanding on cell mechanics and the mechanisms by which motile cells adhere, spread, and crawl over adhesive substrata with a primary focus on cells involved in cardiovascular disease. Graduate students in the ChBE Department will have a first-hand opportunity to get to know Professor Aranda-Espinoza when he teaches ENCH 620 Methods of Engineering Analysis this fall.
STAFF NEWS
Kathleen Lopresti has been appointed as the new Academic Coordinator for the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering., coordinating all undergraduate and graduate level academic program affairs Ms. Lopresti comes to the department after having worked at the University of Maryland for the past 17 years. Most recently she worked at the Graduate School where she managed the student information center, worked on exception to policy requests, and worked with students on fellowship issues. Prior to the graduate school Ms. Lopresti worked for the Materials Research Science and Engineering Center (MRSEC) and the American Studies Department.
The business office of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Materials Science Engineering have combined. Along with the already existing staff: Mike McNicholas, Debbie Snyder and Tawana Twitty we have two new staff members to welcome, Ms. Brenda Cox and Ms. Kay Morris
Kay Morris is the new Payroll Coordinator for the departments of Materials Science and Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. Ms. Morris has been on campus for 20 years. Prior to joining us she worked in The Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry as their business manager.
Summer 2005 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)
Dr. Barbari led a group talented undergraduate students (listed below) from various U.S. Universities majoring in chemical engineering, bioengineering, chemistry, physics, and biology, into a diverse research environment involving bioengineering at the molecular and cellular level. The goal of this program is to introduce the group to a diversified research program in molecular and cellular bioengineering; promote team-based and cross-disciplinary research within this field; to expand their knowledge of emerging technologies and trends, preparing them for graduate studies or a professional career.
Participants:
Joe Bender University of Maryland, College Park Culver Cheung, Univ of Massachusetts, Amherst Jenni Davids, Knox College Aubrey Francisco, Syracuse University Ross Gonzales, Tulane University |
Andrew Lutes, University of Missouri, Rolla Bryan Pape, Rose-Hulman Institue of Technology Alex Puckett, Milwaukee School of Engineering Jen Tullman, Illinois Institute of Technology Jackie Viren, Mercer University
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ALUMNI NEWS
Gustavo A. Padron, MS 2001, Ph.D. 2005 has received the 2005 Student Award from the North American Mixing Forum (NAMF) of the AIChE. His paper, titled “Effect of Surfactants on Mean Drop Size in a Batch Rotor-Stator Mixer”, by Gustavo A. Pardon and Richard V. Calabrese, was extracted from his Ph.D. Dissertation and presented at the 20 th Biennial North American Mixing Conference in Parksville, BC, Canada. The award was announced at the conference banquet on June 30, 2005.
STUDENT NEWS
Clark School Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering graduate student Angela Lewandowski, and alumnus Adam Fisher, ’03 Chemical Engineering, won research poster awards from Merck & Co. earlier this summer. Ms. Lewandowski, a PhD student working under the direction of Professor Bentley, won the overall award, beating out 120 entries from graduate students, research scientists and postdoctoral associates. The award was announced at Biochemical Engineering XIV, the world’s premier gathering of biochemical engineers. The award is given to the poster that best satisfies the judges' criteria for significance, relevance, scientific excellence and quality of presentation.
Ms. Lewandowski’s poster described research about the signal-directed assembly of proteins on microfabricated devices that preserve biological function. This approach could have a significant impact on micromolecular biomanufacturing.
Mr. Fisher, B.S. ’03 chemical engineering, won in the graduate student category. Mr. Fisher is now in graduate school at Cornell University.
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR 2004-2005 GRADUATES:
December 2004
Bachelor of Science Christopher Fahrman |
Master of Science Kedar Dave |
Doctor of Philosophy
Youngsoon Um: Isolation and Characterization of Polycyclec Aromatic Hydrocarbon-Degrading Micro Organisms Under Methanogenic Conditions.
May 2005
Bachelor of Science Natasha Andrade |
Master of Science Marwan Charrouf |
Doctor of Philosophy
Jae-Ouk Choo: Development of a Spatially Controllable Chemical Vapor Deposition System.
John March: Metabolic Engineering of Eukaryotic Signal Transduction in Drosophila Schneider 2 (s 2) Cell Culture.
Jeremy Matthews: Thermodynamics and Relaxation During Actin Polymerization
