Associate Professor Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Materials Science & NanoEngineering Associate Department Chair Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering Stanford University, 2004 B.S., Chemical Engineering California Institute of Technology, 1999

SIBANI LISA BISWALbiswal@rice.edu bit.ly/biswallab

BISWAL GROUPEngineering and Self-Assembly of Multifunctional Materials with Dr. Lisa Biswal. Dr. Biswal’s research centers on using chemical, biological, and engineering approaches to study soft materials such as colloids, polymers, lipids, and surfactants. One of her main research areas has been in developing new materials using colloidal particles. These synthetic materials that have flexibility and length specificity and are able to demonstrate capability for folding, self-assembly, and specific chemical and biorecognition. The group is also exploring new assembly methods to develop novel materials for lithium ion batteries. An additional research area is building microfluidic devices to mimic flow through reservoirs for oil recovery. Students will explore fundamental properties and engineering of multifunctional materials and its applications with connections to chemistry and biology. Understanding complex fluid flow of foams (bubbles) and hybrid battery materials composed of silicon and polymers will be additional topics of interest.

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

CHAPMAN GROUPA challenge of modern chemical engineering is to design molecular structures for specific applications. In the Chapman group, researchers use molecular simulation and statistical mechanics to predict how intermolecular forces and molecular architecture determine fluid properties and micro-structure of complex fluids and soft materials. The computational materials design approach developed in Chapman’s group enables engineers and scientists to predict phase behavior, interfacial properties, and meso-scale structure of complex fluids, e.g., associating mixtures, patchy colloids, polymer solutions, nano-particle / polymer blends, confined fluids, gas hydrates, and asphaltenes. The research group works on a broad range of fundamental and applied projects. Applications of the research are found in performance polymers, chemical and biochemical separations, interfacial phenomena such as for enhanced oil recovery, flow assurance, distribution of components in shale formations, and soft materials such as patchy colloids. Graduates of the Chapman group have taken positions in various industries including academia, energy, and chemicals.

William W Akers ProfessorChemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Associate DeanEnergy, George R. Brown School of Engineering

Ph.D., Chemical EngineeringCornell University, 1988

B.S., Chemical EngineeringClemson University, 1983

WALTER G. CHAPMANwgchap@rice.edu http://bit.ly/chapmanlab

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

GONZALEZ GROUP The Metabolic Engineering and Biomanufacturing Laboratory

The Gonzalez’s research group focusses on engineering biological systems for the synthesis of organic molecules with applications in fuel, chemical, and pharmaceutical production. Recent projects in the laboratory include the engineering of a microbial platform that supports the synthesis of a wide array of functionalized small molecules by engineering orthogonal, modular pathways that are energy and carbon efficient (Nat. Biotechnol. 34: 556-561, 2016) and the exploitation of industrial biomanufacturing for chemical production from single-carbon feedstocks (Science, 2016, Accepted).

RAMON GONZALEZramon.gonzalez@rice.edu http://www.ruf.rice.edu/~metabol/

Professor Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringBioengineeringFounding Director Advanced Biomanufacturing Initiative (iBIO) Editor-in-Chief Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology

Ph.D., Chemical EngineeringUniversity of Chile , 2001M.Sc., Biochemical EngineeringCatholic University of Valparaiso, Chile, 1999B.Sc., Chemical EngineeringCentral University of Las Villas, Cuba, 1993

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

A. J. Hartsook Professor EmeritusResearch Professor Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering Rice University, 1967 B.S., Chemical Engineering Lamar University, 1963

GEORGE HIRASAKI gjh@rice.edu

HIRASAKI GROUP Thermodynamics & Transport Properties Lab

The Hirasaki group works in close collaboration with Biswal's and Chapman's research group. Its research area includes the study of low interfacial tension surfactant flooding, foam mobility control for enhanced oil recovery, formation wettability, and NMR characterization of gas, oil, and brine in organic shale. The group and collaborators have developed a carbon dioxide foam mobility control for high temperature, high salinity, carbonate reservoirs. Others are developing foam mobility control for fractured carbonate formations. Characterization of formation wettability is important because it determines how fluids flow or is trapped in nano- to micron-size pores of reservoir rock. NMR well logging is a remote sensing tool for measuring the response of gas, oil, and brine in the formation through which a well has been drilled. Interpreting the response of these fluids in organic shales is challenging because the response of gas, oil, and brine in the nano-size pores of kerogen (organic material that resisted biodegradation) and shale (compacted clays) is very different from that of the bulk fluids.

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

PASQUALI GROUPThe Pasquali group focuses on the flow of complex fluids and the behavior, processing, and application of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The group explores properties such as phase and flow behavior in solution and microchannels. The students also create macroscale CNT materials such as CNT fibers, films, and foams which have applications in coaxial cables, batteries, and wearable electronics. Additionally, the group has been working to purify and process boron nitride nanotubes for use in high temperature applications.

A. J. Hartsook Professor Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering Chemistry, Materials Science & NanoEngineering Ph.D., Chemical Engineering University of Minnesota, 1999 Laurea (M. Sci.) Chemical Engineering University of Bologna, Italy, 1992

MATTEO PASQUALImp@rice.edu https://pasquali.rice.edu/home/

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

SEGATORI GROUP Cell and Protein Engineering Research Laboratory

The Segatori group combines principles and tools from engineering and science to elucidate the governing principles of biological systems. Students apply cell and protein engineering strategies and classical biochemistry and molecular biology methods to understand and manipulate quality control mechanisms that maintain cellular homeostasis. Specifically, they develop novel biotechnologies to manipulate the innate cellular capacity to promote protein folding and processing and degrade toxic cellular waste for applications in biomedicine and bioengineering. Guided by predictive modeling, they construct orthogonal genetic circuits that interface with fundamental cellular pathways, thereby creating systems biology tools that are useful for drug development. They also investigate the interaction between engineered nanomaterials and cellular clearance pathways, with the ultimate goal not only to establish the design rules for engineering safe and sustainable nanomaterials, but also to design nanotherapeutics to address the phenotypes of diseases characterized by accumulation of cellular waste.

LAURA SEGATORI segatori@rice.edu http://bit.ly/Segatorilab

Associate ProfessorChemical & Biomolecular EngineeringBioSciences, Bioengineering

Laurea, Industrial BiotechnologyUniversity of Bologna Bologna, Italy, 2000Ph.D., Chemical EngineeringUniversity of Texas at Austin Austin, TX, 2005

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

Assistant Professor Chemical & Biomolecular EngineeringB228 Abercrombie Bldg

Ph.D, Chemical Engineering Rice University, 2009

M.S., Environmental SystemsTecnológico de Monterrey Mexico, 2002

B.S., Chemical EngineeringTecnológico de MonterreyMexico, 1999

VARGAS GROUP Petroleum Thermodynamics and Flow Assurance

The Vargas group is focused on developing innovative experimental approaches and simulation tools. These advances will help scientists understand and predict the structure, phase behavior, thermodynamic and transport properties of complex fluids, at high temperatures and pressures. An important component of their current research program is finding solutions to major flow assurance problems in the oil industry, such as asphaltene deposition. Furthermore, they develop integrated approaches for an efficient and sustainable enhancement of the production of conventional and unconventional energy resources.

FRANCISCO M. VARGAS fvargas@rice.edu http://vargas.rice.edu

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

Louis Owen Assistant ProfessorChemical & Biomolecular EngineeringMaterials Science & NanoEngineering

Ph.D., Chemical EngineeringCalifornia Institute of Technology, 2007

MS, Chemical EngineeringCalifornia Institute of Technology, 2003

BS, Chemical EngineeringRice University, 2001

VERDUZCO GROUPThe Verduzco group focuses on the development of complex polymeric materials. The group employs polymer synthesis techniques and a variety of nanoscale characterization tools to design and characterize polymers at multiple length scales. Major areas of interest include polymer-based electronic devices, including photovoltaics and electrodes for energy storage, thin film coatings prepared through the use of branched polymer additives, and shape-responsive liquid crystal networks. The unifying theme of the work is the combination of precision molecular design and synthesis along with quantitative analysis of structure, properties, and performance.

RAFAEL VERDUZCOrafaelv@rice.edu http://bit.ly/verduzcolab

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

Professor and ChairChemical & Biomolecular EngineeringChemistry, Materials Science & NanoEngineeringCivil & Environmental Engineering

Ph.D.Massachusetts Institute of Technology, 2000

MSMassachusetts Institute of Technology, 1997

B.S.California Institute of Technology, 1994WONG GROUP

Dr. Wong's research program broadly addresses chemical engineering problems using the tools of materials chemistry, with a particular interest in energy and environmental applications ("catalysis for clean water") and an emphasis on understanding synthesis-structure-property relationships in heterogeneous catalysis. Current research activities and interests are (i) structure-property analysis of palladium-on-gold catalysts; (ii) metal-on-metal nanoparticle synthesis; (iii) treatment of dioxane, nitrate, fluorocarbons, and chlorocarbons from water; (iv) sugar upgrading chemistry, and (v) nanoparticle assembly.

MICHAEL S. WONGmswong@rice.edu http://bit.ly/wonglab

Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering | CHBE.RICE.EDU

A. J. Hartsook Professor Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering

ProfessorBioengineering

Dipl. Chem. Eng. National Technical University, Athens, Greece, 1975Ph.D. University of Minnesota, 1981

KYRIACOS ZYGOURAKISkyzy@rice.edu

ZYGOURAKIS GROUPMaintaining a sustainable food supply without degrading our environment will require novel engineering approaches for remediating the human disruption of the nitrogen cycle. More than half of the nitrogen fertilizer applied to fields is not available for plant growth due to losses caused by surface runoff, leaching into surface and ground water, or volatilization. As a result, the increased use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer has been linked to a variety of water and air pollution problems. In addition, the denitrification reactions generate significant amounts of N2O that is a major greenhouse gas.

Our group uses computer simulations and experimental studies to elucidate the fundamental mechanisms controlling the transport and reaction of N fertilizers in biochar-amended soils. We are particularly interested in understanding how key biochar properties (porosity, surface chemistry, adsorption capacity) affect water retention, N leaching, the rates of nitrification and denitrification reactions and the fate of microbial communities that carry out these reactions.

Our research interests also include the sustainable production of biochar for carbon sequestration and soil amendment, ecosystem restoration in soils contaminated with heavy petroleum hydrocarbons, and ultra-deep desulfurization of fuels for distributed fuel cell applications.