CHEM BIO CHEMICAL BIOLOGICAL

CHEM
BIO
CHEMICALANDBIOLOGICALENGINEERING
™
CHEMICALANDBIOLOGICALENGINEERING
Evolving History
Chemical and Biological Engineering program expands, better
preparing students to solve future global concerns
From a school founded in 1874 on mineral extraction, Colorado School of Mines has evolved
into a unique institution of higher education focused on engineering and applied science in
many disciplines. For over 60 years, our department has pursued education and basic/applied
research aimed at global problems. Its new name—the Chemical and Biological Engineering
Department—reflects its evolving curriculum, program size and expanding expertise, as well
as the doubling of both student enrollment and research volume in the past decade. With more
than 700 students and approximately $8 million in annual research awards, Mines’ Chemical
and Biological Engineering Department is a dynamic and exciting environment for both research
and teaching.
DAVID MARR, DEPARTMENT HEAD AND PROFESSOR
EXPANDINGENROLLMENTANDRESEARCH
UNDERGRADUATE MAJORS
RESEARCH AWARDS
FOCUSING ON
APPLIED SCIENCE
With 90 percent of
its students majoring in
engineering, Mines focuses
on applied science with the
aim of bringing technological
advances to the marketplace.
As a relatively small
engineering school, Mines
NEW FACULTY
provides a rigorous educational
KEVIN CASH,
KEVIN CASH
MELISSA KREBS
assistant professor,
specializes in development
of biomedical sensors.
Current medical diagnostics
suffer from one key
problem, the need for
a blood sample from a
patient. His research is
focused on eliminating
this shortcoming by
shifting the design of
sensors: rather than
bringing a blood sample
to a sensor, bring sensors
to the blood itself. He is
developing nanoparticlebased sensors that are
able to profile in vivo
metabolic concentrations
with something current
technologies can’t do:
continuous monitoring. This
is an important advance as
it yields significantly more
information than a single
time point measurement.
MELISSA KREBS,
NANETTE BOYLE
MOISES CARREON
assistant professor,
specializes in tissue
engineering. The field of
tissue engineering seeks
to regenerate diseased
or damaged tissues by
providing the necessary
physical, biochemical, and
cellular cues that promote
tissue regeneration.
Her research is focused
on the development of
biopolymer systems that
will allow the study of
cells’ interactions with
their microenvironment
that can be used for both
tissue regeneration and
therapeutics. In addition
she is also engineering
biopolymer systems for
controlled delivery of
therapeutic molecules for
the treatment of cancer.
NANETTE BOYLE,
assistant professor, and
Coors Developmental Chair
specializes in metabolic
engineering. Rising
carbon dioxide levels in
the atmosphere coupled
to variable and uncertain
petroleum supplies has
led a push to develop
sustainable sources
of biofuels and other
petroleum replacement
products. Current industrial
production of biofuels,
such as ethanol, competes
with our food supply for
resources. In order to
minimize the effect of
biofuel production on our
food and feed supply, the
next generation biofuels
will have to be produced
directly from carbon
dioxide or waste materials.
Dr. Boyle’s research is
focused on designing
cyanobacteria and algae
to convert sunlight and
carbon dioxide directly
to fuels and feedstock
chemicals. In order to
achieve this, her group
uses systems and synthetic
biology techniques coupled
with metabolic modeling
to understand biological
processes and re-design
them to meet our needs.
experience where faculty
MOISES CARREON,
areas include hydrates,
associate professor,
2013 recipient of the
Presidential Early Career
Award for Scientists and
Engineers (PECASE) and
Coors Developmental
Chair specializes in
the rational design of
advanced functional porous
materials at different
length scales, including
zeolites, mixed metal
oxides and metal organic
frameworks for applications
in molecular gas
separations, heterogeneous
catalysis, and gas storage.
Applications include carbon
dioxide capture in natural
gas and flue gas treatment,
catalytic conversion
of carbon dioxide into
useful chemicals such
as cyclic carbonates and
carbamates, natural gas
storage employing smartnanovalve adsorbent
composites, and catalytic
transformations on biofuels
with improved cold flow
properties.
renewable energy, soft
and top-notch students work
together on meaningful
research with far-reaching
societal applications.
Departmental research
materials, biomedical devices,
simulation and modeling,
thin-film materials and
pedagogy. Its facilities are
among the nation’s best, with
high quality laboratories for
undergraduate and graduate
research, powerful on-campus
computational facilities and
specialized labs. This brochure
highlights select areas from
the department’s broad
catalog of research with more
information online at
http://chemeng.mines.edu.
CHEMICALANDBIOLOGICALENGINEERING
Undergraduate Program
Offering two undergratuate degrees
The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department offers two undergraduate degrees:
Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering and Bachelor of Science in Chemical and
Biochemical Engineering. A student with the latter degree is a Chemical Engineer with their
technical electives focused on bio-processing technologies.
Chemical Engineering is a broad field encompassing
everything from design to large scale manufacturing of a
wide variety of products through chemical and biochemical
processes. These products include pharmaceuticals, pulp
and paper, petrochemicals, fine chemicals, specialty
chemicals, microelectronic devices, polymers, and products
used in food processing and in biotechnology. Our alumni
are employed in diverse fields including traditional and
alternative/renewable energy, manufacturing, health care,
biotechnology and business services.
Our chemical engineering curriculum builds upon
the fundamentals of biology, chemistry, mathematics,
and physics. In this, undergraduate students complete a
program of study that includes rigorous instruction in fluid
mechanics, heat and mass transport, thermodynamics,
reaction kinetics, and chemical process dynamics and
control. In addition, our curriculum also includes elements
that clearly set us apart from other programs; for example
and taught in a new and unique student-centered
environment, Studio Biology introduces active learning
to instruction of biology at the freshman level. This
unique course minimizes lecture and maximizes student
involvement in the learning process with the design and
performance of experiments exploring biological systems.
Our emphasis on active learning is also demonstrated
within the unit operations laboratory sequence taken in
the summer as a six-week intensive “field session”. Here,
the fundamentals of heat, mass, and momentum transport
and applied thermodynamics are reviewed in a practical,
applications-oriented, hands-on setting. Field session
greatly hones students’ teamwork, leadership, critical
thinking, and oral and written technical communications
skills.
This curriculum is delivered within facilities that
are among the best in the nation. Our modern in-house
computer network supports over 70 workstations with
specialized software for modeling chemical engineering
systems. Our honors undergraduate research program
provides our undergraduates with the opportunity to work
together with graduate students, postdocs, and/or faculty
on cutting edge chemical and/or biochemical engineering
research. Undergraduate chemical engineering students in
this program at CSM have presented at national conferences
and have won national competitions and awards based
on research conducted while pursuing their baccalaureate
degree. CSM also has a very active American Institute of
Chemical Engineers (AIChE) student chapter. The student
leadership organize “Lunch and Learn” events with industry
leaders, host social events throughout the year, organize a
rotational dinner for members and recruiters before our Fall
Career Fair, and participate in the ChemE car competition at
the National AIChE meeting.
With placement outcomes within 3 months of
graduation exceeding 80% for the last 5 years and average
starting salaries over $69,000, our graduates continue to
be in high demand for industry, government, military and
graduate school positions across the country.
CHEMICALANDBIOLOGICALENGINEERING
Graduate Program
From its inception in 1952, the Department
of Chemical and Biological Engineering (CBE)
has focused on education and basic and applied
research aimed at problems of national interest.
The graduate and research program in Chemical
Engineering at CSM is extremely diverse and
features programs in renewable energy, materials
science, transport processes, theoretical and
applied thermodynamics, computational methods
and atomistic simulation.
FACULTY
GRADUATE STUDENTS
At Mines, we believe that an important component of the graduate
program is the personal relationship that develops between the faculty and
students pursuing advanced degrees, hence we strive to maintain a high
quality research and graduate education program. The department currently
has a staff of 18 tenure track faculty and a total enrollment of approximately
90 full-time graduate students. This student to faculty ratio facilitates the
development of strong mentoring relationships that is one of the strengths
of our department.
The CBE Department at CSM has within its faculty 7 NSF CAREER and
1 PECASE award winner and is recognized as a world leader in alternative
energy and advanced materials. Chemical and Biological Engineering receives
$7-8 million dollars in research funding each year.
We offer two degrees; a Masters of Science in Chemical Engineering
(non-thesis or thesis) and Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering.
Our PhD students are paid a generous stipend with fully paid fees, tuition
and health insurance. It typically takes 4-5 years to complete a PhD, 2-3
years for a MS with thesis and 1 year for a non-thesis MS.
The on-line application for graduate school at the Colorado School
of Mines can be found here http://www.mines.edu/graduate_admissions.
CBE only has Fall admission. We require a statement of purpose, resume,
undergraduate transcripts, GRE scores, and 3 letters of recommendation.
International students must also submit TOEFL (Test of English as a Foreign
Language) scores. December 15th is the deadline for priority funding
consideration (for the next Fall) and application review begins shortly
after the deadline. Accepted students have until April 15th to enroll at the
Colorado School of Mines.
In their first semester new chemical engineering PhD students take
CBEN509 Advanced Thermodynamics, CBEN516 Transport Phenomena,
CBEN518 Advanced Kinetics, and CBEN568 Introduction to Chemical
Engineering Research and Teaching. During this semester, each PhD student
is a teaching assistant for a course taught by CBE. Students are required
to interview with 3 members of faculty to discuss research opportunities.
Before the spring semester starts, new PhD students take the qualifying
exam, which is half weighed to the GPA from the core chemical engineering
classes and half weighted to the oral qualifying exam. Students choose a
chemical engineering review paper from a selection chosen by the faculty.
The new PhD students write a one-page research proposal, give a 20-minute
presentation that ties the review paper back to core chemical engineering
principles, followed by 20 minutes of questions and answers. Students are
then placed into research groups based on several factors.
CONVENTIONALENERGYCONVERSIONAND STORAGE
J. DOUGLAS WAY
HYDRATES
FOCUS ON
Extending Resources
Understanding hydrate formation could
lead to better methods of storing and
producing energy
With funding from the National Science Foundation, scientists in Colorado
School of Mines’ Hydrate Center began working on a Deepwater Oil & Gas Well Blowout
Prototype Simulator following the 2010 rupture at BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig.
E. Dendy Sloan, Carolyn Koh and Amadeu Sum will use a U.S. Department of Energy
device that was designed to study carbon dioxide, as well as a high-pressure
instrument being constructed at Mines, to enable long timescale blowout and
hydrate studies.
Profs. Way and Wolden have discovered a new class of low cost materials, Mo2C
coated BCC metals, for high temperature hydrogen selective membranes that require
no platinum group metals. This innovation builds on Prof. Way’s prior research on
the use of Pd and Pd alloy membranes for energy conversion, hydrogen separation/
purification, and membrane reactors, which combine both reaction and separation
functions. Of particular interest is the application of high-temperature hydrogen
permeable membranes in pre-combustion carbon capture schemes, where the products
of the water gas shift reaction, CO2 and H2, are separated at high temperature by a
membrane device.
FACULTY
Moises Carreon, Associate Professor, Separation Processes, Catalysis
•••
Anthony M. Dean, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, Kinetics,
Combustion
•
Andrew M. Herring, Associate Professor, Catalysis, Membranes
•
•
Matthew Liberatore, Associate Professor, Complex Fluid Rheology
Carolyn Koh, Professor, Clathrate Hydrates, Neutron Diffraction
••
C. Mark Maupin, Assistant Professor, Separation and Sequestation, Enzyme and
Channel Simulations, Biofuels
••
••
Amadeu K. Sum, Associate Professor, Clathrate Hydrates,
Biological, Biomolecular Systems, Simulations •••
J. Douglas Way, Professor, Membranes, Separation
Processes ••
David T. W. Wu, Professor, Simulation, Complex Materials
E. Dendy Sloan, University Professor Emeritus, Natural Gas
Hydrates, Pedagogical Methods
•
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL
CONVENTIONAL ENERGY ELECTRONIC FUEL CELLS HYDRATES
NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW MATERIALS PEDAGOGY POLYMERS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
M. R. Walsh, C. A. Koh, E. D. Sloan, A. K. Sum, and D. T. Wu, “Microsecond Simulations
of Spontaneous Methane Hydrate Nucleation and Growth”, Science, 326 (5956), 1095-1098
(2009).
L.J. Florusse, C.J. Peters, J. Schoonman, K.C. Hester, C. A. Koh, S.F. Dec, K. Marsh, E.D. Sloan,
“Molecular Clusters of H2 Stored in Binary Clathrate Hydrates at Near Ambient T & P”, Science,
306, 469-471 (2004).
S. K. Gade, S. J. Chmelka, S. Parks, J. D. Way, and C. A. Wolden, “Dense Carbide/Metal
Composite Membranes for Hydrogen Separations without Platinum Group Metals”, Adv.
Mater. 23, 3585–3589 (2011).
CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
HIGHLIGHTS
• Prof. Doug Way is developing high-temperature
hydrogen separation membranes that could change the
way power is generated by gasifying rather than burning
carbon sources for fuel.
• Prof. Way’s research is supported by grants and contracts
from the U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Defense
Department, Chevron, the World Gold Council, the CO2
Capture Project, the Pall Corporation and Praxair at more
than $1 million per year.
• Associate Prof. Matthew Liberatore leads a multidepartment team studying heavy crude oils supported
by $1.9 million from the Department of Energy and
industrial partners.
THE CENTER FOR HYDRATE
RESEARCH
• This is the world’s largest and foremost center
dedicated to understanding hydrates in flow
assurance, science and nature.
• Research began in 1975. Today it includes 30 student
and faculty researchers supported by more
than $1.6 million in annual
funding.
• The center is supported
by an industrial consortium
of 11 energy companies,
the DeepStar Energy Consortium,
Mines’ Renewable Energy Materials
Research Science and Engineering Center,
federal agencies, including the National
Science Foundation, the U.S. Department of
Energy and nonprofit organizations.
BIOLOGICALENGINEERING
KEITH NEEVES
BLOOD
FOCUS ON
Diagnosing Disease
Biological engineering leads to new cardiovascular diagnostics
Blood has the seemingly impossible task of flowing freely nearly all the
time, but then quickly clotting when necessary to stop bleeding. Assistant
Prof. Keith Neeves specializes in cardiovascular engineering and the
development of biomedical microdevices. Prof. Neeves’ research group has
developed microfluidic models of vascular injury, which are undergoing testing
at the Rocky Mountain Hemophilia and Thrombophilia Center at CU-Denver.
Prof. Neeves calls the research “game changing” and notes that the State
of Colorado has provided a grant to accelerate the commercialization of this
technology.
With nine faculty involved in research and teaching, bio-related research at
Mines goes significantly beyond biomedical applications and extends to efforts
in conversion of biomass to biofuels as well as the use of biologically-derived
materials as sustainable systems. For example,
Prof. John Dorgan is investigating ecobionanocomposites, a new class of
green materials, and is working to maximize the renewable content of nextgeneration plastics. With Mines located only a few miles from the National
Renewable Energy Laboratory, these efforts involve active and significant
collaboration with other world-class researchers.
FACULTY
Nanette Boyle, Assistant Professor, Metabolic Engineering, Systems and
Synthetic Biology, Biofuels
••••
Annette Bunge, Professor Emeritus, Dermal Transport
•
Kevin Cash, Assistant Professor, Implantable Nanosensors, Biofilms
••••
John Dorgan, Professor, Polymeric Materials from Biorenewable Resources,
Biofuels Separation
•••
Melissa Krebs, Assistant Professor, Biomaterials,
Tissue Engineering, Drug Delivery ••••
David W.M. Marr, Department Head and Professor, Microfluidics,
Biomedical Microdevices ••
C. Mark Maupin, Assistant Professor, Separation and Sequestation, Enzyme and
Channel Simulations, Biofuels••
Keith Neeves, Associate Professor, Cardiovascular Engineering,
Microfluidics •
Cynthia Norrgran, Teaching Associate Professor, Biology, Biophysics,
Neurosurgery, Astronomy•
Paul Ogg, Teaching Associate Professor, Cell Biology, Virology, Genetics•
John Persichetti, Teaching Associate Professor, Process Simulation,
Design•
Amadeu K. Sum, Associate Professor, Clathrate Hydrates, Biological,
Biomolecular Systems, Simulations •••
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
ELECTRONIC FUEL CELLS HYDRATES NANOTECHNOLOGY
NEW MATERIALS PEDAGOGY POLYMERS RENEWABLE ENERGY
SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
A. Terray, J. Oakey, D.W.M. Marr, “Microfluidic Control Using Colloidal Devices”, Science, 296,
1841 (2002).
K.B. Neeves, D.A.R. Illing, S.L. Diamond, “Thrombin Flux and Wall Shear Rate Regulate Fibrin
Fiber Deposition State During Polymerization Under Flow”, Biophysical Journal, 98, 1344
(2010).
BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING
HIGHLIGHTS
• Using reactive molecular dynamics, Assistant Prof. Mark
Maupin is developing knowledge useful for deriving
transportation fuels from lignocellulosic biomass.
• Teaching Associate Prof. Cynthia Norrgran is monitoring
bacterial growth using spectrophotometric techniques
in a research project that has implications for testing
and protecting stored and reclaimed water supplies.
C2B2 Colorado Center for
Biorefining and Biofuels
• C2B2 improves fundamental understanding and
develops new technologies in areas relevant to the
future commercialization of integrated, sustainable
biorefining and biofuels processes.
• Ten faculty members from four departments
participate in C2B2 research, which is supported by
approximately $1 million in annual grant funding
and 20 industry partners, including Conoco-Phillips,
Chevron and Shell.
MOABC Microintegrated Optics for
Advanced Bioimaging and Control
• Prof. Marr heads this research center focusing on the
integration of optical technology into microscopic and
microfluidic systems for biomedical applications.
• Funding of approximately $1 million annually has
been provided by the National Institutes of Health,
the National Science Foundation, the State of Colorado
and the Air Force Office of Scientific Research.
• Capabilities center around a world-class ultrafast
optical science laboratory.
FUEL CELLS, BIOMASS CONVERSIONAND ALTERNATIVE ENERGY
ANTHONY DEAN
POWER
FOCUS ON
ANDREW HERRING
Providing Power
Building a bridge to the hydrogen economy
HIGH-TEMPERATURE POLYMER MEMBRANES
Fuel cells generate electricity caused by the electrochemical reaction when oxygen and
hydrogen combine to form water. Proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells are already
finding applications in off-grid, quiet power and niche markets and are anticipated to gain
wider acceptance in the marketplace. PEM fuel cells have the highest energy density and
fastest start-up time (under a second), making them good choices for vehicles, portable
power and backup power. Associate Prof. Andrew Herring believes the next big things on
the alternative energy horizon are the direct conversion of sunlight to fuels and alkaline
exchange membrane fuel cells, which could revolutionize the portable electronics market
by deploying cheaper catalysts to oxidize liquid fuels.
KINETIC CHARACTERIZATION
Prof. Anthony Dean is focused on the quantitative kinetic characterization of reaction
networks in high-temperature solid oxide fuel cells, ignition kinetics, catalytic reforming
kinetics of fossil and renewable fuels, and the production of fuels and power from the
thermochemical conversion of biomass. The Office of Naval Research, the Department of
Energy and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory provide funding for Dean’s research.
BIOMASS CONVERSION
Colorado School of Mines is one of the few research universities with a comprehensive
portfolio of research projects that are attempting to convert real biomass feedstocks to
practical fuels, including a project that uses wastewater to make fish food and another
that uses algae to find viable ways to produce biodiesel.
FACULTY
Moises Carreon, Associate Professor, Separation Processes, Catalysis
•••
CFCC
• Established in 2005 with funding from the
Governor’s Energy Office and co-funding from
four partnering organizations.
• Works closely with commercial developers,
including 3M, CoorsTek, Versa Power Systems
and TDA Research.
• Is supported by grants of approximately $1
million annually from sources including the
Office of Naval Research, Air Force Office of
Scientific Research, Army Research Office, the
Department of Energy and private industry.
Anthony M. Dean, Vice President for Research and Technology Transfer, Kinetics,
Combustion, Biomass Conversion
•
•
•
Matthew Liberatore, Associate Professor, Complex Fluid Rheology
Andrew M. Herring, Associate Professor, Catalysis, Membranes
Carolyn Koh, Professor, Clathrate Hydrates, Neutron Diffraction
••
C. Mark Maupin, Assistant Professor, Separation and Sequestation, Enzyme and Channel
Simulations, Biofuels ••
J. Douglas Way, Professor, Membranes, Separation Processes ••
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL CONVENTIONAL ENERGY ELECTRONIC
FUEL CELLS HYDRATES NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW MATERIALS PEDAGOGY POLYMERS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
Hans-Heinrich Carstensen and Anthony M. Dean, “Rate Constant Rules for the Automated Generation of
Gas-Phase Reaction Mechanisms”, J. Phys. Chem. A, 113, 367-380 (2009).
C. M. Maupin, B. Aradi, and G. A. Voth, “The Self-Consistent Charge Density Functional Tight Binding Method
Applied to Liquid Water and the Hydrated Excess Proton: Benchmark Simulations”, J. Phys. Chem. B, 114,
6922-6931 (2010).
REMRSEC
• Established at Mines in 2008.
• The National Science Foundation’s first Materials
Research Science and Engineering Center
dedicated to renewable energy.
• Seven department faculty prominently involved
in the REMRSEC.
• A six-year, $12-million-dollar consortium that
partners with more than a dozen companies.
POLYMERICAND SOFTMATERIALS
DAVID MARR
MATERIALS
FOCUS ON
NING WU
Self Assembly
Creating polymeric and soft
materials that work better, are more
environmentally responsible and more
cost-effective
Ning Wu, an assistant professor focusing on complex fluids and biomimetic
materials, is working with materials that could lead to more efficient photovoltaics,
photonic crystals, multi-functional and environmentally adaptive nanomotors, as well
as biomedical diagnostic and therapeutic systems. Using applied fields and colloidal
systems, he creates micro- and nano-structures that mimic nature. These structures
boast features attractive to food, pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, such as
being biodegradable, environment-responsive and more effective in lower amounts.
David Marr, department head and professor, has worked with optical force fields
similar to the tractor beams in “Star Trek” to create microdevices, such as pumps,
mixers and valves the size of a human red blood cell. Using this approach, Marr also
has created optical stretchers for individual cell mechanical property measurement.
Whether for research or for biomedical analysis, there is a need for simplified devices
that retain complex functionality.
David Wu, a professor who works in simulation and complex materials, develops
theory and computer simulation to understand the underlying design principles
relating molecular architecture to the chemical and physical properties of polymeric
materials. One application for his research is structural modifications to make waterabsorbent plastics. His study of kinetics has yielded fundamental information for
understanding natural viruses and the principles of self-assembly that can be applied
to man-made structures.
FACULTY
John Dorgan, Professor, Polymeric Materials from Biorenewable Resources, Biofuels
Separation
•••
Andrew M. Herring, Associate Professor, Catalysis, Membranes
•
Matthew Liberatore, Associate Professor, Complex Fluid Rheology
••
David W.M. Marr, Department Head and Professor, Microfluids, Biomedical
Microdevices
••
Amadeu K. Sum, Associate Professor, Clathrate Hydrates, Biological, Biomolecular
Systems, Simulations
•••
•
Ning Wu, Assistant Professor, Complex Fluids, Biomimetic Materials
David T. W. Wu, Professor, Simulation, Complex Materials
•
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL CONVENTIONAL ENERGY
ELECTRONIC FUEL CELLS HYDRATES NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW MATERIALS
PEDAGOGY POLYMERS RENEWABLE ENERGY SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS
SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
T. Sawetzki, S. Rahmouni, C. Bechinger, D.W.M. Marr, “In-Situ Assembly of Linked GeometricallyCoupled Microdevices“, Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the USA, 150, 20141-20145
(2008).
H. Dave, F. Gao, J.-H. Lee, M. Liberatore, C.-C. Ho, C. Co. “Self-Assembly in Sugar-Oil Complex Glasses”,
Nature Materials, 6, 287-290 (2007).
MPAC • Ten faculty members from four
departments are involved in
research in the areas of flow and
field-based transport; intelligent
design and synthesis; and
nanomaterials and nanotechnology.
• Industry partners are involved in work
pertaining to polymers and colloids.
MATERIALS HIGHLIGHTS
• Working with Prof. Matt Liberatore, Prof.
Andy Herring leads a $6 million Department
of Defense Multidisciplinary University
Research Initiative (MURI) program entitled
“An Integrated Multi-Scale Approach for
Understanding Ion Transport in Complex
Heterogeneous Organic Materials”.
• Prof. John Dorgan works collaboratively
with nuclear physicists in the
interdisciplinary field of novel polymerbased neutron detectors. Funded by the
Defense Threat Reduction Agency, this
research into new nanocomposites offers
the potential for reducing detectors costs by
orders of magnitude thereby allowing their
widespread deployment.
• Funded by the Petroleum Research Fund,
Prof. David Wu uses both theory and
simulation to investigate the use of polymer
electrolytes for battery applications.
SOLARAND ELECTRONICMATERIALS
COLIN WOLDEN
SUMIT AGARWAL
SUSTAINABILITY
FOCUS ON
Solar Energy Conversion
Harnessing the power of the sun using electronic materials
and nanotechnology to meet the terawatt challenge
The terawatt (TW) challenge describes the goal of providing 30 TW of carbon-neutral power
by 2050, the amount required to both sustain population growth and stabilize atmospheric
CO2 levels. Weaver Distinguished Prof. Colin Wolden is working
to meet this challenge as site director for the Center for
Revolutionary Solar Photoconversion.
Wolden and numerous department faculty
work in solar and electronic materials. A few
of their projects include research in solar
photovoltaics, solar fuels and energy
efficient electronics. Solar photovoltaic
developments include using nanostructures
to enhance light harvesting, quantum dotbased solar cells and the use of chalcogencontaining plasmas to develop low-cost,
thin-film photovoltaics.
In the area of solar fuels, efforts are
under way to increase solar fuel efficiency by
employing abundantly available photocatalysts.
The new catalysts are being developed to produce
solar fuels, such as hydrogen and methanol.
To meet the future energy demands, it will be
imperative to reduce waste. Today, windows account for 30
percent of heating and cooling costs in typical buildings. Wolden is
collaborating with the National Renewable Energy Laboratory to develop economical routes to
manufacture electrochromic “smart” windows, which automatically modulate their transparency
for energy efficient buildings.
FACULTY
•••
•••
Matthew Liberatore, Associate Professor, Complex Fluid Rheology •••
Rachel Morrish, Teaching Associate Professor, Environmentally Sustainable Processing ••
Colin Wolden, Professor, Electronic Materials Processing •••
Ning Wu, Assistant Professor, Soft Materials •••
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL CONVENTIONAL ENERGY ELECTRONIC
Sumit Agarwal, Associate Professor, Nanostructured Materials
Andrew M. Herring, Associate Professor, Catalysis, Membranes
FUEL CELLS HYDRATES NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW MATERIALS PEDAGOGY POLYMERS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
Colin A. Wolden et al., “Photovoltaic Manufacturing: Present Status, Future Prospects, and Research Needs”,
J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A 29, 030801 (2011).
Bhavin N. Jariwala, Oliver S. Dewey, Paul Stradins, Cristian V. Ciobanu, and Sumit Agarwal, “In Situ Gas-Phase
Hydrosilylation of Plasma-Synthesized SiliconNanocrystals”, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 3, 3033-3041 (2011).
SOLAR HIGHLIGHTS
• Associate Prof. Sumit Agarwal is an expert
in atomic layer deposition and quantum dot
synthesis.
• Development of these nanostructures is
guided by in situ surface spectroscopy and
atomistic-level simulations.
• Teaching Associate Prof. Rachel
Morrish’s research interests lie in
developing earth abundant photocatalysts that use sunlight to split
water into clean-burning hydrogen.
CRSP Center for Revolutionary
Solar Photoconversion
• CRSP is a center of the Colorado Renewable
Energy Collaboratory, an industrial consortium
partnered with the State of Colorado through
the Colorado Renewable Energy Collaboratory,
and a research partnership involving the
National Renewable Energy Laboratory,
Colorado School of Mines, Colorado State
University and the University of Colorado at
Boulder.
• Research underpins renewable energy
technologies for highly efficient and costcompetitive production of electricity and fuels
via direct solar processes.
• CRSP supports basic research in the areas
of photovoltaics (inorganic and organic),
photophysics, photoelectrochemistry,
photochemistry, photobiology and nanoscience.
• Industry partners learn about and participate in
advances in solar cell science and technology.
• Since 2009, CRSP has provided more than
$2 million in funding for 30 different research
projects.
TEACHINGAND PEDAGOGY
TRACY GARDNER
MATTHEW LIBERATORE AND
RON MILLER
LEARNING
FOCUS ON
Studio Biology
Using the latest technology as an aid both in
and out of the classroom
Taught in a new and unique environment, Studio Biology introduces active learning to the
instruction of biology at the freshman level. Studio Biology has little lecture, the students
design and perform experiments to explore biological systems. Built upon the success
of Studio Physics, the studio approach has been proven highly successful in promoting
analytical thinking, improved conceptual understanding as well as improved learning
outcomes and increased student satisfaction. Profs. Judy Schoonmaker and Josh Ramey are
teaching at the interface between biology and engineering, which will help students see
applications of biological concepts in real world examples.
TEACHING HIGHLIGHTS
• Online homework has improved final course grades
in the Material and Energy Balance course over the
last two years.
• Prof. Matthew Liberatore was awarded the Alfred
E. Jenni Faculty Fellowship in 2011 in part for his
reputation among students for his dedication and
concern for their learning.
• Prof. Liberatore was awarded the the 2013
Raymond W. Fahien Award from the ASEE for
contibutions to ChemE education.
• Prof. Ronald Miller has won 14 teaching awards,
including the Lifetime Achievement in Chemical
Engineering Pedagogical Scholarship from the
American Society for Engineering Education in 2011.
• Prof. Miller is developing graphics-based interactive
software to measure students’ intellectual
development using expert system and neural
network technologies.
FACULTY
James F. Ely, University Professor Emeritus, Molecular Simulation, Thermophysics
•
Tracy Gardner, Assistant Department Head and Teaching Associate Professor, Pedagogical
Methods
••
Hugh King, Teaching Professor, Biology, Math, Computer Science
•
Matthew Liberatore, Associate Professor, Complex Fluid Rheology
•
C. Josh Ramey, Teaching Assistant Professor, Biology
Ronald L. Miller, Professor, Pedagogical Methods
•
Judy Schoonmaker, Teaching Associate Professor, Biology
••
•
E. Dendy Sloan, University Professor Emeritus, Natural Gas Hydrates, Pedagogical
Methods
••
Charles Vestal, Teaching Associate Professor, Computational Methods,
Thermodynamics
•
BIOFUEL BIOLOGICAL BIOMASS BIOMEDICAL CONVENTIONAL ENERGY ELECTRONIC
FUEL CELLS HYDRATES NANOTECHNOLOGY NEW MATERIALS PEDAGOGY POLYMERS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOFT MATERIALS SIMULATIONS SOLAR TEACHING
SAMPLE PUBLICATIONS
R.A. Streveler, T.A. Litzinger, R.L. Miller, and P.S. Steif, “Learning Conceptual Knowledge in the Engineering
Sciences: Overview and Future Research Directions”, Journal of Engineering Education, 97, 279-294 (2008).
Liberatore, M. “YouTube Fridays: Engaging the Net Generation in 5 Minutes a Week”, Chemical Engineering
Education, 44(3), 215–221 (2010).
• Funded by the National Science Foundation,
Teaching Associate Prof. Tracy Gardner is improving
student learning through in-class use of tablets and
other freeform input devices.
®
mines.edu
MINES NUMBERS
1
Mines’ ranking according to college.usatoday.com, “25 colleges
where graduates make the highest starting salaries.”
1
Mines’ ranking in engineering schools (out of 281) in the country
by College Factual, featured in The Denver Post and USA TODAY
7
Mines’ ranking in in “Top early-career salaries for bachelor’s
degrees” by PayScale, featured in The Wall Street Journal
38
Mines’ ranking in in 2014 Top Public Schools by U.S. News and
World Report, 88 in National Universities
3.8
Mines’ undergraduate applicants’ average GPA
ENGINEERING THE WAY
Mines, a public research university devoted to engineering and
applied science, has the highest admission standards of any
public university in Colorado and among the highest of any
public university in the nation. Since its founding in 1874, Mines
has distinguished itself by developing educational and research
programs that address the world’s critical needs for energy,
materials, water and the responsible stewardship of
the earth.
GOTHAM
Mines’ official typeface is Gotham, which was designed in 2000
by New York-based Hoefler & Frere-Jones for GQ magazine.
Frere-Jones reportedly used the mathematical reasoning of a
draftsperson to allow the letters to escape the grid wherever
necessary in this geometric class of sans serif fonts.
44
Research centers on campus
91, 94, 97
Percentages of bachelor’s, master’s and PhD graduates placed
upon graduation in 2013-14
1,355
Mines’ incoming undergraduate average SAT scores
5,873
Student body, undergraduates and graduates
™
®
Chemical and Biological Engineering Department
Colorado School of Mines
451 Alderson Hall
Golden, CO 80401
Office: (303) 273-3720
FAX: (303) 273-3730
http://chemeng.mines.edu