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Events

• May

  16

  35th Annual Hugh M. Hulburt Memorial Lecture: "Adsorption Thermodynamics for Process Simulation" - Chau-Chyun Chen, Texas Tech University

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  9:30 AM LR4 (M113), Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department is pleased to present the 35th Annual Hugh M. Hulburt Lecture with Chau-Chyun Chen from Texas Tech University as part of our Spring 2024 ChBE Seminar Series.

  Dr. Chau-Chyun Chen will present a lecture titled "Adsorption Thermodynamics for Process Simulation."

  ABSTRACT: Adsorptive separation offers an energy efficient and sustainable alternative to conventional thermal separation. Recent development of tailored adsorbents for selective separation of molecules has heightened interest in adsorption applications such as air separation, trace elements and heavy metals removal, CO2 capture, direct air capture, hydrocarbons processing, aqueous organic chemicals separation, among others. However, the lack of rigorous adsorption thermodynamic models for multicomponent adsorption equilibria has hampered industrial applications of adsorption technology for decades, and practitioners remain heavily relying on expensive and time-consuming trial-and-error pilot studies to develop adsorption units. Successful process simulation and development of all separation processes, adsorption included, must be built on rigorous thermodynamic models that accurately correlate and predict thermodynamic properties and phase behaviors for concerned chemical mixtures. This presentation highlights the limits and deficiencies of commonly practiced adsorption thermodynamic models such as extended Langmuir, dual-process Langmuir, and adsorbed solution theory for mixed-gas adsorption equilibria. It further presents a thermodynamically rigorous generalization of the classical Langmuir isotherm by substituting concentrations with activities, incorporating an activity coefficient model for the adsorbed phase that explicitly counts for both adsorbent-adsorbate interactions and adsorbate-adsorbate interactions, extending for multicomponent competitive adsorption, and further extending for multicomponent multilayer adsorption. Requiring a minimum set of physically meaningful model parameters, the generalized Langmuir isotherm for multicomponent monolayer adsorption and the generalized Brunauer-Emmett-Teller isotherm for multicomponent multilayer adsorption successfully address various adsorption thermodynamic modeling challenges including adsorbent surface heterogeneity, isosteric heats of adsorption, adsorption azeotrope formation, and multilayer formulation. For the first time since the advent of Langmuir isotherm, a rigorous and comprehensive adsorption thermodynamic model for multicomponent adsorption equilibria has been formulated to support process simulation of adsorptive separation.

  Dr. Chau-Chyun Chen is a Horn Distinguished professor at the Department of Chemical Engineering and the Jack Maddox Distinguished Chair in Sustainable Energy at the Edward E. Whitacre Jr. College of Engineering, Texas Tech University. A co-founder of Aspen Technology, Inc., he is the inventor of the industry-leading process simulation software for electrolyte solutions, polymerization processes, small molecule drug solubility, CO2 capture with chemical absorption, and molecular characterization for petroleum assays. His current research focuses on molecular thermodynamics and process simulation for adsorptive and membrane-based separations, high salinity produced waters, energetic materials, and CO2 capture. He holds over 160 peer-reviewed scientific publications and book chapters, and 20 US and international patents.

  Dr. Chen received BS degree in chemistry from National Taiwan University and MS and ScD degrees in chemical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He is a fellow of American Institute of Chemical Engineers and American Association for the Advancement of Science, and a member of the US National Academy of Engineering.

  About Hugh M. Hulburt
  A talented administrator and teacher, Hugh M. Hulburt (1917–1987) dedicated his professional career to practicing chemistry and promoting the chemical engineering profession. After receiving his PhD in 1942, he worked in various industry positions, becoming director of research and development at the Chemical Construction Corporation and later director of chemical engineering and of physical research at American Cyanamid Company.

  After joining Northwestern in 1964, Hulburt served as chair of the Department of Chemical Engineering from 1965 to 1971, associate dean of the Graduate School from 1975 to 1980, and associate dean of the Technological Institute from 1980 to 1983. He chaired the committee to establish the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and fostered closer ties between industry and the University and between science and engineering.
  Hulburt was editor of Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Process Design and Development from its inception in 1962 until 1986, during which time it became a highly respected journal. He also served on the editorial board of the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data and on the National Science Foundation’s Advisory Panel for Engineering Chemistry and Energetics. He was a fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers and was its Institute Lecturer in 1962.

  The Hugh M. Hulburt Memorial Lecture brings to campus leaders in chemical engineering research and management to lecture and interact with students and faculty, and it fosters collaboration between industry & academia in the education of future chemical engineers.
  
  

  A department luncheon will follow the lecture at 12:00pm at the Great Room (600 Haven St.)

  *Please note that there will be no Zoom option for seminars this year.

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  TIME Thursday, May 16, 2024 at 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

  LOCATION LR4 (M113), Technological Institute    map it

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  CONTACT Jennifer Young    jennifer.young@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• May

  20

  Curious Life Certificate Information Session

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  12:00 PM Design Studio 3 (Room 3-210), Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center

  EVENT DETAILS

  Join leaders from the Northwestern Personal Development StudioLab for a presentation about the new Curious Life Certificate (CLC), a series of courses designed to give you a holistic approach to your performance both academically and in your personal life.

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  TIME Monday, May 20, 2024 at 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM

  LOCATION Design Studio 3 (Room 3-210), Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center    map it

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  CONTACT Bruce Ankenman    ankenman@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• May

  22

  BTP Seminar Series: Allison Pieja, Mango Materials

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  12:00 PM

  EVENT DETAILS

  Biodegradable Polymers from Methane: An Industrial Fermentation Scale-up Journey

  Mango Materials is a California-based start-up that uses methane gas to produce biodegradable biopolymers that can be economically and functionally competitive with conventional, oil-based plastics. Mango Materials produces powder or pellets of poly-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA), a valuable product that can be converted into a variety of high-margin or high-volume, environmentally friendly goods such as textiles, injection-molded packaging or other products, or films. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas often produced as a byproduct at sites such as wastewater treatment plants, landfills, and agricultural facilities. In this process, biogas methane is directly utilized as a feedstock for bacteria, which produce PHA intracellularly in a fermentation process. The PHA is then separated from the non-polymer cell mass and used in a variety of downstream applications. This presentation will discuss Mango Materials’ origins and scale-up journey as well as the path to full-scale commercialization of its technology.

  Allison Pieja is the co-founder and CTO of Mango Materials, a start-up company that produces biodegradable polymers from methane gas. She received her Ph.D. in Civil & Environmental Engineering from Stanford, with a focus on selection of microbes for the production of poly-hydroxyalkanoate (PHA) from methane. Allison received her B.S.E. from Princeton University in Civil & Environmental Engineering and graduated with a Certificate in Engineering Biology. She has contributed to multiple patents and publications in the PHA field. At Mango Materials, she leads scale-up and process optimization of Mango Materials’ process to produce biopolymer from waste methane gas. She has been the PI on grants awarded from NSF and NASA, investigating optimization and scale-up of methane-to-PHA on Earth and beyond.

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  TIME Wednesday, May 22, 2024 at 12:00 PM - 2:00 PM

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  CONTACT Jennifer Young    jennifer.young@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• May

  23

  ChBE Seminar Series: ARDEI Annual Lecture - "Restructuring the STEM Pipeline: Dismantling Stereotypes and Microaggressions in STEM to Build Networks of Belonging and Support" - Christine Reyna, DePaul University

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  9:30 AM LR4, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department is pleased to present the annual ARDEI Lecture with speaker Christine Reyna from DePaul University.

  Dr. Christine Reyna will present a seminar titled "Restructuring the STEM Pipeline: Dismantling Stereotypes and Microaggressions in STEM to Build Networks of Belonging and Support."

  ABSTRACT: STEM training is the best pathway for career success in the U.S.A.. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2024), the fastest growing and most lucrative careers are all in STEM. However, Black and Latine Americans are disproportionately excluded from many of these opportunities and remain underrepresented in STEM fields. This disparity starts in grade school when natural curiosity about science fades in the face of barriers to learning and belonging. This presentation will examine how science beliefs, coupled with racial and gender stereotypes and microaggressions in STEM settings, can communicate subtle messages about attributions and belonging for students of color. These messages can widen the gap between personal and science identity to make thriving in STEM environments challenging and even hostile for students of color. Finally, structural supports, policies, and best practices will be presented to enable educators to create inclusive STEM experiences and environments focused on empowerment, belonging, and retention.

  Christine Reyna received her Ph.D. in Social Psychology from UCLA. She is currently a Professor of Psychology at DePaul University in Chicago where she has a joint faculty appointment in both the Psychological Science and Community Psychology PhD Programs. She is the founder of the Social and Intergroup Perceptions (SIP) Lab, a group of diverse scholars interested in the psychology of identity, status, prejudice, intergroup conflict, and oppression. Her research examines how individuals and groups leverage group identity, stereotypes, values, and moral framing to legitimize discrimination, systems of oppression, and ideological extremism. As a Latina scholar, she is also committed to including the voices and experiences of marginalized populations in her research and theorizing, and takes a multicultural, multidisciplinary approach to her research. In her private life, she loves adventure sports, wandering the wilderness, Halloween, and Harry Potter. She is married with two children and never passes up an opportunity to indulge her own inner child.

  Bagels and coffee will be provided at 9:30am, and the seminar will start at 9:40am. Please plan to arrive on time to grab a bagel and mingle!

  *Please note that there will be no Zoom option for seminars this year.

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  TIME Thursday, May 23, 2024 at 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

  LOCATION LR4, Technological Institute    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Olivia Wise    olivia.wise@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• May

  30

  ChBE Seminar Series: Ruihan Li and Kunhuan Liu, Student Seminars

  McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

  9:30 AM LR4, Technological Institute

  EVENT DETAILS

  The Chemical and Biological Engineering Department is pleased to present student seminars by Ruihan Li and Kunhuan Liu as part of our ChBE Seminar Series.

  More details to come.

  Bagels and coffee will be provided at 9:30am, and the seminar will start at 9:40am. Please plan to arrive on time to grab a bagel and mingle!

  *Please note that there will be no Zoom option for seminars this year.

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  TIME Thursday, May 30, 2024 at 9:30 AM - 10:45 AM

  LOCATION LR4, Technological Institute    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Olivia Wise    olivia.wise@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick-Chemical and Biological Engineering (ChBE)

• Jun

  10

  Northwestern Engineering PhD Hooding and Master's Degree Recognition Ceremony

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  9:00 AM Welsh-Ryan Arena

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  McCormick School of Engineering PhD Hooding and Master’s Degree Recognition Ceremony

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  TIME Monday, June 10, 2024 at 9:00 AM - 11:00 AM

  LOCATION Welsh-Ryan Arena   

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  CONTACT Amy Pokrass    amy.pokrass@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Jun

  10

  Northwestern Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  2:00 PM Welsh-Ryan Arena

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  McCormick School of Engineering Undergraduate Convocation

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  TIME Monday, June 10, 2024 at 2:00 PM - 4:00 PM

  LOCATION Welsh-Ryan Arena   

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  CONTACT Amy Pokrass    amy.pokrass@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Aug

  14

  Undergraduate Quantum Summer School

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  All Day Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC), funded by the Department of Defense — National Defense Education Program, is extending an invitation to underrepresented students nationwide (including military-connected students) to participate in a summer school focused on quantum technologies, to be held at Northwestern University. Join us for presentations by faculty and industry partners introducing quantum technologies, cutting-edge research areas, and related job opportunities particularly in the areas of national security.

  This effort aims to foster an inclusive environment that encourages participation from all corners of the academic community. Successful applicants will receive up to $1,000 USD to cover travel and lodging expenses in Evanston, IL.

  Priority application deadline: May 15, 2024.

  Decisions will be sent by June 15, 2024.

  Register Now

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  TIME Wednesday, August 14, 2024

  LOCATION Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Dongyang Li    lidongyang@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

• Aug

  15

  Undergraduate Quantum Summer School

  McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science

  All Day Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center

  EVENT DETAILSmore info

  Innovation in Quantum Pedagogy, Application, and its Relation to Culture (IQ-PARC), funded by the Department of Defense — National Defense Education Program, is extending an invitation to underrepresented students nationwide (including military-connected students) to participate in a summer school focused on quantum technologies, to be held at Northwestern University. Join us for presentations by faculty and industry partners introducing quantum technologies, cutting-edge research areas, and related job opportunities particularly in the areas of national security.

  This effort aims to foster an inclusive environment that encourages participation from all corners of the academic community. Successful applicants will receive up to $1,000 USD to cover travel and lodging expenses in Evanston, IL.

  Priority application deadline: May 15, 2024.

  Decisions will be sent by June 15, 2024.

  Register Now

  more less

  TIME Thursday, August 15, 2024

  LOCATION Ford Motor Company Engineering Design Center    map it

  ADD TO CALENDAR

  CONTACT Dongyang Li    lidongyang@northwestern.edu EMAIL

  CALENDAR McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science