2000 ANNUAL REPORT - egr.uh.edu - Cullen College of ... Seminar Series 42 Continuing Education 44 HOW TO CONTACT US 45 MISSION STATEMENT ... DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING, ® ® C. HE, :, …

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Department of Chemical Engineering

1Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

CHAIRMAN’S SUMMARY 2

FACULTY & RESEARCH

Faculty Research Interests 3

Departmental Research Activities 4

Current Research Projects & Grants 7

Faculty News & Activities 10

Institute for Improved Oil Recovery (IIOR) 12

DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING, SUPPORT, RANKINGS, & TRENDS

General Departmental Support & Graduate Fellowships 13

Donor Organizations 13

Outstanding Alumni 13

Industrial Advisory Board 14

Graduate Ranking—National Research Council 15

Graduate Ranking—The Gourman Report 16

Undergraduate Ranking—The Gourman Report 17

Enrollment Trends & Degrees Conferred 18

Students Receiving Degrees 18

FACULTY PUBLICATIONS 19

THE UNDERGRADUATE PROGRAM

ChE Undergraduate Admission 24

Undergraduate Courses: Chemical Engineering 26

Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Curriculum 28

Undergraduate Degree Plan 30

Undergraduate Scholarships Recipients 31

Undergraduate AIChE Chapter 31

The Tiller Scholarship Endowment Fund 32

THE GRADUATE PROGRAM

Introduction 33

Full-time Graduate Programs in ChE 35

Part-time Graduate Programs 37

Graduate Courses 39

Graduate Student Organization 41

SEMINARS & CONTINUING EDUCATION

Weekly Seminar Series 42

Continuing Education 44

HOW TO CONTACT US 45

MISSION STATEMENT

1. To provide a high-quality education for undergraduate

and graduate Chemical Engineering students through a

comprehensive curriculum that emphasizes basic science,

mathematics, engineering science, and engineering design.

UH ChE faculty members are expected to maintain their

reputations as superior teachers and to provide a stimulating

educational environment.

2. To engage in research programs that train graduate students,

procure support for this research on a continuous basis, and

contribute to the development of fundamental knowledge

in the field of chemical engineering. Our Department’s varied

and aggressively pursued research ensures that our faculty

members remain at the technological forefront of their

respective areas of specialization.

3. To be of service to the community at large and, in

particular, to the State of Texas, and to provide the local

engineering community opportunities for advanced and

continuing education.

INTRODUCTION

This Annual Report describes the 2000–2001 activities and

accomplishments of the Chemical Engineering Department

of the University of Houston. Information is provided regarding

Departmental activities spanning education and research.

VISION STATEMENT

The Department will regain international prominence within

five years, through leadership in three core research areas

and our graduating students becoming leaders in the field.

The Department will create the highest level of enthusiasm,

collegiality, and citizenship among our faculty. The Department

will lead in research and teaching.

The University of Houston provides equal treatment and opportunity to all persons without regard to race, color, religion, nationalorigin, sex, age, disability, veteran status or sexual orientation except where such distinction is required by law. This statementreflects compliance with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972 and allother federal and state regulations.

A special thanks to Mr. Toban Dvoretzky for compilation of this Report, as he has done in stellar fashion on a regular basis sincehe conceived and produced the inaugural issue in 1992.

Prepared by the University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering, Toban Dvoretzky

Produced by the UH Cullen College of Engineering Office of Communications, Harriet Yim, Angie Shortt

TA B L E O F C O N T E N T S


3Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report2 University of Houston

PROFESSORS

AMUNDSON, NEAL R. (PhDMathematics, Minnesota, 1945). CullenProfessor & Professor of Mathematics. Chemicalreactions; transport; mathematical modeling.

BALAKOTAIAH, VEMURI (PhD ChE,Houston, 1982). Director of InternationalGraduate Admissions. Chemical reactionengineering; environmental engineering;two-phase flow; dynamics of linear systems;applied mathematics.

ECONOMIDES, MICHAEL J. (PhD Petr.E., Stanford, 1984). University Professor.Petroleum-production engineering; directionaland multilateral wells; reservoir stimulation(fracturing, acidizing), petroleum research/research management; advanced reservoir-exploitation strategies; well-completions.

ECONOMOU, DEMETRE J. (PhD ChE,Illinois, 1986). John and Rebecca MooresProfessor; Associate Department Chairman;Director of Undergraduate Admissions. Plasma-,ion-, and laser-assisted etching; deposition ofelectronic material; atomic-layer processing;composites and ceramics.

FLUMERFELT, RAYMOND W. (PhDChE, Northwestern, 1965). Dean ofEngineering.

HAROLD, MICHAEL P. (PhD ChE,Houston, 1985). Dow Chair Professor &Department Chairman. Chemical reactionsystems; multifunctional chemical reactors;reaction-separation materials and devices;catalytic and biocatalytic materials.

LUSS, DAN (PhD ChE, Minnesota, 1966).Cullen Professor. Chemical reaction engineer-ing; pattern-formation in chemically reactingsystems; dynamics and stability of chemicalreactors; kinetics of solid-solid reactions; SHS ofcomplex oxides.

MOHANTY, KISHORE K. (PhD ChE,Minnesota, 1976). Director of MChE Program.Fluid flow; interfacial mechanics; porous-mediatransport; underground contaminants; oilrecovery; fabrication of composite materials.

RICHARDSON, JAMES T. (PhDPhysics/Chemistry, Rice, 1955). Heterogeneouscatalysis and catalytic processes, reactor

engineering, catalyst preparation and charac-terization, catalyst design; solid-oxide fuelcells; solar energy, solar-receiver design,solar-related chemical processes; catalyticprocesses for the destruction of hazardouswastes; high-temperature superconductivity;processing of ceramic superconductors.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS

KRISHNAMOORTI, RAMANAN (PhDChE, Princeton, 1994). Structure/processing/property relations for multiphase polymers;polymer crystallinity in bulk and thin films;thermodynamic interactions and viscoelasticityof polymer blends and copolymers; macro- andnanocomposite structure and viscoelasticity.Promotion effective Fall 2001.

NIKOLAOU, MICHAEL (PhD ChE, UCLA,1989). Director of Domestic GraduateAdmissions. Process simulation; processcontrol; computer-aided process engineering;process optimization.

VEKILOV, PETER G. (PhD Chemistry,Russian Academy of Sciences, 1991). Proteincrystallization; biochemical engineering; ther-modynamics of protein solutions. Hire effectiveFall 2001.

WILLSON, RICHARD C. (PhD ChE, MIT,1988). Joint Associate Professor, Biochemical &Biophysical Sciences. Biochemical separations;molecular recognition.

PROFESSORS EMERITI

HENLEY, ERNEST J. (DSc ChE,Columbia, 1953).

TILLER, FRANK M. (PhD ChE, Cincinnati,1946). M.D. Anderson Professor; joint Professorof Civil & Environmental Engineering. Fluid/particle separation; ceramic processing; filtra-tion, thickening, centrifugation; moisturetransport in drying solids; CATscan analysis ofsolid/liquid systems; separation of biosolids fromwastewater sludge; developing agriculturalfibers as aids in solid/liquid separation andcoalescence of oily waters.

AFFILIATED FACULTY

BRIGGS, JAMES M. (PhD Chemistry,

Purdue, 1990). Assistant Professor, Biochemical& Biophysical Sciences. Computational studiesof protein structure and function; inhibitordesign; investigations of possible inhibitorresistance pathways; development of methodsfor the above.

FOX, GEORGE E. (PhD Chemistry,Syracuse, 1974). Professor, Biochemical &Biophysical Sciences. Structure, function, andevolution of RNA.

LEE, T. RANDALL (PhD Chemistry,Harvard, 1991). Associate Professor ofChemistry. Design and synthesis of new typesof polymeric materials, including polymericdrugs and drug-delivery systems.

ADJUNCT PROFESSORS

ECONOMIDES, CHRISTINE A. (PhDPetr. E., Stanford, 1979). Director, PetroleumEngineering Program.

ROOKS, CHARLES W. “Mickey” (PhDChE, Oklahoma, 1973). Director, UndergraduatePractices Laboratory.

ADJUNCT ASSOCIATE PROFESSORS

FLEISCHER, MICKY T. (PhD ChE,Houston, 1978).

MARPLE, STANLEY JR. (PhD ChE,MIT, 1943).

OLIGNEY, RONALD E. (BSc PE summacum laude, Alaska-Fairbanks, 1985). Director,Petroleum Institute.

LECTURERS

ChE.: Dr. Ye-Mon Chen, Dr. John J. Crump, MarkDejmek, Fuad Khoury, Dr. Joseph M. Lee, Dr.Jagdish C. Maheshri, Dr. Jeffrey Smith, Dr.Raymond D. Steele, Albert Swarts

Petr. E.: Jeffrey F. App, Dr. Jon Burger, Dr. Akhil Datta-Gupta, Dr. Amiel David, Dr. Birol Dindouk, Dr. J.Robert Gochnour, Robert O. Hubbell, RossKastor, John Martinez, David Murphy, Miles R.Palke, Dean C. Rietz, Dr. Grant E. Robertson

This is the 2000–2001 Annual Report of the

University of Houston Department of Chemical

Engineering. In it, we wish to introduce you to

some of the facts and flavor surrounding our

people and program. We hope that you will find

this report both informative and illuminating.

The evolution of the Department of Chemical Engineering

has been closely coupled with the emergence of Houston

as a world center for the chemical and petrochemical

industries. Our Department was founded in 1947 by

three engineers who worked in process plants in the

area. Growth since that time has been dramatic. Over

the years, our program has produced a significant number

of undergraduate and graduate students who have risen

to positions of prominence in industry and academia.

Employers speak very highly of our graduates. We are

confident that our recently graduated students will continue

to add to our reputation and recognition.

Thanks in large measure to our productive and distinguished

faculty, our Department has developed special research

strengths in a broad range of areas. Our research specialties

encompass traditional chemical engineering science and

the emerging areas of advanced materials and biochemical

engineering. Our laboratory facilities, dedicated to specific

and general uses, afford excellent support for fundamental

and novel research.

The Department has embarked on an important period

of growth, with several faculty to be hired over the next

few years. This past year, two new faculty joined our

Department: Dr. Charles W. “Mickey” Rooks, recently

retired from Monsanto and Solutia, is our newest Adjunct

Professor. He is charged with reinvigorating our

Undergraduate Practices Lab. Mickey brings with him many

years of industrial research experience and an invaluable

industrial perspective. This is of great benefit to the

students. He will also participate in collaborative research

in the area of catalytic reaction engineering. Prof. Peter

G. Vekilov joins us for Fall 2001 from the faculty of the

Chemistry Department of the University of Alabama at

Huntsville. Peter, a leading expert in protein crystallization

and structure, has developed a vigorous research program

at UAH. His addition strengthens the Department in the

biochemical science and engineering area, certainly a

growing one for the field of chemical engineering.

Our Industrial Advisory Board first convened in April 1999,

and semiannual meetings have occurred since. These

valuable meetings generate much useful input from

members of the group. We look forward to strengthening

our interaction with the IAB members and the companies

they represent. These relationships and the feedback are

essential in helping us adjust our program to the

ever-changing requirements of industry. The evolving

needs in the chemical and oil industries affect all chemical

engineers, and changes are required in the training of

our graduates. While we must continue to provide our

graduates a sound basis in the fundamentals of chemical

engineering and a mastery of scientific tools, we need

to prepare them to adjust to and succeed in a rapidly

changing employment environment. We continue to

welcome and solicit our IAB’s suggestions about what

the appropriate changes should be.

We look forward to continued growth and mutually

supportive interaction with you. We will appreciate

any suggestions or comments that you have.

Michael HaroldDow Chair Professor & Department Chair

Faculty Research Interests

The Department of Chemical Engineering comprises nine full

professors, four associate professors, two professors emeriti,

three affiliated faculty, two adjunct professors, three adjunct

associate professors, and 21 lecturers:

C H A I R M A N ’ S S U M M A RY FA C U LT Y & R E S E A R C H

4 5University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

Departmental Research Activities

Prof. VEMURI BALAKOTAIAH’Sresearch involves the mathematical

modeling and analysis of the interactions

between the transport processes and

reactions in various systems of engineering

interest. The objective of the research is to

elucidate the complex behavior of these nonlinear interactions

and use this understanding to practical advantage. His group’s

current research projects include modeling and analysis of

catalytic monoliths (for pollution-reduction in automobiles,

oxidation of VOCs, power generation, and removal of NOx

from exhaust gases); bifurcation analysis of chemical reactors

and reacting flows (developing analytical and computational

techniques for reacting flows in order to explore and classify

the different types of behaviors in the parameter space);

studies of wavy films in gas-liquid two-phase flows; and

studies of these flows through packed beds under normal

and microgravity conditions.

The research performed by Prof. JIM

BRIGGS focuses on computational

studies of protein structure and function,

inhibitor design, investigations of possible

inhibitor-resistance pathways, and

development of methods for the above

work. Targets for these studies include those important in the

treatment of AIDS, cancer, tuberculosis, and other disease states.

Prof. MICHAEL ECONOMIDES’research focuses on various aspects of

petroleum engineering. Current research

projects include next-generation high-

intensity designs; complex well architecture

in petroleum production; advanced

petroleum-exploitation strategies; and near-well states of

stress in elastic and plastic rocks.

The research of Prof. DEMETRE

ECONOMOU involves: [a.] Plasma etching

and deposition: large-scale numerical

simulations of plasma flow and chemistry

in complex multidimensional geometries;

fluid and direct simulation Monte Carlo

(DSMC) approaches; parallel computing; plasma diagnostics,

involving laser-induced fluorescence, mass spectrometry, in situ

real-time multichannel laser interferometry, and ion-energy and

angular-distribution detectors. [b.] Plasma physics, including

electron velocity distribution functions; plasma heating; and new

plasma sources and chemistries for advanced integrated-circuit

manufacturing. [c.] Chemical vapor deposition, specifically

metallorganic chemical vapor deposition (MOCVD) of thin films,

and photo-assisted and plasma-assisted MOCVD. [d.] Atomic-

layer processing, involving nanofabrication, and experimental

realization of atomic-layer etching and molecular-dynamics

simulation of the interaction of energetic beams with crystal

surfaces. Prof. Economou also performs computational/

experimental studies of microwave-assisted chemical vapor

infiltration (CVI) for the manufacture of composite materials.

The unifying theme behind the projects in

the laboratory of Prof. GEORGE FOX

is seeking an understanding of the role

of RNA in the early evolution of life.

Bioinformatics studies are performed

on ribosomal components in bacterial

genomes et al., and multiple bacterial species are monitored in

spacecraft environments. Artificial RNAs are used as a possible

monitoring system for genetically modified bacteria.

Prof. MIKE HAROLD performs research

in the areas of reactive separation devices

and materials; multifunctional chemical

reactor synthesis, analysis, and design;

microfabricated chemical system devices

and materials; selective-oxidation chemistry,

kinetics, and reactors; and multiphase transport and reaction.

Prof. RAMANAN KRISHNAMOORTI

has established a research program that

aims to understand the structure-

processing-property relations in nano-

and microstructured multiphase polymer

materials. The foremost aspect of this

program is the capability to synthesize well-defined and

controlled polymers and inorganic materials. Combined

with well-established measurement techniques to examine

fundamental molecular and macroscopic properties, the final

properties of multiphase polymer systems can be determined

and characterized. Prof. Krishnamoorti investigates the effects

of pressure on the phase behavior of polyolefin blends; phase

transitions in block copolymers; and viscoelastic properties of

polymer nanocomposites. All these areas have important

industrial implications.

Prof. RANDY LEE and his group focus

on organic and materials research chemistry.

The six general areas include selectively

fluorinated organic thin films; complex

organic interfaces with controlled local

composition, structure, and function;

biologically active interfaces; nanoparticle growth and

manipulation; biopolymers and conducting polymers; and

polymerization catalyst development. The common thread

tying all of these research areas together is synthesis, whether

organic, inorganic, organometallic, or solid-state, with the goal

of preparing new materials for technological applications.

The specific research by Prof. DAN LUSS

involves the dynamic features of chemically

reacting systems, such as reverse-flow

reactors, hot-spot formation in packed-bed

reactors, and the dynamics of polyolefin

polymerization via metallocene catalysts.

Prof. Luss’ group also studies the use of membrane reactors to

produce synthesis gas; the destruction of nitrogen oxides in

reverse-flow reactors; and the formation of electrical and

magnetic fields during high-temperature solid reactions.

Prof. KISHORE MOHANTY’S research

is conducted in the area of colloid and

interfacial science, specifically transport

in microstructured media; improved oil

recovery; remediation of underground

contaminants; and multiphase flow. The

oil-recovery studies involve seismic studies, logs (how tools

respond), analysis of core samples, geologic analysis of chips,

fluid analysis, routine core analysis, thin sections, and mineralogy.

Actual samples are studied for relative permeability and the

potential for oil recovery. His group designs geological and

simulation models to see how production can be optimized.

Specific projects have included 3-D porous media reconstruction

by simulated annealing method; NMR response; impact of

capillary and bond numbers on relative permeability; application

of centrifuge techniques; studies of gas-condensate reservoirs

during deep drilling; oil recovery via fracture reservoirs; near-

miscible gas injection; and surfactants and foams to make

vesicles that are good drug-delivery vehicles.

Prof. MIKE NIKOLAOU focuses on

computer-aided process engineering

(design and operation) and the theory

and application of process control in

the chemical, oil and gas, food, and

microelectronics industries. His research

group screens candidate technologies, develops new approaches,

and develops proofs of concepts or working prototypes. Recent

topics of interest include model predictive control, nonlinear

control, adaptive control, monitoring, development of new

methods for the numerical solution of partial differential

equations, and modeling of air pollution near roadways. Prof.

Nikolaou’s group has recently begun collaborating with other

investigators in the areas of control of microelectronics

processes, and acceleration of in situ bioremediation

processes using process control.


continued

Prof. JIM RICHARDSON conducts

research in the areas of heterogeneous

catalysis and catalytic processes; reactor

engineering; catalyst preparation and

characterization, and catalyst design.

His interests also include solar energy,

solar-receiver design, solar-related chemical processes, catalytic

processes for the destruction of hazardous wastes, gas-to-liquid

conversion processes, high-temperature superconductivity and

processing of ceramic superconductors, solid oxide fuel cells,

and ceramic membrane reactors.

Prof. FRANK TILLER performs theoretical

and experimental research into many

aspects of fluid/particle separation,

including environmental and agricultural

applications. Areas include thickening,

filtration, centrifugation, CATscan analysis

of solid/ liquid systems, sedimentation, flocculation, and

interfacial phenomena. Additional focus includes separation

of biosolids from wastewater sludge, processing of solids,

stagewise drying, and new theories of supercompactibility.

Prof. Tiller is also interested in developing agricultural fibers as

aids in solid/liquid separation and coalescence of oily waters;

ceramic processing; moisture transport in drying solids, and

numerical/transient analysis of stagewise operations.

Prof. PETER VEKILOV’S research

involves four primary areas: [a.] Control

of the polymerization of sickle-cell

hemoglobin, wherein ultrafast image-

capture, direct visualization of Hb polymers

in vitro, monitoring of polymerization in

cells, understanding of nucleation control via the dense liquid

phase, and understanding and control of intermolecular

interactions by low-concentration reagents lead to models for

numerous protein-condensation diseases. [b.] Rational

optimization of crystallization conditions of macromolecules—

whereas 95% of proteins studied by structural biologists yield

crystals after robotized screening, and 60% yield crystals of

sufficient quality, many of the important proteins are not in the

60%; insight into growth conditions and mechanisms may

shorten the time of production of such diffraction-quality

crystals. [c.] Formation and evolution of step patterns. During

layer-growth of crystals, steps do not remain equidistant;

quantitative data and numerical modeling will help design

control strategies. [d.] Thermodynamics of protein solutions,

including DLVO and non-DLVO molecular interactions and their

control, plus kinetics of the phase transitions and control of

their rates.

Molecular recognition and adsorption

characterize Prof. RICHARD

WILLSON’S research. He specifically

investigates ion-exchange chromatography

of proteins and nucleic acids; antibody

affinity and selectivity; biophysical

characterization of driving forces, equilibria, and kinetics of

interactions involving biological macromolecules; directed

mutagenesis of critical residues to test their contributions

to association; environmental biotechnology; detection of

mutagenic and DNA-damaging agents through luciferase-

reporter systems; microbial degradation and modification of

hydrocarbons, and isolation of enzymes responsible for these

activities; DNA-probe monitoring of microbial populations in

complex environments; combinatorial chemistry and catalysis;

phage-surface display for improvement of affinity-separations

ligands; enzyme engineering through phage display; and

solid-phase combinatorial libraries.

Current Research Projects & GrantsAwards granted to the Department of Chemical Engineering

BALAKOTAIAH, VEMURI

$ 135,000.00 Robert A. Welch Foundation“Modeling & Analysis of Spatiotemporal Patterns in Catalytic Reactions & Reactors” (1999–2001)

$ 110,000.00 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (ATP)“Novel Catalysts & Reactors for Air-Pollution Control” (2000–2001)

$ 44,000.00 NASA—Glenn Research Center“Studies on Wave Occlusion for Gas-Liquid Two-Phase Flows in Pipes under Normal & Microgravity Conditions” (1999–2001)

$ 30,000.00 The Dow Chemical Company“Modeling of Catalytic Monoliths” (2000)

ECONOMIDES, MICHAEL J.

$ 324,831.98 Halliburton Energy Services“Development of a Novel Methodology for Stress & Stability-related Measurementsin Boreholes” (1999–2001)* jointly with Profs. M. Nikolaou & P. Valkó (Texas A&M)

$ 60,000.00 Weatherford (Engineering Foundation)“Process Design for Complex Structures” (2000)

ECONOMOU, DEMETRE J.

$ 557,207.00 National Science Foundation“Ion-Ion Plasmas: Fundamentals & Applications in Semiconductor Manufacturing” (1997–2001)

$ 354,907.00 National Science Foundation“Non-Local Electron Transport in Inductively Coupled Plasmas” (2000–2003)

$ 349,774.00 Sandia National Laboratories“Applications of Modular Plasma Reactor Simulator (MPRES)” (1996–2001)

$ 35,000.00 Materials Research Science & Engineering Center“Neutral-Beam-Assisted Deposition of Oxides” (2000-2001)

$ 5,000.00 National Science Foundation“Support for Gaseous Electronics Conference GEC-2000” (2000–2001)

HAROLD, MICHAEL

$ 60,000.00 ACS—Petroleum Research Fund“Shape-Selective Pneumatic Membrane Reactor for Enhanced Conversion & Yield in Equilibrium-limited Sequential-Parallel Reaction Systems”(2001–2004)

$ 32,000.00 BASF Corporation“Automated Reactor System for Undergraduate Practices Lab” (2001)

KRISHNAMOORTI, RAMANAN

$ 354,195.00 National Science Foundation“Understanding the Role of Process Variables on Properties of Multiphase Polymeric Materials” (1998–2003)

$ 246,000.00 EXXON Chemical Company“Carbocationic Polymerization of Iso-olefin” (1998–2001)

$ 135,000.00 Welch Foundation“Tailoring Crystallinity in Thin Polymer Films” (2000–2003)

$ 85,000.00 DuPont Dow Elastomers“Phase Behavior in the Solution Process for the Production of EPDM” (1999–2001)

$ 33,950.00 NIST“Combinatorial Screening of Nanocomposites: Mechanical & Vapor-Barrier Properties” (2000–2001)

$ 20,000.00 American Chemical Society—PRF“Structure & Dynamics of Polymer-Layered Silicate Nanocomposites” (1997–2001)


LUSS, DAN

$ 291,948.00 National Science Foundation“Electromagnetic Fields Produced by Self-PropagatingHigh-Temperature Synthesis (SHS)” (2001–2004)* jointly with Prof. A. Jacobson, UH MRSEC

$ 289,399.00 National Science Foundation“Temperature Patterns on Catalytic Pellets & Radial-Flow Reactor” (1999–2002)

$ 135,000.00 Robert A. Welch Foundation“Periodic & Chaotic Temperature-Patterns on Catalytic Surfaces” (1999–2001)

$ 135,000.00 U.S./Israel Binational Science Foundation“Control of Patterned States in Chemical Reactors” (1999–2001)* jointly with Prof. M. Sheintuch, The Technion, Israel

$ 85,000.00 Mobil Foundation, Inc.“Reaction Engineering Research” (1991–2000)

$ 80,000.00 Materials Research Science & Engineering Center“SHS & Membrane Reactors” (1999–2000)* jointly with Prof. J.T. Richardson

$ 73,900.00 Various Private-Profit Agencies“Research in Heterogeneous Catalysis—Chemical Reaction Engineering” (1991–2000)

$ 70,000.00 Materials Research Science & Engineering Center“Membrane Reactors for Synthesis-Gas Production” (2000–2001) * jointly with Prof. J.T. Richardson

$ 60,000.00 ACS—Petroleum Research Fund“Complex Dynamic Behavior of Countercurrent & Reverse-Flow Reactors” (2000–2002)

$ 47,000.00 U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation“Synthesis of Oxide & Composite Tubes in a Centrifuge”(2000–2001)

$ 10,750.00 Environmental Institute of Houston“Membrane Reactor for Synthesis-Gas Production”(2000–2001)

$ 9,400.00 U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation“Self-Propagating High-Temperature Synthesis of Oxide & Composite Tubes in a Centrifuge” (2000–2002)

MOHANTY, KISHORE K.

$ 637,010.00 U.S. Department of Energy“Fluid-Rock Characterization & Interactions in NMR Well-Logging” (1999–2002)* jointly with Prof. G. Hirasaki, Rice University

$ 471,983.00 U.S. Department of Energy“Impact of Capillary & Bond Numbers on Relative Permeability” (1999–2002)

$ 265,351.00 University of Tulsa“Exploitation & Optimization of Shallow-Shelf Carbonate-Reservoir Performance in Carney Field, Hunton Formation, Oklahoma” (2000–2005)

$ 127,000.00 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (ATP)“Computation of Transport Properties from Petrographic Images” (2000–2001)

$ 44,601.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Biosurfactant Produced from Used Vegetable Oil for Removal of Metals from Wastewaters & Soils” (2000–2001)* with Prof. C. Vipulanandan, UH Civil Engineering

$ 40,000.00 Mobil Research and Development Corporation“Multiphase Flow in Mixed-Wet Porous Media” (1994–2000)

$ 32,151.00 Texas Hazardous-Waste Research Center“VOC Emission Control at Oil-Loading Terminals”(2000–2001)

$ 25,000.00 Mobil Oil Corporation“Non-Darcy Effects in Flow-Through Anisotropic Porous Media” (1996–2000)

$ 20,000.00 British Petroleum Exploration, Inc.“Reservoir Mechanisms & Scale-up” (1996–2000)

NIKOLAOU, MICHAEL

$ 324,831.98 Halliburton Energy Services“Development of a Novel Methodology for Stress & Stability-related Measurements in Boreholes” (1999–2001)* jointly with Profs. M. Economides & P. Valkó (Texas A&M)

$ 143,207.00 National Science Foundation“Design of Constrained Model Predictive Controllers with Enhanced Autonomy” (1998–2001)

$ 55,000.00 Equilon Enterprises, L.L.C.—“Process Control”(unrestricted; renewable annually)

$ 30,000.00 Frito-Lay, Inc. (unrestricted grant) (1999–2000)

$ 28,387.00 National Science Foundation“A Study on Plasma-Etching Yield Improvements through a Faculty-in-Industry Internship” (2001)

$ 21,000.00 Kellogg Brown & Root“Development of Performance-Monitoring Tools for Model Predictive Control” (2000–2002)

RICHARDSON, JAMES T.

$ 185,800.00 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (ATP)“Improved Catalytic Membrane Reactors for Synthesis-Gas Generation” (2000–2001)

$ 80,000.00 Materials Research Science & Engineering Center“SHS & Membrane Reactors” (1999–2000)* jointly with Prof. D. Luss

$ 77,700.00 Various Private-Profit Agencies“Development of Heterogeneous Catalysis” (1991–2000)

$ 75,437.00 Sud-Chemie, Inc.“Screening of Carbon Formation on Steam-Reforming Catalysts” (2000–2001)

$ 70,000.00 Materials Research Science & Engineering Center“Membrane Reactors for Synthesis-Gas Production” (2000–2001) * jointly with Prof. D. Luss

$ 57,000.00 U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation“Efficient Continuous Technology for the Production of Soft Ferrite Materials” (2000–2001) * jointly with Prof. A.P. Bakhshievich, State Univ. of Armenia

$ 55,000.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Combinatorial Libraries of Heterogeneous Catalysts” (1999–2000) * jointly with Prof. R. Willson

$ 52,180.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Improved Halogen Resistance of Catalytic Oxidation through Efficient Catalyst-Testing” (2000–2001)* jointly with Prof. R. Willson

$ 13,500.00 UH Institute for Space Systems Operation“Improved Sabaatier Reactors for in situ Resource Utilization on Mars” (2000)

$ 11,460.00 U.S. Civilian Research & Development Foundation“Efficient Continuous Technology for the Production of Soft Ferrite Materials” (2000–2002)

$ 9,000.00 UH Institute for Space Systems Operation“Advanced Catalysts & Reactors for Mars-Exploration Sabaatier Processors” (2001)

WILLSON, RICHARD C.

$ 270,000.00 National Science Foundation“Competitive Ion-Exchange Adsorption of Proteins” (2001–2004)

$ 225,810.00 National Science Foundation“Acquisition of a Biosensor” (1997–2000)* jointly with Profs. S.H. Hardin, S.R. Blanke, A. Eskin

$ 150,000.00 National Space Biomedical Research Institute (2000–2003) * jointly with Prof. G.E. Fox

$ 124,000.00 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (ATP)“Imaging Polarimeter for Rapid Screening of Chiral Libraries” (2000–2001)

$ 123,465.00 Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (ATP)“Imaging Polarimetry for High-Throughput Screening”(2000–2001)

$ 123,000.00 Robert A. Welch Foundation“Molecular Electrostatics of Protein Interactions” (1999–2002) * 15% effort

$ 111,000.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Enzymatic Detoxification of Cyanide Wastes” (2000–2003)* jointly with Prof. M. Benedik, UH Biochemistry

$ 90,199.50 Robert A. Welch Foundation“Physical Chemistry of Biomolecular Recognition” (1999–2001)

$ 61,745.00 Baylor College of Medicine“NASA National Space Biomedical Research Institute Micro-organisms in the Spacecraft Environment”(2000–2001)

$ 55,000.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Combinatorial Libraries of Heterogeneous Catalysts” (1999–2000) * jointly with Prof. J.T. Richardson

$ 52,180.00 Gulf Coast Hazardous-Substances Research Center“Improved Halogen Resistance of Catalytic Oxidation through Efficient Catalyst-Testing” (2000–2001)* jointly with Prof. J.T. Richardson

10 11Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

HAROLD TAKES CHAIRMANSHIP:Effective 1 September 2000, Dr. Michael P. Harold

accepted the position of Dow Chair Professor &

Chairman of the Department of Chemical

Engineering at the University of Houston.

Prof. Harold was most recently Research

Manager of Chemical Process Fundamentals

with DuPont Central Research (Wilmington,

DE). He previously held these other posts

within DuPont: Global Technology Manager,

Polymer & Fiber R&D (DuPont Dacron®);

Research Supervisor, Dacron® Intermediates

R&D; and Research Associate, Reaction

Engineering R&D (Central Research &

Development). He also served as Adjunct

Professor of Chemical Engineering at the

University of Delaware, and as Associate

Professor of Chemical Engineering at UMass-

Amherst. He earned his PhD in ChE at the

University of Houston (1985, advisor Dan Luss)

and his BS ChE at Penn State University (1980).

ROOKS HIRED: Dr. Charles W. “Mickey”

Rooks joined the Department as Adjunct

Professor of Chemical Engineering, effective

April 2001. Recently retired from Monsanto

and Solutia after many years of significant

industrial research experience, he is tasked

with reinvigorating our Undergraduate

Practices Lab. Dr. Rooks will also participate in

collaborative research in the area of catalytic

reaction engineering.

Dr. Rooks received his BS in ChE from the

University of Mississippi in 1969, and his MS and

PhD in ChE from the University of Oklahoma in

1971 and 1973, respectively. He served as a

consulting engineer (1972–1973), Senior

Development Engineer with Monsanto Textiles

Co. (1973–1974), Senior Research Engineer and

then Senior Engineering Specialist with

Monsanto Chemical Intermediates and

Monsanto Fiber Intermediates (1975–1997), and

as Senior Engineering Specialist (Acrylonitrile

R&D) with Solutia Inc. (1997–2001). He

specializes in industrial catalyst development,

technology, and economics. He has authored

numerous proprietary Monsanto Corporation

Final Technical Reports on fluid-bed coal

gasification, toluene-based routes to styrene,

acrylonitrile catalyst development, and waste-

minimization in the acrylonitrile process. He

holds four U.S. patents, with another application

in process.

C. ECONOMIDES HIRED: Dr. Christine

Ehlig-Economides joined the Department as

Adjunct Professor in January 2000 to head the

Petroleum Engineering program. Married to

Prof. M. Economides, Dr. C. Economides is

currently an International Account Manager and

consultant for Schlumberger Global Sales

Houston. Before that, she was the Manager for

GeoQuest Reservoir Technologies, Latin America

North. She was a member of a multidisciplinary

task force for Anadrill Schlumberger, developing

strategies for the design of re-entry and

multilateral wells before becoming Technical

& Marketing Manager for Production

Enhancement for Schlumberger Oilfield

Services. She has specialized in well-testing

and integrated reservoir characterization in

previous Schlumberger positions.

Before joining Schlumberger in 1983, she

was the Petroleum Engineering Department

Head at the University of Alaska-Fairbanks. Her

degrees include a B.A. in Math-Science from

Rice University, an M.S. in Chemical Engineering

from the University of Kansas, and a PhD in

Petroleum Engineering from Stanford University.

She has served on numerous SPE publication

committees (recent Executive Editor of SPEFE)

and SPE program and forum committees, and

she chaired the first SPE Committee on Cultural

Diversity. She was the 1982 Alaska Petroleum

Engineer of the Year and received an SPE

Distinguished Faculty award that year. She won

the 1995 SPE Formation Evaluation award,

became an SPE Distinguished Member in 1996,

and received the 1997 Lester C. Uren Award. As

an SPE Distinguished Lecturer in 1997–1998, Dr.

C. Economides visited more than 25 locations in

15 countries.

MOHANTY PROMOTED: Prof. Kishore

K. Mohanty was promoted to Full Professor

effective Fall 2000. Prof. Mohanty has

developed a renowned program in interfacial

mechanics and porous-media transport during

his years at UH.

KRISHNAMOORTI PROMOTED: Prof.

Ramanan Krishnamoorti was promoted to

Associate Professor with tenure, effective Fall

2001. Prof. Krishnamoorti has continued to

develop an impressive program in polymer-

nanocomposite design and synthesis since his

hire in August 1994.

VEKILOV HIRED: Prof. Peter G. Vekilov

was hired as Associate Professor, effective Fall

2001. Prof. Vekilov was most recently on the

faculty of the Department of Chemistry at the

University of Alabama in Huntsville, where he

developed an impressive research program in

protein crystallization. His addition strengthens

the Department’s research in biochemical

science and engineering.

In 2000, PROF. RICHARD WILLSONwas inducted as a Fellow of the American

Institute of Medical & Biological Engineering. His

PhD student Phillip Gibbs won the W.M.

Peterson Award for best research-poster

presentation from the ACS Division of

Biochemical Technology at the 2000 ACS

National Meeting. Prof. Willson serves on the

editorial board of the International Journal of

Biochromatography, and, as a member of the

CCR Vision 2020 Committee on Bioprocessing,

he serves as co-editor for “New Biocatalysts:

Essential Tools for a Sustainable 21st-Century

Chemical Industry.” He is a member of the NSF

Environmental Biotechnology panel and the

NASA Space Biotechnology panel. Prof. Willson

served on the Programming Committee of the

ACS Division of Biochemical Technology; as

presider over the Biotechnology session of the

Houston Society for Engineering in Medicine &

Biology; as a session organizer at NASCRE-1 in

January 2001; and on three Scientific

Committees at other symposia. In 2000, he

became President-elect of the International

Society for Molecular Recognition. Prof. Willson

filed two patent applications during 2000.

PROF. FRANK M. TILLER bestowed the

2001 Frank Tiller Research Award upon Prof.

Richard Hogg of Penn State University. This

award is given annually by the American

Filtration & Separation Society. Prof. Tiller is an

honorary professor at five Latin American

universities, and he holds two honorary

doctorates. He continues his research in

the Department.

During 2000, PROF. JAMES T.RICHARDSON became President-elect of

the University of Houston chapter of Sigma Xi.

He delivered invited seminars during technical

meetings, academic visits, and industrial visits

during the year. Prof. Richardson holds seven

U.S. patents.

PROF. MICHAEL NIKOLAOU served as

a panelist in the session on Control Theory at the

Chemical Process-Control Conference in January

2001. He presented five papers and invited

seminars during 2000–2001. Prof. Nikolaou

served as Director of Graduate Studies

(concentrating on U.S. student recruitment)

in the Department, and he is a member of

the ABET Committee for the Cullen College

of Engineering.

PROF. KISHORE MOHANTY was

promoted to Full Professor as of Fall 2000. He

has served on the Editorial Board of the SPE

Journal since 1999, and he is the volume co-

editor of Current Opinion on Colloid & Interface

Science (June 2001). He was a member of the

Louisiana RCS Review panel. Prof. Mohanty

chaired the 2000 Gordon Conference technical

session on Flow through Permeable Media as

well as the technical session on Transport and

Reaction through Permeable Media at the AIChE

Conference. Prof. Mohanty has been elected

Vice-Chairman for 2000 and Chairman-elect for

2002 of the Gordon Research Conference on

Flow through Permeable Media. He serves on

UH’s Radiation Safety Committee and the

College of Engineering’s Computer Policy

Committee. Within the Department, he directs

the Master of Chemical Engineering program

and serves as Honors College Advisor.

PROF. DAN LUSS, long-time ChE

Department Chairman who stepped back in as

Interim Chairman from Fall 1999 through August

2000, serves as the editor of Reviews in Chemical

Engineering and the Plenum Chemical

Engineering book series. He is the president of

the U.S. Board of Governors of the International

Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering

(ISCRE), and he organized a meeting of NASCRE

in Houston in 2000. Prof. Luss participates on

national review panels for the NSF and NIH. He

serves on the Advisory Board for the Rutgers

University ChE Department, and he was the

Rutgers Collaboratus XI Lecturer in 2001. He

delivered invited seminars in Germany, Israel, and

The Netherlands during 2000. Prof. Luss serves

on the membership committee of the National

Academy of Engineering, and he is a member of

the Board of the CRE Division of the AIChE. He

continues to serve on several University, College,

and Departmental committees.

PROF. RAMANAN KRISHNAMOORTIwon the Cullen College of Engineering Junior

Faculty Award in 2000, and, for exemplifying

excellence in research in teaching in the area of

polymeric materials, he followed this up by

earning the prestigious University of Houston

Award for Excellence in Research & Scholarship.

He was joint editor of the ACS symposium series

on Polymer Nanocomposites and of the MRS

symposium series on Filled Polymers. He chaired

sessions at technical meetings of the ACS, and

two each of the AIChE and MRS. He was

Program Chair for the AIChE Division 1-A

(Atlanta), and co-organizer of the ACS Special

Symposium on Polymer Nanocomposites (San

Francisco) and the MRS Symposium on Filled

Polymers (Boston). Prof. Krishnamoorti delivered

13 papers and invited seminars during the year.

He has also delivered a short course about

polymers at the Fina Petrochemical Co. In

2001, he began a five-year term on the editorial

board of the Journal of Polymer Science Part B:

Polymer Physics Edition. He also served as chair

of the Department’s Faculty Search committee

during 2000.

PROF. DEMETRE J. ECONOMOU,

Associate Chairman, has been reappointed John

and Rebecca Moores Professor at the University

of Houston. He serves on the international

editorial board of Materials Science in

Semiconductor Processing, and he was guest co-

editor of the special issue of Thin Solid Films

(374), published in 2000. He served on the NSF’s

CTS panel for selection of CAREER Awards. He

chaired two Plasma Processing sessions at the

Los Angeles AIChE meeting. Prof. Economou

organized the entire 53rd Gaseous Electronics

Conference, which was attended by

approximately 300 registrants in Houston. He

served in three officership roles for professional

conferences, and he presented 11 papers at

conferences and technical meetings during

2000, with four more definitely scheduled

during 2001. He also lectured for the FE/EIT

continuing-education course offered by UH

Chemistry Review. In 2000 alone, Prof.

Economou also served on six Departmental,

three College, and two University committees.

In 2000, PROF. MICHAEL J.ECONOMIDES was inducted as a foreign

member of the Russian Academy of Natural

Sciences. He was awarded a Dr. Honoris Causa

by the Petroleum & Gas University (Ploeisti,

Romania) in 2001. He participated in at least

20 major conferences as a keynote speaker,

session chairman, or panel member. During the

year, he presented an estimated 12 papers in

professional conferences, and he delivered

approximately 50 seminars and talks in several

countries and at various conferences. Prof.

Economides is continuously involved in a

number of public forums, including major

newspapers. He appears regularly over the Dow

Jones wire, Bloomberg News, and Energy News

Live. He appeared on CNBC, Channel 13

(Houston), Channel 13 (Tokyo, Japan), Dutch

national television, and ABC (Australia). He has

been commissioned by El Paso Energy

Corporation to write and edit “Energy

Integration,” a major multidisciplinary book on

the new energy spectrum.

PROF. VEMURI BALAKOTAIAHchaired the “Chemical Reactor Stability &

Dynamics” session at the Los Angeles AIChE

meeting (2000) and co-chaired the “Nonlinear

Dynamics and Pattern Formation” session at the

same meeting. He served on the review panel

for Fluid Physics at the Glenn Research Center

of NASA.

PROF. NEAL R. AMUNDSON is a

member of the National Academy of

Engineering, the National Academy of Sciences,

and the American Academy of Arts & Sciences.

He was the first recipient of the Neal R.

Amundson Prize, awarded at each ISCRE

meeting to a recognized leader in the field of

chemical reaction engineering. He also holds

four honorary doctorates. The Chemical

Engineering Building at the University of

Minnesota is named in his honor.

DEATH: DR. CHARLES W. ARNOLD,

on 13 October 2000. After many years of tireless

service as director of the Department’s

Petroleum Engineering program, Dr. Arnold

retired effective 31 December 1998. He will be

fondly remembered by hundreds of students for

the painstaking personal care with which he

dealt with them, from their initial application to

the Petroleum Engineering program through

their graduation from it.

Faculty News & Activities

University of Houston


The Institute for Improved Oil Recovery (IIOR) conducts its university research via a research consortium that is

funded by major oil and gas producers, service companies, the U.S. Department of Energy, and the state of

Texas. After research has been conducted through cooperative university and industrial projects, results are

presented in conferences and workshops around the United States.

Research areas include:

• Advanced computing technology applied to reservoir engineering

• Three-dimensional imaging of flow through porous media

• Gas-flooding methods (CO2, hydrocarbon, N2)

• Displacement mechanisms

• Foams

• Fractured reservoirs

• Formation evaluation

• Environmental engineering/containment technologies

• Particle transport, surface chemistry, wettability.

THE SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPROVED OIL-RECOVERY TECHNOLOGY: The U.S. Department of

Energy and other entities have estimated that less than one-third of the original oil in place can be produced

with existing technologies. Hence, recovery of the remaining two-thirds constitutes the target for development

of improved technologies. Approximately 341 billion barrels of mobile and immobile oil will remain bypassed

or trapped in known U.S. reservoirs at the conclusion of conventional production. Of this remaining oil, it is

estimated that an additional 76 billion barrels are recoverable by currently identified technologies with the

application of well-designed R&D and technology-transfer strategies. This would sustain current levels of U.S.

production for several decades, which is necessary for an orderly transition to alternative transportation fuels.

Improved technology allows producers to work more efficiently and to extract more oil than otherwise.

The natural-gas supply from conventional resources is estimated to be approximately 800 trillion cubic

feet (Tcf), of which 160 Tcf are proven reserves and 640 Tcf are inferred or undiscovered reserves. Half the

conventional undiscovered gas is considered economical to produce, with improved recovery methods being

necessary to convert this gas to reserves. The remaining 50% is also expected to require improved drilling,

completion, and gathering technology. A reduction in imported oil could be one near-term payoff when

new reserves are developed via improved exploration and extraction techniques. Fuel-switching in stationary

markets could enable the replacement of two million barrels/day of oil (25% of imports) with 4 Tcf/year of

gas. Technology can make a difference.

Contact:

Prof. Kishore K. Mohanty, Director



S 222 Engineering Bldg. 1,

Houston, TX 77204-4004

713-743-4331

713-743-4323 fax

The mission of the Institute for

Improved Oil Recovery (IIOR) is to

improve recovery of crude oil and natural

gas under present-day economics, apply

improved oil-recovery technology to the

in situ clean-up of hazardous wastes,

and transfer technology to industry and

national laboratories. The scope of the

program encompasses R&D and field

demonstration, testing, and evaluation.

Institute for Improved Oil Recovery (IIOR)in the University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering

DONOR ORGANIZATIONS

The Department of Chemical Engineering is most grateful

for the support contributed by these industrial, educational,

and nonprofit organizations:

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

BASF Corporation

BP/Amoco

CAChE Corp.

Chevron U.S.A. Inc.

Council for Chemical Research

The Dow Chemical Company Foundation

The Dow Chemical Company

E.I. DuPont de Nemours & Company

ExxonMobil

Fluor Corp.

Halliburton Foundation, Inc.

Hoechst-Celanese Chemical Group

The Lubrizol Foundation

Marathon Oil Company

Pennzoil Products Company

Rohm and Haas Company

Shell Oil Company Foundation

DEPARTMENTAL SUPPORT/ GRADUATE FELLOWSHIPS

As of June 2001, the UH ChE research program comprised

53 full-time graduate students, four postdoctoral fellows,

31 Petroleum Engineering students, and 71 part-time

Master of Chemical Engineering students (the industrially

employed professionals who are attracted to our non-thesis

terminal-degree option). The program is supported by the

following sources:

State Budget for 2000–2001 $ 1,431,369

Federal Research Grants $ 544,659

State and University Grants $ 342,519

Private Grants $ 272,460

Industrial Grants, Fellowships $ 226,775

-----------------

TOTAL $ 2,817,782

OUTSTANDING ALUMNI

These graduates of the UH Chemical Engineering program

have received the UH Engineering Alumni Association’s

“Distinguished Alumnus” Award:

Robert Baldwin BS, 1949

William Brookshire BS, 1957

Robert M. Zoch, Jr. BS, 1968

J.C.M. “Jimmy” Lee PhD, 1970

Ravi Singhania PhD

Dr. Charles R. Cutler of Houston (PhD ChE) was elected

to the National Academy of Engineering in 2000. His

election citation reads: “For invention, development, and

commercial implementation of a new-generation digital

process-control technology.” Dr. Cutler serves on the

Department’s Industrial Advisory Board.

D E PA R T M E N TA L F U N D I N G ,S U P P O R T, R A N K I N G S , & T R E N D S


INDUSTRIAL ADVISORY BOARD

The Chemical Engineering Department has an Industrial

Advisory Board (IAB). The IAB provides the Chemical

Engineering chairman and faculty an industrial perspective

on important strategic and operational issues. With input

and advice, the IAB addresses such salient topics as faculty

hiring, student recruitment, curriculum content, and

graduate research programs. The IAB members also

provide a network through which fundraising efforts,

student recruiting and internships, and engagement

of alumni are enhanced.

Members of the IAB are:

Air Products & Chemicals, Inc. (Houston, TX)

Steve Hensler, Area Manager

Aspen Technology, Inc. (Houston, TX)

John Ayala, Senior Vice-President, Global Solutions Practice

ATOFINA Petrochemicals, Inc. (Deer Park, TX)

Dr. Michel Daumerie, Vice-President of Research & Technology

BASF Corporation (Freeport, TX)

Jim Saccomanno, Operations Director

Bechtel Corp. (Houston, TX)

Lance Murray, Principal VP, Manager of Refining Center of Excellence

Celanese Ltd. (Pasadena, TX)

Dieter Peters, Site Director

Conoco Inc. (Houston, TX)

Alok Jain, Manager, Project Engineering & Management, EPT

The Dow Chemical Company (Freeport, TX)

Tim May, Site Logistics Leader, Texas Operations

DuPont Lycra® (Wilmington, DE)

Dr. Bill Hill, Global Technology Manager - Terathane®

M.A. Ervin & Associates (Austin, TX)

Dr. Mike Ervin, President

Ethyl Corporation (Pasadena, TX)

Kang Buoy, Plant Manager

ExxonMobil Chemical (Baytown, TX)

Joe Carey, Manager, Polypropylene Technology

Fluor Corp. (Sugar Land, TX)

Mike Piwetz, Vice-President, Process Engineering

Halliburton Energy Services (Duncan, OK)

Dr. Ron Morgan, Technical Excellence Leader, Research

Dr. Charles Cutler, Industrial Consultant (Houston, TX)

Kellogg Brown & Root (Houston, TX)

Tim Challand, Vice-President, Global Engineering

The Lubrizol Corporation (Deer Park, TX)

Harold Smith, Technology Manager for the Texas Plants

Marathon Ashland (Texas City, TX)

Mike Armbrester, Division Manager

OxyVinyls, L.P. (Deer Park, TX)

Ken Carlson, Engineering Services Manager

Pennzoil-Quaker State Co. (The Woodlands, TX)

Dr. Ahmed Alim, Senior VP of Research & Development and Chief

Technology Officer

Phillips 66 Co. (Sweeny, TX)

Rob Mitchell, Refining Process Engineering Manager

Rohm and Haas Texas Incorporated (Deer Park, TX)

Bob Brinly, President & Plant Manager

Schlumberger—Oilfield Chemicals (Sugar Land, TX)

Dr. Keith Dismuke, Department Head

Shell Chemical Company (Houston, TX)

Dr. Carlos Garcia, Technical Manager

Graduate Ranking: National Research CouncilBesides featuring the top-ranked doctoral program in the University of Houston, the Chemical Engineering Department ranked in

the top 20 nationally out of 93 ChE doctoral programs rated by the National Research Council (1995):

RELATIVE RANKINGS FORRESEARCH-DOCTORATE PROGRAMS IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

OVERALL NRC RANKING INSTITUTION SCORE

1 University of Minnesota 4.86

2 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.73

3 University of California, Berkeley 4.63

4 University of Wisconsin (Madison) 4.62

5 University of Illinois (Urbana-Champaign) 4.42

6 California Institute of Technology 4.41

7 Stanford University 4.35

8 University of Delaware 4.34

9 Princeton University 4.14

10 University of Texas at Austin 4.08

11 University of Pennsylvania 3.97

12 Carnegie Mellon University 3.87

13 Cornell University 3.86

14 University of California, Santa Barbara 3.82

15 Northwestern University 3.75

16 Purdue University 3.67

17 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON 3.6618 University of Michigan 3.52

19 City University of New York 3.46

20 University of Washington 3.44

T21 University of Massachusetts at Amherst 3.35

T21 Rice University 3.35

23 Pennsylvania State University 3.34

24 University of Notre Dame 3.30

25 North Carolina State University 3.20

26 University of Colorado 3.18

27 Lehigh University 3.13

28 University of California, Davis 3.11

29 State University of New York at Buffalo 3.08

T30 University of Virginia 3.01

T30 Georgia Institute of Technology 3.01

Source: NRC report, “Research-Doctorate Programs in the United States: Continuity and Change” (1995).The NRC produces these reports once every 10 years.


Graduate Ranking: The Gourman ReportA Rating of Graduate & Professional Schools in American Universities (1995)

Undergraduate Ranking: The Gourman ReportA Rating of Undergraduate Programs in American Universities (1995)

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING—THE TOP 30 U.S. PROGRAMS, IN RANK ORDER:

RANK INSTITUTION

1 University of Minnesota

2 University of Wisconsin, Madison

3 California Institute of Technology

4 University of California, Berkeley

5 Stanford University

6 University of Delaware

7 Massachusetts Institute of Technology

8 University of Illinois (Champaign/Urbana)

9 Princeton University

10 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON

11 Northwestern University

12 University of Pennsylvania

13 University of Texas at Austin

14 Carnegie Mellon University

15 Purdue University

16 University of Michigan

17 University of Washington

18 Cornell University

19 University of Notre Dame

20 Rice University

21 University of Massachusetts, Amherst

22 Iowa State University

23 University of Florida

24 University of Rochester

25 State University of New York at Buffalo

26 University of Colorado

27 Pennsylvania State University

28 Washington University in St. Louis

29 Case Western Reserve University

30 Lehigh University

Source: The Gourman Report, A Rating of Graduate and Professional Schools (1995).

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING—THE TOP 40 U.S. PROGRAMS, IN RANK ORDER:

RANK INSTITUTION SCORE

1 University of Minnesota 4.91

2 University of Wisconsin (Madison) 4.90

3 University of California, Berkeley 4.88

4 California Institute of Technology 4.85

5 Stanford University 4.82

6 University of Delaware 4.80

7 Massachusetts Institute of Technology 4.79

8 University of Illinois (Champaign/Urbana) 4.75

9 Princeton University 4.74

10 UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON 4.7311 Purdue University 4.72

12 University of Notre Dame 4.71

13 Northwestern University 4.68

14 Cornell University 4.65

15 University of Texas at Austin 4.63

16 Stevens Institute of Technology 4.62

17 University of Pennsylvania 4.61

18 Carnegie Mellon University 4.60

19 University of Michigan 4.58

20 Rice University 4.57

21 University of Washington 4.56

22 University of Massachusetts, Amherst 4.55

23 Iowa State University 4.53

24 University of Florida 4.51

25 University of Rochester 4.50

26 State University of New York at Buffalo 4.48

27 Pennsylvania State University 4.47

28 Case Western Reserve University 4.44

29 University of Colorado 4.43

30 Washington University in St. Louis 4.40

31 Lehigh University 4.39

32 Texas A&M University 4.37

33 City College of the City University of New York 4.35

34 Ohio State University 4.33

35 Georgia Institute of Technology 4.31

36 North Carolina State University 4.29

37 Yale University 4.25

38 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 4.23

39 Virginia Polytechnic Institute & State University 4.21

40 University of Tennessee, Knoxville 4.20

Source: The Gourman Report, A Rating of Undergraduate Programs (1995).


UNDERGRADUATE ENROLLMENT & DEGREES CONFERRED:

YEAR: 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Fall Enrollment: 545 480 445 460 383 373 317 295

BS Degrees: 36 38 46 43 40 36 40 29

GRADUATE ENROLLMENT & DEGREES CONFERRED:

YEAR: 1993 1994 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000

Fall Enrollment 129 107 135 113 98 95 103 94

MS Degrees: 8 ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

MS Degrees in ChemE: ~ 11 7 12 9 16 14 9

MS Degrees PetroleumE: ~ 10 13 16 7 8 6 7

PhD Degrees: 10 17 10 16 7 12 7 6

MChE Degrees: 5 5 13 6 6 7 6 8

2000–2001 RECIPIENTS, PHD IN CHEMICAL ENGINEERING

Sandra M. Dommeti, Numerical Computation and Bifurcation Analysis of Reacting Flow Systems (V. Balakotaiah, advisor)

S. Alper Eker, Control of Nonlinear Processes Operating at Various Steady States: Analysis and Synthesis of Linear and

Adaptive Model-based Control Approaches (M. Nikolaou, advisor)

Hani A. Gadalla, Two-dimensional Heat-Transfer Properties of Ceramic Foams in the Presence of Chemical Reactions (J.T.

Richardson, advisor)

Nikunj Gupta, Modeling and Bifurcation Analysis of Catalytic Reactions in Monoliths (V. Balakotaiah, advisor)

Leonidas Kappos, Miscible and Immiscible Displacements in Porous Media (K. Mohanty, advisor)

James T. Ritchie, Ceramic-Membrane Reactor for Synthesis Gas Production (D. Luss & J.T. Richardson, advisors)

STUDENTS RECEIVING DEGREES:* NOTE: Some students have filed Privacy

Requests and are thus not listed here.

2000–2001 BS ChE Graduates withHonors and/or Membership in theHonors CollegeFolabi A. Ayoola (cum laude)

Marc N. Charendoff (magna cum laude)

Jacob A. Collins (cum laude)

Randall L. Collum, Jr. (summa cum laude)

Monica M. Losey (magna cum laude)

Cynthia Mata (magna cum laude)

Nile A. Mead (magna cum laude)

Brian E. Moore (cum laude)

Michael J. Moreno (cum laude)

Olayemi O. Ogidan (magna cum laude)

Arti A. Patel (magna cum laude)

Recipents (since Fall 2000):Master of Chemical EngineeringNilva P. Barrios Mark E. Hubert

Jorgé J. Delgado-Acevedo Nancy J. Ma

Johnny L. Gipson Dustin D. Olson

Philip J. Houm Amish B. Patel

M.S. in Chemical EngineeringBryan C. Basden Bruno LeCerf

Bilu V. Cherian Cedric Oudinot

Raphael J. Guerithault Ankur Rastogi

Shirley Indriati Hrushikesh K. Shah

David L. Jewell

M.S. in Petroleum EngineeringOlufisoye Delano Edmund O. Morris

Ayed I. Husain Michael H. Sumrow

Dana J. Jalal Evan K. Swingholm

Willem F. Maas

PhD in Biomedical EngineeringPhillip R. Gibbs, Studies in Biocatalysis

(R. Willson, advisor)

Enrollment Trends & Degrees ConferredEnrollment figures are as of the start of the Fall semesters in the years indicated.

Degree figures are totals of those conferred at the ends of the Spring semesters in the years indicated.

FA C U LT Y P U B L I C AT I O N SFollowing are authored works accepted for or pending publication since January 2000.

Reprints may be requested from the professors through the Departmental mailing address,

by phone, or by e-mail (q.v. Section 9.0).

BALAKOTAIAH, VEMURI

Gupta, N., V. Balakotaiah and D.H. West,

“Bifurcation Analysis of a Two-Dimensional

Monolith Reactor Model,” Chem. Eng. Sci. 56,

1435 (2001).

Dao, E.K. and V. Balakotaiah, “Experimental

Study of Wave Occlusion on Falling Films in a

Vertical Pipe,” AIChE J. 46, 1300 (2000).

Balakotaiah, V. and N. Gupta, “Controlling

Regimes for Surface Reactions in Catalyst

Pores,” Chem. Eng. Sci. 55, 3505 (2000).

Balakotaiah, V., N. Gupta and D.H. West, “A

Simplified Model for Analyzing Catalytic

Reactions in Short Monoliths,” Chem. Eng. Sci.

55, 5367 (2000).

Dommeti, S.M.S. and V. Balakotaiah, “On the

Limits of Validity of Effective Dispersion

Models for Bulk Reactions,” Chem. Eng. Sci.

55, 6169 (2000).

Nguyen, L.T. and V. Balakotaiah, “Modeling and

Experimental Studies of Wave Evolution on

Free-Falling Viscous Films,” Phys. Fluids 12,

2236 (2000).

BOOKS:Balakotaiah, V. and H.-C. Chang, AppliedNonlinear Methods for Engineers,

Cambridge Univ. Press (publication anticipated

in 2001).

Balakotaiah, V., Design, Analysis andSimulation of Chemical Reactors (publication

anticipated in 2001).

BOOK CHAPTER:Balakotaiah, V. and J. Khinast, “Numerical

Bifurcation Techniques for Chemical Reactor

Problems,” IMA Vol. Math & Its Appl. 119,

1 (2000).

BRIGGS, JAMES M.

Cui, M., J. Shen, J.M. Briggs, X. Luo, X. Tan, H.

Jiang, K. Chen and J. Li, “Brownian Dynamics

Simulations of Interaction Between Scorpion

Toxin Lq2 and Potassium Ion Channel,” Biophys.

J. (in press, 2001).

Lee, K.W. and J.M. Briggs, “Comparative

Molecular Field Analysis (CoMFA) Study of

Epothilones as Tubulin Inhibitors:

Pharmacophore Search using 3D QSAR

Methods,” J. Computer-Aided Mol. Design (in

press, 2001).

Liu, N., H. Samartzidou, K.W. Lee, J.M. Briggs

and A.H. Delcour, “Effects of Pore Mutations

and Permeant Ion Concentration on the

Spontaneous Gating Activity of OmpC Porin,”

Protein Eng. 13, 491 (2000).

Lins, R.D., T.P. Straatsma and J.M. Briggs,

“Similarities in the HIV-1 and ASV Integrase

Active Site upon Metal Binding,” Biopolymers

53, 308 (2000).

Soares, T., J.M. Briggs, D. Goodsell and A. Olson,

“Ionization State and Molecular Docking Studies

for the Macrophage Migration Inhibitor Factor:

The Role of Lysine 32 in the Catalytic

Mechanism,” J. Molec. Recog. 13, 146 (2000).

Carlson, H.A., K.M. Masukawa, K. Rubens, F.D.

Bushman, W.L. Jorgensen, R.D. Lins, J.M. Briggs

and J.A. McCammon, “Developing a Dynamic

Pharmacophore Model for HIV-1 Integrase,” J.

Med. Chem. 43, 2100 (2000).

Lins, R.D., A. Adesokan, T.A. Soares and J.M.

Briggs, “Investigations on Human

Immunodeficiency Virus Type-1 Integrase/DNA

Binding Interactions via Molecular Dynamics and

Electrostatics Calculations,” Pharm. Therap. 85,

123 (2000).

ECONOMIDES, CHRISTINE A.

NONREFEREED PUBLICATIONS:Saputelli, L., B. Cherian, K. Grigoriadis, M.

Nikolaou, C. Oudinot, G. Reddy, M.J.

Economides and C. Ehlig-Economides,

“Integration of Computer-Aided High-Intensity

Design with Reservoir Exploitation of Remote

and Offshore Locations,” SPE 64621 (2000); SPE

J. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Ehlig-Economides, C.A. and M.J. Economides,

“Accelerating Oil Recovery with ?-Mode

Production Strategy,” World Oil, p. 53 ff.

(November 2000).

Ehlig-Economides, C.A. and J. Spivey, “Intuition

and Well-Test Interpretation,” Hart's E&P

(October 2000).


“Single-Well Reservoir Management—The

Ultimate Multibranch Well Challenge,” SPE

59447 (April 2000).

Ehlig-Economides, C.A., B.G. Fernandez and

C.A. Gongora, “Global Experiences and Practice

for Cold Production of Moderate and Heavy

Oil,” SPE 58773 (February 2000).

Ehlig-Economides, C.A., M. Taha, H.D. Marin, E.

Novoa and O. Sanchez, “Drilling and

Completion Strategies in Naturally Fractured

Reservoirs,” SPE 59057 (February 2000).

ECONOMIDES, MICHAEL J.

Economides, M.J., R.E. Oligney and A.S.

Demarchos, “Natural Gas: The Revolution is

Coming,” JPT, p. 102 ff. (May 2001).

Economides, M.J. and A. Ghalambor,

“Equivalency of International Petroleum

Engineering Programs,” JPT, p. 64 ff. (January

2001).

NONREFEREED PUBLICATIONS:Sumrow, M.H. and M.J. Economides, “Pushing

the Boundaries of Coiled Tubing Applications,”

SPE 68480 (2001).

Economides, M.J. and R.E. Oligney, “Energy

Mix of New Economy Dominated by Natural

Gas,” The Amer. O&G Reporter, p. 35 ff.

(December 2000).


“Accelerating Oil Recovery with ?-Mode

Production Strategy,” World Oil, p. 53 ff.

(November 2000).

Wang, X., S. Indriati, P.P. Valkó and M.J.

Economides, “Production Impairment and

Purpose-Built Design of Hydraulic Fractures in

Gas-Condensate Reservoirs,” SPE 64749 (2000).

Saputelli, L., B. Cherian, K. Grigoriadis, M.








Sankaran, S., M. Nikolaou and M.J. Economides,

“Fracture Geometry and Vertical Migration in

Multilayered Formations from Inclined Wells,”

SPE 63177 (2000).



Coming,” SPE 62884 (2000).


“Single-Well Reservoir Management—The

Ultimate Multibranch Well Challenge,” SPE

59447 (April 2000).

Barwani, M., A. Marhubi, R.E. Oligney and M.J.

Economides, “The Role of the Local Petroleum-

Services Company in Asset Management,” SPE

59445 (2000).

Ghalambor, A. and M.J. Economides,

“Formation Damage Abatement: A Quarter-

Century Perspective,” SPE 58744 (2000).

Nikolaevskiy, V.N. and M.J. Economides, “The

Near-Well State of Stress and Induced Rock

Damage,” SPE 58716 (2000).

BOOKS:Economides, M.J. and R.E. Oligney, The Colorof Oil, 200 pp., Round Oak Publishing

(Houston), February 2000.

Economides, M.J. and K.G. Nolte, ReservoirStimulation, 3rd ed. (to be published, 2001).

ECONOMOU, DEMETRE J.

Kaganovich, I., B.N. Ramamurthi and D.J.

Economou, “Spatiotemporal Dynamics of

Charged Species in the Afterglow of Plasmas

Containing Negative Ions,” Phys. Rev. E

(accepted for publication, 2001).

Midha, V. and D.J. Economou, “Dynamics of

Ion-Ion Plasmas under Radio-Frequency Bias,” J.

Appl. Phys. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Ramamurthi, B.N. and D.J. Economou, “Two-

Dimensional Simulation of Pulsed-Power

Electronegative Plasmas,” J. de Physique


Kim, C.-K. and D.J. Economou, “Energy and

Angular Distributions of Ions Extracted from a

Large Hole in Contact with a High-Density

Plasma,” Proc. Symp. “Fundls. of Gas-Phase and

Surface Chemistry of Vapor Deposition II,” The

Electrochemical Society (Washington, DC)


Kim, C.-K. and D.J. Economou, “Plasma

Molding over Surface Topography: Energy and

Angular Distributions of Ions Extracted out of

Large Holes,” J. Appl. Phys. (accepted for

publication, 2001).

Panda, S., D.J. Economou and L. Chen,

“Anisotropic Etching of Polymer Thin Films by

High Energy (100s of eV) Oxygen-Atom

Neutral Beams,” J. Vac. Sci. Technol. (accepted

for publication, 2001).

Kanakasabapathy, S.K., L.J. Overzet, V. Midha

and D.J. Economou, “Alternating Fluxes of

Positive and Negative Ions from an Ion-Ion

Plasma,” Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 173 (2001).

Economou, D.J., “Modeling and Simulation of

Plasma-Etching Reactors for Microelectronics,“

Thin Solid Films 365, 348 (2000).

Feldsien, J., D. Kim and D.J. Economou, “SiO2

Etching in Inductively Coupled Plasmas: Surface

Chemistry and Two-Dimensional Simulations,”

Thin Solid Films 374, 311 (2000).

Midha, V. and D.J. Economou, “Spatiotemporal

Evolution of a Pulsed Chlorine Discharge,”

Plasma Sources Sci. Technol. 9, 256 (2000).

Panda, S., D.J. Economou and M. Meyyappan,

“Effect of Metastable Oxygen Molecules in

High-Density Power-Modulated Oxygen

Discharges,” J. Appl. Phys. 87, 8323 (2000).

Kaganovich, I., B. Ramamurthi and D.J.

Economou, “Self-Trapping of Negative Ions due

to Electron Detachment in the Afterglow of

Electronegative Gas Plasmas,” Appl. Phys. Lett.

76, 2844 (2000).

Kaganovich, I., D.J. Economou, B. Ramamurthi

and V. Midha, “Negative Ion-Density Fronts

during Ignition and Extinction of Plasmas in

Electronegative Gases,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 84,

1918 (2000).

HAROLD, MICHAEL P.

Hsing, I.-M., R. Srinivasan, M.P. Harold, K.F.

Jensen and M.A. Schmidt, “Simulations of

Micromachined Chemical Reactors for

Heterogeneous Partial Oxidation Reactions,“

Chem. Eng. Sci. 55, 3 (2000).

Harold, M.P. and B. Ogunnaike, “Process

Engineering in the Evolving Chemical Industry,”

AIChE J. 46, 2123 (2000).

INVITED REVIEW:Mills, P., J. Nicole and M.P. Harold, “New

Methodologies and Reactor Types for Catalytic

Process Development,” Stud. Surf. Sci. & Catal.


KRISHNAMOORTI, RAMANAN

Krishnamoorti, R., W.W. Graessley, A. Zirkel, D.

Richter, L.J. Fetters and D.J. Lohse, “Melt-State

Polymer-Chain Dimensions as a Function of

Temperature,” J. Phys.: Conden. Mat. (accepted


Lincoln, D.M., R.A. Vaia, Z.G. Wang, B.S. Hsaio

and R. Krishnamoorti, “Temperature

Dependence of Polymer Crystalline Morphology

in Nylon 6/Montmorillonite Nanocomposites,”

Polymer (accepted for publication, 2001).

Krishnamoorti, R., C.A. Mitchell and A.S. Silva,

“Effect of Silicate-Layer Anisotropy on

Cylindrical and Spherical Microdomain Ordering

in Block Copolymer Nanocomposites,” J. Chem.

Phys. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Silva, A.S., C.A. Mitchell, M.-F. Tse, H.-C. Wang

and R. Krishnamoorti, “Templating of Cylindrical

and Spherical Block Copolymer Microdomains

by Layered Silicates,” J. Chem. Phys. (accepted


Krishnamoorti, R., J. Ren and A.S. Silva, “Shear

Response of Layered Silicate Nanocomposites,”

J. Chem. Phys. 114, 4968 (2001).

Krishnamoorti, R. and E.P. Giannelis, “Strain-

Hardening in Model Polymer Brushes,”

Langmuir 17, 1448 (2001).

Yurekli, K., R. Krishnamoorti, M.-F. Tse, K.O.

McElrath, A.H. Tsou and H.-C. Wang, “Structure

and Dynamics of Carbon-Black-Filled

Elastomers,” J. Polym. Sci. Part B: Polym. Phys.

39, 256 (2001).

Manias, E., H. Chen, R. Krishnamoorti, J.

Genzer, E.J. Kramer and E.P. Giannelis,

“Intercalation Kinetics of Long Polymers in 2-

nm Confinements,” Macromolecules 33,

7955 (2000).

Krishnamoorti, R., M.A. Modi, M.F. Tse and H.-

C. Wang, “Pathway and Kinetics of Cylinder-to-

Sphere Order-Order Transition in Block

Copolymers,” Macromolecules 33, 3810 (2000).

Krishnamoorti, R., A.S. Silva, M.A. Modi and B.

Hammouda, “Small-Angle Neutron-Scattering

Study of a Cylinder-to-Sphere Order-Order

Transition in Block Copolymers,”

Macromolecules 33, 3803 (2000).

Ren, J., A.S. Silva and R. Krishnamoorti, “Linear

Viscoelasticity of Disordered Polystyrene-

Poly-isoprene Block Copolymer Bases Layered-

Silicate Nanocomposites,” Macromolecules 33,

3739 (2000).

Tse, M.-F., H.-C. Wang, T.D. Shaffer, K.O.

McElrath, M.A. Modi and R. Krishnamoorti,

“Physical Properties of Isobutylene-based

Block Copolymers,” Polym. Engng. & Sci. 40,

2182 (2000).

BOOK CHAPTERS:Mitchell, C.A. and R. Krishnamoorti, “Influence

of Layered Silicates on the Rheological Properties

of Diblock Copolymer Nanocomposites,” in

“Polymer Nanocomposites” (R. Krishnamoorti

and R.A. Vaia, eds.), ACS, Washington (in

press, 2001).

Vaia, R.A. and R. Krishnamoorti, “Introduction,”

in “Polymer Nanocomposites” (R.

Krishnamoorti and R.A. Vaia, eds.), ACS,

Washington (in press, 2001).

Krishnamoorti, R. and A.S. Silva, “Rheological

Properties of Polymer Layered-Silicate Nano-

composites,” in “Polymer Nanocomposites”(T.J. Pinnavaia and G. Beall, eds.), J. Wiley &

Sons, New York (2000).

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS:Ivkov, R., P. Papanek, P.M. Gehring and R.

Krishnamoorti, ACS PMSE Preprints 82,

210 (2000).

Krishnamoorti, R. and A.S. Silva, ACS PMSE

Preprints 82, 218 (2000).

Ren, J. and R. Krishnamoorti, ACS PMSE

Preprints 82, 264 (2000).

NONREFEREED PUBLICATIONS:Ren, J. and R. Krishnamoorti, “Structure and

Rheology of Intercalated Polystyrene-

Polyisoprene Layered-Silicate Nanocomposites,”

Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. 82, 264 (2000).

Krishnamoorti, R. and A.S. Silva, “Phase

Transitions in Layered-Silicate Nanocomposites,”

Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng. 82, 218 (2000).

LEE, T. RANDALL

Garg, N., J.M. Friedman and T.R. Lee,

“Adsorption Profiles of Chelating Aromatic

Dithiols and Disulfides: Comparison to Those of

Normal Alkanethiols and Disulfides,” Langmuir

16, 4266 (2000).

Lee, S., Y.-S. Shon, R. Colorado Jr., R.L. Guenard,

T.R. Lee and S.S. Perry, “The Influence of Packing

Densities and Surface Order on the Frictional

Properties of Alkanethiol Self-Assembled

Monolayers (SAMs) on Gold: A Comparison of

SAMs Derived from Normal and

Spiroalkanedithiols,” Langmuir 16, 2220 (2000).

Shon, Y.-S., R. Colorado Jr., C.T. Williams, C.D.

Bain and T.R. Lee, “Low-Density Self-Assembled

Monolayers on Gold Derived from Chelating

2-Monoalkylpropane-1,3-dithiols,” Langmuir

16, 541 (2000).

Colorado Jr., R. and T.R. Lee, “Physical Organic

Probes of Interfacial Wettability Reveal the

Importance of Surface Dipole Effects,” J. Phys.

Org. Chem. 13, 796 (2000).

Perry, S.S., S. Lee, T.R. Lee, M. Graupe, A. Puck,

R. Colorado Jr. and I. Wenzl, “Molecular-Level

Interpretations of Frictional Force Data Collected

with Atomic-Force Microscopy: Chain-Length

Effects in Self-Assembled Organic Monolayers,”

Polym. Prepr. (ACS, Div. Polym. Chem.) 41,

1456 (2000).

Shon, Y.-S. and T.R. Lee, “Desorption and

Exchange of Self-Assembled Monolayers

(SAMs) on Gold Generated from Chelating

Alkanedithiols,” J. Phys. Chem. B 104,

8192 (2000).

Shon, Y.-S. and T.R. Lee, “A Steady-State Kinetic

Model Can Be Used to Describe the Growth of

Self-Assembled Monolayers (SAMs) on Gold,” J.

Phys. Chem. B 104, 8182 (2000).

Fukushima, H., S. Seki, T. Nishikawa, H.

Takiguchi, K. Tamada, K. Abe, R. Colorado Jr., M.

Graupe, O.E. Shmakova and T.R. Lee,

“Microstructure, Wettability, and Thermal

Stability of Semifluorinated Self-Assembled

Monolayers (SAMs) on Gold,” J. Phys. Chem. B

104, 7417 (2000).

Shon, Y.-S., S. Lee, R. Colorado Jr., S.S. Perry and

T.R. Lee, “Spiroalkanedithiol-Based SAMs Reveal

Unique Insight into the Wettabilities and

Frictional Properties of Organic Thin Films,” J.

Am. Chem. Soc. 122, 7556 (2000).

Shon, Y.-S., S. Lee, S.S. Perry and T.R. Lee,

“The Adsorption of Unsymmetrical

Spiroalkanedithiols onto Gold Affords

Multicomponent Interfaces that are

Homogeneously Mixed at the Molecular Level,”

J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122, 1278 (2000).

Genzer, J., E. Sivaniah, E.J. Kramer, J. Wang, M.

Xiang, K. Char, C.K. Ober, R.A. Bubeck, D.A.

Fischer, M. Graupe, R. Colorado Jr., O.E.

Shmakova and T.R. Lee, “Molecular Orientation

of Single and Two-Armed Monodendron

Semifluorinated Chains on ‘Soft’ and ‘Hard’

Surfaces Studied using NEXAFS,”

Macromolecules 33, 6068 (2000).

LUSS, DAN

Marwaha, B., J. Annamalai and D. Luss, “Hot-

Zone Formation during Carbon Monoxide


Oxidation in a Radial-Flow Reactor,” Chem. Eng.

Sci. 56, 89 (2001).

Ming, Q., M.D. Nersesyan, S.-C. Lin, J.T.

Richardson, D. Luss and A.A. Shiryaev, “A New

Route to Synthesize La1-xSrxMnO3,” J. Mater. Sci.

35, 3599 (2000).

Garg, R., D. Luss and J.G. Khinast, “Dynamic

and Steady-State Features of a Cooled

Countercurrent-Flow Reactor,” AIChE J. 46,

2029 (2000).

Khinast, J.G. and D. Luss, “Efficient Bifurcation

Analysis of Periodically-Forced Distributed-

Parameter Systems,” Computers & Chem. Eng.

24, 139 (2000).

SHORT COURSE:Co-director and lecturer, Applications ofHeterogeneous Catalysis, University of

Houston, with J.T. Richardson et al., semiannually

in 2000 and 2001.

MOHANTY, KISHORE K.

Singh, M., M. Honarpour and K.K. Mohanty,

“Comparison of Viscous and Gravity-Dominated

Gas/Oil Relative Permeabilities,” J. Petrol. Sci. &

Engng. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Rodriguez-Guadarrama, L.A., S. Ramanathan,

K.K. Mohanty and R. Rajagopalan, “Modeling of

Mixed Amphiphiles in a Lattice Solution,” J. Coll.

& Interf. Sci. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Hidajat, I., M. Singh and K.K. Mohanty,

“Transport Properties of Microporous Media

from Simulated NMR Response,” Transport in

Porous Media (accepted for publication, 2001).

Gupta, D. and K.K. Mohanty, “Visualization of

DNAPL Remediation using Surfactant,” ES&T


App, J.F. and K.K. Mohanty, “The Benefit of

Local Saturation Measurements in Relative

Permeability Estimation from Centrifuge

Experiments,” SPE 69682; SPE J. (accepted for

publication, 2001).

Hidajat, I., A. Rastogi, M. Singh and K.K.

Mohanty, “Transport Properties of Porous

Media from Thin-Sections,” SPE 69623; SPE J.


Rodriguez-Guadarrama, L.A., S.K. Talsania,

K.K. Mohanty and R. Rajagopalan, “Mixing

Properties of Two-Dimensional Lattice

Solutions of Amphiphiles,” J. Coll. & Interf. Sci.

224, 188 (2000).

Singh, M. and K.K. Mohanty, “Permeability of

Spatially Correlated Porous Media,” Chem. Eng.

Sci. 55, 5393 (2000).

Wang, X. and K.K. Mohanty, “Multiphase

Non-Darcy Flow in Gas-Condensate Reservoir,”

SPE J. 5, 426 (2000).

NIKOLAOU, MICHAEL

Haarsma, G.J. and M. Nikolaou, “Multivariate

Controller Performance-Monitoring: Lessons

from an Application to a Snack-Food Process,”

J. Proc. Control (accepted for publication, 2001).

Nikolaou, M. and M. Cherukuri, “The

Equivalence between Model Predictive Control

and Anti-Windup Control Schemes,”

Automatica (accepted for publication, 2001).

Zhang, H., Y. Peng and M. Nikolaou,

“Development of a Data-Driven Dynamic

Model for a Plasma-Etching Reactor,” J. Vac. Sci.

Tech. (accepted for publication, 2001).

Eker, S.A. and M. Nikolaou, “Simultaneous

Model Predictive Control and Identification:

Closed-Loop Properties,” Automatica (accepted


Eker, S.A. and M. Nikolaou, “Ensuring Co-

primeness in Least-Squares Identification of

ARX Models: The SICLS Algorithm,” Automatica


Eker, S.A. and M. Nikolaou, “Linear Control of

Nonlinear Systems—The Interplay between

Nonlinearity and Feedback,” AIChE J. (accepted


NONREFEREED PUBLICATIONS:Saputelli, L., B. Cherian, K. Grigoriadis, M.










SPE 63177 (2000).

BOOK CHAPTER:Nikolaou, M., “Model Predictive Controllers: A

Critical Synthesis of Theory and Industrial Needs,”

Adv. in ChE Series, Academic Press (2001).

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS:Zhang, H. and M. Nikolaou, “Control of Spatial

Uniformity in Microelectronics Manufacturing:

An Integrated Approach,” APC/AEC XII

Sematech Workshop, Lake Tahoe (2000).

Saputelli, L., B. Cherian, K. Grigoriadis, M.

Nikolaou, C. Oudinot, G. Reddy and M.J.

Economides, “Integration of Computer-Aided

High-Intensity Design with Reservoir Exploitation

of Remote and Offshore Locations,” SPE Int'l.

Oil & Gas Conference & Exhibition in China,

Beijing (2000).




SPE Annual Meeting, Dallas (2000).

OLIGNEY, RONALD E.



Coming,” JPT, p. 102 ff. (May 2001).

NONREFEREED PUBLICATIONS:Economides, M.J. and R.E. Oligney, “Energy

Mix of New Economy Dominated by Natural

Gas,” The Amer. O&G Reporter, p. 35 ff.

(December 2000).



Coming,” SPE 62884 (2000).

Barwani, M., A. Marhubi, R.E. Oligney and M.J.

Economides, “The Role of the Local Petroleum-

Services Company in Asset Management,” SPE

59445 (2000).

TILLER, FRANK M.

Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “Dangers of Lab-Plant

Scale-up for Solid/Liquid Separation Systems,”

Chem. Eng. Comm. (in press, 2001).

Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “Modified Capillary

Suction Theory with Effects of Sedimentation for

Rectangular Cells,” J. Chinese Inst. Of Chem.

Engng. (in press, 2001).

Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “Optimizing Candle

Filters for Super-Compactible Cakes,” Adv. In

Filtration & Separation Technol. 15 (2001).

Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “CATscan Analysis of

Batch Sedimentation of Kaolin Clay,” Water

Research (accepted for publication, 2001).

Lee, D.J., J.-H. Kwon and F.M. Tiller, “Behavior of

Highly Compactible Filter Cake: Variable Internal

Flow Rate,” AIChE J. 46, 110 (2000).

Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “Strange Behavior of

Supercompactible Filter Cakes,” Chem. Proc.

(Sept. 2000).

CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS:Tiller, F.M. and W.P. Li, “Determination of the

Critical Pressure-Drop for Filtration of

Supercompactible Cakes,” Sludge Management

Entering 3rd Millennium, IWA Conf.

Proceedings, Taipei (2001).

VEKILOV, PETER G.

Lin, H., D.N. Petsev, S.-T. Yau, B.R. Thomas and

P.G. Vekilov, “Lower Incorporation of Impurities

in Ferritin Crystals by Suppression of Convection:

Modeling Results,” Crystal Growth & Design 1,

73 (2001).

Galkin, O. and P.G. Vekilov, “Are Nucleation

Kinetics of Protein Crystals Similar to Those

of Liquid Droplets?” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 122,

156 (2000).

Petsev, D.N. and P.G. Vekilov, “Evidence for

Non-DLVO Hydration Interactions in Solutions

of the Protein Apoferritin,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 84,

1339 (2000).

Petsev, D.N., B.R. Thomas, S.-T. Yau and P.G.

Vekilov, “Interactions and Aggregation of

Apoferritin Molecules in Solution: Effects of

Added Electrolyte,” Biophys. J. 78, 2060 (2000).

Thomas, B.R., A.A. Chernov, P.G. Vekilov and

D.C. Carter, “Distribution Coefficients on

Protein Impurities in Ferritin and Lysozyme

Crystals. Self-Purification in Microgravity,” J.

Crystal Growth 211, 149 (2000).

Galkin, O. and P.G. Vekilov, “Control of Protein

Crystal Nucleation around the Metastable

Liquid-Liquid Phase Boundary,” Proc. Natl. Acad.

Sci. USA 97, 6277 (2000).

Yau, S.-T., B.R. Thomas and P.G. Vekilov,

“Molecular Mechanisms of Crystallization

and Defect Formation,” Phys. Rev. Lett. 85,

353 (2000).

Yau, S.-T. and P.G. Vekilov, “Quasi-Planar

Nucleus Structure in Apoferritin Crystallization,”

Nature 406, 494 (2000).

Hirsch, R.E., R.E. Samuel, N.A. Fataliev, M.J.

Pollack, O. Galkin, P.G. Vekilov and R.L.

Nagel, “Differential Pathways in Oxy and

Deoxy HbC Aggregation/Crystallization,”

Proteins 42, 99 (2000).

Yau, S.-T., D.N. Petsev, B.R. Thomas and P.G.

Vekilov, “Molecular-level Thermodynamic and

Kinetic Parameters for the Self-Assembly of

Apoferritin Molecules into Crystals,” J. Molec.

Biol. 303, 667 (2000).

Vekilov, P.G. and J.I.D. Alexander, “Dynamics of

Layer Growth in Protein Crystallization,” Chem.

Rev. 100, 2061 (2000).

WILLSON, RICHARD C.

D'Souza, L.M., R.C. Willson and G.E. Fox,

“Expression of Marker RNAs in Pseudomonas

Putida,” Current Microbiol. 40, 91 (2000).

Murphy, J.C., G.E. Fox and R.C. Willson,

“Structured RNA Isolation and Fractionation

with Compaction Agents,” Analytical Biochem.

(in press, 2001).

PATENT:U.S. Patent 6,063,633

BOOK:Economides, M.J. and R.E. Oligney, The Colorof Oil, 200 pp., Round Oak Publishing

(Houston), February 2000.

RICHARDSON, JAMES T.

McMinn, T.E., F.C. Moates and J.T. Richardson,

“Catalytic Steam-Reforming of Chlorocarbons:

Catalyst Deactivation,” Appl. Catal. B (accepted


Ming, Q., M.D. Nersesyan, S.-C. Lin, J.T.

Richardson, D. Luss and A.A. Shiryaev, “A New

Route to Synthesize La1-xSrxMnO3,” J. Mater. Sci.

35, 3599 (2000).

Twigg, M.V. and J.T. Richardson, “Effects of

Alumina Incorporation in Coprecipitated NiO-

Al2O3 Catalysts,” Appl. Catal. A 190, 61 (2000).

Couté, N. and J.T. Richardson, “Steam-

Reforming of Chlorocarbons: Chlorinated

Aromatics,” Appl. Catal. B 26, 217 (2000).

Couté, N. and J.T. Richardson, “Catalytic Steam-

Reforming of Chlorocarbons: Polychlorinated

Biphenyls (PCBs),” Appl. Catal. B 26, 265 (2000).

Richardson, J.T., Y. Peng and D. Remue,

“Properties of Ceramic Foam Catalyst Supports:

Pressure Drop,” Appl. Catal. A 204, 19 (2000).

BOOK:Richardson, J.T., M. Spencer and M.V. Twigg,

The Catalyst Manual, Plenum Press (in

preparation, 2001).

SHORT COURSE:Co-director and lecturer, Applications ofHeterogeneous Catalysis, University of

Houston, with D. Luss et al., semiannually in

2000 and 2001.

ROOKS, CHARLES W.

PATENT:“Method of Rapidly Converting an Acrylonitrile

Reactor to Methanol Feed and Back to Polylene

Feed,” patent application (in process, 2001).

24 University of Houston 25Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

The undergraduate Chemical Engineering program of

the University of Houston is consistently rated among

the top programs in the country (10th in the recent

Gourman Report).

T H E U N D E R G R A D U AT E P R O G R A M

Students seeking admission as freshmen to the Cullen College

of Engineering should refer to www.uh.edu/enroll/admis/

freshman_req.html for the current and complete requirements.

Students aspiring toward undergraduate Chemical Engineering

study at the University of Houston may request applications from:

Undergraduate Admissions Office

122 E. Cullen Bldg.

Houston, TX 77204-2023, U.S.A.

Transfer applicants who have earned fewer than 15 semester

hours of college credit must meet the engineering requirements

for high-school graduates. Applicants who have earned between

15 and 29 semester hours of college credit must meet all of

these requirements:

1. A grade-point average (GPA) of 2.50 or higher for all

college-level work attempted.

2. A GPA of 2.50 or higher for all college-level mathematics

courses attempted.

3. A GPA of 2.50 or higher for all college-level chemistry and

physics courses attempted.

4. A GPA of 2.50 or higher for all college-level English courses

attempted; international students must have a TOEFL score

of 550.

5. A GPA of 2.50 or higher for all college-level engineering

courses attempted.

6. Must have attempted at least one college-level

mathematics course and at least one college-level

physics or chemistry course.

Transfer applicants who have earned 30 or more semester hours

of college credit must meet all of these requirements:

1. A GPA of 2.25 or higher for all college-level work attempted.

2. A GPA of 2.25 or higher for all college-level mathematics

courses attempted.

3. A GPA of 2.25 or higher for all college-level chemistry and

physics courses attempted.

4. A GPA of 2.25 or higher for all college-level English courses

attempted; international students must have a TOEFL score

of 550.

5. A GPA of 2.25 or higher for all college-level engineering

courses attempted.

6. Must have attempted at least one college-level

mathematics course and at least one college-level

physics or chemistry course.

Applicants with special questions about the undergraduate

Chemical Engineering program may contact:

Mrs. Sharon Gates, Undergraduate-Admissions Analyst

University of Houston, Chemical Engineering

S 222 Engineering Bldg. 1


Phone: 713-743-4325

E-mail: [email protected]

* at the beginning of the academic period.

Figures since 1991 include students registering

as Postbaccalaureates. Enrollment figures have

followed national trends.

The success of our program is due to the

soundness of our undergraduate curriculum,

the commitment of our faculty (all of whom

teach undergraduate courses), and the

support of local petroleum and petrochemical

industries. We look forward to continued

growth in the future and to the changes in

chemical engineering education demanded

by the 21st century.

ENROLLMENT TRENDS:

YEAR* ENROLLMENT1975 237

1980 356

1981 423

1982 470

1983 596

1984 322

1985 229

1986 167

1987 205

1988 200

1989 260

1990 313

1991 385

1992 479

1993 545

1994 480

1995 445

1996 460

1997 383

1998 373

1999 317

2000 295

ChE UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSION

27Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

1131: Challenge of Chemical Engineering

Cr. 1 (1-0). Prerequisites: Science or

Engineering major. The Chemical Engineering

professions. Strongholds and frontiers of

Chemical Engineering. Career opportunities for

chemical engineers. Communication skills;

engineering ethics.

1331: Computing for Engineers (also CIVE

1331, INDE 1331) Cr. 3 (2-2). Prerequisite:

MATH 1431. Credit cannot be received for

more than one of CHEE 1331, CIVE 1331, or

INDE 1331. Introduction to the computing

environment, matrix arithmetic, programming

essentials, spreadsheets, symbolic algebra tools,

solution of typical engineering problems using

computer tools.

2331: Chemical Processes Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisites: CHEE or CIVE 1331, MATH 1432,

PHYS 1321, and credit for or concurrent

enrollment in MATH 2433 and CHEM 1332.

Introduction to chemical engineering,

calculations, unit equations, process

stoichiometry, material and energy balances,

states of matter, case studies.

2332: Chemical Engineering

Thermodynamics I Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites:

CHEM 1332, MATH 2433, PHYS 1321, CHEE

2331. Fundamental concepts of thermodynamic

systems, heat and work, properties of pure

substances, first and second laws.

3333: Chemical Engineering

Thermodynamics II Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite:

CHEE 2332. Multicomponent systems, phase

equilibria, and prediction of thermodynamic

properties.

3334: Statistical & Numerical Techniques

for Chemical Engineers Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisites: CHEE or CIVE 1331, CHEE 2332,

MATH 3321 or equivalent, and credit for or

concurrent enrollment in ENGI or CHEE 3363.

Statistics for chemical engineers, curve-fitting,

numerical methods in linear algebra, nonlinear

algebraic equations, ordinary and partial

differential equations, optimization. Special

emphasis on problems appearing in chemical

engineering applications.

3363: Fluid Mechanics for Chemical

Engineers (formerly ENGI 3363) Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisites: CHEE 2332, MATH 3321 or

equivalent, MECE 3400, PHYS 1321, and credit

for or concurrent enrollment in CHEE 3334.

Foundations of fluid mechanics, fluid statics,

kinematics, laminar and turbulent flow;

macroscopic balances; dimensional analysis

and flow correlations.

3366: Topics in Physical Chemistry Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE 3333. Introduction

to various physical-chemical topics; electro-

chemistry, chemical kinetics, colloid and particle

science, macromolecules.

3367: Process-Modeling & Control Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisites: CHEE 3334, CHEE or ENGI

3363, MATH 3321, and PHYS 1322. Modeling

techniques of chemical engineering problems,

with emphasis on process control.

3369: Chemical Engineering Transport

Processes Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE or

ENGI 3363. Mass transfer in single- and

multiphase systems and combined heat- and

mass-transfer. Selected topics in heat and mass

transfer, and in heat and momentum transfer.

3399-4399: Senior Honors Thesis Cr. 3

per semester. Prerequisites: senior standing;

3.00 cumulative grade-point average in

chemical engineering and overall.

3462: Unit Operations Cr. 4 (3-1 [1-2]).

Prerequisites: CHEE 3333, CHEE or ENGI 3363,

and credit for or concurrent enrollment in

CHEE 3369. Unit operations, with emphasis

on distillation, absorption, extraction, and

fluid-solid systems.

4198:4298:4398:4498: Special

Problems Cr. 1-4 per semester, or more by

concurrent enrollment. Prerequisite: approval

of the Chairman.

4321:4322: Chemical Engineering Design

Cr. 3 per semester (3-0). Prerequisites: CHEE

3333, 3462, 3369, and credit for or concurrent

enrollment in CHEE 4367. Computer-aided

design of chemical processes, with emphasis on

process economics, profitability analysis, and

optimal operating conditions.

4361: Chemical Engineering Practices Cr. 3

(1 1/2-5). Prerequisites: CHEE 3462, 3467,

3369, and credit for or concurrent enrollment

in CHEE 4367. Design and execution of

experiments, with emphasis on heat and mass

transport, unit operations, process control, and

reactors. Written reports.

4367: Chemical Reaction Engineering Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisites: CHEE 3366, 3369, and

3462. Chemical-reaction kinetics, mechanisms,

and reactor design in static and flow systems;

introduction to heterogeneous catalytic

reactions in flow systems.

5360: Biochemical Engineering

Fundamentals Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: credit

for or concurrent enrollment in CHEE 4367.

Analysis and design fundamentals for

biochemical process, reactor design, transport

phenomena; applications of enzymes and

microbial populations.

5367: Advanced Process Control Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE 3367 or consent of

instructor. Application of the use of high-speed

computers in the control of chemical processes,

reactors, and units.

5371: Pollution-Control Engineering Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisites: credit for or concurrent

enrollment in CHEE 4321 and CHEE 4367.

Pollution problems and remedies with the

Earth as an environmentally closed system.

Limitations of absorption and self-cleaning for

terrasphere, hydrosphere and atmosphere, and

their interrelationship.

5373: Environmental Remediation Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 3363, CHEE 3462,

and credit for or concurrent enrollment in

CHEE 4367. In situ and ex situ methods of

remediation or restoration of contaminated

environmental sites. Emphasis is on hydrocarbon

contaminants in soil, surface water, and

groundwater.

5374: Reaction Kinetics for Industrial

Processes Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: Credit for or

concurrent enrollment in CHEE 4367. Methods

for predicting product distribution in practical

26 University of Houston

Undergraduate Courses: Chemical Engineering (CHEE)

chemical reactors. Determination of thermo-

chemical and kinetic constants from statistical

mechanics and transition-state theory.

Applications from vapor-phase processes

to catalysis.

5375: Chemical Processing in

Microelectronics Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite:

CHEE 4367 or consent of instructor. Chemical

engineering principles applied to microelectronic-

device fabrication and processing.

5376: Solid/Liquid Separation—

Environmental Processes Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisite: CHEE or ENGI 3363. introduction

to solid/fluid separation and processing. Particle

characteristics, porous media; interfacial

phenomena; flow through compactible and

granular beds; sedimentation, clarification,

filtration, centrifugation, expression, washing.

5377: Introduction to Polymer Science

Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Introduction to the synthesis, characterization,

physical properties, and processing of polymeric

materials. The course thematically revolves

around methods to measure, characterize,

and tailor structure, processing, and property

correlations for polymeric materials.

5380: Biochemical Separations Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisite: senior standing in Chemical

Engineering, or consent of instructor. Producing

cloned proteins in useful amounts; use of

recombinant DNA methodologies to produce

proteins; characterization methods.

5383: Advanced Unit Operations Cr. 3

(3-0). Prerequisite: senior standing in Chemical

Engineering, or consent of instructor. Property

prediction of multicomponent fluids. Advanced

principles of heat-exchanger design, multi-

component fractionation, absorption, stripping,

and extraction.

5386: Air-Pollution Problems & Control

Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.

Air-pollutant identification and control

technology; estimation of pollutant transport,

dispersion, and conversion; computer application

for design of control units.

5387: Plasma Processing: Principles &

Applications Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: senior

standing in Engineering or Natural Sciences, or

consent of instructor. Principles of low-pressure

glow-discharge plasmas; plasma generation

and maintenance, plasma chemistry, plasma

diagnostics. Applications with emphasis on

semiconductor manufacturing.

5388: Catalytic Processes Cr. 3 (3-0).

Prerequisites: credit for or concurrent

enrollment in CHEE 4321 and 4367.

Process-oriented survey of catalytic technology;

catalyst selection and design; catalytic processes,

engineering and economics in the petroleum,

chemical, and pollution-control industries.

5397: Safety & Reliability Cr. 3 (3.0).

Prerequisites: CHEE 3363, 3369, 3367. An

overview of risk, safeguards, and hazards

associated with chemical process engineering.

Layers of protection, hazard identification,

source-term models, toxic release and dispersion

models, fires and explosions, probabilistic

analysis, fault-tree analysis, designs to prevent

accidents, safety-instrumented systems, and

safety-related standards and regulations.


Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Curriculum

HIST 1376or 1377

POLS 1336 ENGL 1303 CHEM 1111 CHEM 1331

CHEM 1332

CHEM 3331

CHEM 3332CHEM 3221

Chemistryelective *

Scienceelective *

Technicalelective *

ENGL 1304 CHEM 1112

POLS 1337

Social or Behav Science

HIST 1378or 1379

Social orBehav Science WI

Vis PerformArts

CHEE 4367Reac Eng

CHEE 3366Phys Chem

CHEE 2332Thermo I

CHEE 2331Chem Proc

CHEE 1131Chem Eng Chal

CHEE 4361Practices

CHEE 3462Unit Ops

CHEE 3363Fluid Mec

CHEE 1331Comp for Engrs

MATH 2433

MATH 1432

MATH 1431

MATH 3321

CHEE 3369Transport

CHEE 4321Design

CHEE 4322Design

PHYS 1321

MECE 3400

PHYS 1322

CHEE 3367Proc Cont

17

15

16

15

18

16

18

15

Total 130

University Core Curriculum Chemistry Engineering Math Physics Sem. Hours

Fourthyear

Secondyear

Thirdyear

Firstyear

1. Arrow to top of box (C is prerequisite for B) 2. Arrow to side of box (credit or registration

in A at the same time as B)A

C

B

* From Approved Courses

CHEE 3334Anal/Num Tech

Humanities CHEE 3333Thermo II

Technicalelective *

Technicalelective *


UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENTS

Our undergraduate program enjoys a robust level of support from industrial

and organizational donors. Following are the 2000–2001 recipients of these

undergraduate scholarships:

BP/AMOCO FOUNDATION

Shane Mansur

Joel Roberts

Dany Tran

Pamela Williams

DOW OUTSTANDING JUNIOR

May Shek

HALLIBURTON FOUNDATION, INC.

Matthew Peel

Cong Trinh

LUBRIZOL FOUNDATION

Randall Collum, Jr.

Mei Yee Khoo

Olayemi O. Ogidan

Joey Stowers

AMERICAN INSTITUTE OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERS

Jacob A. Collins

Jason P. Manthey

May Shek, junior ChE student, was awarded a Tau Beta Pi Scholar Award.

Only 16 are given nationwide to Engineering students, and only four to

Chemical Engineering students.

UNDERGRADUATE AICHE CHAPTER

The Department has an active undergraduate chapter

of the South Texas Section of the American Institute of

Chemical Engineers (AIChE). The chapter is advised by

Prof. Richard Willson.

Scholarships

FIRST YEAR THIRD YEAR

FALL SEMESTER FALL SEMESTERCourse # Course Hrs. Course # Course Hrs.

CHEM 1111 Fund. of Chemistry Lab 1 CHEE 3333 ChE Thermo. II 3

CHEM 1331 Fundam. of Chemistry 3 CHEE 3334 Anal./Numer. Techn. 3

ENGL 1303 English Composition I 3 CHEE 3363 Fluid Mech. for ChE 3

HIST 1376/7 U.S. History to 1877 3 PHYS 1322 Engng. Physics II 3

MATH 1431 Calculus I 4 Humanities Core 3

POLS 1336 U.S. & Texas Politics 3 Adv. Chem. elective 3

---- ----

17 18

SPRING SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTERCourse # Course Hrs. Course # Course Hrs.

CHEE 1131 Chem. Engng. Challenges 1 CHEE 3366 Topics, Phys. Chem. 3

CHEM 1112 Fund. of Chemistry Lab 1 CHEE 3367 Proc. Mod./Control 3

CHEM 1332 Fundam. of Chemistry 3 CHEE 3369 ChE Transport Proc. 3

ENGL 1304 English Composition II 3 CHEE 3462 Unit Operations 4

MATH 1432 Calculus II 4 Social or Behavioral

PHYS 1321 Engineering Physics I 3 Science core 3

---- ----

15 16

SECOND YEAR FOURTH YEAR

FALL SEMESTER FALL SEMESTERCourse # Course Hrs. Course # Course Hrs.

CHEE 1331 Computing for Engineers 3 CHEE 4321 ChE Design I 3

CHEE 2331 Chemical Processes 3 CHEE 4361 ChE Practices 3

CHEM 3331 Fund. of Organic Chem. I 3 CHEE 4367 Chem. Reaction Eng. 3

MATH 2433 Calculus III 4 HIST 1378/9 US Hist. since 1877 3

POLS 1337 U.S. Government 3 Technical elective 3

---- Vis./Perf. Arts core 3

16 ----

18

SPRING SEMESTER SPRING SEMESTERCourse # Course Hrs. Course # Course Hrs.

CHEE 2332 Chem. Eng. Thermo. I 3 CHEE 4322 ChE Design II 3

CHEM 3221 Fund. of Org. Chem. Lab 2 Technical elective 3

CHEM 3332 Fund. of Organic Chem. II 3 Technical elective 3

MATH 3321 Engineering Mathematics 3 Adv. Sci. elective 3

MECE 3400 Intro to Mechanics 4 Soc./Beh. Sci. core 3

---- -----

15 15

TOTAL UNDERGRADUATE HOURS: 130

Undergraduate Degree PlanEffective Fall 1999.


T H E G R A D U AT E P R O G R A M

On November 15, 1998, the University of Houston established the Frank M. and Martha R.

Tiller Scholarship Endowment Fund.

This endowment account was established with a gift from Prof. and Mrs. Tiller. The

Cullen College of Engineering is the beneficiary of the remainderment of a gift annuity

established by the Tillers.

The annual distributed income from this endowment provides scholarship funding for

undergraduate students in the Chemical Engineering Department of the Cullen College

of Engineering. The recipient(s) of the scholarship are determined by the Dean of Engineering and a selection

committee. Recipients are designated as “Tiller Chemical Engineering Scholars.”

The scholarship monies are distributed in accordance with these criteria:

1. Scholarship recipients must be undergraduate students currently enrolled in the Department of Chemical

Engineering of the Cullen College of Engineering.

2. Scholarship recipients must exhibit academic excellence and leadership qualities as determined by the

Selection Committee.

3. Recipients must be full-time, degree-seeking students at the University of Houston.

4. Recipients must enroll for a minimum of 12 credit hours during each semester of award.

5. Recipients must maintain a GPA of 3.0 or better.

The Dean of Engineering has administrative control over the annual distributed income from this endowment.

The Tiller Scholarship Endowment Fund

The Chemical Engineering graduate program at the University of Houston is

among the top 20 in the nation (17th in the 1995 National Research Council

ratings). Our doctoral program is among the highest-rated doctoral

programs in the entire University. This is due to the excellence of our faculty

in research, the international reputation of our professors, and the success of

our graduates. On the average, our faculty members receive $1 million of

support each year, and the Department generally has total overall annual

expenditures of approximately $3.5 million for graduate research activities.

THE FRANK M. AND MARTHA R. TILLERSCHOLARSHIP ENDOWMENT FUND AT THE UNIVERSITY OF HOUSTON


FULL-TIME PROGRAMS OF STUDY (REQUIRING A THESIS)The Department of Chemical Engineering offers Master of Science (MS) and Doctor of

Philosophy (PhD) degree programs, both of which focus on advanced engineering

fundamentals and research.

Recipients of the MS degree are qualified for employment in industry or for continued

studies toward the PhD degree. Coursework for the MS degree includes four specific

classes (Engineering Mathematics, Reaction Engineering, Transport Processes, and

Classical & Statistical Thermodynamics) and two electives of the student’s choice. The

student also completes a research project and writes a Master’s thesis describing the

work. Candidates entering the program with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical

Engineering can complete all requirements in 12 to 18 months.

Candidates for the PhD degree enjoy intensive exposure to a specific field of

engineering research in addition to continued study of engineering fundamentals.

Individual research is the major focal point for these students, who will learn, absorb,

and otherwise experience the general philosophy, methods, and concepts of research

and scholarly inquiry. After graduation, UH ChE PhD recipients will be qualified to

contribute to the solution of significant problems related or unrelated to their doctoral

research. For students considering an academic career, instructorships are available. Coursework for the PhD

degree includes six specific courses (Engineering Mathematics II, Transport Processes II, and the four courses

listed in the preceding paragraph) and six elective courses, which allow for specialization in the student’s

research area. In addition, all students undertake a doctoral research project and dissertation to expand

the frontiers of knowledge in their research areas. Acceptance into this full-time program is generally

accompanied by Departmental financial support. Candidates with a BS in Chemical Engineering can

complete all requirements in about four years.

A student must pass the PhD Qualifying Exam to be formally accepted as a doctoral candidate. To be eligible

to take this examination, a student must have completed the six specifically required PhD courses with a

minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0/4.0. There is no foreign-language requirement. Highly qualified students

may bypass the MS degree and pursue the doctorate directly.

The ratio of graduate students to faculty is low, typically four to six students per research advisor. After

new students have spent their first semester in the Department, the ChE faculty make presentations of their

research programs and interests to better enable the students to submit their requests for choice of research

advisor. Every reasonable effort is made to accommodate students’ first choice of advisor.

Full-Time Graduate Programs in ChE

The Department offers four graduate programs:

1. FULL-TIME MS/PHD: This program supports the research

activity of the faculty and is designed for full-time graduate

students receiving financial support. Most students pursue

the PhD degree, which may be completed (without an

intermediate MS) in four years of study.

2. PART-TIME MS (NON-THESIS OPTION): Intended

for part-time students from local industry who have a BS

ChE degree, this program requires 30 semester hours of

coursework, including the same core required for full-time

MS students.

3. PART-TIME MChE: This is a separate Master’s program

that emphasizes advanced engineering and business

management. Admission and graduation requirements are

the same as for the MS degree, but mastery of advanced

engineering is the main goal. Approximately 25 students

enroll annually. The MChE degree may be completed in

four semesters (two years).

4. MASTERS OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERING: Similar

to the MChE degree, this program offers advanced thesis or

non-thesis studies to full- or part-time students in petroleum

engineering. Annual enrollments range from 40 to 80

students, with an additional number of postbaccalaureate

students involved in the coursework.

Details of these programs, and descriptions of the coursework

offered, appear on the pages following.


MASTER OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (MCHE) DEGREE

The MChE degree is a non-thesis program for the working professional. This program

has been designed for those persons who plan careers in plant operations, design, and

management. It is intended to be competitive neither with the Master of Science degree

(which is specifically research-oriented) nor with an MBA degree. Rather, the goal of this

program is to permit earlier productive use of young engineers’ technical skills and to

impart broad concepts of systems analysis, advanced process economics, and technical

management. The program is aimed at improving opportunities for chemical engineers

in chemical-process and related industries.

The program comprises a core of six required courses, plus four elective courses selected to meet the

student’s interests in the areas of process control, management and business economics, biochemical and

environmental engineering, and petroleum engineering. The courses are available in the late afternoon and

evenings, and the degree program can be completed in two to three years of part-time study.

Entrance requirements include a Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering, industrial employment, and

approvals of the MChE Program Director, the Chairman of the Chemical Engineering Department, and the

Dean of Engineering. Unconditional admission may be granted for a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0

(4.0 scale) and a minimum GRE score (verbal + quantitative) of 1100. Conditional admission may be granted

for a minimum undergraduate GPA of 2.6/4.0 and a minimum GRE of 1000, with special permission of the

Program Director and the Dean of Engineering. Achievement of a grade of “B” or better in the first 12 hours

of coursework removes the conditional status.

Required courses are: CHEE 6350, 6368, 6369, 6383, 6367 (for descriptions, see p. 39, Chemical Engineering

course listings); and INDE 6372 (Operations Research & Analysis of Systems). Elective courses include: CHEE

6330, 6331, 6332, 6333, 6334, 6335, 6336, 6337, 6360, 6365, 6370, 6371, 6375, 6386, 6388 (q.v.); INDE

6332 (Engineering Project Management), 6334 (Statistical Decision Analysis & Design), 6335 (Engineering

Administration), 6350 (Design of Artificial-Intelligence Systems), 6364 (Advanced Engineering Statistics), 6370

(Operations Research, Digital Simulation), and 6371 (Operations Research, Optimization Methods); and

ENGI 6302, 6304, 6308, 6312, 6320, 6322, 6324, 6326 (for descriptions, see Petroleum Engineering

course listings).

For complete information, prospective

students should contact the MChE

Program Director:

Prof. Kishore K. Mohanty

University of Houston, Chemical Engineering

S 222 Engineering Bldg. 1


Master of Chemical Engineering (MChE) Degree (part-time)

Current areas:

Reaction engineering

Catalytic engineering

Electronic materials

Polymer science andengineering

Biochemical engineering

Colloids & supra-molecular fluids

Advanced inorganicmaterials

Solid/liquid separations

Petroleum engineering

Multiphase flow

Computer-aided processengineering

RESEARCH AREAS & EQUIPMENT

The department’s research programs are broad and innovative,

encompassing traditional and emerging chemical engineering

disciplines. Departmental research equipment includes an X-ray

diffractometer with a hot stage, a pulsed excimer-pumped dye

laser, a quasielastic laser-light-scattering spectroscopy unit, a

computerized axial tomographic scanner (CATscan) system,

rheometers, a fluorescence-polarization stopped-flow kinetics

apparatus, and a titration microcalorimeter. Additionally, the

Department houses numerous workstations and personal

computers for graduate research. Access to a university VAX

network and Hitachi AS/9000N mainframe is also available.

For large computations, many faculty have reserved time on

various national supercomputers.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS (U.S. STUDENTS)Admission to the Department's graduate programs is

competitive, based on GPAs from undergraduate and

graduate studies, GRE scores, and letters of recommendation.

The U.S. applicant must generally have achieved a minimum

undergraduate GPA of 3.0/4.0 and a minimum GRE score

(Verbal + Quantitative) of 1100. Students with undergraduate

degrees in fields other than Chemical Engineering may apply,

but these students may need to take preparatory courses

prior to or concurrently with ChE graduate study.

ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS

(INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS)The international students offered admission over recent years

have ranked in the top 10% of their class, and they have scored

over 1200 on the GRE (Verbal + Quantitative) and over 550 on

the TOEFL.

International applicants thus qualified should be prepared

to submit unofficial copies of GRE scores, TOEFL scores, and

transcripts well in advance of the Department's request for

official documents. Official GRE and TOEFL scores should

then be sent, using ETS Institutional Code 6870. The TOEFL

requirement is waived for applicants from primarily English-

speaking countries and for applicants who have earned a lesser

ChE degree from a U.S. institution. The University of Houston

requires a fee of $75 (in U.S. funds) to process graduate

applications from non-U.S. citizens.

All applicants (U.S. and international) must also submit a

completed University of Houston application form and a

Chemical Engineering Department application form. Transcripts

and all other documents should be mailed directly to one of

the two addresses below, as application requests or components

addressed to the UH Office of Admissions frequently fail to

reach the Chemical Engineering Department in timely fashion.

Note: Incoming UH ChE graduate students are admitted for

Fall semesters only. Fall-semester applications that are received

by the preceding February 1 are most favorably considered,

although later applications may also be considered.

Qualified U.S. and international students may request a

complete application package for the full-time, thesis-option

MS or PhD programs from the appropriate agent below:

U.S. CITIZENS/PERMANENT RESIDENTS:

Graduate Studies Coordinator

University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering

S-222 Engineering Bldg 1, Houston, TX 77204-4004

INTERNATIONAL CITIZENS:

International Graduate Coordinator

University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering

S-222 Engineering Bldg 1, Houston, TX 77204-4004, U.S.A.

FINANCIAL AID

Fellowships that typically consist of a stipend, tuition and fees

are available for qualified PhD and full-time MS candidates.

These fellowships are awarded on a competitive basis.

Applicants may apply for financial assistance when requesting

admission to the graduate program.

3938

CHEMICAL ENGINEERING (CHEE)

6111: Graduate Seminar Cr. 1 (1-0). May berepeated for credit.

6197:6297:6397: Selected Topics Cr. 1-3per semester (1-0; 2-0; 3-0). May be repeatedfor credit.

6198:6298:6398:6498:6598: ResearchCr. 1-5 per semester, or more by concurrentenrollment. Prerequisite: approval of Chairman.

6289:6389: Chemical Engineering ProjectCr. 2 or 3 per semester (2-0; 3-0). Prerequisite:approval of instructor. May be repeated forcredit. Industrial-scale chemical engineeringeconomics and/or engineering project.

6330: Computational Methods forChemical Engineers Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite:consent of instructor. Advanced computationaland numerical methods for the solution ofchemical engineering problems. Solution oflinear and nonlinear equations. Conjugate-gradient-like methods. Newton and quasi-Newton techniques. Solutions of elliptic andhyperbolic partial differential equations usingfinite-difference and finite-element techniques.Applications to chemical engineering problems.

6331:6332: Mathematical Methods inChemical Engineering Cr. 3 per semester (3-0).Prerequisite: approval of Department. Linearmethods applied to chemical engineering,matrices, transforms, series, complex variablemethods, boundary-layer problems.

6333:6334: Transport Processes Cr. 3 persemester (3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE 3369.Advanced principles of fluid mechanics andheat/mass transfer, with application to problemsin research and design. Emphasis on unifiedpoint of view to transport processes in laminar-and turbulent-flow situations.

6335:6336: Classical & StatisticalThermodynamics Cr. 3 per semester (3-0).Prerequisite: CHEE 3460. Advanced methods.

6337: Advanced Reactor Engineering Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisite: undergraduate kinetics orreactor-design course. Introduction to modernconcepts and techniques of chemical-reactoranalysis and design.

6350: Finance & Accounting for Industrial& Chemical Processes Cr. 3 (3.0). Prerequisite:graduate standing in chemical engineering, orpermission from the director of the MChEprogram. Finance and accounting proceduresfor nonfinancial managers, with emphasis oncost, working capital, budgeting, cost of capital,long-term financing, and financial assets forchemical engineers.

6360: Biochemical EngineeringFundamentals Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: graduatestanding, or senior with consent of instructor.

Analysis and design fundamentals for bio-chemical processes: introductory biochemistry,microbiology, biological kinetics, reactor design,transport phenomena; applications of enzymesand single mixed microbial populations.

6365: Fundamentals of Catalysis Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: CHEE 4367 or equivalent. Theoriesand experimental procedures in modern heterogeneous catalysis, catalyst preparationand properties, absorption, surface mechanisms,catalyst design, and catalytic processes.

6367: Advanced Process Control Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: CHEE 3367 or equivalent, orconsent of instructor. Application of high-speedcomputers in the control of chemical processes,reactors, and units.

6368: Chemical Process Economics I Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisite: graduate standing in chemicalengineering and CHEE 6350. Managerial economics of chemical processes and products;development of decision-making methodsusing examples from the chemical industry.

6369: Chemical Process Economics II Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisites: CHEE 6350, 6368. Studyof profitability, process-comparison, and riskanalysis from an advanced viewpoint, followedby extensive case-history studies of managerialeconomics in process industries.

6370: Advanced Topics in BiochemicalEngineering Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE6360, or consent of instructor. Mathematicalmodeling and optimization of separation-unitoperations in biochemical engineering, includingchromatography, flocculation, centrifugation,and filtration. Engineering analysis and designof mammalian-cell bioreactors.

6371: Pollution-Control Engineering Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisite: Credit for or concurrentenrollment in CHEE 4321 and 4367 or equivalent. General survey of problems andremedies with the Earth as an environmentallyclosed system. Limitations of absorption andself-cleansing of the terrasphere, hydrosphereand atmosphere, and their interaction andinterrelationship.

6372: Fluid/Particle Separation Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: ENGI 3363 or equivalent.Introduction to heterogeneous, fluid/particle,multiphase systems. Development of fundamental principles of flow through compactible beds. Application to solid/liquidseparation. Brief study of aerosols, coalescence,and flotation.

6373: Environmental Remediation Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 3363, CHEE 3462,and credit for or concurrent enrollment inCHEE 4367. In situ and ex situ methods ofremediation or restoration of contaminatedenvironmental sites. Emphasis is on hydrocarbon contaminants in soil, surfacewater, and groundwater.

6374: Reaction Kinetics for IndustrialProcesses Cr. 3 (3.0). Prerequisite: credit foror concurrent enrollment in CHEE 4367.Fundamental methods for predicting productdistributions in practical chemical reactors.Determination of thermochemical and kineticconstants from statistical mechanics and transition-state theory. Applications fromvapor-phase processes to catalysis.

6375: Chemical Processing forMicroelectronics Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites:CHEE 4367 or equivalent, or consent ofinstructor. Chemical Engineering principlesapplied to microelectronic-device fabricationand processing.

6376: Solid/Liquid Separation—Environmental Processes Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: ENGI 3363. Introduction tosolid/fluid separation and processing.Particulate characteristics, porous media, inter-facial phenomena, flow through compactibleand granular beds; sedimentation, clarification,filtration, centrifugation, expression, washing.

6377: Introduction to Polymer ScienceCr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.Introduction to the synthesis, characterization,physical properties, and processing of polymericmaterials. Methods to measure, characterize,and tailor structure-processing-property correlations for polymeric materials.

6379: Safety & Reliability Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisites: CHEE 3363, 3367, 3369.Overview of risks, safeguards, and hazardsassociated with chemical process engineering.Layers of protection, hazard identification,source-term models, toxic release and dispersionmodels, fires and explosions, probabilisticanalysis, fault-tree analysis, designs to preventaccidents, safety-instrumented systems, andsafety-related standards and regulations.

6380: Biochemical Separations Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: Senior standing in ChemicalEngineering, or consent of instructor. Producinga cloned protein in useful amounts; use ofrecombinant DNA methodologies to produceproteins; characterization methods.

6383: Advanced Unit Operations Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: CHEE 3462. Property-predictionof multicomponent fluids. Advanced principlesof heat-exchanger design, multicomponentfractionation, absorption, stripping, andextraction from a unified point of view.

6386: Air-Pollution Problems & ControlCr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: consent of instructor.Air-pollutant identification and control technology; estimation of pollutant transport,dispersion, and conversion; computer applicationfor design of control units.

6388: Catalytic Processes Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: Credit for or concurrent enrollmentin CHEE 4321 and 4367. Process-oriented survey

Graduate Courses

University of Houston Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

MASTER OF SCIENCE IN PETROLEUM ENGINEERING

The MSPE degree is ideal for any engineering graduate who desires to begin working or

to improve his position in the upstream petroleum industry. This program offers courses

held 5:30–8:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday, enabling attendance after business

hours for full-time professionals.

Students may elect whether to complete the Nonthesis Option, which requires

30 credit hours of approved courses beyond the introductory level in Petroleum

Engineering, or the Thesis Option, which requires 18 credit hours of approved courses

beyond the introductory level in Petroleum Engineering plus 12 credit hours dedicated

to the Master’s thesis. Petroleum Engineering courses can also be taken for Continuing

Education credit, and they can be applied as Professional Development Hours for

maintaining professional competency for the Professional Engineer (PE) certification.

A Bachelor’s degree in Engineering from an accredited institution is normally required for admission to the

MSPE program. Undergraduate degrees in Petroleum, Chemical, or Mechanical Engineering provide all or most

of the prerequisite courses for this program. Holders of other scientific degrees, as well as some Engineering

graduates, must complete prerequisite requirements. All candidates should have credit for courses equivalent

to the University of Houston's prerequisites for this degree.

For unconditional admission to the program, a minimum undergraduate GPA of 3.0 (4.0 scale) and

an acceptable GRE score (verbal + quantitative) are required. For conditional admission, a minimum

undergraduate GPA of 2.6, an acceptable GRE score, and special consent of the Program Director and

the Dean of Engineering are required. International applicants must qualify for unconditional admission

and satisfy the University of Houston's requirement of a minimum TOEFL score of 550.

Once accepted into the graduate program, part-time students will be advised how to schedule courses

sufficient for the MSPE degree program. (Part-time students commonly take one or two courses per semester.)

Full-time students will be advised how to complete the required courses within a period of 1.5 years.

For application forms, contact the

Program Director. All correspondence

and supporting documents (official

transcripts and test scores) should

also be mailed to this address:

Dr. Christine A. Economides


Chemical Engineering

S 222 Engineering Bldg 1


Master of Science in Petroleum Engineering (MSPE)


ORGANIZATION OF CHEMICAL ENGINEERING GRADUATE STUDENTS (OChEGS) is an educational and social student

group that supplements formal departmental activities and functions. As part of the Department’s weekly seminar program (q.v.),

OChEGS annually organizes and conducts an all-day symposium, featuring keynote speakers specially recruited from industry,

academia, or government. At the symposium, several students give oral presentations of their research while others display

posters. The organization holds social events (picnics, get-togethers for sports, et al.), and elects officers annually.

Corporate sponsors of the 2000 OChEGS Symposium, to whom the Department and OChEGS are most grateful, were Chevron

Research & Technology Company; ExxonMobil Chemical; BP; and several UH alumni.

Here is the agenda of the 15th-annual Chemical Engineering Graduate Students’ Symposium (Fall 2000). Jeremy Strauch presided

as OChEGS President, and Stefanie Brown served as MC:

Friday, November 3, 2000

8:00 – 8:35 a.m. Breakfast & Welcoming Address

8:35 – 8:55 a.m. Keynote Address by Prof. Michael P. Harold, Chairman of UH ChemE

8:55 – 9:15 a.m. Koray Yurekli, “Structure & Dynamics of Carbon-Black-Filled Elastomers”

9:15 – 9:35 a.m. Nikunj Gupta, “Modeling & Bifurcation Analysis of Catalytic Reactions in Monoliths”

9:35 – 9:55 a.m. Doosik Kim, “Energy & Angular Distribution of Ions Effusing from a Hole in Contact with

a High-Density Plasma”

9:55 – 10:10 a.m. Coffee Break

10:10 – 10:30 a.m. Ying Peng, “Characterization of Washcoated Ceramic Foam as Catalyst Support”

10:30 – 10:50 a.m. Mohit Singh, “Dynamic Modeling of Two-Phase Flow through Porous Media”

10:50 – 11:10 a.m. Jingxiang Ren, “Shear Response of Layered Silicate Nanocomposites“

11:10 – 11:30 a.m. Shirley Indriati, “Production Impairment & Purpose-Built Design of Hydraulic Fractures in

Gas-Condensate Reservoirs”

11:30 – 1:00 p.m. Lunch & Poster Session

1:00 – 1:20 p.m. Katerina Kourentzi, “Rapid Detection & Monitoring of Microorganisms using Hybridization Assays”

1:20 – 1:40 p.m. Pratik Misra, “Input Design for Model-Order Determination in Subspace Identification”

1:40 – 2:00 p.m. Eric K. Dao, “Modeling & Experimental Studies of Wave Occlusion on Falling Films in a Vertical Pipe”

2:00 – 2:15 p.m. Coffee Break

2:15 – 2:35 p.m. Rohit Garg, “Dynamic & Steady-State Features of a Cooled Countercurrent-Flow Reactor”

2:35 – 2:55 p.m. Jason Murphy, “Nucleic-Acid Purification with Compaction Agents & Immobilized Metal Affinity”

2:55 – 3:15 p.m. Stefanie Brown, “The Sabaatier Reaction on Ceramic Foams”

3:15 – 5:00 p.m. Reception

Graduate Student Organization

discounting and cash-flow calculations, effects of taxation, and external financing.

6312: Evaluation of Petroleum-BearingFormations II Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI5361, 5362, and 6304, or consent of instructor.Advanced well-log interpretation and logging-tool theory. A continuation of ENGI 6304(Evaluation of Petroleum-Bearing Formations I).

6314: Pressure-Transient Testing Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 5362 and 6302. Theoryand application of pressure-transient testing ofoil and gas wells for determination of reservoirproperties and near-well damage or stimulation.

6316: Well Drilling & Completion II Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 5368 and graduatestanding in petroleum engineering. Principlesand procedures for cost-effective casing design;materials, design, and procedures for cementing;optimization of bits, weight, and R.P.M. forminimum cost for drilling; directional drilling.

6318: Oilfield Facilities Design &Operation II Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI5361, 5370, and 6306. Design theory andpractice for facilities for unusual situations asmay be required of practicing engineers;adaptations for offshore and other hostileenvironments.

6320: Enhanced Oil-Recovery ProcessesCr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 5361, 5362,and 6302, or consent of instructor. Review ofwaterflood-calculation methods, extension topolymer flooding, caustic flooding, and carbonated-water flooding. Hydrocarbon-miscible flooding and CO flooding; estimationof recovery.

6324: Reservoir Simulation I Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisites: ENGI 5361, 5362, and 6302, or consent of instructor. Survey of reservoir-simulation methods, stream-tube simulator,finite-difference, finite-element, and collocationmethods. Theory of finite-difference simulators;formulation of equations and resulting matrices, alternative solution methods.

6326: Reservoir Simulation II Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: ENGI 6324, or consent of instructor. Application of reservoir simulators todemonstrate effects of reservoir characteristicson oil recovery by a variety of processes.Simplified representation of complex reservoirstructures by use of cross-sections and arealmodels with pseudo-functions.

6388: Petroleum Engineering Project Cr. 3per semester (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 5361,5362, 5368, and 5370, or consent of the projectadvisor. May be repeated once for credit.

6397: Selected Topics in PetroleumEngineering Cr. 3 (3-0). May be repeated for credit.

7397: Selected Topics Cr. 3 (3-0). May berepeated for credit.

5370: Petroleum-Production Operations Cr.3 (3-0). Prerequisite: senior, postbaccalaureate,or graduate standing in Engineering or Science.Subsurface and surface facilities for producingoil and gas; gas-oil and water-oil separationand measuring systems; gathering systems;gas-processing facilities; injection systems forgas or water.

5397: Selected Topics Cr. 3 (3-0). May berepeated for credit when topics vary.

6298:6398:6498:6598: Research Cr.2–5 per semester, or more by concurrentenrollment. Prerequisite: approval of Chairman.

6302: Reservoir Engineering II Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisites: ENGI 5361 and 5362, or consentof instructor. Capillary pressures and verticaldistribution of gas, oil, and water saturations,relative permeability and fractional flow relationships, Buckley-Leverett equation andlinear-displacement efficiency of gas and waterdrives; effect of well patterns, mobility ratio,and reservoir heterogeneity on areal and vertical-sweep-efficiency performance ofblack-oil reservoirs.

6304: Evaluation of Petroleum-BearingFormations I Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI5361 & 5362, or consent of instructor.Characterization of formations by geologic andpetrographic examination, by analysis of fluidcontents of cores, and by a suite of well-loggingtests and their combined interpretation.

6306: Oilfield Facilities Design &Operation I Cr. 3 (3-4). Prerequisites: ENGI5361, 5368, and 5370, or consent of instructor.Design and operating principles of gas andwater-surface separation and ratio-testingequipment, water-supply and water-disposalsystems, gas-dehydration and -purificationsystems, gas compression, corrosion control,and clathrate prevention.

6308: Advanced Petroleum-ProductionOperations Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI5361, 5368, and 5370, or consent of instructor.Inflow performance relationships for oil, two-phase, and natural-gas wells; near-well zoneand damage; vertical-lift performance; well-delivery. Forecast of well performance; methodsof diagnosis of well performance. Well-testingand production-logging; well stimulation byacid treatments and hydraulic fracturing.Artificial lift (gas- and pump-assisted). Systems analysis.

6310: Petroleum-Production Economics ICr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisites: ENGI 5361, 5362,and 6302, or consent of instructor. Estimationof initial reservoir contents and forecasts ofproduction vs. time of crude oil and natural gasby primary, secondary, and tertiary recoverymethods, evaluation of costs and risks vs.expected rewards by alternative recoverymethods, measures of profitability by

of catalytic technology; catalyst selection anddesign; catalytic processes, engineering, andeconomics in the petroleum, chemical, andpollution-control industries.

6399-7399: Master’s Thesis Cr. 3 persemester.

7350: Applied Nonlinear Methods forEngineers Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: CHEE 6331,6332, or consent of instructor. Recent nonlinearmethods, with emphasis on Engineering applications. Nonlinear functional analysis,steady-state bifurcation theory, dynamical systems, nonlinear partial differential equations,nonlinear waves, computation methods inbifurcation theory.

7387: Plasma Processing: Principles &Applications Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: graduatestanding in Engineering or Natural Sciences, orconsent of instructor. Principles of low-pressureglow-discharge plasma; plasma generationand maintenance; plasma chemistry; plasmadiagnostics. Applications with emphasis onsemiconductor manufacturing.

7397: Selected Topics Cr. 3 per semester(3-0). May be repeated for credit.

PETROLEUM ENGINEERING (ENGI)

5361: Introduction to PetroleumEngineering Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: senior,postbaccalaureate, or graduate standing inEngineering or Geology. Petroleum origin andmigration, major oil and gas fields, drilling andproduction methods, petroleum compositionand phase behavior, reservoir-engineeringmethods of oil-resource estimation and optimization.

5362: Reservoir Engineering I Cr. 3 (3-0).Prerequisite: senior, postbaccalaureate, orgraduate standing in Engineering or Geology.Rock and fluid properties and interactions, P-V-T behavior of crude oil and natural gas,fundamentals of fluid flow through subsurfaceporous media, reservoir-energy mechanisms in recovery, material balance, and reservesestimation.

5364: Origin & Development of Oil & GasReservoirs Cr. 3 (3-0). Prerequisite: senior,postbaccalaureate, or graduate standing inEngineering. Major oil provinces of the worldreviewed from the standpoints of geologic anddepositional environment, and of diageneticchanges affecting petroleum entrapment.

5368: Well-Drilling & Completion Cr. 3(3-0). Prerequisite: senior, postbaccalaureate,or graduate standing in Engineering or Science.Drilling-rig design and operation; drilling programs; drill string and bit designs; drilling-mud composition, properties, and functions;casing design and cementing; methods ofwell-completion.



NOVEMBER 3: 15th-Annual OChEGS Symposium (q.v.)

NOVEMBER 9–10: UH ChE Industrial Advisory Board Meeting

DECEMBER 1: Prof. David T. Allen, Chemical EngineeringDepartment, University of Texas (Austin): “The Texas Air-QualityStudy: State of the Science of Air Quality in Texas & Implicationsfor Air-Quality Policy”

SPRING SEMESTER 2001

JANUARY 9: Dr. James Wei, Dean of Engineering &Applied Sciences, Princeton University (Princeton, NJ): SecondAnnual Neal R. Amundson Lecture—“The Third Paradigm ofChemical Engineering: Molecular-Product Engineering”

JANUARY 19: Prof. H.H. Rotermund, Department ofPhysical Chemistry, Fritz-Haber-Institut der Max-Planck-Gesellschaft (Berlin, Germany): “Shedding Light on SurfaceReactions: Imaging Pattern Formations from Ultra-High Vacuumup to High Pressure”

JANUARY 26: Prof. Jennifer L. West, Chemical Engineering

& Bioengineering Department, Rice University (Houston, TX):

“Synthetic ECM Analogs: New Biomaterials for Use in Tissue

Engineering”

FEBRUARY 2: Prof. Michael V. Pishko, Chemical Engineering

Department, Texas A&M University (College Station, TX):

“Microscale & Nanoscale Hydrogels for Chemical Sensing”

FEBRUARY 9: Prof. Donald Dabdub, Mechanical &

Aerospace Engineering Department, University of California

(Irvine, CA): “Mathematical Modeling of Size- & Chemically

Resolved Urban Atmospheric Aerosols”

FEBRUARY 16: Prof. Peter G. Vekilov, Chemistry

Department, University of Alabama (Huntsville, AL): “Phase

Transitions in Protein Solutions: Structures, Dynamics, &

Control Strategies”

FEBRUARY 23: Dr. Alan W. Mahoney, School of

Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (West Lafayette, IN):

“Inverse-Problem Modeling of Particulate Dynamics”

MARCH 2: Dr. Victor M. Ugaz, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of Michigan (Ann Arbor, MI):

“Investigation of the Interplay between Structure & Rheology in

Model Thermotropic Liquid Crystal Polymers using in situ X-ray

Scattering Techniques”

MARCH 9: Emmanouhl S. Tzanakakis, Chemical Engineering

& Materials Science Department, University of Minnesota

(Minneapolis, MN): “Tissue Engineering through Hepatocyte

Spheroid Self-Assembly”

MARCH 23: Dr. Michael R. King, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA): “The

Dynamics of Leukocyte Adhesion in a Multicellular Environment”

MARCH 30: Prof. Gilbert F. Froment, Chemical Engineering

Department, Texas A&M University (College Station, TX):

“Synthesis-Gas Production by Steam/CO2 Reforming & Catalytic

Partial Oxidation of Natural Gas”

APRIL 6: Maria I. Klapa, Chemical Engineering Department,

Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge, MA):

“High-Resolution Flux Determination using Stable Isotopes

& Mass Spectrometry”

APRIL 27: Aaron J. Golumbfskie, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of California (Berkeley, CA): “Simulation

of Biomimetic Recognition between Polymers & Surfaces”

JUNE 11: Prof. J.B. Joshi, Department of Chemical

Technology, University of Mumbai (Matunga, Mumbai, India):

“Computational Flow Modeling & Design” (cancelled due to

the local flooding from Tropical Storm Allison).

SPRING SEMESTER 2000

JANUARY 21: Prof. Michael Tsapatsis, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of Massachusetts (Amherst, MA): “I.

Molecular-Sieve Nanoparticles, Wires & Films; & II. Spontaneous

Pattern-Formation in Materials”

JANUARY 27: Prof. Andreas Acrivos, Chemical Engineering

Department, The City College of the City University of New York

(New York, NY): Inaugural Neal R. Amundson Lecture—

“Particle Migration & Segregation in Suspension Flows

undergoing Shear”

FEBRUARY 11: Dr. Ahmed Alim, Vice-President of Research

& Development, Pennzoil-Quaker State Co. (The Woodlands,

TX): “Industrial Career… Go for It!”

FEBRUARY 18: Dr. Ching-Hwa Kiang, Department of

Chemistry/Biochemistry, University of California (Los Angeles,

CA): “Molecular Nanotechnology”

FEBRUARY 25: Prof. Daniel J. Lacks, Chemical Engineering

Department, Tulane University (New Orleans, LA): “Disappearing

Minima of Energy Landscapes”

MARCH 3: Mattheos Koffas, Chemical Engineering

Department, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Cambridge,

MA): “Metabolic Engineering of Corynebacterium glutamicum

for Amino-Acid-Production Improvement”

MARCH 10: Dr. Efrosini Kokkoli, Materials Research

Laboratory, University of California (Santa Barbara, CA):

“Nanoscale Interactions: Implications in Biomimetics & Materials”

MARCH 24: Prof. Michael W. Deem, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of California (Los Angeles, CA):

“Statistical Mechanics in Biomedical Engineering & Biotechnology”

MARCH 31: Dr. John A. Morgan, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of California (Berkeley, CA): “Metabolic

Engineering of Cantharus roseus Cultures for the Production of

Indole Alkaloids”

FALL SEMESTER 2000

AUGUST 25: Prof. Akhil Datta-Gupta, Petroleum

Engineering Department, Texas A&M University (College Station,

TX): “Streamline Simulation: Yesterday, Today, & Tomorrow”

SEPTEMBER 1: Dr. Herbert McKee, Industrial Consultant

(Houston, TX): “Houston Air Quality: Current Status & Future

Programs”

SEPTEMBER 8: Dr. Grigorios Kolios, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of Houston: “Multifunctional

Autothermal Reactors: Review & New Applications”

SEPTEMBER 15: Prof. John A. Pojman, Department of

Chemistry & Biochemistry, University of Southern Mississippi

(Hattiesburg, MS): “Frontal Polymerization: From Microgravity to

New Materials”

SEPTEMBER 22: Prof. Fernando Muzzio, Chemical

Engineering Department, Rutgers University (Piscataway, NJ):

“Powder Mixing & Segregation: From Pharmacy to Physics…

and Back to Pharmacy”

OCTOBER 6: Prof. Matteo Pasquali, Chemical Engineering

Department, Rice University (Houston, TX): “Coating Rheology:

Modeling & Detection of the Microstructure of Flowing Polymer

Solutions”

OCTOBER 13: Prof. Larry W. Lake, Department of Petroleum

& Geosystems Engineering, University of Texas (Austin, TX):

“Estimating True Dispersivity”

OCTOBER 20: Prof. Eric J. Beckman, Chemical Engineering

Department, University of Pittsburgh (Pittsburgh, PA): “Chemical

Processing using CO2”

OCTOBER 27: Prof. Toshiaki Makabe, Department of

Electronics & Electrical Engineering, Keio University (Yokohama,

Japan): “Vertically Integrated CAD for Microelectronic-Device

Fabrication”

The Department attracts renowned speakers to address our graduate students on virtually a weekly basis. These speakers provide

lecture abstracts that are distributed not just intradepartmentally, but to key industrial and academic figures statewide who may wish

to attend. Unless exceptional circumstances apply, all ChE seminars are held on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. in room W122 of Bldg. D3,

Cullen College of Engineering.

These seminars were presented in 2000–2001:

Weekly Seminar Series


S E M I N A R S & C O N T I N U I N G E D U C AT I O N

44 University of Houston 45

C O N TA C T I N F O R M AT I O N

FACULTY

Amundson, Neal R.713-743-3492

Balakotaiah, [email protected]

Economides, Christine [email protected] or 713-743-4300

Economides, Michael [email protected]

Economou, Demetre [email protected]

Flumerfelt, Raymond W. [email protected] [office]

Harold, Michael P. [email protected]

Henley, Ernest [email protected]

Krishnamoorti, [email protected]

Luss, [email protected]

Mohanty, Kishore [email protected]

Nikolaou, [email protected]

Richardson, James [email protected]

Rooks, Charles [email protected]

Tiller, Frank [email protected]

Vekilov, Peter [email protected]

Willson, Richard [email protected]

STAFF

Cooks, Patricia A.Department Business [email protected]

Dvoretzky, TobanAssistant to the Chairman, et [email protected]

Moses, Pamela J.Accounting SpecialistPMoses@ uh.edu713-743-4303

Gates, Sharon M.Undergraduate [email protected]

Walker, RosalindGraduate [email protected]

Doucet, KendraFinancial [email protected]

Thomas, YolandaOffice Assistant [email protected]

Maté, RobertSupervisor, Machine [email protected]

Dawlearn, DavidLab [email protected]

MAILING ADDRESS

Department of Chemical EngineeringUniversity of HoustonCullen College of EngineeringS222 Engineering Bldg 1Houston, TX 77204-4004, USA

WEB ADDRESSES

Chemical Engineeringwww.che.uh.edu

Cullen College of Engineeringwww.egr.uh.edu

INFORMATION

Phone: 713-743-4300Fax: 713-743-4323

The following fee-basis Continuing Education course is presented semiannually (generally in May and

December) by a team of UH ChE professors and outside experts:

“APPLICATIONS OF HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSIS”

INSTRUCTORS:

Prof. Dan Luss (University of Houston)

Prof. James T. Richardson (University of Houston)

Prof. Joe W. Hightower (Rice University)

Dr. Vern W. Weekman, Jr. (Retired Director, Central Research, Mobil R&D Corporation)

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE COURSE DESCRIPTION:

Successful applications of the principles of catalysis to process design require a combination of physics,

chemistry and engineering, together with state-of-the-art “know-how.” Contemporary catalysis has made

significant progress in recent years toward the scientific design of optimal catalyst systems for specific process

requirements. The purpose of this course is to cover current knowledge for both the researcher in catalysis

and the engineer interested in process applications. It will serve as a review for those knowledgeable in the

subject and as an introduction to newcomers to the field.

The course considers how to select, prepare, characterize, test, and use a catalyst. Both laboratory and

commercial methods of catalyst preparation are reviewed, with emphasis on practical applications. Modern

instrumental methods for the characterization of catalysts' physical and chemical properties are also included.

Techniques for the measurement of surface areas, pore properties, diffusivities, crystallite sizes, acidities, etc.

are discussed. All aspects of catalytic kinetics, both chemical and diffusional, are considered with reference

to specific problems. Common mechanisms and their relationship to catalyst properties are outlined fully.

To inquire about course dates, registration, and fees, contact:

Patricia A. Cooks

University of Houston, Department of Chemical Engineering

S 222 Engineering Bldg 1


Phone: 713-743-4321

Fax: 713-743-4323

E-mail: [email protected]

Continuing Education

Department of Chemical Engineering 2000 Annual Report

S222 Engineering Bldg 1


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2000 ANNUAL REPORT - egr.uh.edu - Cullen College of ... Seminar Series 42 Continuing Education 44 HOW TO CONTACT US 45 MISSION STATEMENT ... DEPARTMENTAL FUNDING, ® ® C. HE, :, …