RESUMEBOOK2004DepartmentofChemicalEngineeringNovember1,2004DearFriendsandProspectiveEmployers:Thankyouforyourinterestinthesuccessofourstudents!Thisbookletcontainsthecurrentresumesofalmosttwodozengraduatestudentsandpost-doctoralfellowsinourdepartmentwhowillbelaunchingtheirprofessionalcareersinthenextyear.Wearesurethatyouwillbeimpressed,notonlybytheiraccomplishments,butbytheirpotential.Theyareallwinners!ChemicalEngineeringattheUniversityofDelawarehasalongtraditionofexcellence,fromtheeraofAllanColburnandBobPigfordrightuptothepresent.Thedepartmenthasconsistentlybeenrankedasoneofthetopgraduateprogramsinthecountry,andweareworkinghardtobuildonthatfoundation.WeremainoneofthelargestproducersofchemicalengineeringPh.D.sinthecountry,andthelasttwoyearshaveseenthedepartment’sresearchactivityreachrecordlevels.Eachyearwewelcomeanoutstandinggroupofyoungpeople,fromtheUSandfromaroundtheworld,toourgraduateprogram.Whatyouwillfindonthepagesthatfollowarebriefsynopsesoftheoutstandingindividualswhohavebecomeourpartnersindiscoveryoverthepastfewyears.Manyofourgraduatestudentstakeadvantageofthericharrayofinterdepartmentalandinterdisciplinaryprogramsandresourcestoenhancethebreadthoftheirexperiencehere.Examplesincludemanycentersandprograms,suchastheCenterforCompositeMaterials,theCenterforCatalyticScienceandTechnology,theCenterforMolecularandEngineeringThermodynamics,theInstituteforEnergyConversion,theDelawareBiotechnologyInstitute,theChemistryandBiologyInterfacesProgram,andtheIGERTPrograminBiotechnology.Theseprovideourstudentswithaccesstofacilities,facultymentors,andgraduatestudentpeerswellbeyondthescopethatanyonedepartmentcouldoffer,andarecrucialtoourcommitmenttoprovideeducationalandresearchopportunitiesattheinterdisciplinaryfrontiersofourfield.Finally,thisletterrepresentsthesolecontributionofthefacultytoproducingthisbook–therestistheworkofourgraduatestudentorganization,theColburnClub.Weareproudofourstudentsandaregratefulfortheenergyandcreativitytheybringtoallourendeavors.Wehopethatthisbookwillbeofmutualinterestandbenefittoall.Sincerely,MarkA.BarteauRobertL.PigfordProfessorandChairTABLEOFCONTENTSMastersCandidatesVikramDagaAditaDeshpandeNicoleRichardsonPhDCandidatesGauravAroraBryanBergerSoumitraDeshmukhRonaldEgresMichaelEneverJosephFedeykoStephenGarrisonYakovLapitskyJoshuaMerrittAshishMhadeshwarRonaldNiebauerAdityaSinghMarkSnyderPingXuDanielZakLinZhuPostDoctoralTheodorusBlijdensteinCarolineNamCecileVeerman**Pleasenotethatresumescanbetornoffalongtheperforatededgeofthebook.Office(correspondence)HomeDepartmentofChemicalEngineering130,KenmarkRoadUniversityofDelawareToddEstatesNewark,DE-19716Newark,DE-19713Ph:(302)831-6738(Office),(302)737-4292(Home)e-mail:daga@che.udel.eduVIKRAMKUMARDAGAOBJECTIVE:Entry-levelpositioninprocessand/orproductdevelopmentanddesignEDUCATIONMChe(Masters),ChemicalEngineering,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,UniversityofDelaware(July2002toDecember2004)-expected•GPA:3.8/4.0•Graduatecourses:Thermodynamics,TransportPhenomena,ChemicalKinetics,AdvancedEngineeringMathematicsIandII•Electives:(i)PolymerPhysics,(ii)StructureofMaterials(Characterization),(iii)RheologyofComplexandPolymericFluids•Research(Advisor:Prof.NormanJ.Wagner):Rheologyandelectrospinningofneatandnanofilledpolymersolutions:Productionofnovelpolymerfiberswithdifferentnanoscalemorphologies─Developedmethodforpredictionofrheologyofapolymer-nanoparticlesystemwhichalsoprovidesinsightsintothemicrostructureofthematerial─Relatedelectrospunfibermorphologiestorheologicalpropertiesofthespinningsolutions─Modeledelectrospinningusingthermodynamicsandtransportphenomena─Studiedthephasebehaviorofpolymer-solvent-clayandpolymer-solvent-nonsolventsystems─FormulatedanumericalproceduretoeliminatethenumericalchallengecommonwithearliermethodsusedtomodelphasebehaviorofternarypolymericsystemsBachelorofTechnology,ChemicalEngineering,DepartmentofChemicalEngineering,IndianInstituteofTechnologyRoorkee(formerlyUniversityofRoorkee),India(July1998toMay2002)•Firstclasswithhonors(82.8%overall)-notconvertibletoGPAscheme,classstanding2/41•Electivecourses:(i)Petrochemicals,(ii)ProcessUtilitiesandSafety,(iii)OptimizationofChemicalProcesses,(iv)OptimizationTechniques(Mathematics),(v)EnergyandEnvironment,(vi)EnergyEngineering(vii)SolarEnergy•Developedcomputersoftwaretoperformmechanicalandprocessdesign•Project:Processandmechanicaldesignofadimethylacetamide(DMAC)manufacturingunitINDUSTRIALEXPERIENCEIn-planttrainingatIndianOilCorporationLimited(Summer2001)•In-planttraininginvariousunits-performanceratedexcellent•Project:Evaluationofoperatingcostsoftheunit,CokerAPRESENTATIONS•Posterpresentation:Rheologyandelectrospinningofpoly(ethyleneoxide)-waterandpoly(ethyleneoxide)-water-laponitesystems,atIFPRIannualmeeting2004atUniversityofDelawareandatTiger-HenRheologyDay2004atPrincetonUniversity•Talk:Biodiesel–Analternativetogasolineforautomotivefuels,Chemism2001(technicalfestival),IITRoorkee•Talk:Biodegradableplastics,Chemism2001,IITRoorkeeUPCOMINGSCIENTIFICPUBLICATIONS•Rheologicalmastercurvesofneatandlaponite-loa