The Faculty…

Dr. Joseph J. Biernacki (Chemical Engineering, Tennessee Tech University (TTU)) – Dr. Biernacki is PI of the TTU grant.  He is responsible for overall coordination of grant activities.  Biernacki’s research contribution is in the area of experimental kinetics and multi-scale modeling.

Dr. Scott Northrup (Chemistry, TTU) – Dr. Northrup leads the molecular scale computational modeling effort.  His background is computational physical chemistry.

Dr. Lachelle Norris (Sociology, TTU) – Dr. Norris heads the outreach and sociological research initiative which includes workshops for regional stakeholders in the farming sector of the biomass economy.

Dr. C. Pat Bagley (Agriculture and Human Ecology, TTU) – Dr. Bagley is consulting researcher on matters regarding potential crop resources as well as experimental practices involving production, sampling, handling, and processing of biomass raw materials.

Dr. Jessica Murillo (Chemical Engineering, TTU) – Dr. Murillo is lead researcher on molecular modeling activities.  Her recent PhD thesis (TTU) involved both experimental and computational chemistry.  She is also in charge of student activities.

Dr. Tyler Ley (Civil Engineering, Oklahoma State University (OSU))

Our Students…

Ali Zolghard (PhD Student, Chemical Engineering, TTU) – Ali Zolghadr is a PhD student studying chemical engineering at Tennessee Tech University and working on kinetics of biomass pyrolysis.

Abdul Salam Mohammad (MS Student, Chemical Engineering, TTU) – Abdul is a Master of Science student in Chemical Engineering at Tennessee Tech University working on molecular scale modeling of biomass pyrolysis.

Michael Adenson (PhD Student, Chemical Engineering, TTU) – Michael is a PhD student in Chemical Engineering at TTU working on micro-scale modeling of pyrolysis.

Matthew Kelley (MS Student, Chemical Engineering, TTU) – Matt is a MS student in chemical Engineering at TTU working on characterization of biomass, effects of milling, char characteristics and slow pyrolysis of biomass microspheres.

Biomass Microsphere Production and Development Team (Undergraduate Capstone Lab Team, S2014, TTU)

Abdulrahman S. Alghasham; June Kim; A. Peyton Lester; Gabriel Meyer; Lawrence Sheeley

Biomass Pyrolysis Design Team (Undergraduate Design Team, F2013 and S2014, TTU)

Abdullah Alibrahim; Meshari Altuwairqi; Zachary Brenner; Dexter Grubb; Matthew Kelley; Azurae Redmond; Erik Skottegard

Spring Term 2014 Undergraduate Researchers

Sudikshya Bhandari (TTU)

Daniel Klingenberg (TTU)

Summer 2014 Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU)

Brianna Sullins (OSU) – Brianna Sullins is a senior Chemical Engineering student at Tennessee Tech and an NSF REU participant working on computed tomography imaging of biomass micro-spheres at Oklahoma State University.

Melissa Moffet (TTU) – Melissa Moffet is a senior Civil Engineering student at Tennessee Tech.  Her area of concentration in Environmental Engineering.  She is an NSF REU participant studying the effect of glycosidic bond on the thermal stability of disaccharides.

Clark Templeton (TTU) – Clark is a junior undergraduate student at TTU and NSF REU student working on micro-scale modeling of biomass pyrolysis.

Summer URECA Grant for Undergraduate Research

Sudikshya Bhandari (TTU) – Sudikshya Bhandari is and undergraduate chemical engineering student at TTU and URECA grant recipient working on thermal characteristics of biomass micro-spheres.

Summer Undergraduate Research Associate

Matthew Kelley (TTU) – Matt Kelley is an undergraduate chemical engineering senior at TTU and is involved in macroscale modeling of biomass pyrolysis as a summer undergraduate research associate.

June Kim (TTU) – June is an undergraduate chemical engineering senior at TTU, she is working on production of biomass microspheres.

The entire Summer 2014 research team at Tennessee Tech University (TTU), from left: Will; Melissa; Matt, Mariah; Ben; Sudikshya; Dario; Clark; Ojas; Dr. Biernacki; Ali; Ojas, Natalia; and Abdul; Brianna (not present) and Dr. Murillo (not present). Will, Mariah, Ben, Ojas and Natalia are part of the computer aided design (CAMD) team, see team.