June 2025 Program: Capital Costs in Chemical Engineering

Capital Costs in Chemical Engineering

Dr Whitney Davis

Location: Virtual – Microsoft Teams

Wednesday, June 18th, 2025

Time: 12 PM to 1 PM

ABSTRACT:

Dr. Whitney Davis will join the AIChE ETLS to discuss capital costs in the context of chemical engineering and industrial project development. She will provide a comprehensive overview of capital costs before discussing economic considerations of capital investments, including project feasibility, risk assessment, and long-term financial performance. Attendees will be introduced to key financial models used in investment decision-making with an emphasis on how these tools support strategic planning. The session will also explore factors influencing the decision to invest, including market conditions, regulatory environments, technological innovations, and operational efficiencies.

Dr Whitney Davis

Dr. Whitney Davis is a technical subcontractor for the U.S. Department of Energy. She has worked on various federal and nonprofit contracts since 2019, primarily supporting initiatives for the Y-12 National Security Complex and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA) organizations. In these roles, she utilizes her expertise in statistical and data analysis, process optimization, and project management to improve production efficiency, enhance quality, and ensure regulatory compliance. Prior to her current position, Whitney served as an economist for the Kentucky Legislative Research Commission, where she was responsible for forecasting tax revenues and analyzing the fiscal impacts of proposed tax legislation. Beyond her consulting career, Whitney is deeply committed to education and workforce development. She has designed and led professional training programs on the practical applications of economics and statistics in the workplace and has taught as an adjunct faculty member at both Tennessee Tech University and the University of Kentucky. Whitney holds a B.S. in Financial Economics from Centre College and both a master’s and a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration from the University of Kentucky.