(6el) Biopolymer Encapsulated Lipase for Biodiesel Production
AIChE Annual Meeting
2019
2019 AIChE Annual Meeting
Meet the Faculty and Post-Doc Candidates Poster Session -- Sponsored by the Education Division
Meet the Faculty and Post-Doc Candidates Poster Session
Sunday, November 10, 2019 - 1:00pm to 3:00pm
Research Interests:
Dr.Ravindra Pogaku research proposal:
My overarching research interests revolve around green chemical engineering, particularly, the integrated approach between chemical and bioprocess engineering. I apply principles of chemical engineering and apply for bioprocesses to answer the how, who, where and how fast questions of bio-waste can be converted to bio-wealth. More specifically, I am interested in examining the direct and intimate relationship between the chemical and biochemical activity of the bioprocesses, the chemical process engineering signature of the activity and how that signature may translate between heterogeneous environments thus, enhancing our understanding of the current and past chemical and bioprocesses that drive our planet earth to the sustainable future.
Introduction:
Green chemical engineering and bioprocess engineering are the offshoot of chemical engineering. The integration of the chemical and bioprocess engineering knowledge can be utilized for exploiting natural resources on the planet earth. The abundance of available lignocellulose waste on earth can be tapped into rich source of bio-wealth by transforming the bio-waste into commercial processes and products for the welfare of mankind. The complex chemical and bioprocess reactions involved during the conversion of lignocellulose biomass are controlled by accelerated interactions between the bio-catalysts. The pathways or mechanisms that drive these processes, while ultimately thermodynamically favored, are often carried out and exploited from micro to macro scale. The results of the processes change the chemical and biochemical environment, often on a time-scale much more rapid than abiotic chemistry could explain. For example, the oxygenation of the atmosphere and the accumulation of fixed carbon and nitrogen are direct results of microbial processes. My research interests center on examining the intimately linked interactions between the chemical engineering principles and application for bioprocesses. I strive to use my novel training skills as both a chemical engineer and a bioprocess engineer, including knowledge of food engineering, environmental engineering and microbial enhanced oil recovery, to make deep insight studies on green engineering in the form of integrated bio-refinery chemicals and bioenergy. These acquired skills directly apply to the central questions of bioprocesses, who (metabolic and biochemical path ways), what process and where (biochemical processes, natural lignocellulose waste) and how fast are these processes going (in nature).
My focus is on the green chemical engineering by integrating chemical and bioprocesses. Both the concepts are essential for sustainable life and because of their many useful products, the resultant intermediate and end compounds can be used in benign environments, in highly economical way, with less energy intensity and equity to maintain the dynamic equilibrium of nature. Collaborations with other researchers within and outside of the department are also more easily forged in this small-scale and pilot scale research setting.
Research settings:
I envision my laboratory to have integrated base of chemical, bioprocess and computational machine learning framework for diverse and heterogeneous systems. I have worked in the following fields during my 35 years of teaching and research career: I envision my laboratory to have integrated base of chemical, bioprocess and computational machine learning framework for diverse and heterogeneous systems. I have worked in the following fields during my 35 years of teaching and research career. I have generated 2 million USD research and consultancy funding while working in Universities in India and Malaysia.
I would continue to generate funds nationally and internationally as I have wide network with academia, research and industry. I would propose to get funding from international institutions with collaborative research and consultancy activities. The conceptualization of my research proposal is shown in figure 1.
Figure 1: Conceptualization of Research proposal
Further, I will develop an internationally known research programs in the area, and will collaborate with researchers in Engineering. I shall submit research proposals to get funds from NSF, DOE and Industries in USA and also international funding. I would envision a Symbiotic research model as shown in figure 2.
Figure 2: Symbiotic Research model:
Research Approach:
There is an abundance of non-edible biomass to replace about one third of the world's petroleum resources. In recent days, bio catalysts are used in a wide variety of industrial applications to accelerate the rates of chemical, biochemical transformations. My research approach would be to strive to combine the chemical engineering for traditional bioprocess to address the who, what, where, how and how fast the reactions transform, are the questions that forms the basis of green engineering. There are many advantages to using an interdisciplinary approach with interactive role of the learned people, such as described below and different techniques. First, each technique approaches the question from a different perspective, different set of assumptions and the results may integrate over different scales for better productivity in enhancing green engineering knowledge for the sustainable society.
Student- Scholar Interactive role:
I have worked with and mentored students (high school, undergraduate and graduate), technicians, industry employees, postdoctoral researchers and visiting scientists. I would envision a role for researchers at each stage in my laboratory. Particularly, for the most junior, the high school and undergraduate students I prefer to employ them in small, term-length projects, where techniques and fundamentals are heavily emphasized. As these students gain experience and technical know-how, they can be given more freedom and creativity in the laboratory to have hands-on experience. Graduate students initially (first year or two) will be trained on both technique and research philosophy, gaining greater independence as experience grows. I visualize Master’s degree students as trained skilled researchers, but they ought to have well targeted projects, that are mainly driven by my research interests. I anticipate Ph.D. students to have a greater role in the development of the project rationale, methodology and perhaps funding effort. The goal is to foster Ph.D. scholars’ development into independent and talented researchers to apply their acquired knowledge for the better society. Postdoctoral researchers join my lab to either gain experience in cutting edge technologies, adding to their professional toolbox. While I will strive to include postdoctoral funding in my research proposals, I also believe it is important for young Ph.D. level researchers to attempt to establish their own funding resources. This benefits the Postdoctoral scholars to excel in establishing well distinguished laboratories. The postdoctoral period is also a time to enhance mentoring skills by interacting closely with graduate students, perhaps on a joint project, in the laboratory. I also foresee the role of visiting scientists from national and international institutions for collaborative research linkages and submission of joint research proposals for funding.
Future Directions:
In green engineering systems, I am interested in asking: Where does commercial exploitation of microbes occur in the bioprocesses for the welfare of humankind? What are the potential integrated chemical and bioprocesses and rates of their rapid conversions for integrated bio-refinery and bioenergy products? How do other allied fields, such as environment, food, enhanced oil recovery, interact with green chemical engineering? What technologies may enhance the quality of life for living creatures to establish dynamic equilibrium between man and society?
Research Expertise:
My research activities interface between green chemical engineering and bioprocess engineering. My research team worked on research questions involving bio-catalysis, bio integrated refinery, bio-derived materials, bio-mining, bio-wealth from waste, bio fuels, bio-lubricants, bioremediation and bio encapsulation technology, microbial enhanced oil recovery, food Engineering.
Research Interests:
Currently, my research focus is on bio refinery for bio based economy, materials to produce renewable transportation fuels, heterogeneous catalysis and bio-chemicals production.
- Kinetic studies on biomass conversion in gas and liquid phase
- Understanding and improving the stability of solid catalysts in fluids
- Engineering for biofuel and bio refinery from renewable sources
- Application of Machine learning higher throughput for developing new catalysts and catalytic
formulations
- Synthesizing of supports for bimetallic catalyst reactions
- Rational design and development of bimetallic catalyst
Current research at University of South Carolina:
The production of hydrocarbon fuels and chemicals from renewable biomass resource has become more pressing in recent decades. The biggest challenge in biomass conversion is to develop active, selective and stable catalysts for particular applications. The objective of this research is to optimize catalytic performance for hydro deoxygenation (HDO) and hydrogenation reactions by enhancing the stability of the support, tuning metal particle size, and controlling surface composition. Application of modern computational technique such as Machine learning with High Throughput Experimentation (ML-HTE) for catalyst discovery is actively pursued in our research group.
Conclusion:
I have developed a unique skillset that encompasses traditional chemical engineering, bioprocess engineering and machine learning for establishing green engineering to harness sustainable living. I am excited about using this skillset and training to investigate how the chemical and bioprocess world effects and drives the green engineering for bio based economy. I believe the combination of techniques, knowledge and skills from a range of disciplines is necessary to address these questions in the green engineering. My background and training bring this approach and skillset together for making better world.
Teaching Interests:
Statement of Educational Philosophy- Ravindra POGAKU -PhD; (P. Eng.)
“Teaching†is amongst the noblest and prestigious professions where one is involved in transforming the future of the country. My father was a teacher and my first academic teaching experience began in my tenth grade math classroom, when my father asked me to coach the students on a one-on-one basis in our rural residential area. My extrovert nature and zeal towards helping other students by tutoring activities, has slowly carved the “teacher†in me. I firmly believe that the best way to learn is to teach and continue to learn all through the life. In addition to faculty input, and discussions with peers, my students’ responses are the best source for improving my teaching techniques which are evolving on a continuous basis.
I am fortunate to have associated with academicians of various national and international institutions. I believe mentors make a difference in one’s life. I will always be grateful for the many positive influences that eminent teachers brought in selecting teaching as my profession, and helping me in shaping my career. From time to time, I have transformed myself and reached a position to inspire budding chemical engineering professionals, to achieve their ambition in this competitive world of knowledge and thereby help them to unravel secrets of nature.
My educational philosophy is based upon answering four key questions including (a) why I want to teach, (b) what I teach, (c) how I teach, and (d) how I measure my effectiveness.
The most important reasons that I want to teach are applying my skills and knowledge to enhance science and engineering knowledge for sustainable society. I believe sharing my fervor for engineering science to trigger students’ curiosity and appreciation of the natural world, and encouraging students to be their personal best by becoming critical, creative thinkers and interested in learning. An important goal of mine is to positively influence students by showing them how they are valued individuals who should always strive for self-improvement and that everyone should be respected, recognized for their work, and encouraged to share ideas in the diverse world.
With respect to what I teach, my goal to show students that science is for everyone and that fun and creativity are important aspects of science whether one is doing a “backyard†experiment or working as a research scientist. I feel that it is vital to let students know that they are stakeholders in their education, it is vital for them to develop solid problem solving skills, and they should never stop being curious or imaginative in all that they do.
Concerning how I teach, I strive to use a variety of instructional methods to actively engage students regardless of learning style, background, or aptitude. There is value in integrating technology in the classroom since most people’s home, work, and social lives are touched in some way in our digital society. Critical to lesson planning are setting goals that include knowing what students should know and be able to do at the lesson’s end, what essential questions are being asked, and what big ideas should be understood. In order for the lesson to be a meaningful learning experience, it must be in harmony with academic standards as well as four critical components known as the Four Pillars of Instruction including (a) curriculum requirements, (b) engaging instruction, (c) genuine assessments, and (d) management practices that facilitate gaining and maintain student cooperation.
In addressing how I measure and assess my performance, my objectives are to continuously work at improving my teaching skills through self-reflection, professional development courses, workshops, and conferences, consulting with my teaching colleagues and school administrators, and seeking feedback from students and their caregivers.
My value as an educator and success in the classroom depend upon knowing as much as possible about each student which will enable me to collaborate with them to maximize their learning and allow me to create a safe and welcoming classroom. In getting to know each student, I have three central interests which are (a) identifying their individual learning styles, aptitudes, interests, and special needs, (b) how they solve problems, handle conflicts, and what about school interests them most and least, (c) what types of support do they have at home and what they and their caregivers expect of me as a teacher.
Treating students as unique people and individual learners facilitates their ability to be cooperative and collaborative learners, to identify and solve problems, and to be personally accountable for their actions.
I will teach undergraduate and graduate courses, supervise undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers and establish network with other colleagues and interdisciplinary departments.
Ravindra Pogaku