OU Membrane Science Researcher Awarded NSF CAREER Grant

-

Michele Galizia, an assistant professor in the Gallogly College of Engineering at the University of Oklahoma, has received a 2021 National Science Foundation Early CAREER Development grant to continue his research focusing on membrane technology, a technique that separates molecules from mixtures by size and shape. About 10% of global energy consumption is devoted to these chemical separations and enhancing the energy efficiency of industrial separations is crucial to decreasing costs and controlling environmental pollution.

The five-year grant – CAREER: Engineering polymers cohesive energy density and free volume for highly selective organic separations – begins Sept. 1 and has a total anticipated award amount of $543,641.

“This project will combine experimental and computational approaches to discover a new class of materials prepared by properly manipulating the structure of polymer membranes,” Galizia said. “I am thankful for the grant from the National Science Foundation that will allow my team at OU to discover, synthesize and understand next-generation polymer membranes,” said Galizia, a faculty member in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering. Galizia notes that the separation process is vital to modern life. Foods, cosmetics, medicines, detergents – all involve complex mixtures.

“Let’s consider the drugs that many of us take every day. Most people see them as just a pill or a liquid that we inject in our body – but that is just the end of the story,” he said.

The preparation process involves the handling of a complex mixture of reactants, Galizia says. “Drugs are not prepared as a solid or as a pure liquid. They must be purified and have all the solvents and other chemicals removed that cannot be injected in the body.”

Another critical component of the CAREER award involves educational and outreach opportunities. Classes for middle and high school students in Norman, as well as advanced workshops for scientists in Oklahoma, Texas and Arizona, will take place over the next five years. Galizia’s research also will entail working with teachers at Dibble (Oklahoma) Public Schools in Blanchard.

The NSF grant provides new opportunities for OU’s chemical engineering students.

“I worked in the medical field for the better part of a year after graduation,” said Will Box, an OU alumnus who recently returned to the university to pursue a doctorate in chemical engineering.  “But I realized I really missed research – and missed polymers – so I came back to OU to work on a PhD. It’s been just awesome.”

NSF’s CAREER awards are five-year grants that are awarded to early-career faculty who show potential to serve as academic role models. Galizia joined OU’s faculty in 2017. He earned a master’s degree and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the University of Bologna in Italy.

 

Popular posts from this blog

OU Engineering Students Shine in Community Projects

-
Image
At the University of Oklahoma, a transformative course called Pathways to Engineering Thinking is leaving a mark on OU students and the community. In the first-year engineering course, over 800 students across 16 sections collaborated to tackle real-world challenges presented by community partners. Their projects ranged from developing prosthetic limbs for injured animals to creating innovative solutions for community gardens and zoos. The course aims to guide students through the engineering design process, emphasizing collaborative teamwork and problem-solving skills.  This semester’s projects reached many areas of the community. Partnerships with the OU Food Pantry, OU Community Garden, Oklahoma City Zoo, OU Engineering K-12 Outreach, a local dog rescue and the City of Norman provided students with real-world challenges to address. Each team delved into issues presented by the partners, working toward delivering functional design solutions by the semester’s end. The heart of the cou
Read more

OU Students Take on Habitat Challenge: Sooners Without Borders Constructs Ramp, More in Iowa

-
Image
In early January, six students from Sooners Without Borders at the University of Oklahoma headed to Des Moines, Iowa, teaming up with Habitat for Humanity. Their goal: construct an accessibility ramp for a local family. Their mission was part of Habitat’s Collegiate Challenge program, providing year-round volunteer opportunities for college students. The students, all from the Gallogly College of Engineering at OU, embraced the challenge. Formerly Engineers Without Borders, Sooners Without Borders had changed its name to be more inclusive of all majors at OU, says Lisa Morales, the group's staff adviser. “A lot of projects used to focus on clean water and students had the opportunity to travel abroad. Once Covid happened, we had to shift the focus of Sooner Without Borders,” Morales said.  In Des Moines, the project expanded beyond the ramp, involving tasks like installing kitchen cabinets and flooring for a new home. Morales says she was impressed with the student’s adeptness with
Read more

OU Engineering Welcomes 14 New Faculty Members for 2023-24

-
Image
OU Engineering has welcomed 14 new faculty members for the 2023-24 academic year. This marks a milestone in the college's growth journey, with faculty numbers increasing from just over 100 in 2017 to 175 in 2023. OU Engineering is committed to expanding its faculty ranks, aiming for over 200 faculty members by the 2025-26 academic year, says OU Engineering Dean John Klier. To achieve this goal, the college has initiated more than 20 faculty searches. The State of Oklahoma continues to acknowledge the need for more engineers. They recently responded to OU Engineering’s request for additional recurring funding. The funding will play a crucial role in offering undergraduate student tuition waivers, supporting graduate students and helping recruit new faculty and staff. These positions will be phased in over the next three years. "OU Engineering extends its gratitude for the ongoing support from the State of Oklahoma as it continues to address the growing demand for engineers,&quo
Read more