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FACULTY PORTFOLIODate: 10/01/2020Name: Nigel F. ReuelDepartment: Chemical and Biological EngineeringCurrent Rank: Assistant ProfessorCANDIDATE SYNOPSISSince joining Iowa State University in the fall of 2016, my goals have been to 1) develop and sustain an impactful research program at the interface of biology and engineering, 2) educate undergraduate and graduate students to be successful in the modern workplace, and 3) use my expertise and abilities to serve the university, profession, and community. Below I summarize progress towards these goals.Research: I have successfully built a highly interdisciplinary research program centered on sensors for closed systems that blends my industry and academic training; moreover, we have achieved full support from external awards. To date, I have mentored 7 PhD students (as sole advisor, 2 also completing their MS degrees en route to PhD) and 52 undergraduate students (as researchers in my lab). Since joining ISU, I have 14 publications as corresponding author, with 5 additional manuscripts at different stages of the review process. I have given 18 invited talks and my group has contributed 29 additional presentations. Our lab has developed collaborations to expand the scope of our research—both within ISU and external companies/universities. I have been recognized with multiple awards at a national level and have been supported by peer-reviewed, extramural NIH, NSF, and DHS grants ($3.28M total as PI, $2.63M to my group). Our work has also moved beyond our lab, with 15 technology disclosures, 7 of which are in patent prosecution, and 2 licensed by an NSF-awarded startup, Skroot Lab Inc. I am also founder and acting president at Skroot (5 employees, Best of Iowa Biotech award 2020).Teaching: I have primarily taught “Chemical Engineering Computational Methods” (4x), which is our sophomore/junior level numerical methods course centered in the Matlab environment. I have continued to develop and improve interactive class modules, team-based projects and peer-to-peer interaction tools to make this course useful and engaging for students. My efforts in this course have been well-received. My overall student rating is well above department average each semester. I received the “most enthusiastic professor” award from our AICHE student chapter each year. Other courses I have taught include our undergraduate “Process Control” and “Transport I (Fluids)” courses, one time each (ratings also above department average); I have presented some of my innovative pedagogical methods at national conferences (3x at AICHE). Professional development of my graduate students is a major focus through internship placements and entrepreneurship training; I have been major professor of two completed MS degrees and one PhD degree (defended on July 16, 2020).Service: I have served on the department’s Graduate Committee since arriving in 2016. In addition to screening, recruiting and supporting our new students, I have placed a large emphasis on improving graduate student professional development through seminars and trainings. I have also served on a teaching professor search committee and a shared equipment committee. At the university level, I serve on the ISU Industry Advisory Committee. In addition to ISU contributions, I serve the Chemical Engineering profession through leadership roles (Secretary/Treasurer of AICHE NSEF) and conference logistics (session chair at AICHE and ACS and organizer of theme track, poster session, and startup pitch event). I am a reviewer for 19 journals and have reviewed grants for the NSF, NIH, and DOD. I do outreach through established ISU programs targeted at reaching URM students (APEX_E and WISE).DEMONSTRATION OF EXCELLENCE IN SCHOLARSHIP AND IMPACTSelf-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of ScholarshipResearch Overview: My group’s fundamental work centers around four core pillars (Fig 1) that enable unique, integrated approaches to address unmet needs and applied problems in biotechnology. These pillars are 1) resonant (LC) sensors for embedded systems, 2) optical nanosensors for label-free protein characterization in complex solutions, 3) scalable cell-free protein synthesis materials and methods to enable rapid prototyping of proteins, and 4) frugal hardware and new algorithms to enable our sensors. These core technologies are then integrated to address unmet needs in process analytical tools (PAT) for biomanufacturing of protein and cell therapies, low-cost sensors for precision agriculture monitoring of soil and livestock, design of new therapies and diagnostics, and design of advanced, bio-enabled materials. A unique aspect of my group’s approach is the involvement of industrial partners at the grant-writing stage and throughout the work, such that our research can have an immediate impact on real-world problems. This is evidenced in the number of disclosed, submitted to USPTO, and licensed technologies (12, 7, 2 respectively). This approach of pushing fundamental advances to robust prototypes is also instrumental in student success. In addition to the wide-ranging skills acquired in the lab (synthesis techniques, materials characterization, hardware development, and algorithm coding), the focus on real problems and consistent industrial interface has led to internship opportunities (DuPont, Merck, Corteva, Curiosity Lab) and employment offers for my PhD students.2835995207622Figure 1 – Summary of fundamental research core areas with accompanying papers and grants (numbering refers to listing in CV sections II.A.1 and II.C). Center panel depicts four, current application areas for integrations of our core technologies: A) process analytical technologies for biopharmaceuticals, B) precision agriculture sensors for plants, animals, and soil, C) new therapeutics and diagnostics, D) advanced, bio-enabled materials.00Figure 1 – Summary of fundamental research core areas with accompanying papers and grants (numbering refers to listing in CV sections II.A.1 and II.C). Center panel depicts four, current application areas for integrations of our core technologies: A) process analytical technologies for biopharmaceuticals, B) precision agriculture sensors for plants, animals, and soil, C) new therapeutics and diagnostics, D) advanced, bio-enabled materials. My laboratory has been recognized nationally through awards, both awarded to me (3M Untenured Faculty Award, BMES Advanced Biomanufacturing Junior Investigator Award, Humboldt Foundation CONNECT Award, FEMA Young Investigator Award) as well as to my graduate students (USDA NIFA Fellowship, ACS SynBio poster award, ACS travel awards) and undergraduate research assistants (Goldwater, ChE Future Leaders Symposium [top 20 ChE seniors nationally]). My group’s research has demonstrated broad appeal through 18 invited talks (2 international) and 29 contributed talks/posters at major conferences, companies, and symposia. To date, I have received 7, peer-reviewed, extramural grants totaling $3.28M as PI ($2.6M to my group) and $500K in corporate support. My expertise in fundamental technology transfer is also evidenced in my current key involvement with three biotech startups (founder and president at Skroot Laboratory Inc., scientific advisor at both BigHat Biosciences Inc. and Curiosity Lab Inc.). Overall, my research has been cited over 2400 times with 300+ citations per year since joining ISU. Further detail on scholarship is presented next, organized by core area (Fig 1).Core Area 1: Resonant (LC) Radio Frequency Sensors for Embedding in Closed SystemsResonant LC sensors consist of a capacitor (C) and inductor (L) that tune the circuit to resonate at a specific frequency; the circuit is engineered to change C or L in response to a target analyte or a change in the environmental condition, thus modulating the resonant frequency response (Fig 2a). The sensor can be wirelessly interrogated using a vector network analyzer (VNA) that can measure the power reflection (S11) or transmission (S21) from the sensor using near-field coupled antennas. These sensors have been used for many embedded applications including in vivo monitoring of pressure, temperature, and strain. I first became involved in this field as a PI at DuPont when investigating advanced electronic materials for wireless power transfer. While there, I was project lead and senior author on a paper that showed use of embedded enzyme logic gates in an LC sensor [Ref 1.1]. Figure 2 – Etched resonant sensor (a) and the transmission S21 scattering parameter showing resonant peak (b) that shifts when there is a change in local dielectric or physical spacing of coil, (c) side view of sensor with wireless reader (VNA connected to interrogation antennas). (d) Advances in resonant sensors from my ISU group: wound monitoring, soil enzyme measurement, large strain of soft materials, water ion concentration, low-cost screen printed sensors, sweat sensor, wireless position sensing, and cell concentration measurement. At ISU, I have been successful in progressing the field of resonant sensors in new applications and novel approaches. The first has been a series of highly collaborative projects under the support of an NSF PFI Research Partnership in which my group has collaborated with DuPont, Dow, and three ISU collaborators (Table 2). These projects (Fig 2b) include monitoring of wounds (draft stage), monitoring soil enzyme activity in situ [Ref 1.2], measuring deformation in soft materials [Ref 1.3]; determining wireless position and trajectory measurements [Ref 1.4], monitoring ion levels in field run-off (revising), determining effect of fabrication materials and methods on sensor performance (draft stage), and improving process analytical tool (PAT) sensors for cell quality measurement in bioreactors (at Skroot Lab). I also earned a FEMA young investigator award to design resonant sensors to manage heat stress for firefighters. To date we have developed sensors for contact-free monitoring of sweat rate and composition under personal protective equipment [Ref 1.5]. From this research area, four disclosures have been progressed to patent protection, and two (wireless cell viability and ion sensors) have been licensed by a startup, Skroot Laboratory Inc., in which I also help manage a group of five employees and have had success in federal grant support (NSF STTR Phase 1 completed, NSF Phase II pending).Key scientific contributions. My lab’s first key contribution to LC sensors has been a new method of quantifying hydrolytic enzyme activity in a closed system by coating the resonant sensor surface in the enzyme substrate. When the enzyme is introduced in the center of the coating, it degrades radially to the outer edge of the resonator and this kinetic response can be observed wirelessly. We developed a numerical model to fit this data (involving a Stefan boundary condition as the reactive edge of the enzymes on the resonator coating changes with time) to extract the activity (kcat) of the enzyme [Ref 1.2]. My group was first to demonstrate contact-free measurement of large strain extents by introducing Kirigami cuts into the resonant sensor [Ref 1.3]. We are also the first to demonstrate how the position-dependent signal of an embedded sensor can be corrected using an array of orthogonal resonators to first accurately determine spatial location and then apply an offset correction (Ref 1.4). Our sweat sensors, described by one reviewer as ‘elegantly simple,’ can simultaneously measure the rate of sweat and ionic concentration by tracking the transmission loss (S21), frequency and magnitude respectively; this is the first demonstration of a passive (non-powered) device without integrated circuits that can measure sweat underneath garments [Ref 1.5]. In each of these studies, we have also made progress on the cost and size of the reader especially for on-human studies [Ref 1.5]; compact readers have been further integrated and reduced in size and cost at Skroot Laboratory Inc. (under an NSF STTR Award).Reuel group researchers involved in this work: [GRADS] Charkhabi+, Carr, Chan / [UNDERGRADS] Beierle+, Miller, Wu, Jackson, Munn, Furnish, AlSeiari, Neff, Moreau, Ketcham+, Duffield, Clouse+, Parish, Lynch, and McNeley+.Selected Publications: [1.1] ACS Sens. 2016, 1 (4), 348–353. .[1.2] ACS Sens. 2018, 3 (8), 1489–1498. .[1.3] Advanced Materials Technologies 2019, 4 (5), 1800683. . [1.4] Sensors and Actuators A: Physical 2020, 111853. . [1.5] npj Digital Medicine 2020, 3 (1), 1–9. . Funding sources: NSF PFI RP, FEMA Young Investigator, 3M UFA, NSF I-CORPS, NSF STTR Phase 1, NSF RAPID.Core Area 2: Optical, Near Infrared Sensors for Label-Free Protein CharacterizationMy graduate thesis work at MIT focused on small molecule, protein, and glycoprotein characterization using single walled carbon nanotubes (SWNT). These sensors exploit the native fluorescence of these nanoparticles (excite in the visible, emit in the near infrared) and their surface sensitivity; as analyte molecules interact with the surface of the SWNT, the fluorescence is modulated (attenuated, increased, or spectrally shifted). Much of my thesis work centered on discovering and designing amphiphilic polymers that suspend the nanoparticles and impart binding selectivity to a desired analyte.Having seen the commercial importance of industrial enzymes during my time at DuPont (>$4B market), I placed my ISU group’s focus on transducing the selective degradation of materials rather than binding. Hydrolases are used in many commercial processes as efficient biocatalysts and are also present in many natural processes (e.g. tumor invasion). Despite their ubiquity, current methods of assaying activity, especially in native, complex backgrounds, are limited. We have developed a modular sensor to directly characterize the activity of these enzymes on their native substrate [Ref 2.1]; this work has been focused on biomass degradation and soil exoenzyme activity (manuscripts in preparation). We have also focused on fundamental synthesis of SWNT-based sensors, such as the effect of sonication conditions [Ref 2.2]. lefttop1. See CV section III.C and III.F for full names, + = underrepresented minority student001. See CV section III.C and III.F for full names, + = underrepresented minority studentKey scientific contributions. Others have shown degradation of covalently grafted enzyme substrates on optical nanoparticles, such as quantum dots, but we were first to conceive of simple, modular probe construction by suspending SWNT directly in the substrate (Fig 3a); the nanotubes are added to the solution with the substrate, tip-sonicated to break apart the SWNT aggregates and allow for non-covalent coating by the substrate, and then centrifuged to separate the suspended SWNT. Transduction occurs when the enzyme degrades the substrate wrapping and the nanotube surface is exposed to solvent quenching effects and ultimate aggregation, which lead to a decrease in fluorescent signal (Fig 3b). In addition to demonstrating utility of this probe with a wide range of hydrolases (amylases, pectinases, proteases, cellulases, xylanases) down to a 5 fM detection limit, we have shown how enzyme catalytic turnover frequency (kcat), can be extracted from relative rate vs. enzyme concentration data (Fig 3c) using a first order kinetic model; this is a marked improvement over common use of arbitrary “activity” units which are widespread in literature and product specifications. We have also demonstrated use in measuring optimal pH and temperature, effect of storage conditions, and assaying activity in the field with a portable fluorimeter (Fig 3d). We have also determined the effect of sonication conditions (time and energy) on nanotube sensor yield and fluorescent quality which improves the dynamic range and sensitivity of our sensors and others in this field [Ref 2.2]. Reuel group researchers1 involved in this work: [GRAD] Kallmyer / [UNDERGRADS] Huynh+, Yao, Kriuchkovskaia+, Musielewicz, Dkhar, Roby, Kramer, Peterson+, Agarwal, Azizz, Khor+, Abdennadher, Farahat, Eeg+, and MatlockSelected Publications: [2.1] Anal. Chem. 2018, 90 (8), 5209–5216. . [2.2] Carbon 2018, 139, 609–613. . Funding sources: USDA NIFA Fellowship to Kallmyer, materials Chasm Tech. and capital gift from DuPont.Figure 3 – Hydrolytic enzyme sensor synthesis (a), mechanism and quenching response measured on low-cost LED fluorimeter (b), relative rate data to fit for kcat parameter (c), and portable reader used in field for soil enzymes (d)Core Area 3: Scalable Cell-Free Extract and Methods for Rapid Protein PrototypingCell-free protein synthesis (CFPS) has undergone a recent renaissance as materials and methods become standardized and applications expand to prototyping synthetic biology circuits, sensors, and proteins with unnatural amino acids. Three components are needed to run a CFPS reaction: 1) cell lysate, 2) supplement mix with energy source, cofactors, and amino acids, and 3) a DNA template (Fig 4a). My group has focused on each of these components to make them more scalable [Ref 3.1-3.2], fast [Ref 3.3] and robust [Ref 3.4]. This has been with an aim to integrate CFPS into our pipeline of sensor development, both as a logic gate and as a method to rapidly prototype protein material for sensors.Figure 4 – Research focused on the three components of cell free protein synthesis (a) to improve capabilities for rapid protein prototyping. Reuel group extract to screen putative GFPs (b, % homology noted on fluorescent response during expression) and putative luciferases (c, end-point luminescence shown screened against substrate analogs, log10 scale).Key scientific contributions. To date we have made two key contributions to this field. The first is a minimal linear template technique [Ref 3.3] that allows for rapid prototyping of protein materials or sensor elements. It allows one to go from nanogram quantities of mail-order DNA template to milligram quantities of protein within 24 hours. We have demonstrated utility of this in making and measuring proteins that have never been expressed before, such as 4 green fluorescent protein homologs [Ref 3.3] (Fig 4b) and 5 luciferase homologs (Fig 4c) mined from genomic screening databases (UniProt). Another contribution has been a focus on producing high-efficiency cell extract that is scalable and cost effective. Prior to our work, optimization focused on tip-sonication protocols that are well suited for processing < 20 g of wet cell mass. Our work [Ref 3.1] optimizes processing with a continuous homogenizer and pilot scale lyophilizer to produce large batches of lysate that perform as well or better than tip-sonication and commercial kits. We have also focused on cell lysate for proteins with many disulfide bonds [Ref 3.5] and anaerobically prepared lysate to improve large volume CFPS productivity [in preparation].Reuel group researchers involved in this work: [GRADS] Dopp+, Tamiev, Ferdous / [UNDERGRADS] Otto+, Rudeen, Bart+, Mansoor, Abdullah, Greenwalt, Jung+, and Jo+. Selected Publications: [3.1] Biochem Eng Journal 2018, 138, 21–28. .[3.2] Biotechnol. Adv. 2019, 37 (1), 246–258. .[3.3] Biotechnol. Bioeng. 2019, 116 (3), 667–676. . [3.4] Synth Syst Biotechnol 2019, 4 (4), 204–211. .[3.5] bioRxiv 2020, 2019.12.19.883413. sources: DuPont capital equipment donation, NSF Rapid, NIH MIRA ESI R35Core Area 4: Frugal Hardware and New Algorithm DevelopmentNovel sensors can only make real impact if they have accompanying readers and software that are accessible, robust, and at an acceptable cost point. We have thus spent much time on building such “frugal” hardware and open-source software to enable our work.Key scientific contributions. In addition to the portable fluorimeters [Ref 1.1] and portable resonant sensor reader [Ref 2.5] already mentioned above, we have designed a frugal nesting-box imager for hibernating mouse models [Ref 4.1]. We have also developed methods to assess heterogeneity of spore-based devices using a simple fluorescent microscope [Ref 4.2]. We also recently submitted a paper on low-cost, automated solid phase peptide synthesis [Ref 4.3]Reuel group researchers involved in this work: [GRADS] Kallmyer, Ferdous, Chan, Carr, Tamiev / [UNDERGRADS] Shin, Sutter, Kirscht, Evans+, Rider, Allen, Kooistra, and Walsh. Selected Publications: [4.1] PLOS Biology 2019, 17 (7), e3000406. .[4.2] ACS Synth. Biol. 2019. . [4.3] bioRxiv 2020, 2020.05.21.109215. . Funding sources: Corteva (Pioneer) gift, DuPont capital donationFuture Research Directions - With these four core research areas in place, we are now in the exciting phase of combining them to make impactful advances in the fields of diagnostics, pharmaceuticals, and precision agriculture. For example, in diagnostics we recently received an NSF RAPID award to design a paper-based test for SARS-CoV-2 RNA that leverages our resonant sensor and CFPS work (see NSF award abstract #2029532). For pharmaceutical design, we will combine our CFPS and nanosensor workstreams to create a closed-loop, design-build-test cycle for new protein-based therapies. We also plan to use the same technique for rapid screening of antiviral inhibitors for COVID-19. Also in pharmaceutical design, we plan to develop process control sensors for manufacture of cellular therapies (CAR T-cell and stem cells) using the resonant sensor platform. In precision agriculture, we will use the nanosensor and resonant sensor platforms for monitoring livestock temperature (wearables), feedlot run-off, feed enzymatic activity, food packaging integrity. An additional skill set we are actively building in my group is the use of artificial intelligence (namely deep learning) to process data from our sensors and frugal hardware. I, along with three of my graduate students, have taken short courses and participated in ISU workshops on the subject. Thus far we have applied this to one active project (submitted paper on deep learning used to count cells that grow in aggregate biofilms) and plan on using it in pending projects (namely the NIH MIRA ESI and NSF CAREER). These emerging techniques will also be integrated into my future course development (see below).Summary of Impactful Scholarship ProductsTable 1 - Representative impactful work from ISU, independent lab at DuPont, and PhD thesis (MIT). PublicationIFaCitedbTamiev, D.+; Lantz, A.*; Vezeau, G.; Salis, H.; Reuel, N. F. Controlling Heterogeneity and Increasing Titer from Riboswitch-Regulated Bacillus Subtilis Spores for Time-Delayed Protein Expression Applications. ACS Synth. Biol. 2019. . 5.61Dopp, J. L. +; Tamiev, D. D. +; Reuel, N. F. Cell-Free Supplement Mixtures: Elucidating the History and Biochemical Utility of Additives Used to Support in Vitro Protein Synthesis in E. Coli Extract. Biotechnol. Adv. 2019, 37 (1), 246–258. . 12.816Kallmyer, N. E. +; Huynh, T. *; Graves, J. C. *; Musielewicz, J. *; Tamiev, D. +; Reuel, N. F. Influence of Sonication Conditions and Wrapping Type on Yield and Fluorescent Quality of Noncovalently Functionalized Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes. Carbon 2018, 139, 609–613. . 7.53Dopp, J. L. +; Reuel, N. F. Process Optimization for Scalable E. Coli Extract Preparation for Cell-Free Protein Synthesis. Biochemical Engineering Journal 2018, 138, 21–28. . 3.48Charkhabi, S. +; Beierle, A. M. *; McDaniel, M. D.; Reuel, N. F. Resonant Sensors for Low-Cost, Contact-Free Measurement of Hydrolytic Enzyme Activity in Closed Systems. ACS Sens. 2018, 3 (8), 1489–1498. . 6.95Kallmyer, N. E. +; Musielewicz, J. *; Sutter, J. *; Reuel, N. F. Substrate-Wrapped, Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube Probes for Hydrolytic Enzyme Characterization. Anal. Chem. 2018, 90 (8), 5209–5216. . 6.42?Reuel, N. F.; McAuliffe, J. C.; Becht, G. A.; Mehdizadeh, M.; Munos, J. W.; Wang, R.; Delaney, W. J. Hydrolytic Enzymes as (Bio)-Logic for Wireless and Chipless Biosensors. ACS Sens. 2016, 1 (4), 348–353. . 6.95#Reuel, N. F.; Grassbaugh, B.; Kruss, S.; Mundy, J. Z.; Opel, C.; Ogunniyi, A. O.; Egodage, K.; Wahl, R.; Helk, B.; Zhang, J.; Kalcioglu, Z. I.; Tvrdy, K.; Bellisario, D. O.; Mu, B.; Blake, S. S.; Van Vliet, K. J.; Love, J. C.; Wittrup, K. D.; Strano, M. S. Emergent Properties of Nanosensor Arrays: Applications for Monitoring IgG Affinity Distributions, Weakly Affined Hypermannosylation, and Colony Selection for Biomanufacturing. ACS Nano 2013, 7 (9), 7472–7482. . 13.942#Reuel, N. F.; Dupont, A.; Thouvenin, O.; Lamb, D. C.; Strano, M. S. Three-Dimensional Tracking of Carbon Nanotubes within Living Cells. ACS Nano 2012, 6 (6), 5420–5428. . 13.942#Reuel, N. F.; Ahn, J.-H.; Kim, J.-H.; Zhang, J.; Boghossian, A. A.; Mahal, L. K.; Strano, M. S. Transduction of Glycan–Lectin Binding Using Near-Infrared Fluorescent Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Glycan Profiling. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133 (44), 17923–17933. . 14.745a Journal impact factor (IF) from 2020 Clarivate Analytics, b Citation counted from Google Scholar, Oct 2020 (self-citations excluded), and +/* denotes ISU graduate/undergraduate student coauthor from my research group, #/? denotes first author publications derived from doctoral training at MIT(#) and independent lab at DuPont(?)EFFECTIVENESS IN AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY Self-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Research/Creative ActivitiesUpon arriving at ISU I successfully negotiated with my previous employer, DuPont, to donate the capital equipment of my industrial lab to my academic research group ($508K ISU Foundation gift). To date I have authored seven successful grants and awards from extramural agencies and foundations with total funding of $3.28M, with $2.63M directly supporting my group and $225K supporting my startup company, Skroot Lab Inc. These range from sole-PI federal awards (FEMA Young Investigator, NIH R35), to highly collaborative and interdisciplinary awards, on which I am the PI (NSF-PFI Research Partnership, NSF Rapid). I am also co-PI of an NSF Innovations in Graduate Education Award ($500K total, $90K to my group). In addition to extramural funds, I have been awarded $50K in internal funding. One of my PhD students earned a federal fellowship (USDA NIFA to Kallmyer). These funds have sustained the work to date and provide clear, independent support for my research group in the coming years.As a developer of new sensors and measurement systems, we often collaborate with others to actualize these sensors in impactful, end applications. A summary of these self-initiated project areas, the collaborators involved, my role, and the success to date are summarized in Table 2.Table 2 – A summary of collaborative projects initiated and run by my groupCollaborative ProjectCollaborators (Institution)Role of Reuel (Scholarly output and support)Wireless sensors to assess soil healthMarshall McDaniel (ISU)Michelle Soupir (ISU)Chris Parry (Corteva Inc)Neil Hausmann (Corteva Inc)Design and fabrication of optical nanosensors and resonant sensors for soil hydrolytic activity, soil nutrients (1 manuscript published, 2 submitted, FFAR grant pending, DOE Early Career pending)Wearable sensors for sweat, temperature, and hydrationHector Angus (ISU)Alejandro Ramirez (ISU)B.J. Brugman (Distynct Inc)Design and fabrication of sensors for human and animal health wearables (1 manuscript published, FEMA grant secured, FFAR grant pending)Engineered Spore DevicesHoward Salis (Penn State)Ilka Bischofs-Pfeifer (U. Heidelberg)Design and characterization of spore-based device for (1 manuscript published, Humboldt CONNECT award earned, ARO grant pending)Cell viability sensors for biomanufacturing and pharmaceuticalsNathan Neihart (ISU)Charles Glatz (Skroot Lab)Surya Mallapragada (ISU)Ian Schneider (ISU)Dan Welch (Wilson Wolf)Development of sensors to measure health of adherent and suspended cells; also development of sensors to measure protein binding and viral inhibitors (STTR earned, NIH UO1 pending, and NSF CAREER pending)Resonant sensors embedded in and on conformable, ‘soft’ materialsNathan Neihart (ISU)Michael Bartlett (ISU)Eric Zellner (ISU)Luke Bu (DuPont)Sang-Hwan Kim (DuPont)Design and characterization of sensors for measuring elongation in soft materials and for assessing wound health. Also includes screen-printing methods (1 manuscript published, 1 pending, NSF PFI grant and I-Corps secured, 3M young investigator award) Low-cost, mail-ready diagnostic kit for SARS-CoV-2 detectionAlex Green (Arizona State)Keith Pardee (University of Toronto)Design of coated resonant sensor that can be activated by genetic toehold switch; also focusing on device integration, analytic software, and reader hardware (NSF Rapid grant secured)Advances in Cell Free Protein Synthesis Genetic Templates and ExtractDaniel Zeigler (Ohio State)Thomas Mansell (ISU)Peyton Greenside (BigHat Bioscience)Design of scalable extract methods, minimal template for rapid prototyping, and new extracts based on Bacillus subtillis and E. coli optimized for productivity and formation of disulfide bonds (2 manuscript published, 1 pending, NSF RAPID grant secured, NIH MIRA received).Assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Teaching and Student MentoringSelf-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of TeachingMy overall instructor rating has been above our department average each semester (see B.2 table below), frequently in the top 5, and once receiving top marks in the department (S19). I attribute much of this success to continuous improvements in developing and implementing team-based, open-ended learning modules and methods in my courses. I try to include daily activities or hands-on modules to support the class content. One example of this is a paper helicopter module I do in Computational Methods (ChE 310) to reinforce lectures on design of experiments (DoE), fitting data to a model, and using the model to predict local optimum. Teams are given finite resources (limited number of helicopter template sheets), and they use the class period to design experiments, conduct tests, analyze their data, and produce and optimal design. The day ends with a head-to-head competition between all teams2; this module has been very popular, and I have presented data on it (and other hands on-modules like an Arduino-based temperature controller for process control) at national conferences (AICHE education track). My overall goal is to help students retain content beyond the exam, such that they have a solid tool set to tackle real, hard problems in their future job. My ultimate success is when I receive email notes from previous students that they impressed their boss with some tool/approach picked up in class. I have received the “Most Enthusiastic Instructor” award from our AICHE student chapter each year and have received other ancillary awards such as “most excited about numerical method” and “you make this class bearable.” -256032-200922. See CBE post for photos - 002. See CBE post for photos - Another large improvement I quickly made to my class is including a meaningful team approach. During my first semester of teaching, I simply plowed through content and gave little thought to how to structure the class. Each student was out on their own, and there was little cross talk between students. Now, for every course I teach, I use a method I devised called the “startup approach.” I group all students into teams of 4 to 5 based on post-graduation interests (collected via survey before start of semester). On the first day of class, teammates introduce themselves to each other and they form a “company,” complete with devising a company name. From that day forward, they sit together and complete in-class problems and team problems together each week. They are referred to by their company name. I also set up a class SLACK page (a closed chat room) that allows them to collaborate and help each other. I have found that this approach groups together students in an equitable manner. An added bonus is they really take to supporting one another. Within a few weeks, classmates are responding to help requests of their colleagues faster than I can on the SLACK page. Retention and class dynamics have improved. I also use these teams to do an open-ended project through the semester. They can choose any development topic or problem relevant to the course. I have a few check-in points (project pitch page, two-page project plan) to give guidance and ensure proper scope. Then during finals study week, they present their project to the class in a rapid-paced “demo day.” Numerous feedback comments assert that these open projects are their most enjoyable assignment. These creative projects have ranged from algorithms to help determine minimal routes for laying fiber optic on campus to optimizing locations for solar farms on Mars. I have also presented findings from this team-based approach in the AICHE education track (see CV Section II.A.6.8-9,19 for talk titles).Student Ratings of Teaching Effectiveness [From ISU Course Evaluations]TermCourse no.Course TitleCreditsEnrolledStudentsInstructor RatingDept. AverageSpring 2020, Fall 2019ChE 601Seminar256n/an/aFall 2019ChE 310Computational Methods in Chem Eng3514.474.13Spring 2019ChE 310Computational Methods in Chem Eng3354.883.99Fall 2018ChE 421Process Control 3784.033.82Spring 2018--[Teaching Release]------4.0Fall 2017ChE 310Computational Methods in Chem Eng3674.313.94Spring 2017ChE 356Transport Phenomena 1 (Fluids)3684.043.99Fall 2016ChE 310Computational Methods in Chem Eng3424.483.97Peer Evaluations of Teaching Effectiveness – performed Fall 2020 by Dr. CochranSelf-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Student Advising and MentoringSuccess of my students after graduation is a main driver for the way I manage my lab and the projects that I select. I want my students to leave ISU with a highly competitive skill set that moves beyond just technical competence. For my PhD students, they are encouraged to do a mid-PhD internship (Charkhabi at DuPont, Dopp at Merck, Tamiev at Curiosity Lab, Kallmyer slated for NIST, and Carr slated for Corteva); I find this gives them added perspective on what to expect outside of the PhD environment, motivates them to do high-quality work, and provides a competitive line item on their CV. Many of my students have caught the entrepreneurship “bug,” and I encourage them to do pitch competitions and customer discovery training through local and nation I-Corps cohorts. Charkhabi and Beierle (female team) were awarded best of class at the national Spring 2019 I-Corps cohort and invited to return and present as a model team. Charkhabi is my first student to graduate (thesis defense July 16, 2020), and is starting at 3M this Fall; much of her job interview focused on her I-Corps experience and capability to translate research problems to customer need. I was also major professor to Charkhabi and Dopp completing their MS degrees (both summer 2018).I am also a strong advocate for undergraduate research experiences. Such experiences are what got me engaged in this discipline and led me to a PhD. My group hosts 10 to 15 undergraduates per semester. We manage such involvement through sub-group research teams, often testing out a new idea or tangential project from one of our main grant foci. To date I have had over 50 students go through my program (many repeat the semester 3 to 6 times, see CV Sec. III F for names and projects). Many have been included in our papers, and all have found competitive positions upon graduation in industry, PhD programs, and medical school admissions. I am most proud of this accomplishment of 100% placement.Future Directions in Teaching and Student Mentoring - Our department has recently received many hands-on heat and flow controller modules for teaching process control. I will integrate these into my senior undergraduate course as I strive to make that course more interactive. I am scheduled to teach graduate numerical methods soon, and I plan on including a new unit on machine learning to help our students be fluent in this emerging area. In terms of new course development, I see a need for new graduate elective classes such as protein engineering or advanced measurement tool design. I am also part of an NSF-funded team to create a professional skills certificate program for graduate students (time and project management). I will continue to mentor many undergraduates through research elective credit and summer programs, with a focus to increase opportunities for URM. My mentoring of graduate students will continue with a strong focus on career development.Assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Institutional and Professional ServiceSelf-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Institutional ServiceI have served on our departmental Graduate Admissions Committee since I arrived at ISU and on two ad-hoc committees – one for a successful teaching faculty search (hired Prof. John Kaiser) and one for shared equipment purchases for the department. I was a key driver to finding, testing, and procuring a shared microscope. I have also served on over 10 PhD program-of-study committees in ChemE, MechE, Biochem, and Chemistry. At the college level, I am our department representative to the College of Engineering International Programs Advisory committee. Recently, I have started to engage in university level service assignments, such as the ISU Industry Advisory Committee, due to my connectivity at the interface of ISU and startups. I have served on multiple internal grant review panels for the ISU VP of Research. My students and I engage in established ISU outreach events such as women in science and engineering (WISE) and APEX-E (for new, URM students); we have developed hands-on activities that include testing resonators, using enzymes to degrade apples, and making light responsive circuits. Self-assessment of Accomplishments and Impact of Professional ServiceFor AICHE, I have served as theme organizer and session chair (>10x) in four main tracks: 10D Applied Numerical Methods, 15C Biotechnology, 15D Pharmaceuticals, and 22 Nanoscale Science and Engineering Forum. I am currently serving in an executive leadership position (Secretary/Treasurer, a peer-voted position) for AICHE NSEF. For ACS I am active in the BIOT division: I organized the BIOT poster session in 2018 and I am the current organizer of the startup pitch event at BIOT. This is a popular (200+ participant) event in which 5 new startups pitch to “shark” judges recruited from industry. I have served on grant review panels for NSF, NIH, and DOD. I currently serve as a reviewer for 19 journals. Future Directions in Institutional and Professional Service - My institution has a current emphasis on student entrepreneurship, with a most recent investment in a large student innovation center being built on campus. I am already in discussion with campus leadership on how I can help serve in this effort. I anticipate this will be at a college or university level committee. When travel resumes again, I would also like to revitalize and expand some of our engineering study abroad programs. Many of our students and alumni donors have acknowledged the value of these programs in education and career placement. In terms of professional service, I will continue to progress in leadership roles in AICHE NSEF and ACS BIOT, culminating in broader annual meeting planning roles. I also plan on getting more involved with ASEE, especially in the planning and execution of the Chemical Engineering Summer School for new faculty members (2022). Finally, to support the core need of peer review to advance new science, I look to participate on the board or be associate editor to key journals in my area of expertise, such as ACS Sensors or Advanced Materials Technologies. ................
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