Meet Our Speakers
Technical Presentations
Dr. Bruce Koel
Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Princeton University Dr. Bruce Koel's research group is particularly interested in chemical and material processes occurring at the surface. His research spans many areas, including photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, nanofabrication, heterogeneous catalysis, atomic design and control of surfaces property which has resulted in over 200 publications. We are excited to have Dr. Koel join us in San Francisco because of his work with surface-modified iron and iron oxide nanoparticles for the enhanced remediation of U(VI)-containing groundwater. |
Dr. Susan Richardson
Arthur Sease Williams Professor of Chemistry, University of South Carolina Dr. Susan Richardson focuses on the identification of drinking-water disinfection by-products (DBPs) via mass spectrometry techniques. Dr. Richardson currently sits on the editorial board of several journals including Environmental Science and Technology, Journal of Hazardous Materials, and Journal of Environmental Sciences. In her career, Dr. Richardson also spent several years working for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. |
Dr. Kris Mcneill
Professor of Environmental Chemistry, ETH Zurich Dr. Kris Mcneill's work focuses on developing novel methods to understand the detailed mechanisms of fate processes of organic molecules in aquatic systems. His group have current projects on the fate of emerging contaminants, natural organic matter photochemistry, the environmental chemistry of proteins, and metal-mediated defluorination reactions. He is the chair of the Environmental Chemistry group at ETH Zurich. He also has recently been named as Editor-in-Chief for Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts. |
Dr. Darren Johnson
Professor of Chemistry, University of Oregon Research in Dr. Darren Johnson's group is focused on current problems in coordination chemistry and organic synthesis through the use of supramolecular chemistry. Of note are efforts towards water purification materials via binding the containment with an organic compound . He is also co-founder of SupraSensor Technologies, which develops nitrate sensing technologies to combat over-fertilization and runoff. |
Dr. Benjamin Sundell
Laboratory Scientist, Aramco Services Company Dr. Ben Sundell attended the University of Tennessee at Knoxville where he earned his BS in Chemistry. Under the direction of Dr. David Jenkins, Ben synthesized novel di-electrophiles and bis(imidazoles) as reagents in tetraimidazolium macrocycles. After enrolling in graduate school at Virginia Tech in 2010, he focused on polymer science under the direction of Dr. James McGrath. As part of his Ph.D., Ben synthesized novel poly(arylene ethers) for use as reverse osmosis water purification and gas separation membranes, with a large emphasis on chemical crosslinking to improve the performance of these materials. Ben completed his Ph.D. in Macromolecular Science and Engineering and joined the Aramco Services Company - Boston Research Center as a Laboratory Scientist in September 2014. His current work involves novel polymer synthesis and the chemical modification and transport property improvement of commercial polymers. |
Dr. Norma Alcantar
Professor, University of South Florida At the University of South Florida, Dr. Norma Alcantar and her group are focused on nanosurface and green materials chemistry, developing novel materials through the use of nanotechnology, as well as utilizing green materials to determine surface active properties. Of note is her work investigating the use of cactus mucilage for water purification, for the subsequent goal of developing portable devices for use in underdeveloped areas with limited access to clean water. Her work on water purification has recently been highlighted by the American Chemical Society as well as Newsweek. |
Dr. Chi Ho Sham
ERG, Chief Scientist and Vice President Dr. Chi Ho Sham is a Vice President and the Chief Scientist of Eastern Research Group, Inc. (ERG). He is collaborating with the practice leaders of ERG to address drinking water protection and total water management issues. Over the past three decades, he has worked extensively in drinking water source protection, underground injection control, drinking water regulations, and water quality analysis. He is an active member of the American Water Works Association (AWWA) and the recipient of the Volunteer of the Year Award in 2016. He is currently a trustee and the vice-chair of AWWA’s Technical and Educational Council (TEC). He is also the vice-chair of the Board of Directors of the New England Water Innovation Network, a member of the Massachusetts State Board of the Conservation Law Foundation, and a member of the Board of Advisors of the Urban Watersheds Research Institute. He received his B.A. from the University of Regina in Canada and his M.A. and Ph.D. from the University at Buffalo. Prior to joining the consulting field, he was a faculty member of Boston University from 1982 to 1992. He currently is an Adjunct Professor in the International Development Community and Environment program and a research fellow of the George Perkin Marsh Institute at Clark University in Worcester, Massachusetts |
Dr. Jeffrey Wilbur
Program Leader for Energy & Water Solutions, The Dow Chemical Company Dr. Jeffrey Wilbur manages The Dow Chemical Company’s Core R&D research portfolio tied to Energy & Water Solutions. In 2016 he organized and chaired the American Institute of Chemical Engineers’ International Society for Water Solutions workshop on Sustainable Water Use in Mining, which brought together participants from academia and industry in the water and mining worlds to identify opportunities for reducing the impact of mining operations on water resources. His recent work includes co-development of Dow’s R&D100 Award-winning CANVERA™ materials for food and beverage can coatings free of materials found in epoxy systems that concern some consumers. He received his B.S. from Yale University in 2002 and Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008. |
Panel Discussion
Our panel will include Dr. Susan Richardson, Dr. Chi Ho Sham, and Dr. Jeff Wilbur (see above), in addition to the following:
Dr. Tim Warren
Co-Chair, Georgetown University Environmental Initiative Richard D. Vorisek Professor of Chemistry, Georgetown University Dr. Timothy H. Warren is a world-leading scholar in the development of “green” synthetic transformations that utilize ubiquitous carbon-hydrogen bonds to provide novel pathways to a wide range of organic molecules with applications that range from advanced materials to pharmaceuticals. His laboratory won one of the inaugural awards from the National Science Foundation’s Sustainable Chemistry, Engineering and Materials (SusChEM) Initiative in 2013 that provides support for "research into green and sustainable chemistry which will lead to safe, clean, and economical alternatives to traditional chemical products and practices” as well as green chemistry education and technology transfer. The Warren lab also studies the bioinorganic chemistry of nitric oxide, a key molecular messenger in health and disease connected to blood pressure regulation, blood flow, and nerve communication. Ongoing fundamental studies inspired by copper and zinc enzymes outline the interconversion of key chemical species involved in the biogeochemical cycling of nitrogen connected to ecosystem and climate change. Dr. Warren has a B.S. from the University of Illinois and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, having studied under 2005 Nobel Laureate Richard R. Schrock. |