Chemical Engineering and Materials Science Advisory Board

Cheol Park

Senior Researcher at Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center

Cheol Park is a Senior Researcher at Advanced Materials and Processing Branch, NASA Langley Research Center and a member of NASA Inventors Hall of Fame. His research specializes advanced materials development for extreme space environments, including nanotube synthesis/dispersion, sensing/actuation of nanocomposites, radiation shielding materials, and bio-based sustainable composites and adhesives. He received his BS and MS degrees in Textile Engineering from Seoul National University and his Ph.D. degree in Macromolecular Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan.

Christopher Coccio

Executive Chairman, Sono-Tek Corporation

Chris Coccio has been Chairman and CEO of Sono-Tek Corporation from 2001until 2024, when he became Executive Chairman of the Board. He has made significant advances in the technology, geographical, and application markets, and the financial success of the company, which is now listed on Nasdaq (SOTK). He fostered a strong management team for the future. Coccio received his B.S. in mechanical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, followed by an M.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. Prior to joining Sono-Tek he had a career in engineering development and business management in the General Electric Power Systems Business.

Donald Kientzler

Pharmaceutical consultant, Process & Facilities Engineering

Don Kientzler is a pharmaceutical consultant specializing in small molecules for Drug Substance (DS) and Drug Product (DP) for Process Development and Process & Facilities Engineering. Prior to becoming independent he held several positions at J-Star Research, Inc. in Cranbury, NJ, including. Chief Engineer & Head of Engineering and facilities. He leaded multiple DP and DS development & GMP facility expansions. In addition, his responsibilities and interest include Pharmaceutical Materials Science, crystallization and particulate systems engineering, novel chemical & pharmaceutical processing techniques, DS-DP co-processing, and Process Systems Engineering. Before joining J-Star Research Don held multiple positions in Drug Substance and Drug Product development at Bristol-Myers Squibb for over 34 years. In these positions he was responsible for global process development, technology transfer of pharmaceutical APIs and DP formulations, and plant design & construction. His technical experience in DS development includes adsorption/absorption, chromatography, distillation, extraction, filtration, membranes, milling, mixing, process control systems, scrubbing systems, crystallization, particle engineering, solids drying, multiple chemical reactions including hydrogenations, facility and equipment design, cGMPs, handling of highly hazardous chemicals and APIs, containment systems, and hazard evaluations. In the area of DS development his experience includes solids handling, granulations, drying, milling, blending, tableting, coating, fluid bed, spray drying, process control systems, and continuous processing. Don is currently the Vice-chair of ASTM Committee E55 on Manufacture of Pharmaceutical Products. He holds a BE in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Dunbar P. Birnie, III, Ph.D.

Malcolm G. McLaren Chair in Ceramic Engineering

Dr. Birnie's group concentrates on solar power technology and battery storage for enhancing renewable energy adoption. Recent work has emphasized the combination of photovoltaic arrays with large-scale agricultural production including land-use issues. This area of "Agrivoltaics" is of increasing importance as NJ aims to meet its Energy Master Plan goals.

Hong Liang

Oscar S. Wyatt Jr. Professor at J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University

Dr. Hong Liang is Oscar S. Wyatt Jr. Professor at J. Mike Walker ’66 Department of Mechanical Engineering, Texas A&M University. She holds a Ph.D. and M.S. in materials from the Stevens Institute of Technology. She did Postdoc research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology. Her research areas are in surface science and engineering, tribology and advanced manufacturing, such as chemical-mechanical planarization. She studies nano- and bio-materials, surfaces and interfaces. Her group has recently focused on nanolubricants, design and fabrication of wear resistant materials, and energy storage devices. At present Professor Liang is an editor-in-chief for Tribology International and has been on board of a few other journals. She is a fellow of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) and a Fellow of the Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers (STLE). She was the president of STLE in 2023-2024 during her service on the society’s executive commit and the board of directors.

She was the ASME Swanson Fellow when she served as assistant director for research partnerships for the Office of Advanced Manufacturing at National Institute of Standards and Technology (2018-2019).

Robert Farrauto

Professor of Professional Practice Earth and Environmental Engineering Department, Columbia University in the City of New York

Robert (Bob) Farrauto, Ph.D., utilizes his 40+ years of industrial catalysis experience to currently train graduate and under graduate students in applied environmental catalysis. During his industrial career he commercialized a number of advanced materials for automotive emission control, specialty chemicals and hydrogen generation. His team invented, patented and commercialized the first precious metal-free monolithic diesel oxidation catalyst first commercialized in 1994 for trucks in the US. In the early 2000s the technology was modified for passenger car manufacturers and commercialized in the Asia, Europe and the US.

Upon retiring in 2012 from BASF (formerly Engelhard) as a Vice President of Research in 2012, he was appointed Professor of Professional Practice in the Earth and Environmental Engineering (EEE) Department of Columbia University in the City of New York. The goal of his team’s research is the development of new materials and catalysts for a sustainable environment. The group’s current research focuses on advanced materials for direct capture of carbon dioxide from air and its catalytic conversion to fuel or enhanced desorption.

Bob is the author (co-author) of 150 journal publications and 56 US patents. He is co-author of three catalyst textbooks He has a Google scholar rating of 59. He is a senior member of the National Academy of Inventors and recipient of the 2016 Distinguished Faculty Teaching Award (2016) sponsored by the Columbia Engineering Alumni Association. He is the recipient of a number of research awards, including the 2008 Ciapetta Lectureship Award sponsored by the North American Catalysis Society, the 2005 Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Practice Award from the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, the 2001 International Precious Metal Institute (IPMI) Award for Outstanding Contributions in the field of precious metal catalysis and the 1998 Cross Canada Lectureship Award sponsored by the Canadian Catalysis Society.

Ryan Kerrigan

Site Manager, ExxonMobil, Baton Rouge Polymers North facility

Ryan Kerrigan is an executive leader at ExxonMobil, currently serving as Site Manager for the Baton Rouge Polymers North facility. In this role, he oversees one of the company’s largest polymer production sites, responsible for delivering over 2 million tons of polymer products annually. His leadership spans a workforce of 500 employees and 500 contractors, driving operational excellence, safety, and innovation across the site. With a career rooted in manufacturing leadership, Ryan has held key leadership roles in safety, process operations, and environmental stewardship - consistently advancing ExxonMobil’s commitment to safe, responsible, and efficient operations. His experience also includes five years in business leadership, where he contributed to strategic planning, commercial performance, and cross-functional alignment. 

Shikha Nangia, Ph.D.

Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor and Chair of the Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department, Syracuse University

Shikha Nangia, Ph.D., is the Milton and Ann Stevenson Endowed Professor and Chair of the Biomedical and Chemical Engineering Department at Syracuse University, New York, USA. Dr. Nangia received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, USA, in 2006 and completed her postdoctoral training at Pennsylvania State University. She completed her M.S. in Chemistry from IIT Delhi in 2000. Dr. Nangia’s research uses computational approaches to overcome biological barriers and enhance drug delivery. Her research projects include exploring treatments for Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s diseases, gut tight junctions, implantable device-related infections, and epigenetics. Her focus has been to examine the architecture of the blood-brain barrier to develop novel strategies to facilitate the transport of drug molecules into the brain. Dr. Nangia’s research has received substantial funding from NSF, NIH, and other private foundations. Dr. Nangia has also received numerous honors and awards for her research (NSF CAREER, Scialog Fellow, ACS OpenEye Faculty Award, ACS WCC Rising Star Award) and teaching throughout her career. She was recognized with the two Chancellor’s Awards: (i) for research excellence and (ii) outstanding contribution to the student experience at Syracuse University. She is an Associate Editor of ACS Applied Bio Materials.

Srinivas Tummala

Vice President and Head of Chemical Process Development, Bristol Myers Squibb

Srinivas Tummala is Vice President and Head of Chemical Process Development at Bristol Myers Squibb, overseeing Drug Substance process development for small molecules and synthetic modalities (ADCs, oligos, siRNAs, peptides). Previously, Srinivas held roles of increasing responsibility in Product Development, spanning small molecule Drug Substance, Drug Product for small molecules and biologics, and CMC leadership. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Minnesota, a bachelor’s from IIT Kharagpur, and an MBA from NYU Stern.

Steven Nicolich

Steven Nicolich recently retired from DEVCOM Armaments Center (AC) at Picatinny Arsenal, NJ. His most recent roles included Senior Scientific Technical Manager for Explosives and Director of the Energetics and Warheads Directorate. His responsibilities included serving as lead technical authority on explosives for the Army, developing overall technical strategies and programs for the Army. As Director, he led a large group scientists and engineers, technicians, and other support staff in the execution of a wide range programs for munitions. Mr. Nicolich’s primary responsibility included overall management and leadership of all research, development, engineering, prototyping, testing, and production/field support of explosives, propellants, pyrotechnics, and warheads.

Mr. Nicolich holds 9 patents and has over 100 government, open literature, and other publications. He has also given numerous presentations at national and international meetings and conferences. He holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the New Jersey Institute of Technology, a M.S. in Environmental Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology, and a MBA from Florida Institute of Technology. Mr. Nicolich is also a certified Six Sigma Black Belt and holds a Certificate in Leadership from the University of Pennsylvania.

Sunitha Tadepalli

Senior Lead Scientist, International Flavors and Fragrances Inc. (IFF)

Sunitha Tadepalli is a Senior Lead Scientist at International Flavors and Fragrances Inc. (IFF) where she leads the synthesis platform of Open innovation for Scent R&D. She has held multiple positions at IFF through her career as a technical lead in reaction technology area for the development of sustainable ingredient processes at IFF and led multiple external collaboration projects with industrial and academic partners in reaction and catalysis front. Sunitha received her B.E in Chemical Engineering from Birla Institute of Technology, India followed by M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Suzanne M. D'Addio

Senior Director, Merck & Co., Inc.

Suzanne M. D'Addio is a Senior Director at Merck & Co., Inc. in West Point, PA where she is the Integrated Process Team Lead of the Sterile & Liquids Pilot Plant, a clinical phase fill finish facility for the GMP manufacture of clinical study drug product. Previously, she was the Director for Discovery Pharmaceutical Sciences in West Point, responsible for pharmaceutical developability assessments, contributing to the optimization of physicochemical properties of small molecule, oligonucleotide and large molecule drug candidates, and supporting pre-clinical in vivo studies through a variety of drug delivery techniques. In prior roles, she has had responsibility for the development of novel sterile drug products, including the formulation definition and process development for manufacturing and technology transfer in early development. Before joining Merck, she conducted post-doctoral research at the University of Queensland and doctoral research at Princeton University, and was awarded research grants from the Australian Academy of Science, and Australian Department of Education, Employment and Workplace, the US National Science Foundation, and Merck & Co, Inc. She holds a Ph.D. in Chemical and Materials Engineering from Princeton University and a B.E. in Chemical Engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology.

Ujjal Mukherjee

Chief Technology Officer, Lummus Technology

Ujjal Mukherjee is currently the Chief Technology Officer of Lummus Technology. He also serves as a Lummus Fellow, a prestigious program where he helps the organization lead the way in knowledge transfer and development initiatives in key technology areas. Mr. Mukherjee is a world-recognized expert in distillate and residue hydrocracking and crude to chemicals.

Mr. Mukherjee has nearly 40 years of industry experience. Prior to assuming his current role, he served as Managing Director and Vice President of Technology for Chevron Lummus Global (CLG), a joint venture between Chevron and Lummus Technology. In this role, he was responsible for overseeing CLG’s P&L, strategic accounts and key technological developments. Under his direction, the business became a world leader in heavy oil upgrading. He has conceived of and designed most of the world’s largest hydrocrackers and is the inventor of LC-MAX technology, integrated high-pressure hydrocracking and hydrotreating systems, and several other commercialized processes including many features of oil to chemicals in TC2C™. He currently leads Lummus’ efforts in digitalization, advanced simulations, energy transition initiatives and development of new technologies.

He holds 53 issued U.S. patents and more than 150 international patents in distillate and residue hydrocracking, oil to chemicals, biofuels, shale oil upgrading and petrochemicals.

Mr. Mukherjee holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from National Institute of Technology, India; an M.S. in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from ENSPM, France; and an MBA from Rutgers University, U.S.