George W. Huber
Richard L. Antoine Professor, Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering
Professor George W. Huber is one of the most highly cited and internationally recognized leaders in the field of renewable energy, chemical engineering and catalysis. His research focus is on elucidating the fundamental principles for catalytic conversion of biomass derived molecules into fuels and chemicals. This knowledge is then used to design new catalytic processes for the production of renewable liquid fuels and chemicals. This includes the design of new types of catalysts, design of novel reactors, new techniques for studying biomass conversion, and an elucidation of the fundamental catalytic chemistry for conversion of biomass into fuels and chemicals. He is the co-founder of two startup companies (Annellotech and Pyran) both of whom are commercializing technologies that were developed in his research group. His research group has impacted a wide variety of areas including: catalytic fast pyrolysis, catalytic conversion of pyrolysis oils, aqueous phase processing of biomass, olefin oligomerization, production of oxygenated commodity chemicals from biomass, solvent effects and biomass, lignin conversion, hydrogenation and hydrodeoxygenation of biomass derived oxygenates, bifunctional catalytic conversion of biomass, and stabilization of non-precious metal catalysts by atomic layer deposition.
His team has elucidated the fundamental catalytic chemistry for conversion of biomass into gasoline, diesel fuel and jet fuels. He has shown how commodity chemicals (1,6 hexanediol, 1,5 pentanediol, and mono-cylic aromatics) can be catalytic produced from biomass. He has worked to integrate his fundamental catalytic studies into overall processes and estimate the economics of these processses. He has elucidated the reaction pathways for several different approaches for biomass conversion including hydrodeoxygenation and catalytic pyrolysis reactions. Recently his group has demonstrated how biomass can be converted into a range of oxygenated molecules (eg levoglucosenone, levoglucosanol) that provide the polymer and material science industry with new biomass derived monomers. This team has developed relationships between the structure of the catalytic structures and there performance in different reactions. His research group has used sophisticated analytical tools (NMR, High resolution MS, GPC) to help elucidate the catalytic chemistry of complicated biomass feedstocks like lignin and pyrolysis oils. Using atomic layer deposition tools he has shown how to design more stable non-precious metal catalysts for biomass conversion. He has proposed biomass model compounds that catalysis researchers can use to more easily understand reaction pathways that occur in catalytic conversion of biomass.
George has authored over 155 peer-reviewed publications including three publications in Science. He has more than 17 different patents several which are licensed to different companies. According to Thomson Reuters he is a highly cited researcher in the field of chemistry, which is an honor given to the top 1% most cited chemists. He has been cited over 3,975 times in 2017 and over 25,911 times in his career. George is a much sought after speaker in industry and academia. For example, during the past 3 years George has given 11 invited talks at universities and companies and 11 different plenary or keynote talk at conferences (7 of these conferences were outside the US). George has worked as a consultant in industry and currently has research projects funded by ExxonMobil. George’s research has also appeared in the popular media (newspapers, magazines, TV news, documentaries, and radio shows) throughout the world. In 2010 over 54 different media articles were written on his research.
George has received over $19.7 million in competitive funded grants from NSF, DOE, ARPAE, DARPA and industry for his research to develop new technologies to make renewable fuels and chemicals since starting his academic career in 2006. George is currently the Richard L Antoine Professsor of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison . He has received several international and national awards. He received the Colburn award from AICHE in 2017. The Chinese Academy of Science awarded him a visiting professorship for 2015. He has also received several national awards including the NSF CAREER award, the Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar award and the outstanding young faculty award (2010) by the college of engineering at UMass-Amherst. UMass-Amherst named him the Armstrong professional development professor from 2007-2010. Biofuels Digest has named George one of the top 100 people for the past six years. This list, which primarily includes CEOs, government officials and venture capitalist, only contains 7 people in academia.
George has also provided service to the scientific community. He serves on the editorial boards of Energy and Environmental Science, ChemCatChem, The Catalyst Review. In June 2007, he chaired a NSF and DOE funded workshop entitled: Breaking the Chemical and Engineering Barriers to Lignocellulosic Biofuels (www.ecs.umass.edu/biofuels). This workshop brought together more than 70 participants from academia, industry and government agencies to develop a unified approach on how cellulosic biofuels can becomes a practical reality. The roadmap which grew out of this meeting highlights the critical needs in chemistry and chemical engineering that must be met for converting renewable biomass resources into fuels and chemicals on a large scale. The roadmap articulates the central role of chemistry, catalysis, and process engineering in the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass into liquid transportation fuels, including green gasoline, green diesel, and green jet fuel. George also served as a session co-chair for the DOE-BES workshop on Basic Research Needs for Catalysis for Energy Applications. This workshop focused on biomass conversion and the critical scientific challenges in using catalysis to convert biomass. George was also a Panel Member for International Assessment of Research and Development in Catalysis by Nanostructured Catalytic Materials. This eight-member panel of US experts in the field of catalysis performed an international assessment of catalysis research in Europe and Asia. This panel visited over 40 different universities, national labs and industrial facilities in Europe and Eastern Asia. The purpose of the visits was to assess catalytic technologies in these countries and report how they compare to catalytic technologies in the US.
Min-Soo Kim
mkim643@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2019-)
Kevin L. Sánchez-Rivera
sanchezriver@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2019-)
Emmanuel Canales
canales2@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2019-)
Raka Ghosh Dastidar
rghoshdastid@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2019-)
Jiayang Wu
jwu524@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2020-)
Javier Chavarrio Canas
chavarriocan@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2021-)
Hoya Ihara
ihara@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2022-)
Charles Granger
cgranger2@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2022-)
Abulrahman Moosa Alzailaie
alzailaie@wisc.edu
Ph.D student (2022-)
Vinicius Litrenta Medeiros
litrentamede@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2023-)
Seon yeong Kim
seonyeong.kim@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2023-)
Tushar
tlnu@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2023-)
Elizaveta Radkevich
radkevich@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2023-)
Brandon Wayne Tipton
bwtipton@wisc.edu
Ph.D. student (2023-)
Houqian Li
houqianli@wisc.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher (2021-)
Leoncio Santiago Martinez
lsantiagomar@wisc.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher (2022-)
Zhuo Xu
zxu574@wisc.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher (2022-)
Wenjia Wang
ww746@wisc.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher (2023-)
Euncheol Ra
era2@wisc.edu
Postdoctoral Researcher (2023-)
Prof. Brent E. Handy
behandy@wisc.edu
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, México
2022
Prof. María Guadalupe Cárdenas Galindo
mcardenas@wisc.edu
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, México
2022
Clara Maria Martinez Jasso
claritamjss@hotmail.com
Autonomous University of San Luis Potosí, México
2023
Graduated MS Students
Jian Shi, 2009-2012, Current Position: BASF
Andrea Livingston (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2016-2017, Current Position: Computer Programmer
Leida Vazquez Ramos (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2017-2020, Current Position: Forest Products Laboratory
Graduated PhD Students
Torren Carlson, 2006- 2010, Current Position: University of Delaware
Tushar Vispute, 2005-2010, Current Position: Praxair
Hakan Olcay, 2005-2011, Current Position: MIT
Jungho Jae, 2007-2012, Current Position: Pusan National University
Yu-Ting Cheng, 2007-2012, Current Position: Anellotech
Vishal Agarawal, 2006-2012, Current Position: Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Sara Green, 2009-2014, Current Position: Exxon Mobil
Ronen Weingarten, 2008-2014, Current Position: Dow Dupont
Chris Gilbert, 2009-2014, Current Position: BASF
Aniruddha Upadhye, 2009-2014, Current Position: 3M
Jechan Lee, PhD Candidate, 2010-2015, Current Position: Ajou University
Pranav Uday Karajkar, 2010-2016, Current Position: Dow Dupont
Robert Coolman, 2009-2016, Current Position: Freelance Science Writer
Insoo Ro, (co-advised with James A. Dumesic), 2012-2017, Current Position: Seoul National University of Science and Technology
Zhuoran Xu, 2012-2017, Current Position: BP
Dongting Zhao, 2014-2018, Current Position: BP
Kevin Barnett, 2013-2018, Current Position: CEO and co-founder of Pyran
Daniel McClelland, 2013-2018, Current Position: Pyran
Joseph Chada, 2013-2018, Current Position: University of California Santa Barbara
Nathaniel Eagan, PhD, 2014-2019, Current Position: Tufts University
Siddarth Krishna (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2014-2019, Current Position: Purdue
Theodore Walker (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2015-2019, Exxon-Mobil
Peter Galebach, 2015-2020, Bristol-Meyers Squibb
Keishla Rivera-Dones (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2015-2020, Exxon-Mobil
Mark Lindsay (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2016-2021, Wells Enterprise
Alvin Jonathan (co-advised with James A Dumesic), 2017-2021, Self-employed
Jake Gold (co-advised with James A Dumesic and Manos Mavrikakis), 2016-2021, DOW Chemical
Paolo Cuello Penaloza (Co-advised with Prof. James Dumesic), 2017-2022, DOW Chemical
Hochan Chang (Co-advised with Prof. James Dumesic), 2017-2022, Bristol Meyers Squib
Previous Post-Doctoral Researchers
Yu-Chuan Lin, Post-doc 2007-2009, Current Position: Associate Professor Chemical Engineering, Yuan-Ze University
Ning Li, Post-doctoral researcher 2008-2010, Current Position: Professor Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics
Kamalakanta Routray, Post- doctoral researcher, 2009-2010, Current Position: Evonik
A.V. Subrahmanyam, Post- doctoral researcher, 2009-2010, Current Position: Toronto Research Chemicals
Wenqin Shen, Post-doctoral researcher, 2009-2010, Current Position: Clariant
Rong Xing, Post-doctoral researcher, 2009-2011, Current Position: Clariant
Jungmo Cho, Post-doctoral researcher, 2009-2011, Current Position: Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)
Yong Tae Kim, 2012- 2014, Current Position: Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)
Hyung Ju Kim, 2012-2014, Current Position: Korean Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT)
Jiayue He, 2015-2018, Current Position: Max Planck Research Institute
Mario De Bruyn, 2017-2019, Current Position: Utrecht University
Jikai Zhao, 2021-2022, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley
Feng Cheng, 2021-2022, ReSource Chemical Corporation
Marco Nazareno Dell’Anna, 2022, Honeywell
Juiling Yu, 2021-2023,
Previous Visiting Scholars
Sanna Aimaro (PhD candidate), Visiting Scholar 2009, Current Position: PhD Candidate, Nottingham Fuel and Energy Centre, School of Chemical and Environmental Engineering, University of Nottingham, University Park, Nottingham, NG7 2RD
Professor Won Bae Kim, Visting Scientist 2009-2010, Current Position: Professor, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea
Professor A. Pandurangan, Visiting Scientist 2009-2010, Current Position: Director Institute of Catalysis and Petroleum Technology Anna University, Chennai, India
Hyuian Zhang (PhD Candidate), Visiting Scholar 2009-2010, Current Position: Professor, School of Energy and Environment, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
Junzhao Run, 2012-2013, PhD Candidate, China
Run Xu, 2012-2013, Sinopec, China
Jungmeng Cai, 2012-2013, Current Position: Associate Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Liquin Ji, 2012-2013, Current Position: Associate Professor Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China
Juliana da Silveira Espindola, 2012-2014, Brazil
Hakon Bergem, 2013-2014, SINTEF, Norway
Professor Ying Zhang, 2013, Professor, University of Science and Technology, Hefei, Anhui, China
Wen Chen, 2013, Graduate Student State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, 310027, PR China
Professor Fei Cao, 2013, Professor College of Biotechnology and Pharmaceutical Engineering, Nanjing Tech University, 30 South Puzhu Road, Nanjing, Jiangsu 211816 (China)
Professor Xu Zeng, 2013, Shanghai China
Professor Haiping Wang, 2013-2015, Professor, State Key Laboratory of Coal combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Professor Zehui Zhang, 2013-2015, Professor of Key Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Sciences of the Ministry of Education, South Central University for Nationalities, Wuhan, China
Jun Hu, 9/14-9/15, Current Position: Professor at Nanjing Normal University
Xiaoli Chen, 2014-2016, PhD Student, Key Laboratory of Polyoxometalate Science of Ministry of Education, Northeast Normal University, China
Professor Bo Li, 11/15-11/16, South China University of Technology
Professor Xianhua Wang, 2016-2018, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China
Yi Shao, 9/16-9/17, PhD Student, East China University of Science and Technology, China
Professor WuJun Liu, 9/16-9/17, Professor, University of Science and Technology, Hefei, China
Professor Zhiwei Huang, 12/16-12/17, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics
Chao Liu, 10/17-10/18, PhD Candidate, Southeast University
Ling Li, 9/16-8/18, PhD Candidate, Tianjin University
Qian Zhang, 2018-2019, Guangdong UST
Jian Li, 2019-2020, PhD Student, Southeast University
Xiefei Zhu, 2019-2020, PhD Student, University of Science and Technology
Qian Zhang, 2019-2020
Zhongqing Ma 2019-2020