(4dw) Conversion of Renewable Waste to Value-Added Products By Microorganisms

My passion for science and engineering has resulted in several contributions to the fields of chemical engineering and chemistry.

During my postdoc involvement with Dr. Abbaspourrad at Cornell University, I am working on the biosynthesis of polyhydroxyalkanoates and process optimization of bioplastic productions. As well as, collaborating in idea generation, brainstorming, and proposal development, targeting industry and federal agencies to bring funding for our research lab. My proposed research program is explicitly designed to extend my experience from my graduate thesis and postdoctoral research, and I will establish and sustain an active research program and supervise graduate student thesis and undergraduate research, combining different elements of synthetic immunology, polymer chemistry, sustainable and green energy, biomass refining, and bio-based products.

My research in postdoctoral studies with Dr. Mancini at Washington State University focused on the synthesis of biocompatible trehalose glycopolymer with broad application in green energy, solar cells, and biomedical applications. The glycopolymer compositions, molecular weights, and design contributed to the sophisticated function of polymers. As a postdoctoral scholar, I developed the novel C-type lectins ligand with stronger binding affinity and pH sensibility than the currently available agonists to achieve superior immune responses and to safely deliver ligands to a target site. My study involved the use of 2D NMR (HSQC, and DOSY), gel chromatography, and biological assays, which I established at WSU. I also have written NIH Research Project Grant (R01).

In addition to my research, I have contributed to enhancing the success of students through lecturing, teaching, and mentoring. Since I was an undergraduate student, I have continuously developed my teaching skills by attending workshops and serving as a Teaching Assistant. As a postdoc at WSU, I continued to develop my teaching skills by instructing two organic chemistry courses in which I applied strategies to make challenging courses interesting and straightforward for students to understand. I tried to help students to obtain better learning outcomes by maximizing their engagement in the class and utilizing a variety of teaching tools and methods to create a pleasant environment in the class. Also, I always have put myself in students’ shoes to teach them the way I wish I were taught, and I believe that’s a reason I constantly have received amazing feedback from students and my evaluation point was always higher than the department average.

My doctoral dissertation “Comprehensive study on lignocellulosic biomass degradation in radical systems” with Dr. Shulin Chen at Washington state University, illustrated the role of radical species on biomass degradation and subsequent sugar yield. I developed an advanced oxidation pretreatment method for converting lignocellulosic materials into value-added products/fuel. I also studied lignin degradation pathways and investigated the probable mechanism of linkages cleavage under an oxidation environment. Additionally, I synthesized some model compounds to monitor the lignin subunits deconstruction route. This work was funded by NSF and resulted in multiple published manuscripts. I believe that this project would benefit from being further developed and can foresee potential collaborations with colleagues working on biomass degradation and valorization. Additionally, I mentored several graduate and undergraduate students in this research area. These research experiences have allowed me to work together with scientists from a variety of backgrounds and expertise. This opened my eyes to the value inherent in developing chemical engineering to collaboratively answer questions in diverse scientific and technical disciplines.

As I transition in my academic career, I am confident in my ability to contribute to the development of a rich science education program that will convey both technical expertise and professional guidance to undergraduate and graduate students. I am excited to develop a platform upon which to build a collaborative program of inquiry and foster an exceptional, inquisitive group of young researchers. I believe, my technical skills and research experiences will enable me to succeed as a faculty, I have this great opportunity to work both as a scientist and educator.

Teaching Interests

Educating people plays the most invaluable role in society's growth and my chosen career as a university faculty has provided me with a unique opportunity to contribute to shaping society. Successful teaching formula involves three elements: 1) bringing students into the research enterprise; 2) giving them hands-on field experience, and 3) breaking down disciplinary boundaries.

My primary goal as an educator is to employ different teaching methodologies and educational technology tools after a careful investigation based on the context and student needs, because every teaching and learning context is unique and needs-driven. Furthermore, my teaching philosophy will be directed toward creating an engaging learning experience for my students through interactive lectures by 1) asking students to show alternative solutions to various problems, 2) combining lab session and lecture session to make theories come alive for students, and 3) considering extra credit for students’ collaborations in-class tasks. For this to work, a supportive and friendly atmosphere in the classroom is essential. Students themselves can provide guidance and helpful hints to each other; this approach not only makes students become critical thinkers but also helps to build up everyone’s confidence to participate in the class. Problem-solving exercises are effective in encouraging students to work together as teams, so they can learn how to solve problems through effective collaboration and leadership. In this regard, I will encourage students to study and do their homework in groups to amplify their interactive classroom experience and develop their communication skills. My ultimate goal is to convert just getting through the class materials attitude to a fun solving problems and learning experience.

From my own teaching experiences, I deeply believe that building a good relationship with students is the key to successful teaching because students can become comfortable sharing their frustrations and fears with me. I often first provided emotional support to reassure students that their feelings were normal, and that, with some guidance, they would be able to overcome the seemingly daunting problems at hand. In addition, by listening to and understanding the desires and learning styles of the students, I as an instructor can evolve my teaching strategy. During my past teaching experiences, I always tried to evaluate students not based on their midterms or final, but on the projects I have assigned them to submit. For example, in Chem 348, after switching to online learning due to the pandemic, I asked students to submit a project in which they should have considered themselves the instructor of the course and they had to design an exam with the keys. I have heard a lot of compliments from my students that accomplishing the project led to the better learning outcome of course materials which was a highly rewarding experience for me.

My emphasis when teaching different concepts is going to be on understanding the real-life problems in nature and the applications of the relevant knowledge, rather than memorization. As I mentioned before, I strongly encourage students' participation in actual lab research related to their course to develop the skills of data evaluation, understanding of concepts, and troubleshooting.

Aa an instructor and a faculty member, I will be delighted to have this wonderful opportunity to take part in teaching and training such gifted and dedicated students, preparing them to be successful both personally and professionally.