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- Researchers develop new way to produce isopropanol
Researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have developed technology that uses water and electricity to transform acetone from biomass into isopropanol, a chemical that can be used as a gasoline additive, according to a report in last month's issue of the journal ChemSusChem. "It's what we call electrofuel," said George Huber, a professor of chemical and biological engineering at UW. The research could clear the path for a "renewable liquid fuel that fits into the existing infrastructure," Huber said. Milwaukee Journal Sentinel/Plugged In blog (tiered subscription model)
(10/3)     
| Energy, Sustainability & Safety | | |
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- Chemical producers see intersection of transparency, sustainability
 The concept of sustainability in the chemical industry has evolved from a compliance-based model into that of a central platform that promotes strategic innovations, according to this analysis. "It is driving a lot of other changes within the corporations as well, such as standardization of business practices and information management in core operations," said Jeff Ladner, a senior director at IHS. Chemical majors DuPont, BASF and Dow Chemical, for example, have sustainability programs that are closely tied to their corporate social responsibility agendas. Chemical Week (subscription required)
(10/5)
| Biological Engineering & Pharmaceuticals | | |
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- Seeking an artificial means of heart-tissue regeneration
Carnegie Mellon University researcher Adam W. Feinberg is attempting to emulate the human embryo's development of heart tissue to create artificial means of repairing heart damage. "We will be ultimately applying this basic research to model how cells interact with the extracellular matrix in multiple tissue types, including cornea and cardiac muscle," he said. Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
(10/1)
- Researchers discover how to predict which flu strains succeed
Researchers may have made it easier to predict the spread of the flu and determine which virus strains to include in the yearly vaccine by analyzing DNA sequences to find which types are best and worst at expanding their population reach. Teams from Germany and the U.K. studied thousands of 1971 influenza A strains isolated from 1969 to 2007 and looked at how mutations competed for survival and spread. Genetic Engineering & Biotechnology News
(10/1)
| Materials & Nanotechnology | | |
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- Nanoparticles, electrons could be key to creating "invisibility"
An "invisibility cloak" against electrons could be constructed using nanoparticle structures around a semiconductor host, according to a theory by researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. "[W]e aim at making nanoparticles embedded in a host semiconductor with a size comparable to electronic wavelengths 'invisible' to the electron transport," the research team writes in the study abstract. PhysOrg.com
(10/3)
| Education & Government Update | | |
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- Patent process out of date, in "chaos," critics charge
Designed to spur innovation and protect inventors, the patenting process is being corrupted by technology companies who have converted it into a weapon designed to keep competition at bay, say critics who assert the system is an obsolete one that was built for mechanical innovations. "There's a real chaos. The standards for granting patents are too loose," U.S. District Court Judge Richard Posner said in an interview. The New York Times (tiered subscription model)
(10/7)
| Career Focus | | |
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- Tips for financing your career development
Getting employers to pay for your professional development can be tricky but often necessary because of the high costs involved, Chrissy Scivicque writes. To convince your employer to shell out some cash for you, emphasize how the company will benefit if you get better at your job. Also, volunteer to share your newfound knowledge with others at work, she writes. U.S. News & World Report/On Careers blog
(10/4)
| Institute News | | |
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Westmoreland blogs on "rebuilding the body"
In the latest installment of his blog series, "We Are ChE: Entering a Golden Age," AIChE President-elect Phil Westmoreland focuses on how chemical engineers' process-focused approaches to manufacturing explain the discipline's pioneering work in tissue engineering, bioprinting, biomaterials and drug delivery. He spotlights new developments and the contributions of some of the field's leaders. Read more.
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Workshops offer tips on getting published and peer review
On Monday, Oct. 29, during AIChE's Annual Meeting in Pittsburgh, Michael Harold, editor of the AIChE Journal; Joan Brennecke, editor of the Journal of Chemical and Engineering Data; and Michael Domach, editor of Biotechnology Progress, will discuss "How to Get Your Research Published: What Editors Are Looking for." Find out more. That session, slated for 12:30 p.m. in Room 335 of the Convention Center, will be followed, at 2, by a one-hour discussion of "How and Why to Peer Review." Learn more. Grad students and young faculty are especially encouraged to attend.
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