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Washington State University
The Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering

Faculty & Staff

R. Mahalingam

R. Mahalingam

R. Mahalingam, Ph.D.
Emeritus Professor

The Gene and Linda Voiland
School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering
1505 Stadium Way, Room 105
P.O. Box 646515
Washington State University
Pullman, WA 99164-6515

Education

  • PhD, Chemical Engineering, Newcastle University, England, 1966 (Major Professor – J.M.Coulson)
  • MS, Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, USA, 1963
  • DIISc (BS Equiv.), Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, 1959
  • BSc, Chemistry, First Class Honors, Bombay University, India, 1957

Professional Experience – Academic

  • Washington State University – Professor Emeritus Chemical Engineering (2001-Date), Professor (1978-2001), Associate Professor (1973-1978), Assistant Professor (1969-1973)
  • Washington State University – Head, Chemical Energy & Processing Research (1975-1980)
  • Washington State University – Concurrent  Courtesy Faculty Appointments – Professor Environmental Science & Regional Planning (1993-2001); Professor Civil & Environmental Engineering (1987-2001); Associate Professor & Professor Materials Science & Engineering (1973-1989)
  • Federal University of  Rio de Janeiro – NSF Visiting Scientist (March 1985)
  • Indian Institute of Technology Madras – Professional Leave Visiting Professor (Fall 1985)
  • University of Malaya Kuala Lumpur – Fulbright Senior Scholar Award Visiting Professor Institute of Advanced Studies (Environmental) (1997-1998)
  • Center for Professional Advancement NJ – Continuing Education Short Course Director, for Development, Design & Economic Evaluation of Chemical Processes & Plants (1974-1989)

Professional Experience – Industrial

  • Century Rayon Corp., India (1959-1961)
  • Monsanto Corp., North Wales, UK (1966-1967)
  • Scientific Design Co. (Division of Halcon International), NY (1967-1969)
  • Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs, WA (Summers 1973, 1974)
  • US Department of Energy, Morgantown, WVA, Pittsburgh, PA ( Summers 1979, 1980, 1989, 1991)
  • US EPA Headquarters Technology Innovation Office, Washington DC (Professional Leave Visiting Scientist) (Fall 1992)
  • Industrial Consulting  – Aerojet, Weyerhauser, Hittman-Westinghouse, COGEMA Engineering., Ashland Chemical, Olin Corp., Ciba-Geigy, PRC Environmental (TetraTech), MarTech International, US Department of Energy, UNDP-TOKTEN(India), PetroBras (Brazil), CHEMET Engineering Group (India, Australia), World Environmental Center (Zaklady Chemiczne Oswiecim – Poland), USAID (Environmental Protection & Economic Development – South Central Russia)

Professional Memberships, Honors

  • Fellow, American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE)
  • Member, Editorial Board, AIChE Environmental Progress Journal (1981-1998)
  • Secretary (1985), Vice-Chair (1995-1996), Chair (1997) – Environmental Division, AIChE
  • Member – American Chemical Society, Phi Lambda Upsilon, Sigma Xi
  • Fulbright Senior Scholar Award (1997-1998)
  • Outstanding Research Professor, College of Engineering., WSU (1984); Outstanding Teaching Professor, Chemical Engineering., WSU (1995)
  • Team Member WSU Pollution Prevention Project Team Receiving WA State Ecological Commission Environmental Excellence Award (1994)

Research Interests

  • Fundamental Research – Transport & Reactions in Multiphase Systems
  • Chemicals/Polymers – Petrochemical & Specialty Chemicals Processing, Design & Economics; Polymeric Microencapsulation & Controlled Release; Fluid Bed Electropolymerization; Polymer Thin Films
  • Energy – Fossil Energy Conversion & Cleanup
  • Environmental – SOx/NOx/Fine Particles/Toxics Emissions Control; Industrial Wastewaters; Hazardous Wastes; Pollution Prevention in Product Manufacturing & Chemical Process Plants; Low-level Radwaste Storage and Disposal

Selected Research Publications

  1. US Patent # 6,204,429, March 20, 2001 (with Y.M Gupta) – Methods of Remediation of Chemical Contaminants Dispersed in Geologic Media
  2. Book Chapters in Toxic and Hazardous Waste Disposal (R.B.Pojasek, Editor), Handbook of Mixed Waste Management Technology (C.H.Oh, Editor); Advances in Transport Processes (A.S.Majumdar  &  R.A.Mashelkar, Editors)
  3. Co-Editor (with A.J.Engel) – AIChE Symposium Series 211, AIR Volume, 1981
  4. Peer-Reviewed Research Paper(s) in AIChE Journal, AIChE Symposium Series, Chemical Engineering Science, I&EC Research, I&EC Fundamentals, I&EC Process Design and Development, Chemical Engineering Journal, International Communications in Heat & Mass Transfer, Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering, Journal of Colloid & Interface Science., Journal of Dispersion Science & Technology, BIORHEOLOGY, Journal of The Electrochemical Society, Journal of Applied Polymer Science, Polymer Communications, Journal of Applied Physics, IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Thin Solid Films, FUEL, Environmental Science & Technology, Environmental  Engineering Science, Journal of  Environmental Systems, Journal of Hazardous Materials, Waste Management & Research
  5. Technical Reports Submitted to Research Sponsors and Funding Agencies
  6. National and International Professional Meetings Presentations; Publications in Meetings Proceedings