Palanki named chair of Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

Srinivas Palanki, an expert in the area of process systems engineering with applications to chemical and biomedical processes, has been selected as chair of the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in the Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources at West Virginia University, effective July 1, 2021.

Story by Olivia Miller, Communications Specialist

Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources

Palanki will replace WVU Bolton Professor Richard Turton, who has been a member of the faculty since 1986 and chair of the Department since 2018.

Palanki, a native of New Delhi, India, received his bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology and his masters and doctoral degrees in chemical engineering from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.

Before joining WVU, Palanki held administrative positions at three different state universities over the past three decades, including serving as the dean of engineering and associate provost for research and sponsored programs at Lamar University. Since 2019, he has served as the regional director for TMAC-Southeast, a federally funded research center that is part of the Manufacturing Extension Program.

“I am very excited about taking on this leadership position and I look forward to working with a talented group of faculty members, staff and students to help increase national visibility of the department in research, teaching and service,” Palanki said.

His research group has made theoretical contributions to real-time optimization of finite-time processes, non-linear robust control and modeling of nonlinear processes as well as practical applications to chemical industrial processes and biomedical devices.

Palanki explained that because the department hosts separate degree programs in chemical engineering and biomedical engineering, he hopes to leverage his expertise in both areas to develop and sustain nationally ranked programs in these fields.

“I am delighted that Dr. Palanki will be joining the Statler College as the new chair of our Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Department,” said Glen H. Hiner Dean of the Statler College Pedro Mago. “I am confident that with his experience, energy and leadership, he will help move the Department to new levels of excellence. I am excited to work with him to support future directions of the Department. I want to thank Dr. Richard Turton for his excellent leadership and dedication as chair of the Department during the last two years.”

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