B. Wayne Bequette

Professor

Affiliation

Howard P. Isermann Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering, Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute

Education

Ph.D., University of Texas, Austin, Chemical Engineering
M.S., University of Texas, Austin, Chemical Engineering
B.S., University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Chemical Engineering

Background

Dr. Bequette worked for three years as a process engineer for American Petrofina between his undergraduate and graduate studies. From 1986 to 1987 he was a postdoctoral research associate at the University of Texas and from 1987 to 1988 he was a Visiting Lecturer with the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of California at Davis. He joined the Rensselaer faculty in 1988 and was promoted to Associate Professor in 1994 and Professor in 2000. Dr. Bequette was on sabbatical leave during the 1995-1996 academic year, spending the fall semester at Merck Research Laboratories and the spring at Northwestern University.

Dr. Bequette has had many leadership roles in American Control Conference activities, serving as the Finance Chair (1991), Publications Chair (1995), Publicity Chair (1998), Program Chair (2001) and General Chair (2003). He also served as the AIChE Director on the Board of the American Automatic Control Council (AACC) in 2000-2001.

Research Interests

Dr. Bequette's research interests include information technology, engineering education, control systems, chromatographic bioprocessing,
biotechnology, biomedical engineering, bioengineering, biochemical engineering, automation technology, interactive learning, modeling, process control and design, separation and bioseparation processes,
and systems engineering.

His research program in process systems engineering is an integrated effort to solving problems related to process design, scale-up and operation. Most thesis topics involve a mix of fundamental and application-driven research. Students in this program develop a broad background, taking an array of courses in chemical engineering, many courses (systems theory, etc.) in other departments, and collaborating with other students and faculty on a particular application. Many students spend an internship in industry, putting theory to practice.

Awards

Member, Tau Beta Pi