Professor Davis is an expert in chemical process design and optimization - the study of how to build good chemical plants.  He has published on identifying performance limits for networks of batch-wise (time-dependent) chemical reactors and on modeling and assessing the sustainability of corporations.  His research work is currently focused on sustainability assessment, sustainable process design (the economic, environmental, and social impacts of chemical plants), bioprocess design, and operations research.  He teaches three required courses for chemical engineering undergraduate students: process simulation and mathematical techniques, separation process principles, and process evaluation and design II.  Based on his research experience, he has offered elective courses on advanced chemical reaction engineering, convex optimization techniques, and sustainability and pollution prevention.

Professor Davis has been an active member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) since 2004 and has given many presentations at their Annual Meetings.  He has been a member of the Education Division of AIChE since it began and will serve as the Secretary / Treasurer of the division from 2011 until 2013.

Professor Davis served as a teaching fellow through the National Science Foundation GK-12 program in 2008-09, working with two 8th grade physical science teachers two days a week giving lessons, helping to design demonstrations and experiments, and generally being a "science and engineering expert" in the classroom.  His experience in the GK-12 program inspired him to continue his active involvement in K-12 education, creating lessons and working with teachers in local high schools in New York City to help educate students on the purposes and activities of engineers.

Professor Davis has been at Cooper Union since his graduation from UCLA in 2009 with his Ph.D. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.  He is originally from Grand Island, NY and received his B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering from Cornell University.  His hobbies include travel, fantasy baseball, and ultimate frisbee.

Professor Davis's faculty page is http://faculty.cooper.edu/bdavis/

B.S. in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (May 2002)
    Cornell University: Ithaca, NY

Teaching Experience:
The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art
    Assistant Professor
    Fall 2009 – present

• Led Cooper Union Summer Research Internship Program (ChE Project 1, Engineering Polymers: How Plastics are Made) – High School juniors and seniors, 6 week intensive program.  12 students in Summer 2011.
• Taught ChE 161.2B (Process Evaluation and Chemical Systems Design II) – Senior level class, 3 credits, 4 contact hours per week.  26 ChE students in Spring 2011.
• Taught ChE / EID 488 (Convex Optimization Techniques) – Mixed Senior and Masters level class, 3 credits/contact hours per week.  17 ChE, MechE, and EE students in Spring 2010.  4 ChE and ME students in Fall 2010.  7 ChE and EE students in Fall 2011.
• Taught ChE 421 (Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering) – Mixed Senior and Masters level class, 3 credits/contact hours per week.  7 ChE students in Spring 2010.  10 ChE students in Fall 2011.
• Taught ChE 151 (Process Simulation and Mathematical Techniques for Chemical Engineers) – Junior level class, 3 credits/contact hours per week.  25 ChE students in Spring 2010.  28 ChE students in Spring 2011.
• Taught ChE 142 (Mass Transfer and Separation Process Principles) – Senior level class, 4 credits/contact hours per week.  18 ChE students in Fall 2009.  26 ChE students in Fall 2010.  25 ChE students in Fall 2011.
• Taught ChE 447 (Sustainability and Pollution Prevention) – Mixed Junior, Senior, and Masters level class, 3 credits/contact hours per week.  5 ChE students in Fall 2009.  6 ChE, MechE, and CivE students in Spring 2011.

University of California at Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)     
    Teaching Assistant (Pollution Prevention)   
       Spring 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

• Answered student questions in office hours one hour per week
• Wrote, solved, and graded student homework assignments, lecture notes, and exams
• Class size of 4 (2005) to 19 (2008) mixed undergraduate and graduate students

    Teaching Assistant (Process Economics and Analysis)   
        Winter 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008

• Led discussion section for 46-61 senior undergraduate students once every two weeks
• Answered student questions in office hours two hours per week
• Wrote lecture notes; wrote, solved, and graded student homework assignments and exams

    Teaching Assistant (Cryogenics and Low-Temperature Processes)   
        Fall 2004, 2005, 2006

• Wrote, solved, and graded homeworks and term projects for 5-6 undergrad and grad students
• Answered student questions in office hours two hours per week
• Operated demonstrations on cryogenic safety, triple-point nitrogen, and superconductivity

    Teaching Assistant (Computer-Aided Chemical Process Design and Analysis)
        Spring 2004, 2007   

• Graded homework assignments and exams for 63 (2004) and 50 (2007) senior undergraduate students
• Answered student questions about HYSYS process design software two hours per week
• Helped grade student final projects in a team with other teaching assistants and instructor

    Teaching Assistant (Introduction to Chemical Engineering)
        Fall 2003   

• Led discussion section for 56 students once per week
• Answered student questions in office hours two hours per week
• Graded student homework assignments and exams

Teaching Interests:

• Process Design Economics
• Computer-Aided Process Design and Analysis
• Process Simulation and Mathematical Techniques
• Sustainability and Pollution Prevention
• Cryogenics
• Mass and Energy Balances
• Introduction to Chemical Engineering
• Convex Optimization Techniques
• Linear Programming
• Nonlinear Programming
• Optimization in Vector Spaces
• Chemical Kinetics and Reactor Design
• Advanced Chemical Reaction Engineering
• Mass Transfer and Separation Process Principles

Journal Publications:

• Stevenson, J. M., Davis, B. J. “Fuzzy Assessment of the Sustainability of Mass Transit Systems.” Journal of Public Transportation (submitted).
• Davis, B. J., Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Global Optimization of PEM Fuel Cell Networks.” Computers & Chemical Engineering (in preparation).
• Davis, B. J., Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Performance Targets for Batch Wastewater Treatment Operations.” Biotechnology & Bioengineering (in preparation).
• Phillis, Y. A., Davis, B. J. “Assessment of Corporate Sustainability via Fuzzy Logic.” Journal of Intelligent and Robotic Systems 55 (1) p. 3 – 20, 2009.
• Davis, B. J., Taylor, L. A., Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Identification of the Attainable Region for Batch Reactor Networks.” Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 47 (10) p. 3388 – 3400, 2008.

Proceedings Publications:

• Davis, B. J. “Time on Task as an Assessment Tool for Student Learning.” Proceedings Education Division, AIChE Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 2011.
• Davis, B. J. “Chemical Engineering in the 8th Grade Classroom.” Proceedings Education Division, AIChE Annual Meeting, Nashville, Tennessee, November 2009.
• Davis, B. J.; Berens, B.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Dynamic Operation of a 1.2 kW PEM Fuel Cell.” Proceedings Computing and Systems Technology Division, p. 6616-6619, AIChE Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2005.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Application of Primal-Dual Iteration to the Solution of Process Network Synthesis Problems.” Proceedings Computing and Systems Technology Division, p. 6874-6878, AIChE Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2005.

Presentations:

• Davis, B. J. “Time on Task as an Assessment Tool for Student Learning.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, 04004 Free Forum On Chemical Engineering Education (Part 1), Minneapolis, Minnesota, October 2011.
• Davis, B. J. “What is Chemical Engineering?” Presented at Stuyvesant High School to Research (Honors) Chemistry sophomores, room 815, New York, New York, May 2011.
• Davis, B. J. “What is Chemical Engineering?” Presented at Stuyvesant High School to junior and senior Physics research students, room 815, New York, New York, May 2011.
• Davis, B. J. “Project-Based Learning for Sustainability and Life-Cycle Assessment.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 405d, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2010.
• Davis, B.J.; Stock, R.; Lepek, D.; Brazinsky, I. “What is Chemical Engineering Night.” Presented at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, room 201, New York, New York, October 2010.
• Davis, B. J. “Chemical Engineering in the 8th Grade Classroom.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 32c, Nashville, Tennessee, November 2009.
• Davis, B. J. “Meet and Greet: Professor Ben Davis.” Presented at The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art, room 427, New York, New York, October 2009.
• Davis, B. J.; Phillis, Y. A. “Fuzzy Assessment of Corporate Sustainability.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 713c, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2008.
• Manousiouthakis, V. I.; Davis, B. J. “Performance Targets for Batch Wastewater Treatment Operations.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 86b, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, November 2008.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Optimization of Hydrogen Liquefaction Networks.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 296b, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2007.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Automatic Construction of Globally Optimal Power Cycle Networks.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 176d, Salt Lake City, Utah, November 2007.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Attainable Region Construction for Reactor Networks Exhibiting Limit Cycles.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 460g, San Francisco, California, November 2006.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Faster Methods for Solving Large Quadratic Programs.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 617e, San Francisco, California, November 2006.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Dynamic Operation of a 1.2 kW PEM Fuel Cell.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 314d, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2005.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Application of Primal-Dual Iteration to the Solution of Process Network Synthesis Problems.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 445e, Cincinnati, Ohio, November 2005.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “PEM Fuel Cell Network Optimization.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 26c, Austin, Texas, November 2004.
• Davis, B. J.; Manousiouthakis, V. I. “Modeling of a Single Non-Isothermal Fuel Cell Stack.” Presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting, paper 514d, Austin, Texas, November 2004.
   

Research Interests:

• Attainable region theory
• Performance targets for batch processes and wastewater treatment
• Fuel cell technology and modeling
• Hydrogen as a fuel and energy carrier
• Pollution prevention in chemical and energy generation processes
• Sustainable process design
• Quadratic programming theory and application
• Infinite linear programming theory
• Economics of CO2 production and sequestration
• Engineering education (economics, evaluation, and assessment)
• Large-scale energy storage technology
• Life-cycle and sustainability assessment

Fellowships and Grants:

• University of California at Los Angeles / Culver City Middle School, Academic year 2008-09
  UCLA SEE-LA GK-12 Teaching Fellowship
  • Graduate fellowship through NSF Science and Engineering of the Environment of Los Angeles (SEE-LA) program
  • Worked with two 8th grade science teachers two days per week in the classroom giving lessons, designing demonstrations and experiments, and being a “science expert”
  • Program website: http://measure.igpp.ucla.edu/GK12-SEE-LA/overview.html
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers,November 2008
  2008 CAST Graduate Travel Grant
  • $500 Grant awarded to travel to Annual Meeting of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in Philadelphia, PA to communicate research on Computing and Systems Technology (CAST) in chemical engineering
  • Award included invitation to CAST Division Dinner at the Annual Meeting where grant recipients were officially recognized

Professional and Leadership Experience:

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting (Minneapolis, MN)     October 2011
  Co-chair
  • Will co-chair session 04006 on Critical Thinking In the Chemical Engineering Curriculum
  • Invited speakers to present, organized the session times, handled logistics
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Education Division    September 2011 – Nov. 2013
  Secretary / Treasurer
  • Elected by the membership of the education division for two years
  • Kept meeting minutes at board meetings, handled correspondence, and prepared ballots for elections
  • Handled the collection and disbursement of funds, prepared a budget for the division, and submitted a yearly financial report to the division board
• The Cooper Union for the Advancement of Science and Art (New York, NY)    April 2011 –
  Committee Member
  • Appointed to Planning and Assessment Council tasked to organize college assessment
  • Attended meetings and selected schools to compare to Cooper Union in NSSE
• The Cooper Union (New York, NY)    September 2010 – May 2011
  Committee Member
  • Served on subcommittee of Committee of the Whole tasked to revise engineering governance
  • Took notes at meetings, made changes to old governance, and submitted proposal to CoW
  • Re-wrote and submitted proposed new governance to faculty to be voted on September 2011
• American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting (Salt Lake City, UT)     November 2010
  Co-chair
  • Co-chaired session 405 on Incorporating Green Engineering and Sustainability Into the Curriculum
  • Asked directed discussion questions of speakers on their research work
  • Invited speakers to present, organized the session times, handled logistics

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting (Nashville, TN)     November 2009
  Co-chair
  • Co-chaired session 203 on Dynamics, Design and Control of Sustainable Processes and Technologies and Associated Waste Management Principles
  • Asked directed discussion questions of speakers on their research work
  • Managed logistics of audio / visual equipment, session breaks, timing of talks, etc.
• University of California at Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)     Fall 2006 – Summer 2007
  Treasurer (UCLA Ultimate Frisbee Team)
  • Managed team’s financial operations (collected dues, sold merchandise, paid tournament fees)
  • Delegated work to equipment manager and tournament director(s)
  • Wrote detailed annual team budget and funding requests to UCLA Club Sports and Recreation Department
• University of California at Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)                       Fall 2004 – Summer 2005
  President (UCLA Ultimate Frisbee Team)
  • Directed all day-to-day operations for the team (financial, logistical, social, etc.)
  • Delegated work to vice-president, treasurer, and secretary, created new positions when necessary
  • Reported team activities the UCLA Club Sports and Recreation Department

• University of California at Los Angeles (Los Angeles, CA)                       Fall 2003 – Summer 2004
  Administrative Captain (UCLA Ultimate Frisbee Team)
  • Wrote a team constitution which defined new leadership positions for future seasons
  • Delegated work to other team members, planned team activities, established team rules
  • Administered all day-to-day operations for the team (financial, logistical, social, etc.)
• Cornell University (Ithaca, NY)    September 2001 – May 2002
  House Manager (660 Stewart Avenue Coop)
  • Coordinated house cleaning jobs and directed house improvement projects
  • Maintained house (plumbing, electrical, internet, etc.) and ensured fire and health safety
• Cornell Center for Materials Research (Ithaca, NY)    Summer 2001
  Research Assistant (NSF-funded Research Experience for Undergraduates)
  • Experimented on properties of organic (pentacene) thin film transistors
  • Organized literature data on the explosive crystallization in Germanium
  • Presented results of research work to other students and professors

• Corning, Inc. (Wilmington, NC)    September 2000 – January 2001
  Engineering Intern (Optical Fiber division)
  • Investigated process improvements in first step of optical fiber production
  • Collected data and ordered materials for experimental apparatus for testing particle deposition
  • Gathered information on vapor flame chemistry, flame reaction kinetics, high temperature solid state chemistry, and nano-particle deposition

Students Supervised:
Undergraduate Advisees:

• Christina Eng ‘14
• Ghazal Erfani ‘14
• Evan Field ‘14
• George Holevas ‘14
• Jonathan Huang ‘14
• Michael Kaufhold ‘14
• Han Bin Kim ‘14
• Harnsowl Ko ‘14
• Jennifer Guia ‘13
• Ashley Kim ‘13
• Soung (Eric) Kim ‘13
• Hindi Kornbluth ‘13
• Robin Kutner ‘13
• Roy Kim ’11, The Cooper Union – independent study project on the environmental impacts of ethylene carbonate production as a step in making polycarbonate
• Yosef Treitman ’11 and James Baker ‘11, The Cooper Union – independent study project on developing an integer programming algorithm for Cooper Union scheduling (Spring 2011)
• James Lee, ME, The Cooper Union – masters thesis on bioprocess design for astaxanthin production (Fall 2010, Spring 2011)
• Philip Wong ’11, The Cooper Union – independent study project on a life-cycle assessment for bamboo v. aluminum v. steel bicycles (Fall 2010)
• Edwin Deleon ’11, The Cooper Union – independent study project on modeling a chemical reactor for biomass pyrolysis for renewable energy generation (Spring 2010)
• James Stevenson ‘11, The Cooper Union – independent study project on assessment of the environmental and social impacts of urban mass transit systems in the U.S. (Fall 2009, Spring 2010, and Fall 2010)

• Davis, B. J.; Vicente, J. “Student Final Oral Exams in 10^th Grade Chemistry.” Participated in student evaluation at East Side Community School, room 310, June 2011.
• Davis, B. J.; Vicente, J. “Water Treatment Engineering Activity.” Presented at East Side Community School, room 310, May 2011.
• Davis, B. J.; Vicente, J. “Student Final Oral Exams in 10^th Grade Chemistry.” Participated in student evaluation at East Side Community School, room 310, June 2010.
• Davis, B. J.; Vicente, J. “Industrial Water Treatment: Overview and Activity.” Presented at East Side Community School, room 310, May 2010.
• Davis, B. J. “Hands on Activities in Chemistry for 5^th grade students from PS 130 in Brooklyn.” Participated in SWE organized activity at The Cooper Union, room LL210, November 2009.

• American Institute of Chemical Engineers (since 2004)