Laboratory Experience to Educate Undergraduate Chemical Engineering Students in Advanced Reaction Engineering and Catalysis

Authors

  • Siddharth Jayaraman Texas A&M University, College Station, United States
  • Jenna Vito Texas A&M University, College Station, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6652-7417
  • Aurora Occhino University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, United States
  • Nitya Peri Texas A&M University, College Station, United States
  • Manish Shetty Texas A&M University, College Station, United States https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8611-7415

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18260/2-1-370.660-139946

Keywords:

Kinetics, Undergraduate research, Experiments, Mentoring

Abstract

Laboratory experiments are a useful tool to increase student comprehension of chemical engineering coursework including chemical kinetics, catalysis, and advanced reaction engineering. In this work we utilize an acid catalyzed alcohol dehydration in two different solvent media to help students visualize concepts such as the Arrhenius equation, reaction orders, and Eyring plots. We provide an experimental schedule, intended learning outcomes, and an example of the data analysis workflow for the proposed laboratory experiments.

Accessibility Summary:

In accordance with Title II regulations this content meets all points of exemption as Archived web content and/or Preexisting conventional electronic documents.

Author Biographies

Siddharth Jayaraman, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States

Siddharth Jayaraman wants to impact the world through sustainability and clean energy. In addition to being an integrated MS student in the Chemical Engineering department, Siddharth was a student-athlete on the Texas A&M Cross Country and Track and Field team for Texas A&M.

Jenna Vito, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States

Jenna Vito is a PhD student in the Artie McFerrin Department of Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. She received her BS in Chemical Engineering with a Certificate in Biomedical Engineering from the Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering at West Virginia University in 2022. Her current research, under the supervision of Prof. Manish Shetty, focuses on the utilization and design of zeolite supported catalysts for various chemistries. ORCID: 0000-0002-6652-7417

Aurora Occhino, University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, United States

Aurora Occhino received her BS in Chemical Engineering from the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University at Buffalo, The State University of New York, Buffalo, New York in 2024. She participated in undergraduate research with Prof. Shetty at Texas A&M University in Summer 2023 as a REU student.

Nitya Peri, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States

Nitya Peri received her BS in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University in 2024. She is passionate about how environmental sustainability translates to the energy industry. In her undergraduate research she was excited to apply her learnings from classes to the lab and from the lab to industry. 

Manish Shetty, Texas A&M University, College Station, United States

Prof. Manish Shetty is an Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering at Texas A&M University. He earned his B.Tech. and M.Tech. in Chemical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay and his PhD from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He currently leads a research group in heterogeneous catalysis and sustainability, with an emphasis on industrial decarbonization, plastics valorization, hydrogen storage, and improving the efficiency of catalyst materials. ORCID:  0000-0002-8611-7415

Corresponding author: manish.shetty@tamu.edu

Cover for the Winter 2026 issue

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Published

2026-01-09

Issue

Vol. 60 No. 1 (2026): Winter 2026

Section

Manuscripts