Engineering Research Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources - CISTAR

To realize our CISTAR vision of smaller, modular, highly networked processing plants that meet U.S. demand for clean energy, abundant, secure and low-cost fuels and chemicals, we have created an unprecedented partnership of researchers from five universities (Purdue University, Northwestern University, University of Notre Dame, University of New Mexico, University of Texas-Austin). This team includes seven members of the National Academy of Engineering, one member of the National Academy of Science, and four faculty who together have >120 years of experience in the chemical process industry. They are experts in separations, reaction chemistry, kinetics, materials, molecular modeling, reaction engineering, systems analysis and life-cycle analysis (LCA). Numerous long-term collaborations among these researchers, along with an agile management structure, will ensure focused advances and technological breakthroughs.