Engineering Assistant
Resume:
YUANZHOU XI ****@********.***
*** ******* ****, *** *, Charlottesville, VA 22903
OBJECTIVE
Seeking a challenging R&D Engineer position utilizing my strong problem
solving abilities, high creativities and excellent interpersonal skills
SKILLS
Technical Skills
* Experienced in chemical process design, implementation,
troubleshooting, optimization, modeling and scale-up
* Experienced in utilizing numerical methods to solve engineering
problems
* Experienced in heterogeneous catalyst synthesis, characterization,
reaction evaluation (fixed bed & batch reactor) and kinetic modeling
* GC/MS, XRD, SEM, FT-IR, UV-Vis, Raman, TGA, Adsorption (physical &
chemical)
Computer Skills
* PRO/II, FLUENT/GAMBIT, AutoCAD, C/C++, Gaussian, MATLAB
* EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Charlottesville, VA
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering - Cumulative GPA: 3.93/4.0
Expected May 2010
Dissertation Topic: "Layered Hydroxide Catalysts for Transesterification
of Tributyrin with Methanol"
M.S., Chemical Engineering - Cumulative GPA: 3.93/4.0
January 2008
Thesis Topic: "Activated Mg-Al Hydrotalcite Catalysts for
Transesterification of Tributyrin with Methanol"
TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
Beijing, China
M.S., Chemical Engineering - Cumulative GPA: 87/100
July 2005
Thesis Topic: "Research on the Novel Wax Granulation Technology and Its
Process Model"
B.S., Chemical Engineering - Cumulative GPA: 84/100
July 2002
WORK EXPERIENCE
UNIVERSITY OF VIRGINIA
Charlottesville, VA
Graduate Research Assistant (Advisor: Prof. Robert J. Davis)
August 2005-Present
* Increased catalytic activity of hydrotalcite catalysts for
transesterification reaction by one order of magnitude by converting
Lewis base sites on hydrotalcite to Br nsted base sites
* Revealed deactivation mechanism of hydrotalcite catalysts by analyzing
structure change of used catalysts
* Quantified transesterification reaction rate and predicted reaction
profile by building kinetic model
* Synthesized hydrotalcite catalysts with various particle sizes from 40
nm to 1500 nm by utilizing coprecipitation and urea hydrolysis methods
* Elucidated hydrotalcite structure/reactivity relationships by
characterizing hydrotalcite catalysts by SEM, XRD, FT-IR, TGA, BET and
phenol adsorption
* Investigated ethylene glycol intercalated yttrium hydroxide layered
materials as potential catalysts for transesterification reaction
Graduate Teaching Assistant
Fall 2007 and Spring 2009
* Improved students' experimental skills and understanding on catalysis
by instructing students on Fuel Cell and Water-Gas Shift reaction
experiments, helped students during office hours and graded lab reports
* Held office hours and graded quizzes and tests for undergraduate
Ordinary Differential Equations course
TSINGHUA UNIVERSITY
Beijing, China
Graduate and Undergraduate Research Assistant
February 2002-July 2005
* Designed pilot plant with wax particles yield of 3000 t/y for China
National Petroleum Corporation (Fushun, China)
* Stabilized wax granulation process and decreased 25% energy consumption
by optimizing structures of granulator
* Performed numerical simulation of wax drop formation and solidification
process by utilizing C++
* Designed fluidized bed for drying wax particles and optimized
operational parameters
* Designed and built new laboratory wax granulation process with yield of
60 kg/h
* Created new mechanism to produce spherical wax particles
YUANZHOU XI, page 2
****@********.***
547 Seymour Road, Apt 3, Charlottesville, VA 22903
HONORS
* Kokes Award, North American Catalysis Society, 2009
* Dean's Office Special Fellowship, University of Virginia, 2007
* Dong Gang Scholarship for Excellent Graduate Student, Tsinghua
University, 2004
* Scholarship for Excellent Undergraduate Thesis, Tsinghua University,
2002
* Kodak Scholarship for Excellent Undergraduate Student, Tsinghua
University, 1999
PUBLICATIONS and PRESENTATIONS
1. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Intercalation of Ethylene Glycol into Yttrium
Hydroxide Layered Materials" submitted to Inorganic Chemistry, 2010
2. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Influence of Textural Properties and Trace Water
on the Reactivity and Deactivation of Reconstructed Layered Hydroxide
Catalysts for Transesterification of Tributyrin with Methanol" Journal of
Catalysis 268 (2009): 307-317
3. M.T. Aronson, R.W. Deitcher, Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "New Laboratory
Course for Senior-Level Chemical Engineering Students" Chemical
Engineering Education 43 (2009): 104-112
4. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Influence of Water on the Activity and Stability
of Activated Mg-Al Hydrotalcites for the Transesterification of
Tributyrin with Methanol" Journal of Catalysis 254 (2008): 190-197
5. Y. Xi, T. Wang, X. Li and Y. Jin, "Cooling and Solidification of Melted
Drops in an Immiscible Cooling Medium" Chemical Engineering & Technology
28 (2005): 712-719
6. J. Fang, Y. Xi, T. Wang and Y. Jin, "A Novel Granulation Technology for
Producing Spherical Wax Particles" Chemical Engineering & Technology 27
(2004): 1039-1047
7. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Transesterification of Tributyrin with Methanol
Catalyzed by Layered Hydroxide Catalysts" 21st North American Catalysis
Society Meeting 2009, San Francisco, CA. Oral Presentation
8. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Catalytic Activity and Deactivation of
Hydrotalcite Catalysts for Transesterification of Tributyrin with
Methanol" Southeastern Catalysis Society 7th Annual Fall Symposium 2008,
Asheville, NC. Oral Presentation
9. Y. Xi and R.J. Davis, "Activated Mg-Al Hydrotalcite Catalysts for
Transesterification: Effect of Rehydration" American Institute of
Chemical Engineers Annual Meeting 2007, Salt Lake City, UT. Oral
Presentation
10. Y. Xi, E.P. Maris, W.C. Ketchie and R.J. Davis, "Conversion of
Biorenewable Feedstocks to Fuels and Chemicals" Energy Research
Engagement Showcase 2006, Blacksburg, VA. Poster Presentation
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