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Kwabena Darkwah

Lexington, KY *****

336-***-**** • ac1mvy@r.postjobfree.com • www.linkedin.com/in/kwabena-darkwah Chemical/Process Engineer

Highly-educated, award-winning professional with pending Ph.D. plus Master’s and Bachelor’s degrees in Chemical Engineering. Extensive university-level research and interdisciplinary grant-writing experience with a strong background in quality assurance/production supervision in a cocoa processing plant and waste water treatment in an Oil Refinery. Expertise in process simulation based on empirical/mathematical models and experimentation. Well-versed in problem resolution/troubleshooting. Demonstrated skills in managing projects and executing ideas from concept initiation to commercialization ensuring on-time, on- budget, and on-track results. Published author and oral presenter at national and international conferences. Core Competencies:

Full Life Cycle Project Management

Multi-disciplinary Team Collaboration

Process Modeling and Improvements

Composite Membrane Fabrication & Characterization

Innovative Problem Resolution/Troubleshooting

Business/Product Development & Optimization

Education and Credentials

Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering, GPA = 4.0, (Expected Fall 2017) University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Master of Science in Chemical Engineering, GPA = 3.87, 2013 North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering, GPA = 3.69, 2006 Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana Certification: University of Kentucky Student Lean Certification, May, 2017; Six Sigma Green Belt, 2012. Experiences

University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY

Research Assistant, 2013-Present

Utilize Aspen Plus steady state simulator to simulate unsteady state bioprocess using a Fortran user kinetics subroutine connected to batch reactor. Validate developed procedure with MATLAB. Design fed-batch and in situ gas stripping simulations. Maximize multiple objectives with unsteady simulation connected to the genetic algorithm multi-objective optimization toolbox in MATLAB. Key Achievements:

Demonstrated unsteady state batch fermentation and in situ gas stripping trends differ significantly from separate traditional steady state fermentation and gas stripping approach –steady state simulations may be inadequate.

Multi-objective optimization approach demonstrated optimal conditions of batch fermentation and in situ gas stripping may lie outside the normal range of experimental conditions in available literature.

Earned Best Oral Presentation Award in Session for “Biofuels Production: Design, Simulation, and Economic Analysis” (2015 and 2016) and finished second of 47 in Sustainability Poster Competition (2015) at AICHE Annual Conferences. North Carolina A&T State University, Greensboro, NC Research Assistant, 2010-2013

Pretreated sweet sorghum bagasse (SSB) with 5% (w/w) acetic acid in 96-h fed-batch simultaneous saccharification and fermentation

(SSF) produced comparable maximum ethanol concentration (53.1 g/L) and yield (88.7%) to 0.5% weight sulfuric acid pretreated SSB

(44.3 g/L & 77.6%, respectively). Studied synthesis and SEM characterization of a novel superhydrophobic composite membrane. Kwabena Darkwah

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Key Achievements:

Utilized 20% solid loading from feeding strategy designed, an improvement over traditional benchmark of 10%.

Prepared membrane concentrated 8.5% ethanol-water solution to 48.9% aqueous ethanol solution in a pervaporation process at 52 ̊ C and 30 Pa optimized conditions from Response Surface Methodology and Design of Experiments. Commodities Processing Industries, Ltd., Tema, Ghana Quality Assurance Manager, 2009-2010

Supervised four production supervisors and 40 workers in 4 shifts processing cocoa beans into cocoa liquor for export outside country. Collaborated with three laboratory managers and 10 lab personnel, 10 maintenance crew, and approximately 20 logistics crew to establish production and shipping schedules focused on customer requirements and raw cocoa bean analyses. Researched training needs and facilitated training. Conducted reviews of process parameters to ensure compliance with established standards. Key Achievements:

Reduced products damages by 50% by developing a floor plan.

Created, executed, and updated quality assurance documents and standard operating procedures. Production Supervisor, 2008-2009

Monitored and controlled production parameters. Coordinated and assessed performance of a shift of 12 members including break and eating schedule, production schedule as well as solve shift members disagreements. Championed and encouraged team work. Key Achievement:

Increased productivity of 12-member production shift by 10% over one year. Rex Laboratories Ltd., Weija, Ghana

Plant and Process Engineer, 2006-2008

Oversaw team of three local fabricators and 20 employees to operate kaolin production plant from engineered parts for start-up company. Combined process units: mixer, hydrocyclone, sieves, settling tanks, filter presses, pelletizing machines, and tray driers. Key Achievements:

Decreased costs 10-fold over imported parts.

Increased kaolin production plant production by 30%. Tema Oil Refinery Ltd., Tema, Ghana

Trainee Engineer, 2006-2007

Effectively worked in 10 member-team treating wastewater from Crude Distillation Unit, Residue Fluid Catalytic Cracker and Storm Water Basin using density difference, coagulation, flocculation, and bioreactor to produce water meeting specifications. Key Achievement:

Collaborated with maintenance crew to fix filter press and bioreactor out of operation for two years. Technical Proficiencies

Analysis: Applied Statistics: Design of Experiments, Data Collection and Analysis; ANOVA Statistical Testing. Tools: AspenTech Products: Aspen Plus, Aspen Adsorption, Aspen Custom Modeler. JMP; MATLAB; Fortran; IBM ILOG OPL. Techniques: Gas Chromatography; HPLC; SEM; UV-vis Spectrophotometer; Membrane Casting, Contact Angle Analyzer. Publications, Oral/Poster Presentations and Awards 2 publications, 1 paper under review and 1 currently in preparation. 6 oral (4 national and 2 international) and 5 poster (national) presentations. Total of 9 awards (at local and national conferences). Details and complete list available upon request.

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