Research Chemist and Analyst
Resume:
NIKITA
BHALERAO
Fannin
Street,
Houston,
TX
77054
+1
****************@*****.*** HIGHLIGHTS
• Graduate
chemical
engineer
with
over
two
years
of
research
experience
in
material
characterization
studies
and
nanocomposite development.
• Hands
-
on
experience
in
materials
fabrication
using
methods
such
as
electrochemical
techniques,
self- assembly,
layer- by- layer deposition,
electrospinning,
thin
film
growth/deposition,
and
chemical
synthesis.
• Proven
ability
to
work
with
laboratory
equipment
and
instrumentation
and
produce
reproducible
and
accurate
results
in
GLP laboratory
environment.
• Strong
analytical
and
problem- solving
abilities
combined
with
excellent
written
and
verbal
communication
skills EDUCATION
• MS,
Chemical
Engineering,
Lamar
University,
Texas
January
2015
to
December
2016 GPA
3.7/4.00
• BE,
Petrochemical
Engineering,
Pune
University,
India
2010
to
2014 Graduated
First
Class
with
Distinction EXPERIENCE
Ø Viswa
Lab,
Houston,
TX
March
2017
to
Present Role:
R
&
D
Chemist
and
analyst,
Lab
Supervisor
• Perform
testing
of
crude
oil,
fuel
oil,
middle
distillates,
petrochemicals
and
other
chemical
products
using
wet
chemistry techniques
and
instrumentation
such
as
FTIR,
GC
MS,
UV/
Vis,
ED
XRF,
elemental
analysis
and
trace
elements
analysis.
• Provide
support
for
instrumentation
maintenance
and
calibration.
• Responsible
for
technical
reviews
of
analysis
reports
and
providing
solutions
to
customers
globally
for
fuel
usage
problems.
• Understand
and
keep
up
with
all
Laboratory
safety
and
reporting
techniques.
• Participate
in
research
projects
involving
synthesis
or
formulation
and
testing
of
bunker
fuels,
diesel
oil,
crude
oil,
or
other finished
refinery
products
to
improve
performance.
• Provide
guidance
to
laboratory
technicians
to
maintain
proper
level
of
training
among
Laboratory
personnel,
which
includes supervisory
duties.
• Conduct
data
analysis
of
laboratory
test
data
to
improve
test
methodologies
to
achieve
efficient
utilization
of
resources.
• Assist
with
personnel
training
in
test
methodology,
product
formulation,
and
product
evaluation
and
recommendations.
• Design
experiments
to
understand
fuel
additives
and
evaluate
additive
performance.
• Data
entry
and
approval
in
LIMS,
preparation
of
various
wet
chemistry
solutions,
maintaining
and
reviewing
documentation and
basic
laboratory
housekeeping.
Ø Materials
Engineering
and
Nanosensors
Laboratory,
Lamar
University
January
2015
to
December
2016 Role:
Research
Assistant
Thesis:
Polypyrrole
nanocomposite
reinforced
with
multi
walled
carbon
nanotubes
• Achieved uniform deposition of conductive polypyrrole films on surface of multi- walled carbon nanotubes using a benign solvent
free
chemical
vapor
deposition
technique.
• Characterized
the
morphology
of
nanocomposite
by
SEM
and
TEM
reporting
an
average
size
distribution
of
50
nm.
• Confirmed
enhanced
thermal
stability
by
TGA
for
the
composite
as
compared
to
conventional
conductive
polymers.
• Conformed
the
chemical
structure
of
the
nanocomposite
using
FT- IR
spectroscopy
and
XRD
studies.
• Established the
nanocomposites’
performance
as
an
electrode
material
using
electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy
and cyclic
voltammetry.
Project:
Surfactant
templated
synthesis
of
Titania
composites
• Assisted
in
synthesizing
honeycomb
patterned
nano
porous
Titania
having
high
specific
surface
area
for
charge
storage
as
a result
of
interconnected
macropores
formed
by
the
viscous
surfactant
template.
• Designed
and
performed
experiments
including
cyclic
voltammetry
and
morphological
characterization.
• Other
duties
included
writing
scientific
reports
and
maintaining
research
lab
operations
and
equipment. Project:
Investigation
of
Poly
Vinyl
Alcohol
(PVA)
nanofibers
towards
the
development
of
biocompatible
wound
dressing.
• Optimized
electrospinning
parameters
for
producing
PVA
nanofibers
having
average
fiber
diameter
of
130
nm
resulting
in
a extracellular
matrix
like
structure
to
promote
regenerative
wound
healing.
• Examined
the
mechanical
properties
of
developed
PVA
fibers
from
various
concentrations
using
dynamic
mechanical
analysis and
rheology.
Ø College
Readiness
Math
Lab,
Lamar
University
August
2015
to
December
2016 Role:
Student
Assistant
• Assisted
in
educating
college
students
in
Calculus,
Intermediate
&
College
Algebra.
• Conducted
lab
sessions,
coordinated
materials
and
graded
tests. Ø National
Chemical
Laboratory,
Pune,
India
August
2013
to
May
2014 Role:
Research
Intern
• Developed
scale
up
procedure
and
P
&
ID
for
continuous
nitration
of
naphthalene
using
empirically
established
thermodynamic and
kinetic
data
to
obtain
95%
yield.
• Determined
the
use
of
micro- reactors
to
resolve
the
problem
of
high
heat
removal
duty.
• Designed
and
simulated
continuous
flow
reactor
for
nitration
of
naphthalene
using
mixed
acid
in
Aspen
Plus. TECHNICAL
SKILLS
• Process
Design
and
Simulation:
Aspen
PLUS/Aspen
Hysys,
PRO
II,
HTRI,
POLYMATH,
MATLAB,
PYTHON.
• Laboratory
skills:
X- ray
Diffraction,
Fourier
Transform
Infrared
Spectroscopy,
Dynamic
Mechanical
Analysis,
Rheology, Mass
Spectroscopy,
High
Pressure
Liquid
Chromatography,
Impedance
Spectroscopy
and
Cyclic
Voltammetry.
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