Biographical Info

SUMMARY
• PhD in Chemical Engineering with ~2 years of postdoc research experience
• Expertise in melt crystallization, phase separation, thermodynamic interaction in polyolefin and polydiene systems
• Proficiency in material characterization techniques, i.e., calorimetry, microscopy, spectroscopy, and scattering
• Prior internship experience in refineries and a petrochemical research institute
• Excellent writing and presentation skills

EDUCATION
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL May 2018
Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering. Overall GPA: 3.917
Advisor: Rufina G. Alamo
• Dissertation: “Melt Structure and Crystallization of Random Ethylene Copolymers”
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL Aug. 2014
Master of Science in Chemical Engineering. Overall GPA: 3.9
Advisor: Rufina G. Alamo
• Thesis: “Effect of Length of 1-Alkene on Melt Memory of Crystallization above the Equilibrium Melting
Temperature of Random Ethylene Copolymers”
China University of Petroleum, Beijing, China June 2013
Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering. Overall GPA: 3.47
• Senior Design: “Design of a Grassroots Facility for the Production of 50,000 Metric Tons/Yr of Methyl TertiaryButyl Ether (MTBE)”

WORK EXPERIENCE
University of Houston, Houston, TX 2018-Present
Postdoctoral Researcher
Advisors: Ramanan Krishnamoorti, Megan Robertson
• Synthesized polydienes via anionic polymerization
• Saturated polydienes with hydrogen or deuterium in high pressure reactor
• Conducted hydrogen-deuterium exchange for polyolefins in high pressure reacto
• Designed, built, and programmed a Small Angle Light Scattering (SALS) instrument
• Investigated thermodynamic interactions in polydiene/polyolefin blend systems with SANS and SALS
• Provided quantitative guidance for thermoplastic elastomer design with structure-properties relationship identified
Florida State University, Tallahassee, FL 2013-2018
Research Assistant
• Designed and conducted experiments to investigate the effect of melt structure on crystallization and film properties
• Performed structure and property characterizations in both melt and crystalline state
• Developed comprehensive structure-property relationship in semi-crystalline polyethylene based copolymers
• Published papers in scientific journals
Teaching Assistant
• Courses assigned: Transport Phenomena, Mass & Energy Balance, ChemE Process Design, Unit Operations Lab
• Graded homework, quizzes, projects, and exams
• Held office hours and recitations
• Provided hands-on experiment instruction
Petrochemical Research Institute (China National Petroleum Corporation), Beijing, China July 2013
Research Internship
• Analyzed the cause of short-term use cracks in PE pipes utilizing rheology
• Documented key findings in a presentation and technical report

TECHNICAL SKILLS
Instrument/Equipment: SANS, SALS, DSC, Optical Microscope, FT-IR, NMR, GPC, Rheometer, Tensile Test
Machine, TGA, GC, Rotovap, Glovebox
Experimental Skill: Polymer Blending, Polydiene Saturation, Solvent/Non-solvent Fractionation, H-D Exchange,
Density Measurement, Anionic Polymerization
Software: Aspen Plus, AutoCAD, Igor Pro, Saxsgui, ImageJ, Photoshop, ChemDraw, VMD, MS Office
Programming: Matlab, C, Labview

PUBLICATIONS
1. X. Chen; J. Qiu; C. R. López-Barrón; B. J. Rohde; M. L. Robertson; R. Krishnamoorti “Thermodynamic Interactions
in Blends of Poly(ethyl ethylene-co-ethylene) and 1,4-Polyisoprene” (In preparation, 2020).
2. X. Chen; C. López-Barrón; Y. Zeng; R. G. Alamo “Concentration Fluctuations in the Early Stages of LLPS and
Partial Dissolution of Melt Memory in Broadly Distributed Ethylene Copolymers” Polymer 2018, 148, 181.
3. X. Chen; C. Qu; R. G. Alamo “Effect of Annealing Time and Molecular Weight on Melt Memory of Random
Ethylene 1-Butene Copolymers” Polym. Int. 2018, 68, 248.
4. X. Chen; G. D. Wignall; L. He; C. López-Barrón; R. G. Alamo “Evidence of Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in
Broadly Distributed Random Ethylene Copolymers via SANS” Macromolecules 2017, 50, 4406.
5. W. Hu; V. B. F. Mathot; R. G. Alamo; H. Gao; X. Chen “Crystallization of Statistical Copolymers” Adv. Polym. Sci.
2016, 276, 1.
6. X. Chen; A. Mamun; R. G. Alamo “Effect of Level of Crystallinity on Melt Memory Above the Equilibrium Melting
Temperature in a Random Ethylene 1-Butene Copolymer” Macromol. Chem. Phys. 2015, 216, 1220.
7. M. Ren; X. Chen; Y. Sang; R. G. Alamo “Effect of Heterogeneous Short Chain Branching Distribution on
Acceleration or Retardation of the Rate of Crystallization from Melts of Ethylene Copolymers Synthesized with
Ziegler-Natta Catalysts” Macromol. Symp. 2015, 356, 131.
8. A. Mamun; X. Chen; R. G. Alamo “Interplay between a Strong Memory Effect of Crystallization and Liquid-Liquid
Phase Separation in Melts of Broadly Distributed Ethylene 1-Alkene Copolymers” Macromolecules 2014, 47, 7958.

PRESENTATIONS (SELECTED)
1. X. Chen; J. Qiu; C. R. López-Barrón; B. J. Rohde; M. L. Robertson; R. Krishnamoorti “Thermodynamic Interactions
in Blends of Poly(ethyl ethylene-co-ethylene) and 1,4-Polyisoprene” Advances in Polyolefins 2019. Rohnert Park,
CA, USA. 09/22/2019.
2. X. Chen; C. López-Barrón; R. G. Alamo “Effect of Branching Distribution on Liquid-Liquid Phase Separation in
Broad Ethylene Copolymers” 7
th International Conference on Polyolefin Characterization. Houston, TX, USA.
10/21/2018.
3. X. Chen; G. D. Wignall; L. He; R. G. Alamo “Evidence of LLPS in Melts of Broadly Distributed Ethylene
Copolymers via Deuterium Labeling and Effect on Self-Nucleation and Crystallization” 2017 APS March Meeting.
New Orleans, LA, USA. 03/16/2017
4. X. Chen; R. G. Alamo “Effect of Melt Annealing on Self-Nucleation of Random Ethylene 1-Alkene Copolymers”
2016 ICTAC Conference. Orlando, FL, USA. 08/16/2016.
LEADERSHIP
⚫ President, Fujian Fellow Provincials, China University of Petroleum 2011-2012
⚫ Class President, Chemical Engineering. China University of Petroleum 2011-2012
⚫ Vice President of Events, Association of Chemical Enthusiasts, China University of Petroleum 2010-2011
HONORS
⚫ Best Poster Award. Advances in Polyolefins 2019, Rohnert Park, CA 2019
⚫ NATAS Student Travel Award. ICTAC Conference, Orlando, FL 2016
⚫ Third Prize in BASF Cup Principles of Chemical Engineering Contest. Beijing, China 2012
⚫ Second-class Team Award of Social Practice. China University of Petroleum 2011
⚫ Honorary Title of “Merit Student”, “Advanced Individual in Social Practice”, &
“Advanced Individual in Technological Innovation”. China University of Petroleum 2010-2012
⚫ Second-class Scholarship & Third-class Scholarship. China University of Petroleum 2010-2011

Resume_Xuejian Chen