Research Overview
The CISTAR team develops innovative process designs for engineered systems that produce low carbon footprint chemicals and transportation fuels from light hydrocarbons. Researchers also explore processes that have the potential to lower carbon emissions through decarbonization, modular design, and electrification of manufacturing based on renewable energy sources.
New materials and fundamental understanding are transferred from initial, proof of concept lab-scale experiments to pilot-scale operations with economic evaluations using systems-level lifecycle and environmental impact analysis to guide research and scale these innovative processes to field demonstrations with industrial partners.
Research News
CISTAR Researchers Co-Author Nature Paper on Advancing Emission Control Catalysts
We are excited to share that our collaborative research paper, “Transforming ceria into 2D clusters enhances catalytic activity,” has been published in Nature. This work, conducted in partnership with researchers from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Washington State University (WSU), BASF, and University of New Mexico (UNM), presents a major advancement in the design of high-performance emission control catalysts. The study explores how ceria nanoparticles supported on alumina transform under reaction conditions at high temperatures (750–1000 °C) into atomically dispersed ceria and two-dimensional ceria rafts. These newly formed structures exhibit exceptional oxygen mobility, resulting in significantly enhanced reactivity in both the NO + CO reaction and CO oxidation. Using a support of 0.1 wt% Rh / 8 wt% ceria on alumina, the research team demonstrated outstanding catalytic performance, paving the way for more effective and thermally stable emission control technologies. Read the full article in Nature: https://rdcu.be/eg4OP
Dr. Joan Brennecke and Dr. Benny D. Freeman Awarded the 2025 Hill Prize in Engineering
CISTAR professors at The University of Texas at Austin received Lyda Hill Philanthropies 2025 Hill Prize in Engineering. This award recognizes groundbreaking, high-risk, high-reward research with significant potential for real-world impact.
Fabio H. Ribeiro Highlights his Research with CNRS Chimie
Fabio H. Ribeiro, Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, presented a series of lectures in several CNRS laboratories as Ambassador of Chemical Sciences in France. His research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis applied to bio-based chemicals, green processes, and the synthesis of carbon-neutral fuels. He highlights the key role of catalysis in creating more efficient and sustainable energy systems.
Linda Broadbelt Selected to Deliver Prestigious Danckwerts Lecture
CISTAR's Deputy Co-Director, Linda Broadbelt, delivered the Danckwerts Lecture titled, “The Confluence of Kinetic Modeling and Data Science: Reaction Pathway Analysis of the Conversion of Macromolecules” at the 2024 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) annual meeting in San Diego in October. This recognition was established in 1985 to honor Prof. Peter V. Danckwerts as a leading scholar in the field of chemical engineering and for his contributions as an Executive Editor of Chemical Engineering Science.
Fabio Ribeiro, W. Nicholas and Elizabeth H. Delgass Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, to Serve as Ambassador in Chemical Sciences in France
Fabio Ribeiro, W. Nicholas and Elizabeth H. Delgass Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, has been selected to serve as an Ambassador in Chemical Sciences in France. This prestigious ambassadorship, established in 2019 by the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), provides distinguished foreign researchers with the opportunity to visit leading French laboratories in their field. In this role, Ribeiro will deliver lectures across France, sharing his insights on sustainable energy, heterogeneous catalysis, and their crucial roles in advancing a sustainable, equitable, and efficient energy transition.
Sustainea and Primient to collaborate on $400 million U.S. Bio-MEG facility in Lafayette
Purdue University’s College of Engineering, particularly through the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR) and Leading Energy-Transition Advances and Pathways to Sustainability (LEAPS) programs, is driving the transformation of Indiana and Lafayette into a leading hub for sustainable chemical and fuel production.
CISTAR Professors Receive National and Division AIChE Awards
CISTAR Director Professor Fabio Ribeiro and Professor Rakesh Agrawal have been honored with prestigious American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) national and division awards for their groundbreaking contributions to the field.
CISTAR professors, Agrawal and Gounder, awarded grant to advance the production of sustainable aviation fuel
Purdue University’s Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR) has forged a pivotal partnership with Susteon, a technology company known for its integration of industry, government, and academic research to develop innovative decarbonization technologies. This collaboration, led by Susteon with professors Rakesh Agrawal and Rajamani Gounder as partners, was awarded a $5.5 million total award from the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency–Energy (ARPA-E) under its GREENWELLS initiative, aimed at advancing the production of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF).
CISTAR Researchers Jeff Miller and Tobin Marks named in Clarivate’s 2023 list of Highly Cited Researchers
According to Clarivate, the list recognizes “influential researchers at universities, research institutes, and commercial organizations around the world who have demonstrated significant and broad influence in their field(s) of research.”
CISTAR Technical Highlights
CISTAR's technical accomplishments from over the years.
Research Updates
Updates from Thrust 1 and Thrust 2
David W.C. MacMillan, 2021 Nobel Prize winner in Chemistry meets with CISTAR Faculty
Renowned Princeton University professor and entrepreneur David W.C. MacMillan, who shared the 2021 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his groundbreaking work on catalysis, joined Purdue University President Mung Chiang for a conversation at the first Presidential Lecture Series event of 2023 last Monday and met with CISTAR Purdue Chemical Engineering faculty.
Benny Freeman Elected to National Academy of Engineering
The National Academy of Engineering has elected Benny Freeman, a professor in the McKetta Department of Chemical Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin, to the academy for 2023.
Professor Can Li awarded scientific prize and research contract with Air Liquide
Congratulations Can Li, assistant professor with Purdue University Chemical Engineering and CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center researcher who was awarded the Air Liquide Scientific Challenge Prize! He has been awarded a three-year grant to develop his breakthrough idea into market-ready technologies which is the core mission of a National Science Foundation (NSF) Engineering Research Center. Can was hired through one of four faculty positions made available to CISTAR as part of Purdue’s commitment to our National Science Foundation (NSF)-funded ERC. Can’s future collaborations with Air Liquide, one of CISTAR’s founding industrial consortium members, will no doubt transform the approach to sustainability in the industrial sector.
Center-to-Center (C2C) Updates and the Growing Intercultural Global Energy Leaders (GIGEL) program
CISTAR's Alexander Dowling and the University of São Paulo professors give seminars at each other's universities as part of the C2C grant. The first session of the summer graduate certificate program, Growing Intercultural Global Energy Leaders (GIGEL) was created by CISTAR’s ASI director, Dr. Driscoll, to address the goals outlined in the C2C grant. Dr. Driscoll summarizes the successes of the program in the following article.
CISTAR's Researchers Publish Findings for a New, More Economical Process for Converting Natural Gas Liquid (NGL) to Liquid Fuel
Researchers at the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR) have created a new, more economical process for converting natural gas liquid (NGL) to liquid fuel.
Abhaya Datye and UNM Research Team Develops Improved Catalyst Technology
Abhaya Datye, Distinguished Professor and chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at UNM and CISTAR International Programs Director along with his research team publish new findings in Nature Catalyst.
Tobin Marks Named Among Global ‘Highly Cited Researchers’ for 2021
Tobin Marks, CISTAR Thrust 3 Lead, is named among global 'Highly Cited Researchers' for 2021
Tobin Marks Elected to American Philosophical Society
Tobin Marks, CISTAR Thrust 3 Lead, is elected to the American Philosophical Society.
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Pillar Leadership
Linda Broadbelt
CISTAR Deputy Co-Director
Northwestern University
Ruilan Guo
CISTAR Deputy Co-Director
University of Notre Dame