• Director of Undergraduate Studies, Chemical Engineering
  • Associate Professor, Chemical Engineering
Benjamin Wilhite

Educational Background

  • Ph.D., Notre Dame - 2003
  • B.S., North Carolina State University - 1997

Research Interests

    • Understanding and manipulating interactions between chemical kinetics and transport processes for process intensification
    • Design of inherently safer reacting systems
    • Development of novel separation materials for hydrogen purification and/or carbon capture

Awards & Honors

  • George Armistead, Jr. 23’ Faculty Excellence Award for Service (TAMU) 2018
  • Linda and James Harris Outstanding Undergraduate Instructor (TAMU) 2015
  • Member, ISCRE Board of Directors (2010-present)
  • Recipient, ACS Doctoral New Investigator award (2008)
  • Recipient, NSF CAREER Award (2008)
  • Recipient, DuPont Young Faculty Award (2007)
  • Recipient, Office of Naval Research Award (2007
  • Executive Editor, Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification (Elsevier)

Selected Publications

  • S. Venkateswaran, B.A. Wilhite, C. Kravaris, “Optimal Heating Profiles in Tubular Reactors with Solid-Phase Axial Wall Conduction for Isothermal Operation,” AIChE. J., 65 (2019), 2045-2052.
  • G. Liu, B.A. Wilhite, “Model-Based Design for Inhibition of Thermal Runaway in Free-Radical Polymerization,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 58 (2019), 17244-17254.
  • Y. Sun, L. Ni, M. Papadaki, W. Zhu, J. Jiang, C. Mashuga, B.A. Wilhite, M.S. Mannan, “Process Hazard Evaluation for Catalytic Oxidation of 2-Octanol with Hydrogen Peroxide using Calorimetry Techniques,” Chem. Eng. J., (available online June 21st, 2019).
  • R. Xia, J. Wang, Z. Han, Z. Li, M.S. Mannan and B.A. Wilhite, “Mechanism Study of Ammonium Nitrate Decomposition and Chloride Impurity using Experimental and Molecular Simulation Approach,” J. Haz. Mat., article in press (available online Apr. 22nd, 2019).
  • J. Wang, Y. Sun, X. Gao, M.S. Mannan and B.A. Wilhite, “Experimental Study of Electrostatic Hazard inside Scrubber Column using Response Surface Methodology,” Chem. Eng. Sci., 200(2019), 46-68.
  • S. Venkateswaran, C. Kravaris, B.A. Wilhite, “Analysis of Solid-Phase Axial Heat Conduction upon Hot-Spot Formation in a One-Dimensional Microreactor,” Chem. Eng. J., article in press (available online 28th November, 2018).
  • J. Wang, Y. Huang, B.A. Wilhite, M. Papadaki, M.S. Mannan, “Toward the Identification of Intensified Reaction Conditions using Response Surface Methodology: A Case Study on 3-Methylpyridine N-Oxide Synthesis,” Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., 58 (2018), 6093-6104.
  • M.S. Challiwala, B.A. Wilhite, M. M. Ghouri, N. O. Elbashir, “Multidimensional Modeling of a Microfibrous Entrapped Cobalt Catalyst Fischer-Tropsch Reactor Bed,” AIChE J., 64 (2018), 1723-1731.