About
Hema Ramsurn, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor and the A. Paul Buthod Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering. Dr. Ramsurn directs the Bioproducts Laboratory at The University of Tulsa. Her lab investigates the synthesis of value-added chemicals (biofuel) and products (graphene, activated carbon, biochar) from biomass using liquefaction, gasification, and carbonization for several applications (heavy metal removal, corrosion prevention, catalysis, CO2 sequestration). She has also done some work on catalytic methane-to-benzene/hydrogen conversion using zeolites. Another area of research of the Ramsurn Lab is the synthesis of carbon/carbon composites, as well as their anti-oxidative coatings for extreme environment using techniques like packed cementation, chemical vapor deposition, and slurry/dip coating.
Awards and Honors
- Omega Chi Epsilon, Beta Psi Chapter, Chemical Engineering Outstanding Teacher (2023, 2020, 2019)
- Distinguished Graduate Mentor Award, The University of Tulsa, March 2023
- Outstanding Teacher Award, The University of Tulsa, April 2021
- Most Valuable Professor Department of Intercollegiate Athletics (Soccer), The University of Tulsa, October 2019
- Kermit Brown Award for Teaching Excellence for the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, The University of Tulsa, April 2019
- Tau Beta Pi Teaching Excellence Award for the College of Engineering and Natural Sciences, The University of Tulsa, (2019, 2017).
- AIChE Advisor Honor Roll, University of Tulsa (2015-2018)
Education
- Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Auburn University, 2013
- M.S., Environmental Science with Legislation, Brunel University, 2002
- B.S., Chemical Engineering, University of Mauritius, 2000
Research interests and areas of expertise
- Synthesis of composites (C/C, SiC/C)
- Anti-oxidative coatings (CVD, Slurry, packed cementation)
- Biofuels (hydrothermal liquefaction, gasification, carbonization)
- Biobased materials (biochar, activated carbon, graphene)
- Supercritical reactions in water