Daniel Blankschtein

Herman P. Meissner (1929) Professor of Chemical Engineering

Support StaffCindy Welch

Chemical engineers play a pivotal role in a large number of industrial, environmental, electronic, biotechnological, and biomedical applications. Through the combination of theory, simulation, and experiment, we use fundamental principles in chemical engineering (thermodynamics, transport, and kinetics) in the broad field of colloid and interface science. This enables us to solve challenging practical problems, including emulsification and surfactant self-assembly, wetting and nanomaterial synthesis, gas separations and water desalination, and drug delivery.

Research Interests

colloid and interface science; thermodynamics, statistical mechanics, and molecular simulations of surfactant self-assembly and hydrophobic solute micellar-enhanced solubilization in aqueous media; thermodynamics, molecular simulations, and kinetics of the dispersion and stabilization of nanomaterials (carbon nanotubes, graphene, MoS2) using solvents and aqueous surfactant solutions; transdermal and oral drug delivery

Education

Ph.D., Tel-Aviv University, 1983

M.Sc., Tel-Aviv University, 1979

B.Sc., Tel-Aviv University, 1977

Book

Lectures in Classical Thermodynamics with an Introduction to Statistical Mechanics, 2021
- In the News:
Chemical engineering professor turns his legendary thermodynamics lectures into a textbook.

Publications

Honors and Awards

Capers and Marion McDonald Award for Excellence in Mentoring and Advising, 2015

Outstanding Faculty Award, ChemE Dept, MIT: 1991, 1993, 1998, 2000, 2002, 2005, 2008, 2011, and 2015

Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Best Poster Award, 2004

NE Society of Cosmetic Chemists, Best Paper Award, 2001

Controlled Release Society, Dow Corning Award, 1999

American Pharmaceutical Association, Ebert Prize, 1996

Harvard Health Letter, Outstanding Research Award, 1996

NSF Presidential Young Investigator Award, 1989

Computer Programs Website