Francisco Hung

Associate Professor,  Chemical Engineering

Contact

Social Media

Office

  • 324 ISEC
  • 617.373.8619

Lab

  • 355 ISEC

Research Focus

Molecular modeling and process simulation of interfacial/nanoconfined systems and mixtures relevant to separations, development of nano/bio-materials, energy and the environment

About

The primary focus of my research is computer simulation (molecular modeling, process simulation) of interfaces and mixtures relevant to separations, energy storage, development of nano/bio-materials and environmental chemistry. Research interests include ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, nanoporous materials, hydrophobins, liposomes, biomaterials, crystal nucleation, organics in environmental interfaces, and liquid crystalline systems.

The third son of Chinese immigrants, I was born and raised in Caracas, Venezuela, and am a first-generation college graduate as my oldest brother. After coming to the US for doctoral studies at NC State University, I became an immigrant myself, eventually joining the Department of Chemical Engineering at Northeastern University in Fall 2016. Prior to this appointment, I held faculty positions at the Cain Department of Chemical Engineering at Louisiana State University (2007-2016) and at Venezuela’s Universidad Simón Bolívar, Departamento de Termodinámica y Fenómenos de Transferencia (1996-2000).

Education

  • Postdoctoral researcher (Chemical Engineering) University of Wisconsin-Madison, 2005-2007
  • PhD (Chemical Engineering) North Carolina State University, 2005
  • MS (Chemical Engineering) Universidad Simón Bolívar, 1999
  • BS (Chemical Engineering) Universidad Simón Bolívar, Venezuela, 1996

Honors & Awards

  • 2022 Faculty Award, Society of Asian Scientists and Engineers Student Chapter at Northeastern University
  • 2018 Richard Sioui Teaching Award in Chemical Engineering, Northeastern University
  • 2014 Rainmaker Award, Emerging Scholar in STEM, Louisiana State University
  • 2013 CAREER Award, National Science Foundation
  • 2008 Ralph Powe Award, Oak Ridge Associated Universities

Teaching Interests

Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics II (CHME 3322)

Capstone Design I: Process Analysis (CHME 4701)

Fundamentals of Chemical Engineering Analysis (CHME 5101)

Leadership Positions

Member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Chemical Engineering Technology Operating Council (CTOC), 2017-2018

Elected Chair of the AIChE Area 1a (Thermodynamics and Transport Properties) Programming Committee, 2015-2018

Director of Graduate Studies, Cain Department of Chemical Engineering, Louisiana State University, 2015-2016

Area 1a Technical Program Chair, 2014 AIChE Annual Meeting

Elected Liaison Director, AIChE Computational Molecular Science and Engineering Forum (CoMSEF), 2011-2013

Professional Affiliations

American Institute of Chemical Engineers

Research Overview

Molecular modeling and process simulation of interfacial/nanoconfined systems and mixtures relevant to separations, development of nano/bio-materials, energy and the environment

Selected Research Projects

Understanding Novel Shale Hydration Inhibitors for Water Based Drilling Fluids Using Molecular Simulation, Principal Investigator, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund (2018-2021)

CAREER: Molecular Modeling of Solidification of Nanoconfined Ionic Liquids, Principal Investigator, National Science Foundation (2013-2019)

 

Selected Publications

 

Spotlight Story

Oct 14, 2022

PhD Spotlight: Vyshnavi Karra, PhD‘22 – Chemical Engineering

Vyshnavi (Vy) Karra earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from Rutgers University. As a chemical engineering PhD student, advised by Francisco Hung, associate professor of chemical engineering, she used molecular simulation to model two families of biocompatible nanomaterials. In her first project, Karra developed a coarse-grained model for rosette nanotubes, self-assembled cylindrical structures […]

Faculty

Sep 14, 2020

ChE Graduate Student Jiaming Xu Now Published in AIChE Journal

ChE PhD Graduate Student Jiaming Xu co-authored a paper with ChE Associate Professor Francisco Hung and Associate Professor Steve Lustig titled “Power generation from waste heat: Ionic liquid‐based absorption cycle versus organic Rankine cycle” which was published in the AIChE Journal.

Faculty

Nov 16, 2017

Hung Awarded American Chemical Society Funding

ChE Associate Professor Francisco Hung was awarded a $110K grant from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Petroleum Research Fund for “Understanding Novel Shale Hydration Inhibitors for Water-Based Drilling Fluids Using Molecular Simulation.”

Faculty

Aug 11, 2017

Research from Prof. Francisco Hung Featured on Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative Website

ChE Associate Professor Francisco Hung’s research program on modeling organic molecules adsorbed on environmentally relevant interfaces was featured in the story “Study Characterizes Effects of Corexit Components on Oil Aerosolization” on the Gulf of Mexico Research Initiative (GoMRI) website.

Sep 01, 2016

New Faculty Spotlight: Francisco Hung

Francisco Hung joins the Chemical Engineering department in Fall 2016 as an Associate Professor.

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