Dr. John R. Richards, P.E.

Contact me by:

Phone at (302) 695-4059
Email at johninde@hotmail.com

Academic Background

Doctor of Philosophy, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Delaware, 1994
Master of Science, School of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, Cornell University, 1978
Bachelor of Science with Highest Honors, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department, School of Engineering, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1976
Bachelor of Arts with Distinction, Department of Psychology, Rutgers College, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, 1976

Research Interests

Membership in Professional Societies

Voting Member, Working Party for Polymer Reaction Engineering, 1997
Registered Professional Engineer #6102, Delaware Association of Professional Engineers, 1982
Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society, 1980
Cornell Society of Engineers, 1978
American Institute of Chemical Engineers, 1974

Honors and Awards

Six Sigma Green Belt Certification, 2003
Who's Who in Science and Engineering, 1996, 2005, 2007
The Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, 1994
University of Delaware Competitive Fellowship, 1990
Standard Oil Company of California Fellowship, 1976
James J. Slade Scholar, 1976
Henry Rutgers Scholar, 1976
Tau Beta Pi, The Engineering Honor Society, 1975
Psi Chi, The National Honor Society in Psychology, 1975
J. Arent Van Der Poel Science Scholarship, 1974

DuPont Honors and Awards

Outside DuPont ...

Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering, Department of Chemical Engineering, College of Engineering, University of Delaware
Instructor, Professional Engineering (PE) Review Course in Chemical Engineering, and Fundamentals of Engineering (FE) Review Course, Engineering Outreach, College of Engineering, University of Delaware
Educational Associate, Mt. Cuba Astronomical Observatory
2000-2003, Coach, Science Olympiad, St. Mark's High School
1991-2003, Committee member, Troop 29, Boy Scouts of America, Red Clay Creek Presbyterian Church
1985-2002, Organist, St. John the Beloved Church
Hiking, camping, rafting, and sailing around Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, and New York
Married to Jean Richards, son Daniel Joseph, daughter Kathleen Mary and Belle.
1977-2009, Sponsor of children for Christian Children's Fund.

Journal Publications

Nikitin, A. N., R. A. Hutchinson, G. A. Kalfas, J. R. Richards, C. Bruni, “The Effect of Intramolecular Transfer to Polymer on Stationary Free-Radical Polymerization of Alkyl Acrylates, 3 – Consideration of Solution Polymerization up to High Conversions”, Macromol. Theory Simul., 18, 247 (2009) [More information]
Immanuel, C. D., M. A. Pinto, J. R. Richards, and J. P. Congalidis, “Population Balance Model versus Lumped Model for Emulsion Polymerisation: Semi-batch and Continuous Operation”, Chemical Engineering Research and Design, 86, 692 (2008) [More information].
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Measurement and Control of Polymerization Reactors,” Computers & Chemical Engineering, 30, 1447 (2006) [More information].
Baltsas, A., S. Papadopoulos, C. Kiparissides, J. P. Congalidis, J. R. Richards, M. B. Kelly and Y. Ye, “Mathematical Modeling of Free-Radical Ethylene Copolymerization in High-Pressure Tubular Reactors”, Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 44, 2592 (2005) [More information].
Christie, D. I., R. G. Gilbert, J. P. Congalidis, J. R. Richards, and J. H. McMinn, “Spontaneous polymerization in the emulsion polymerization of styrene and chlorobutadiene,” Macromolecules, 34, 5158 (2001) [More information].
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Process Control of Polymerization Reactors: An Industrial Perspective,” Polymer Reaction Engineering, 6(2), 71 (1998).
Coward, A. V., Y. Y. Renardy, M. Renardy, and J. R. Richards, “Temporal evolution of periodic disturbances in two-layer Couette flow,” Journal of Computational Physics., 132, 346 (1997) [More information].
Richards, J. R., A. N. Beris, and A. M. Lenhoff, “Drop formation in liquid-liquid systems before and after jetting,” Physics of Fluids, 7(11), 2617 (1995) [More information].
Richards, J. R., A. M. Lenhoff, and A. N. Beris, “Dynamic breakup of liquid-liquid jets,” Physics of Fluids, 6(8), 2640 (1994) [More information].
Hutchinson, R. A., J. R. Richards, and M. T. Aronson, “Determination of propagation rate coefficients by pulsed-laser polymerization for systems with rapid chain growth: Vinyl acetate,” Macromolecules, 27(16), 4530 (1994) [More information].
R. A. Hutchinson, M. T. Aronson, J. R. Richards, “Analysis of pulsed-laser-generated molecular weight distributions for the determination of propagation rate coefficients,” Macromolecules, 26(24), 6410 (1993) [More information].
Richards, J. R., A. N. Beris, and A. M. Lenhoff, “Steady laminar flow of liquid-liquid jets at high Reynolds numbers,” Physics of Fluids A, 5(7), 1703 (1993) [More information].
Congalidis, J. P., J. R. Richards, and W. H. Ray, “Feedforward and feedback control of a solution copolymerization reactor,” AIChE J., 35(6), 891 (1989) [More information]. Errata, as of January 21, 2010 (Adobe Acrobat Reader Format).
Richards, J. R., J. P. Congalidis, and R. G. Gilbert, “Mathematical modeling of emulsion copolymerization reactors,” J. App. Poly. Sci., 37, 2727 (1989) [More information].
Richards, J. R., and P. D. Schnelle, Jr., “Perspectives on industrial reactor control,” Chem. Eng. Prog., 84(10), 32 (1988) [More information].
Richards, J. R., and G. F. Scheele, “Measurement of laminar jet velocity distributions in liquid-liquid systems using flash photolysis,” Chem. Eng. Commun., 36, 73 (1985) [More information].
Jeffries, S. R., J. R. Richards, F. R. Bernath, and R. Joyeuse, “Preliminary studies with L-asparaginase bound to implantable bovine collagen heterografts: A potential long-term, sustained dosage, antitumor enzyme therapy system,” Biomater., Med. Devices, and Artif. Organs, 5(4), 337 (1977) [More information].

Books and Theses

Richards, J. R., S. T. Lopina, and M. R. Lindeburg, Chemical Discipline-Specific Review for the FE/EIT Exam, 2^nd Ed., Professional Publications, Inc., Belmont, California (2006) [More information].
Richards, J. R., J. P. Congalidis, “Measurement and Control of Polymerization Reactors”, Chapter 12 in Handbook of Polymer Reaction Engineering, T. Meyer and J. Keurentjes (eds.), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, 595 (2005) [More information].
Snyder, H. L., J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, Forward to Supercritical Carbon Dioxide: in Polymer Reaction Engineering, M. F. Kemmere, T. Meyer (eds.), Wiley-VCH, Weinheim, Germany, p. V (2005) [More information].
Richards, J. R., Fluid mechanics of liquid-liquid systems, Ph.D. Dissertation, University of Delaware, Newark, DE (1994) [More information]. (Adobe Acrobat Reader Format).
Richards, J. R., Measurement of Velocity Distributions in Immiscible Liquid-Liquid Jet Systems using Flash Photolysis, Master's Thesis, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY (1978).

Conference Proceedings

Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Measurement and Control of Polymerization Reactors,” Chemical Process Control – CPC 7, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, January 8 – 13, 2006 [More information].
R. G. Gilbert, D. I. Christie, J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, “Spontaneous (thermal) initiation in emulsion polymerization,” Polym. Mater. Sci. Eng., American Chemical Society, Anaheim, CA, 80, 541 (1999).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Process Control of Polymerization Processes: An Industrial Perspective,” Engineering Foundation Conference on Polymer Reaction Engineering, Palm Coast, FL (1997).
Christie, D. I., R. G. Gilbert, J. P. Congalidis, J. R. Richards, and J. H. McMinn, “Measurement of transfer constants to predict emulsion polymerization kinetics,” DECHEMA Monographs, 131, 513 (1995).
Schnelle, P. D. and J. R. Richards, “A review of industrial reactor control: Difficult problems and workable solutions,” Chemical Process Control - CPC III, Ed. M. Morari and T. J. McAvoy, Elsevier, Amsterdam, 749 (1986).

Conference Presentations

Mueller, P. A., P. Wijnands, and J. R. Richards “Polymerization Reactor Modeling in Industry: An Overview Of Concepts And Tools”, Engineering Foundation Conference on Polymer Reaction Engineering 7, Niagara Falls, Canada, May 3-8 (2009).
Immanuel, C. D., J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, “Control of Emulsion Polymerization Processes: A Control-Relevant Model for Particle Size Distribution“, European Congress of Chemical Engineering (ECCE-6), Copenhagen, Denmark, September 16-21 (2007).
Richards, J. R., J. P. Congalidis, and K. W. Leffew, “Innovative Polymer Product and Process Development at DuPont”, Seminar at the Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College, London, September 27, 2006.
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Measurement and Control of Polymerization Reactors”, Seminar at the Centre for Process Systems Engineering, Imperial College, London, September 27, 2006.
McCord, E. F., P. M. Cotts, Y. Brun, J. R. Richards, M. Keating, D. J. Kasprzak, “Microstructure analysis of tubular and autoclave ethylene copolymers”, International Chemical Congress of Pacific Basin Societies (PACIFICHEM 2005), Honolulu, Hawaii, December 15-20, 2005.
Grady, M. C., G. A. Kalfas, J. R. Richards, J. P. Congalidis, M. Soroush, F. Rantow, R. A. Hutchinson, and D. Li, “Higher temperature free-radical acrylic polymerization – a more complete model of acrylate and methacrylate co-polymerization”, 7th World Congress of Chemical Engineering (WCCE 2005), Glasgow, Scotland, July 10-14, 2005.
Kiparissides, C., A. Baltsas, J. P. Congalidis, J. R. Richards, M. B. Kelly, and Y. Ye, “Mathematical Modeling of LDPE Copolymers in High-Pressure Tubular Reactors”, AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, CA, November 16-21, 2003.
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Process Control of Polymerization Reactors: An Industrial Perspective“, Georgia Tech School of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Departmental Seminar, October 29, 2003.
Nakamura, C. E., “Production of 1,3 propanediol by E. coli”, Metabolic Engineering IV: Applied Systems Biology, Il Ciocco, Castelvecchio Pascoli, ITALY, October 6-11, 2002.
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Mathematical modeling of emulsion polymerization reactors: Molecular weight and branching distributions,” 3rd IUPAC Sponsored International Symposium On Free Radical Polymerization: Kinetics And Mechanism, Il Ciocco (Lucca), Italy, June 3-9, 2001.
Tyner, D., M. Soroush, M. C. Grady, J. R. Richards, and J. P. Congalidis, “Mathematical modeling and optimization of a semi-batch polymerization reactor,” Poster at ADCHEM 2000, International Symposium on Advanced Control of Chemical Processes, Pisa, Italy, June 14-16, 2000.
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Modeling and control of emulsion polymerization reactors: an industrial viewpoint,” MARM2000: Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting, American Chemical Society, Newark, DE, May 15, 2000.
Richards, J. R. and J. P. Congalidis, “Process Control of Polymerization Reactors: An Industrial Perspective,” Dynamics and Control Seminar Series, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware (1999).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Process Control of Polymerization Reactors,” Ecole Supérieure de Chimie Physique et Electronique (ESCPE), Lyon, France, December (1998).
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Mathematical Modeling of Emulsion Polymerization Reactors: An Industrial Perspective,” First European Congress of Chemical Engineering (ECCE-1), Florence, Italy, May 4-7 (1997).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Process Control of Polymerization Reactors: an Industrial Perspective, “ 20^th Meeting of the Foundation of Emulsion Polymerization (SEP), Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, the Netherlands, November (1997).
Christie, D. I., R. G. Gilbert, J. R. Richards, J. P. Congalidis, “Mechanism for Radical Loss in the Emulsion Polymerization of Chloroprene,” 2nd International Symposium on Free Radical Polymerization: Kinetics and Mechanisms, Santa Margherita Ligure, Italy (1996).
Beris, A. N., J. R. Richards and A.M. Lenhoff, “A Volume of Fluid Method Applied to Liquid-Liquid Jet Breakup and Drop Dynamics”, Advances in Multi-Fluid Flows, Yuriko Y. Renardy, Adrian V. Coward, Demetrios T. Papageorgiou, and Shu-Ming Sun, Editors, SIAM Proceedings in Applied Mathematics 86, Washington, 349-367 (1996).
Richards, J. R., “Process control in the chemical industry,” Chemical Engineering Department, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (1996).
Dimitropoulos, C. D., A. N. Beris, and J. R. Richards, “Flow interaction effects on the surface tension in free surface flows in the presence of surfactants,” American Physical Society, Division of Fluid Mechanics Meeting, Irvine, CA (1995).
Richards, J. R., A. M. Lenhoff, and A. N. Beris, “VOF/CSF methods applied to the breakup of liquid-liquid jets,” In stability and bifurcation in two-fluid viscous flows session, SIAM Annual Meeting, Charlotte, NC, October 23 (1995).
Richards, J. R., “Fluid Mechanics of Liquid-Liquid Systems,” Mathematics Department, Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, VA (1995).
Christie, D. I., R. G. Gilbert, J. R. Richards, J. H. McMinn, Jr., and J. P. Congalidis, “Transfer constants from kinetic studies of emulsion polymerizations,” Australian Polymer Symposium, Adelaide, Australia, February 5-9 (1995).
Richards, J. R., “Process control in the chemical industry,” AIChE Section Meeting, Wilmington, DE (1995).
Hutchinson, R. A., J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, “Modeling needs and applications in polymer reaction engineering: An industrial perspective,” ASPENWORLD Conference, Boston, (1994).
Richards, J. R., A. N. Beris, and A. M. Lenhoff, “Drop formation in liquid-liquid systems before and after jetting,” American Physical Society, Division of Fluid Mechanics Meeting, Atlanta, GA (1994).
Hutchinson, R. A., J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, “Modeling needs and applications in polymer reaction engineering: An industrial perspective,” Engineering Foundation Conference on Polymer Reaction Engineering, St. Augustine, FL (1994).
Hutchinson, R. A., J. R. Richards, and M. T. Aronson, “Determination of propagation rate coefficients by pulsed laser polymerization: Experimental results and modeling insights,” AIChE Annual Meeting, St. Louis, MO, Paper #85E (1993).
Richards, J. R., A. N. Beris, and A. M. Lenhoff, “Dynamic breakup of liquid-liquid jets,” Annual AIChE Meeting, St. Louis, MO, Paper #42F (1993).
Richards, J. R., A. M. Lenhoff and A. N. Beris, “Fluid mechanics of laminar liquid-liquid jets at high Reynolds numbers,” AIChE Annual Meeting, Miami, FL, Paper #83L (1992).
Congalidis, J. P., J. R. Richards, and R. G. Gilbert, “Mathematical modeling of emulsion copolymerization reactors,” American Chemical Society Symposium Series, 404, 360 (1989).
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Feedforward and feedback control of a copolymerization reactor,” American Control Conference, Minneapolis, MN, 286 (1987).
Congalidis, J. P., J. R. Richards, and W. H. Ray, “Modeling and control of a copolymerization reactor,” American Control Conference, Seattle, WA, 1779 (1986).
Richards, J. R., “Use of L-asparaginase in cancer chemotherapy, immobilized on a tubular reactor,” Third Place, AIChE Student Paper Competition, Mid-Atlantic States, Pennsylvania State University, June (1976).

Related Professional Activities

Conference Industrial Co-chair for Engineering Foundation Conference on Polymer Reaction Engineering 7 (2009).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Modeling and Control of Polymer Processes“, Session at AIChE Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA, November 16-21 (2008).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Monitoring and Control of Polymerization Processes“, Session at AIChE Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, November 12-17 (2006).
Congalidis, J. P. and J. R. Richards, “Monitoring and Control of Polymerization Processes”, Session at AIChE Annual Meeting, Austin, TX, November 7-12 (2004).
Richards, J. R., and J. P. Congalidis, “Control and Monitoring of Product Quality”, Session chairs at American Control Conference, Anchorage, AK, May 8-10, 2002.
Ramkrishna, D. et al., “Metabolic Engineering, Optimization and Control of Ethanol Production in Escherichia coli,” NSF GOALI project Award 961, October 1, 2000 to September 30, 2003.
Asua, J., J. P. Congalidis, and J. R. Richards, “Control and Monitoring of Polymerization Processes”, Session in Polymer Reaction Engineering IV, Palm Coast, FL, March 19-24, 2000.

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Last revised: January 21, 2010