West Virginia Universitys Department of Chemical Engineering has started its spring 2007 seminar series, which brings experts to the University to share current research trends with students and faculty.

The seminars are free and open to the public.

This series is an integral part of our graduate program,said Dady Dadyburjor, department chair.It allows our graduate students to stay current with research in the profession, whether or not it is directly related to their own work. Students and faculty from other departments, colleges, or universities or from industry are welcome.”

Seminars are held in room 401, Engineering Sciences Building, unless otherwise indicated. Refreshments are served at 9:15 a.m., also unless indicated otherwise.

The schedule of seminars is:

• Friday, Feb. 16 9:30 a.m.,Computational Biology of Molecular and Cell Signaling Pathways of Oncogenic Relevance,Dr. Ravi Radhakrishnan, Department of Bioengineering, University of Pennsylvania; Philadelphia, Pa.

• Friday, Feb. 23 9:30 a.m.,Effects of Charged Nanoparticles on the Properties of Colloidal Dispersions,Dr. John Y. Walz, Chemical Engineering, Virginia Tech; Blacksburg, Va.

• Friday, March 9 9:30 a.m.,Design and Development of Poly(ester urethane)urea Biomaterials for Treatment of Orthopaedic Injuries,Dr. Scott Guelcher, Chemical Engineering, Vanderbilt University; Nashville, Tenn.

• Friday, March 16 9:00 a.m.,Microchannel Process Technology: Past, Present and Future,Dr. Jan Lerou, Velocys, Inc., Plain City, Ohio; NRCCE Assembly Room B; Dow/Union Carbide Reaction Engineering and Catalysis Seminar Series honoring Jean B. Cropley (reception after lecture)

• Friday, March 23 9:30 a.m.,Power Law Fluid Flow Past a Circular Cylinder: Momentum and Heat Transfer,Dr. Raj P. Chhabra, visiting professor, Chemical Engineering, Purdue University; Chemical Engineering, Indian Institute of Technology; Kanpur, India

• Friday, April 13 9:30 a.m.,Superconductor Theory for Poets, Pedestrians and Others: Old Theory, New Theory, Room Temperature Possibilities,Dr. Richard H. SquireDepartment of Chemistry, WVU Institute of Technology; Montgomery, W.Va.

Research areas at WVU s Department of Chemical Engineering include biochemical and biomedical engineering, carbon products, catalysis and reaction engineering, fluidization, fuels, natural-gas hydrates, particle science and powder technology, polymers and composites and semiconductor processing.

For information or directions to the seminars, call 304-293-2111, ext. 2418.

For seminar abstracts, visithttp://www.cemr.wvu.edu/~wwwche/as the seminar dates approach.