Dr. James Mathias

Curriculum Vitae of James A. Mathias, Ph.D., P.E.

Southern Illinois University
Department of Mechanical Engineering and Energy Processes

Education       
The Ohio State University                                                                                             Columbus, OH
Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering, June 2001, Major GPA: 3.60, Overall GPA: 3.69

• Thesis Title: Experimental and Theoretical Studies of Rectangular Duct Heat Exchangers to be used in a High-Altitude Subsonic Aircraft

Brigham Young University                                                                                             Provo, UT
MS Mechanical Engineering, December 1996, GPA: 3.74

• Thesis Title: High-Pressure Oxidation Rates for Large Coal and Char Particles

Brigham Young University                                                                                             Provo, UT
BS Mechanical Engineering, April 1994, GPA: 3.77

Professional Experience
Southern Illinois University                                                                                       Carbondale, IL
Aug 2003 to present                                                                             Assistant Professor

• Teaching courses in engineering thermodynamics, heat transfer, energy, and senior design
• Performing computer modeling and testing of microchannel heat exchangers
• Managing an energy conservation community outreach program entitled Rebuild Carbondale and Union County that is associated with Rebuild America

Spherion Incorporated                                                                                                                       Columbus, OH
Feb 2003 to Jul 2003                                                                           Office Support Staff

• Supported a relocation department by requesting realtor’s price opinions and appraisals, and entered expenses and pertinent relocation information

Velocys Incorporated                                                                                                            Plain City, OH
Apr 2001 to Jan 2003                                                                          Development Engineer

• Designed and demonstrated micro-channel heat exchangers to performance specifications
• Served as a co-campaign manager on a project involving the design, fabrication, and testing of a micro-channel heat exchanger and reactor. Successfully tested the device 1 month ahead of schedule
• Helped develop a solution to extend the operability of a micro-channel device
• Filed 4 patents; Reported 9 inventions

The Ohio State University                                                                                         Columbus, OH
Summer 1999, Winter 2000, Spring 2000         Graduate Teaching Assistant

• Taught the course “Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer” to non-Mechanical Engineering majors. This course teaches basic principles of thermodynamics and heat transfer and applies these principles to the various fields of study of the students.

The Ohio State University                                                                                         Columbus, OH
Sep 1996 to Mar 2001                                                                         Graduate Research Assistant

• Performed experimental research and analyzed experimental data from heat exchangers, absorption air conditioners, and compact burners

Brigham Young University                                                                                        Provo, UT
Jul 1994 to Aug 1996                                                                           Graduate Research Assistant

• Performed experimental research and determined oxidation rates of large char particles

Brigham Young University                                                                                        Provo, UT
Sep 1993 to Apr 1994                                                                         Assistant Systems Manager

• Managed a UNIX based computer system by assisting with login, printing, and password operations and performed daily, weekly, and monthly backups.

Mathias Electric                                                                                                                                Rochester, MN
May to Aug of 1991, 1992, 1993                                             Journeyman Electrician

• Installed electrical wiring, switches, circuit breakers, and lights in new homes

Research and Creative Activity
Interests and Specialties:
My research area is in energy processes and microchannel reactors and heat exchangers to use energy in the most efficient way possible. In the energy processes area I am interested in using fossil fuels more efficiently particularly by gasifying coal to produce useful products. I feel there are tremendous opportunities to gasify coal and efficiently process the products of the gasification reaction in microchannel devices to produce hydrogen, gasoline, synthetic natural gas, and mechanical power.

I am also interested in using microchannel heat exchangers to improve the performance of power, and heat pumping cycles. Particularly, microchannel heat exchangers have the significant opportunity to efficiently utilize low-grade energy from industrial processes or from thermal solar collectors and use this energy in power and heat pumping cycles.

I would like to also use thermal solar energy efficiently in residences and in small commercial buildings. I would like to use thermal energy from solar collectors to operate a thermally activated heat pump to provide heating and cooling along with hot water to be used for washing and bathing.

Grants Applied For:
Navy-ASEE Summer Faculty Research Program, November 2003
ASHRAE New Investigator Award, December 2003
SIU Office of Research and Development (ORDA) Faculty Seed Grant Program, January 2004
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, January 2004
Honda Initiation Grant, April 2004
Department of Energy, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Energy Efficient Building Technologies, June 2004
Oak Ridge Associated Universities (ORAU) Ralph E. Powe Junior Faculty Enhancement Award, January 2005
Illinois Clean Coal Institute, April 2005
Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, June 2005
Illinois Clean Energy - Community Foundation, June 2005
ASHRAE New Investigator Award, December 2005
National Science Foundation - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), February 2006
Appalachian Regional Commission, May 2006
Illinois Clean Coal Institute, May 2006
Caterpillar Incorporated, Jan 2007
Mount Vernon Airport Authority, Feb 2007  

Grants Obtained:
SIU Office of Research and Development (ORDA) Faculty Seed Grant Program, “Electrical Generation from Low-Grade Energy”, August 2004 - June 2005

IL Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, “Rebuild Carbondale City and Union County - A Regional Energy Program”, $70,000, Proposal written and funding obtained by Dr. Manohar Kulkarni, Completely administered by Dr. James Mathias when Dr. Kulkarni moved to a different university at the beginning of the grant, August 2004 - May 2006

National Science Foundation - Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM), “Engineering and Technology Talent and Expansion Program at Southern Illinois University - Carbondale”, $1,500,000, Drs. Sevim, Chrisman, Caffey, Pericak-Spector, Mathias, Tezcan, Gupta, Lewis, Kowalchuk, August 2006 - July 2009

Illinois Clean Coal Institute, “Multifunctional Catalyst/Reactor Development for Product Defined Fisher-Tropsch Synthesis”, $142,820, Drs. Wiltowski, Mondal, Mathias, and Anderson, September 2006 - August 2007

Caterpillar Incorporated, “Fabrication of Test Facility and Testing of Traditional or Novel Radiators”, $15,796, Dr. Mathias, July 2007 - June 2008

Mount Vernon Airport Authority, “Energy Audit of the Mount Vernon Airport Office Building”, $500, Dr. Mathias, February 2007 - May 2007

Publications, Patents, and Creative Works
Articles in Professional Journals:
Gee, T.A., J. Cao, J.A. Mathias, and R.N. Christensen, “Experimental Testing and Modeling of a Dual-fired LiBr-H2O Absorption Chiller,” ASHRAE Transactions: Research, 107, Annual Meeting, Cincinnati, OH (2001)

Priedeman, D.K., M.A. Garrabrant, J.A. Mathias, R.E. Stout, and R.N. Christensen, “Performance of a Residential Sized GAX Absorption Chiller,” Journal of Energy Resources Technology, 123, pp 236-241, (2001)

Mathias J.A., R.H. Essenhigh, P.T. Radulovic, and L.D. Smoot, “Large Particle High-Pressure Oxidation Rates and Mechanisms,” Energy & Fuels, 17, pp 587-601, (2003)

Mathias, J.A., J. Cao, M.E. Ewing, and R.N. Christensen, “Experimental Characterization of Compact Heat Exchangers with Short Flowlengths at Simulated Elevated Altitudes,” Journal of Fluids Engineering, 125, (1), pp 171-180, (2003)

Dowling, A., J.A. Mathias, “Experimental Determination of the Insulating Ability of Corn By-Products,” Journal of Sustainable Agriculture, (2007)

Wang, Y., and J.A. Mathias, “Overall Design Model of Microchannel Heat Exchangers Including Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Calculations,” Submitted to Engineering Computations, (2006)

Benoit, J., J. Cox, Z. Crothers, J. Musselman, J. Walker, J. A. Mathias, and K. Farhang, “Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Modular Suspension for Powered Vehicles,” Submitted to Proceedings of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers Part C - Journal of Mechanical Engineering Science, (2006)

Patents:
US Patent 6,989,134; Microchannel apparatus, methods of making microchannel apparatus, and processes of conducting unit operations. Tonkovich, A.L., Roberts, G., Fitzgerald, S.P., Werner, T.M., Schmidt, M.B., Luzenski, R.J., Chadwell, G.B., Mathias, J.A., Gupta, A., Kuhlmann, D.J., Yuschak, T.D.

US Patent 7,000,427; Process for cooling a product in a heat exchanger employing microchannels. Mathias, J.A., Arora, R., Simmons, W.W., McDaniel, J.S., Tonkovich, A.L., Krause, W.A., Silva, L.J., Qui, D.

US Patent 7,014,835; Multi-stream microchannel device. Mathias, J.A., Chadwell, G.B. Qiu, D., Tonkovich, A.L.Y., Perry, S.T., Schmidt, M.B.

US Patent (Application number 20040033455); Integrated combustion reactors and methods of conducting simultaneous endothermic and exothermic reactions. Tonkovich, A.L., Roberts, G., Fitzgerald, S.P., Neagle, P.W., Qiu, D., Schmidt, M.B., Perry, S.T., Hesse, D.J., Luzenski, R.J., Chadwell, G.B., Peng, Y., Mathias, J.A., Gano, N.P., Long, R.Q., Roger, W.A., Arora, R., Simmons, W.W., Yang, B.L., Kuhlmann, D.J., Wang, Y., Yuschak, T.D., Forte, T., Monahan, J.A., Jetter, R.

European Patent 03788315.4-2104-US0324241; Multi-stream microchannel devices

Invited Presentations:
Carbondale Chamber of Commerce, “Rebuild Carbondale: A Regional Energy Program”, Mar 2005

Caterpillar Corporation, “Presentation of Background Information, Utilization of Low-Grade Energy, and Heat Exchangers,” June 2006

Teaching Experience
Teaching Interests and Specialties:
I enjoy teaching courses in the thermal and fluid sciences area. I have taught “Engineering Thermodynamics”, “Power and Refrigeration Cycles”, “Heat Transfer”, and “Thermal Measurements Laboratory”. I especially enjoyed teaching the course titled “Power and Refrigeration Cycles”, which is an advanced thermodynamics course. I have also taught the two-semester course of Senior Design.

Southern Illinois University
            ENGR 300                   Engineering Thermodynamics
            ME 302                       Heat Transfer
            ME 400                       Power and Refrigeration Cycles
            ME 401                       Thermal Measurements Laboratory
            ME 495a                      Senior Design
            ME 495b                     Senior Design
            ENGR 303I     Energy In Society
            ME 101                       Introduction to Mechanical Engineering

The Ohio State University
            ME 500                       Thermodynamics and Heat Transfer (for non-Mechanical Engineering majors)

Graduate Students
Wang, Yunyun, MS, “Overall Design Model of Micro-channel Heat Exchangers Including Heat Transfer and Pressure Drop Calculations”; graduated May 2005.

Ingold, Abram, MS, “Single-Pass Cross-Flow Micro-Channel Heat Exchanger for use in Organic Rankine Cycles”; in progress.

Bolling, Angela, MS, “Determination of Optimal Heating/Cooling System in a Residential Building Located in Different Parts of the U.S.”; in progress

Other Dissertations/Theses Committees Served

University Experience
Department Faculty Search Committee, February 2004 - December 2004
Department Strategic Planning Committee, April 2004 - September 2004
Department Technical Staff Hire Committee, November 2004 - April 2005
Department Graduate Admissions Committee, January 2004 - December 2006
College of Engineering Retention Committee, September 2004 - December 2004
College of Engineering Retention Committee, September 2005 - August 2006
Department Chair Search Committee, September 2005 - May 2006
Department Faculty Affairs Committee, January 2007 - present

Professional Service
Southern Illinois Center for a Sustainable Future, Inc., member of the Board of Directors

Membership in Professional Associations
Member of American Society of Heating, Refrigeration, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE)
Member of Tau Beta Pi National Engineering Honor Society

Community Service

• Advisor to single adults of a local church, ages 18-30, many who attend Southern Illinois University, September 2003 - January 2004.
• Advisor/chaperone to young men of a local church, ages 12-18, February 2004 - December 2004.
• Judge at Science Fair held at SIUC, April 2004
• Faculty advisor to the fencing club at Southern Illinois University, September 2004 - September 2005.
• Instruct, help, and advise single and married men of a local church, ages 18-40. January 2005 - present
• Judge and Committee Member for National Junior Science and Humanities Symposia (JSHS). January 2005 to present
  References