Dan F. Smith Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

College of Engineering

About Me

Daniel Chen, Ph.D.
Professor, Scholar, Director

Daniel Chen, Ph.D.
DANIEL H. CHEN, University Professor and Scholar, Leland Best Distinguished Faculty Fellow, Dan F. Smith Dept. of Chemical Engineering, Lamar University, Beaumont, TX. Dr. Chen is currently Director of Low Carbon Energy Lab and Director of Computational Fluid Dynamics Lab. Dr. Chen earned his B.S. from National Cheng Kung University (1970), M.S. from National Taiwan University (1976), and Ph.D. from Oklahoma State University (1981), all in Chemical Engineering.

He had 4 years experiences in polyester and natural gas industries prior to joining Lamar faculty. He served as consultants for DOE Morgantown Energy Technology Center (1990), and US Army Aberdeen Proving Ground (1995-1999) on energy and chemical agent treatment issues.

Dr. Chen has worked on Rio Grande Basin field sampling, TCEQ 2010 flare study, DOE/UT Carbon SAFE//GoMCarb, as well as Oxy-combustion and Carbon-neutral Allam power cycle projects with >$3.5 million in grants from Federal, State, and Industrial sources. He has published 5 book chapters, over 50 articles, and given over 60 invited talks and conference presentations. He is the editor of a 2-volume book set on sustainable water management and sustainable water technologies (Taylor & Francis/CRC Press, 2016). He is the holder of United States Patent “Oxy-fuel Cracking Furnaces and Boilers Using CO2 as a Working Fluid,” No. 11,370,725 B2 (June 28, 2022.)

Membership and Leadership Roles in Professional Organizations

  • Chair/co-Chair, Sustainable Water Use and Management, Sustainability Forum, AIChE National meeting (2011); International Association of Technology, Education and Development (INTED) Conference, 2010, Valencia, Spain; Reaction Engineering for Combustion and Pyrolysis, Liquid Phase Reaction Engineering, Catalysis & Reaction Engineering Division, AIChE National meeting (2012-Date). 
  • Director, Abnormal Situation Management Lab; Flare/Carbon Capture Modeling Lab.(2010-date); Photocatalysis & Solar Processing Lab, 2000-2016.. 
  • Panelist, National Science Foundation, Arlington, VA, May 2015 & April, 2016. 
  • Software training certificates for Aspen Hysys Dynamics, Aspen Plus, DMC Plus, DMC3, Aspen IQ, SimSci-Esscor PROII, ADMC and UPID (2000-2019). 
  • Project Engineer, Chemical Engineering Consultants, Inc., Stillwater, Oklahoma, 1981 – 1982; Shift Supervisor, Hualon-Teijin Polyester Plant, Tofen, Taiwan, 1971 - 1973. 
  • Registered Professional Engineer (Texas 60100) 
  • Society of Financial Services Professionals (SFSP) 

Synergistic Activities

  • >3.5 million of total completed and on-going grants from DOD, DOE, EPA, USDA, NSF, TCEQ, AQRP, HARC, ATP, & private sectors.
  • Daniel Chen (PI) & Gevorg Sargsyan, “Evaluating Various LNG Plant Electrification Options,” Center for Midstream Management & Science, $34,000, 09/01/22 -08/31/23.
  • Sujing Wang (PI), Daniel Chen, “Modeling and Optimization for a Generic Gas Processing Plant and Natural Gas Liquids Fractionation Train,” Center for Midstream Management & Science, Project 366, $25,000, 09/01/21 -02/28/22.
  • Daniel Chen (PI), Qiang Xu, & Gevorg Sargsyan, “Integrated Allam Cycle-LNG Complex for Greenhouse Gas Reduction and Efficient Energy Supply,” Center for Midstream Management & Science, Project 364, $50,000, 09/01/21 -08/31/22.
  • Chen, D.H. & X. LI, "Development of Reduced Combustion Reaction Mechanisms of the Ammonia/Natural Gas/Air System for Predicting NOx, Soot & unburnt NH3 Emissions," 110LUB0179A, 04/01/2020-06/30/2021, TARC Grant, $19,350.
  • "Flare, Abnormal Situation Management, & Big Data," D. Chen (PI), $185,000, Distinguished Research Fellow Award and Visionary Initiatives, Lamar University, 09/01/16-8/31/2019.
  • Tracy Benson (PI) and Daniel Chen, "Offshore Gulf of Mexico Partnership for Carbon Storage--Resources and Technology Development GoMCarb," $153,123, 4/1/2018-3/31/2022, # DE-FE0031558, LU Subaward UTA18-000644, UT-Department of Energy Offshore Gulf of Mexico.
  • Daniel Chen (PI), Tracy Benson, and David Cocke, "CO2 Source Sink matching, Outreach, and Risks," $99,999, 2/1/2017-7/31/2018, Subaward from the Gulf Coast Carbon Center, University of Texas-Austin, as part of CarbonSAFE Phase I project, DE-FE0029487, US Department of Energy.
  • “MRI: Acquisition of an LC/MS/MS System for Multidisciplinary Research and Educational Projects," Daniel H. Chen (PI), David L. Cocke, Che-Jen Lin, Paul Bernazzani, Andrew Jewel Gomes, NSF CBET-1338088, $456,549, 09/01/2013-08/31/2018.
  • “Computational Fluid Dynamics and Neural Network Modeling of Industrial Flares," 10 grants 05/01/07-07/15/17, $886,765, TCEQ, AQRP, HARC, and TARC, PI/Co-PI, with K. Li, H. Lou, X. Li, C. Martin, and P. Richmond. “Flare Performance Optimization: DRE/CE vs. Soot,” Daniel Chen (PI), Helen Lou, Xianchang Li, Peyton Richmond, Matthew Johnson (Carleton U., Canada), TCEQ, 01/01/14-8/31/2014,
  • “ALEP Fuel Cell Catalyst & Hydrogen,” David Cocke (PI), Jack R. Hopper, Daniel H. Chen, Sidney Lin, US Army Missile Defense Command, $7,250,000, 2005-2012.
  • “Improving Engineering Curricula by Integrating PBL Pedagogy with Modern Manufacturing Case Studies,” National Science Foundation, Co-PI, CCLI 0737089 $149,897, 03/15/08-02/28/10.
  • “Controller Performance Diagnostics, Process/Controller Parameter Identification, and Predictive Maintenance,” Nexus Engineering, PI, $76,160, 2001-2005; Ten (10) consecutive Exxon-Mobil grants to support process modeling, simulation, and control education to undergraduate/ graduate students and area engineers, PI (1998-2007).

Service to the University

Membership and leadership roles in committees, councils, etc.:

  • Chair, ChE Dept Chair 3-yr Evaluation Committee (2019); Department Promotion Committee (2009); Department Pre-tenure Review Committee (2008-2013); College Promotion Committee (2003, 2008); Search Committee for ChE Department Chair (2006-2007); Faculty Search Committee (2006-2007); Evaluation Committee ChE Department Chair (2003) 
  • member, University Personnel Committee (2012-2017); University Budget Development Committee (2011- Date); University Tenure Committee (2009-2011); University Tenure Appeal Committee (2009-Date); University Admission Committee (2009-Date); University Grade Review Committee (2011); College of Engineering Promotion & Tenure Committee (2018-date); College of Engineering Promotion Committee (2009); College of Engineering University Professor/merit Award Committee (1990-2005); College of Engineering Tenure Committee (2008) 
  • Department Safety Training Coordinator (2003-2006); Department Graduate Advisor (1990-1995) 
Professional service to the community
  • Referee of 25 international/national journals and 2 book publishers. 
  • Proposal Reviewer (NSF, Discovery Grant, Canada; Petroleum Research Fund; University of Houston GEAR, Nano and Advanced Materials Institute, Hong Kong) 
  • Instructor & Developer, ”An introduction to PRO-II Simulation software,” a three-day short course for Exxon Mobil Engineers (August 2006). 
Other service to the community
  • Volunteer Worker, Texas Rice Festival, Winnie, TX, October, 2009-2014. 
  • Invited Speaker, Leisure Learning Club, Golden Nest Investment Club, CKUAAH annual Page 6 of 6 banquet & meeting, AIChE Financial Night, and Chinese Association of Southeast Texas. 
  • Secretary, the Chinese Association of Southeast Texas (2001-2002). 
  • Transportation Chair, International Choreographed Ballroom Dance Association, 2014 
  • Joint Chinese College Alumni Association (Houston) Scholarship Judge, 2015-date. 
Sponsorship of Student Organizations
  • Tau Beta Pi (Engineering Honor Society) Student Chapter Faculty Advisor (1982-2014) 
  • Omega Chi Epsilon Chemical Engineering Honor Society, Faculty Advisor (1998-2007)