Alan M. Allgeier

Dr. Alan M. Allgeier is a Professor in the Chemical and Petroleum Engineering Department at the University of Kansas School of Engineering, where he also serves as Associate Director of the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis (CEBC). He joined KU in Fall 2017 after 20 years of industry experience at DuPont and Amgen. Dr. Allgeier holds a B.S. in Chemistry from Case Western Reserve University (1992) and M.S./Ph.D. degrees in Inorganic Chemistry from Northwestern University (1997).

His research focuses on sustainable catalysis and manufacturing with four primary themes: characterization of porous materials using multi-technique approaches including NMR relaxometry; continuous flow processing for pharmaceuticals; synthesis of heterogeneous catalysts; and design of redox enzyme catalytic processes. His work bridges fundamental understanding of catalytic species with practical applications in renewable resource utilization and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

Analysis of Dr. Allgeier's recent publications reveals a strong trend toward sustainable chemical processes, particularly in biomass conversion to valuable chemicals and materials. His work integrates advanced characterization techniques (especially NMR-based methods) with catalytic process development, focusing on hydrodeoxygenation reactions, biocatalysis using ethanol as a terminal reductant, and novel reactor design for pharmaceutical manufacturing. The research demonstrates a consistent commitment to Green Chemistry principles across multiple application areas.

• Bellows Faculty Scholar, University of Kansas School of Engineering (2021)
• Catalysis Club of Philadelphia Award (2021)
• Russell Malz Award for Service to Catalysis, Organic Reactions Catalysis Society (2014)
• Amgen Green Chemistry Award for "A Novel, Green Process for AMG 423" (2011)
• Sigma Xi Award for excellence in graduate research, Northwestern University (1994)

Dr. Allgeier has successfully mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students, with several completing Ph.D. dissertations under his supervision. His research is supported by significant funding including an NSF RII Track-2 FEC grant ($4 million), multiple Kansas Corn Commission awards, and industry partnerships with Honeywell, IFF Inc., and DuPont. His current projects focus on renewable polymers, ethanol derivatives, and advanced characterization of porous materials.

The Allgeier Research Group maintains active collaborations with industry partners and national laboratories, operating specialized facilities for catalysis research, NMR characterization, and continuous flow pharmaceutical manufacturing. The group's work on sustainable catalysis directly supports the UN definition of sustainable development by developing processes that meet present needs without compromising future generations' ability to meet theirs.