Daniel Blankschtein

Professor Daniel Blankschtein is the Herman P. Meissner (1929) Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at MIT. His research focuses on colloid and interface science, with applications in energy, nanotechnology, and biomedical engineering. He has pioneered studies on surfactant systems, 2D nanomaterials (e.g., graphene, carbon nanotubes), and interfacial phenomena involving electronic polarization effects. Blankschtein has authored over 230 publications and 15 patents, and his textbook Lectures in Classical Thermodynamics with an Introduction to Statistical Mechanics (2021) synthesizes decades of teaching expertise.

Education: PhD (1983), MSc (1979), BSc (1977) in Chemical Engineering from Tel-Aviv University. His awards include the Capers and Marion McDonald Award (2015) and multiple MIT Outstanding Faculty Awards. He leads the DB Group, which develops theoretical and experimental frameworks for nanomaterials and surfactant systems, with applications in water desalination, drug delivery, and energy storage.

Research highlights include molecular simulations of water slip flow in carbon nanotubes, ion adsorption at solid-water interfaces, and surfactant-mediated stabilization of nanomaterials. His work bridges fundamental thermodynamics with practical engineering solutions, emphasizing pedagogy and mentorship. Recent projects explore polarization-driven interfacial effects and nanoconfined fluid behavior.

• Lab Group: DB Group at MIT ChemE
• Key Collaborations: MIT Energy Initiative, National Science Foundation
• Grants: Seed grants for energy storage and nanomaterials research