Hal Alper

Dr. Hal Alper is the Kenneth A. Kobe Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the College of Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin. He also serves as the Executive Director of the Center for Biomedical Research Support. His academic leadership and research excellence have established him as a key figure in biochemical and synthetic engineering.

Dr. Alper's research lies at the intersection of synthetic biology, systems biology, and protein engineering, with a strong emphasis on sustainability. His work focuses on engineering microbial systems and enzymes to valorize waste streams—including plastic waste—into valuable chemicals, contributing to environmental remediation and circular economy goals. He leverages advanced tools in metabolic strain engineering and machine learning to expand feedstock utilization and develop novel bioprocesses.

His scholarly contributions have been recognized with numerous national and international awards, highlighting both his research and teaching excellence. These include the ONR Young Investigator Award, Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, AIChE Allan P. Colburn Award, and the Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Engineering. He is also an elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering and the National Academy of Inventors.

• Camille and Henry Dreyfus New Faculty Award (2008)
• Texas Exes Teaching Award (2009)
• DuPont Young Investigator Award (2010)
• Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award (2011)
• UT Regents’ Outstanding Teaching Award (2012)
• Biotechnology and Bioengineering Daniel I.C. Wang Award (2013)
• Jay Bailey Young Investigator Award (2014)
• Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (2014)
• Society for Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology Young Investigator Award (2015)
• ACS BIOT Young Investigator Award (2016)
• UT-Austin Emerging Inventor of the Year Award (2016)
• AIChE Allan P. Colburn Award (2018)
• Biochemical Engineering Journal Young Investigator Award (2019)
• Edith and Peter O'Donnell Award in Engineering (2019)
• Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (2018)
• Fellow, National Academy of Inventors (2019)

Dr. Alper has published over 150 peer-reviewed articles and 8 book chapters, demonstrating sustained research productivity and impact. His work is supported by competitive grants from federal and private agencies, though specific grant details are not listed in the provided text. He mentors students and researchers in his lab, contributing to the development of the next generation of biochemical engineers, although no named advisees are listed here.

As Executive Director of the Center for Biomedical Research Support, Dr. Alper leads a core facility that enables interdisciplinary research across biomedical sciences at UT Austin, providing critical infrastructure and expertise to advance discovery and innovation.