Ignasi Palou-Rivera

Dr. Ignasi Palou-Rivera is an Adjunct Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at Illinois Institute of Technology's Armour College of Engineering. He serves as Executive Director and Chief Technology Officer of the RAPID Manufacturing Institute®, a DOE-funded initiative advancing modular chemical process intensification (MCPI). His career spans over 20 years in process development and optimization across industries including oil refining, biofuels, and sustainability analysis.

Education includes a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from University of Wisconsin-Madison (1998), post-doctoral work at MIT (2001-2002), and a Chemical Engineering degree from Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (1991). His work integrates computational tools with industrial applications, focusing on techno-economic analysis, lifecycle assessment, and refinery planning.

Research interests emphasize sustainable manufacturing systems, process intensification technologies, and bridging innovation to commercialization. He leads RAPID's efforts to accelerate adoption of advanced chemical processing methods through public-private partnerships. His contributions include development of lifecycle analysis frameworks for biofuels and shale gas, as well as refinery optimization algorithms.

Key publications span process intensification strategies, biofuel lifecycle assessments, and energy efficiency improvements. He holds patents related to bioreactor systems and wafer edge characterization. Professional service includes leadership roles in AIChE's Computing & Systems Technology Division and Sustainable Engineering Forum.