Luke Achenie

Dr. Luke E. K. Achenie is a Professor of Chemical Engineering and Professor of Health Sciences at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech). He holds dual appointments in the Department of Chemical Engineering (College of Engineering) and the Faculty of Health Sciences. His research focuses on interdisciplinary areas including multi-scale molecular modeling, machine learning, blood-brain-barrier modeling, and process design. He has a Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University (1988) and undergraduate degrees from MIT (B.S., 1981) and Northwestern University (M.S., 1982).

Education: Ph.D., Carnegie Mellon University (1988); M.A.M., Carnegie Mellon (1984); M.S., Northwestern University (1982); B.S., MIT (1981).

Research interests span agent-based modeling, molecular dynamics, AI-driven catalyst design, and systems pharmacology. Notable projects include computational drug delivery modeling, membrane separation systems, and collaborations on autism screening via machine learning. Awards include AIChE Fellow (2014), Black Achiever in Chemical Engineering (2008), and induction into the Connecticut Academy of Engineering (2007).

Grants and affiliations include leadership roles in AIChE and SJI. Current lab members include Shih-Han Wang, Juliana Cardona, and others. His work bridges computational methods with experimental validation, emphasizing sustainability and translational applications.