Richard Parnas

Richard Parnas is a faculty member in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Connecticut (UConn), with additional affiliations in Chemistry, Polymer Program, and Environmental Engineering. He earned his Ph.D. from UCLA in 1990 and has held roles including Director of Chemical Engineering (2006-2008) and Associate Professor (2001-2010). His research spans biofuels, renewable materials, and sustainable processes, notably leading the UConn Biodiesel Consortium to convert waste oil into fuel for campus transit.

Research interests focus on:

• Biofuels production/separation
• Renewable polymers/composites
• Membrane diagnostics for fuel cells
• Flow in porous media
• Plant-based plastics development

Recent publications (2015-2018) emphasize biodiesel optimization, CO2 capture, waste valorization, and advanced membrane technologies, reflecting consistent themes in sustainable chemical engineering and materials innovation.

Honors include:

• Fulbright Scholar (2000)
• NIST Bronze Medal (1993)
• UConn Environmental Achievement Award (2007)
• Best Paper awards at SPE ANTEC (1995, 1998, 2000)

He advises PhD, MS, and high school students, with current advisees including Baishali Kanjilal and Iman Noshadi. Patents cover biodiesel systems, separation membranes, and particleboard manufacturing.