Chemical Engineering Department Welcomes Monroe as New Faculty Member

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Jacob Monroe

The Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering announces the appointment of Jacob Monroe, who will join the department as an assistant professor in January 2023. 

Monroe completed a Ph.D. in chemical engineering at the University of California, Santa Barbara, in 2019 and a B.S. in chemical engineering from the University of Virginia in 2014. He conducted a National Research Council postdoctoral fellowship at the National Institute of Standards and Technology in Maryland after his doctoral program.  

"I am thrilled to be joining what I've seen so far as a wonderful and welcoming community at the University of Arkansas," Monroe said. "It's exciting to have an opportunity to contribute to a department that so clearly values high-quality education on both the undergraduate and graduate levels." 

Monroe's first impression of the university and department stuck with him. "Contributing to such a collegial and inclusive culture around education and mentoring in chemical engineering significantly motivated my choice," he said. 

An active researcher since publishing his first work as an undergraduate, Monroe's current research focuses on machine learning methods. During his fellowship, he applied machine learning to accelerate molecular simulations. Similar research will take place in his group here at the university, Monroe said. 

"At the University of Arkansas, the Monroe Research Group will continue to develop machine learning methods firmly grounded in statistical mechanics that accelerate and enhance molecular simulations."  

He continued, "Our research will enable the computational design of bio-based, renewable materials and to crucially predict the stability of pharmaceutical formulations." 

Monroe's graduate research has been published in journals such as ACS Nano and Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. During this time, he received an American Institute of Chemical Engineers Computational Molecular Science and Engineering Forum Graduate Student Award. 

"Jacob Monroe's expertise will complement a wide range of research currently being conducted in the department. His efforts in machine learning and molecular simulations will support the identification of models to describe and predict material and system behaviors," stated Keisha Walters, Chemical Engineering Department head.  She continued, "The department is excited to welcome Jacob Monroe and his research and teaching capabilities into the department and college."  

About the Department of Chemical Engineering: Chemical engineering has been a part of the University of Arkansas curriculum since 1903. Today, the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering has an enrollment of over 300 students in its undergraduate and graduate degree programs and houses five endowed chairs and eight endowed professorships to support its faculty. Faculty expertise includes cellular engineering, chemical process safety, advanced materials, and membrane separations. A wide range of fundamental and applied research is conducted in the areas of energy, health, sustainability, and computational chemical engineering. The department is also home to the Chemical Hazards Research Center and one of three national sites for the Membrane Science, Engineering and Technology (MAST) Center. The Department of Chemical Engineering is named for alumnus Ralph E. Martin (B.S.Ch.E.'58, M.S.Ch.E.'60) in recognition of his 2005 endowment gift.