Faculty and Staff
Dr. David Rockstraw, P.E.
Professor
Background | Education | Experience | Publications | Awards | Patents | Activities | Research
Background
Dr. Rockstraw was born in Gary, Indiana. He joined the NMSU Ch E Faculty in 1995 from industry with over eight years of experience with E. I. duPont de Nemours Co., Conoco Corporation,, Ethyl Corporation, and Kraft, Inc.. At these companies, Rockstraw gained extensive experience in design, development, pilot, and commercial implementation of chemical processes that involved alternatives to CFCs, catalyst manufacture, agricultural & pharmaceutical intermediates processing, monomer recovery by depolymerization, ultrafiltration and reverse osmosis of cheese by-products, electromembrane processes, and numerous food processing operations (including the first purple horseshoe cereal marshmallow).
Dr. Rockstraw's research program is as diverse as his industrial background, and includes research in the areas of materials, separations, and reaction kinetics.
Rockstraw is a licensed professional engineer in the state of New Mexico, consults for numerous clientele, and works as an expert witness on litigation involving chemical reactor explosions and spontaneous combustion fires. He is active at officer capacity in the National Society of Professional Engineers, serving both at the State and National levels, as well as serving as the student chapter advisor to the American Institute of Chemical Engineers.
Education
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, Oklahoma University (1989)
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (1986)
Experience
Los Alamos
National Laboratories, Los Alamos, NM (summers:1997-2000)
DuPont/Conoco,
Corporate Process Development, Ponca City, OK (1990-1995)
Ethyl Corporation,
R&D, Orangeburg, SC (1989 - 1990)
Kraft,
Inc. R&D, Glenview, IL (1981 - 1986)
Recent Peer-reviewed Publications
Synthesis of Ru-Ni Core-Shell Nanoparticles for Sensor Applications, S. Deng, K. C. Pingali, D. A. Rockstraw, Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Sensors Journal, in press.
Direct Synthesis of Ru-Ni Core-Shell Nanoparticles by Spray-Pyrolysis: Effects of Temperature and Precursor Constituent Ratio, K. C. Pingali, S. Deng, D. A. Rockstraw; Powder Technology, in press.
Synthesis and Thermal Stability of Carbon Supported and Carbon Coated Ru-Ni Core-and-Shell Nanoparticles, K. C. Pingali, S. Deng, D. A. Rockstraw; Journal of Nanoparticle Research, in press.
"Deposition of Ru-Ni-S Nanoparticles on Carbon by Spray-Pyrolysis: Effects of Solvent," K. C. Pingali, S. Deng, D. A. Rockstraw; Current Nanoscience (2007), 3, 215-221.
"Physicochemical properties of carbons prepared from pecan shell by phosphoric acid activation," Y. Guo and D. A. Rockstraw, Bioresource Technology (May 2007),98(8), 1513-1521.
"Direct synthesis of Ru-Ni nanoparticles with core-and-shell structure," K. C. Pingali, S. Deng, D. A. Rockstraw; Chemical Engineering Communications, 194(6), 780-786 (2007).
"Activated carbons prepared from rice hull by one-step phosphoric acid activation," Y. Guo and D. A. Rockstraw, Microporous & Mesoporous Materials, 100(1-3); 12-19 (March 23, 2007).
"Physical and chemical properties of carbons synthesized from xylan, cellulose, and Kraft lignin by H3PO4 activation," Y. Guo, D. A. Rockstraw, Carbon, 44(8); 1464-1475 (July 2006).
"Synthesis of carbon nanoparticle thin film with spray pyrolysis, K. C. Pingali, S. Deng, D. A. Rockstraw; New Mexico Journal of Science, 44, 149-163 (August 2006).
"Silver nanoparticles from ultrasonic spray pyrolysis of aqueous silver nitrate," K. C. Pingali, D. A. Rockstraw, S. Deng, Aerosol Science and Technology, 39(10), pp. 1010-1014 (October 2005).
"Aspen Plus® in the Chemical Engineering Curriculum: Suitable Course Content and Teaching Methodology," D. Rockstraw, Chemical Engineering Education, 39(1) (Winter 2004).
"A Generating Equation for Mixing Rules and Two New Mixing Rules for Interatomic Potential Energy Parameters," A. Al-Matar, D. A. Rockstraw, Journal of Computational Chemistry, 25(5), p. 660-668 (April 2004).
"Rapid oxidation of sulfide mine tailings by reaction with potassium ferrate," M. Murshed, D.A. Rockstraw, A.T. Hanson, M.D. Johnson, Environmental Pollution, 125(2), 245-253 (Sep 2003).
"A model for the adsorption of multiple metal ion solutes in aqueous solution onto activated carbon produced from pecan shells," S. A. Dastgheib, D.A. Rockstraw, Carbon, 40(11), 1853-1861 (2002).
"A model for the adsorption of single metal ion solutes in aqueous solution onto activated carbon produced from pecan shells," S. A. Dastgheib, D.A. Rockstraw, Carbon, 40(11), 1843-1851 (2002).
"Copper and strontium adsorption by a novel carbon material manufactured from pecan shells," Shawabkeh R.A., Rockstraw D.A., Bhada R.K., Carbon, 40(5), 781-786 (2002).
"Pecan shell activated carbon: synthesis, characterization, and application for the removal of copper from aqueous solution," S. A. Dastgheib, D.A. Rockstraw, Carbon, 39(12), 1849-1855 (2001).
Rare Earths and Actinides: Science, Technology and Applications IV, (ISBN: 0-87339-470-4), Bautista and Mishra, editors, "Vitrified Magnesia Dissolution and Its Impact on Plutonium Residue Processing," K.W. Fife, J.L. Alwin and D.A. Rockstraw, pp. 123-135.
Awards
E-Council Outstanding Professor, 2008
AspenTech Educational Innovation Award, 2004
Chemical Engineering Outstanding Professor, 2000
American Academy of Environmental Engineers, Research Grand Prize, 1998
DuPont Internal Partnering Awards, for Suva® refrigerants process development, 1991
Patents
U.S. Patent #6,225,256, May 1, 2001, Activated Carbon Feedstock.
U.S. Patent #5,104,843, April 14, 1992, Na/K Catalyst Composition.
U.S. Patent #5,157,186, Oct, 20, 1992, Process for Catalytic Coupling of an Alkene with an Aromatic.
Professional Activities
Advisor to the NMSU Student Chapter of the American Institute of
Chemical Engineers
Southwest Region Vice President of the Professional Engineers in Higher
Education division of the National Society of Professional Engineers
Governor of the Educational Practice Division of the New Mexico Society
of Professional Engineers
Faculty advisor to the NMSU Hockey Club.