Derek D. Kim

Derek D. Kim


dk2576@columbia.edu
Tel: 001 201-562-4157

Education

  • Bachelor of Engineering in Chemical Engineering (May 2008), The Cooper Union, New York, NY.
  • Master of Engineering in Chemical Engineering (May 2010), The Cooper Union, New York, NY. Thesis: Effect of cationic surfactant molecular structure on cellulose fluorescence. Advisor: Prof. R. Savizky.
  • Ph.D. in Earth and Environmental Engineering (Estimated Dec. 2016), Columbia University, New York, NY. Thesis: Enzyme-surfactant interactions in detergent solutions. Advisor: Prof. P. Somasundaran.
  • Coursework: Surface and Colloid Chemistry, Chemical Kinetics, Materials Science, Fluid Mechanics, Mass and Heat Transfer, Thermodynamics, Process Synthesis, Process Evaluation and Chemical Systems Design, Catalysis for Emission Control, Statistical Mechanics, Atmospheric Aerosols, Sustainable Engineering and Development
  • Skills: Spectroscopy (Fluorescence IR, Raman, UV-Vis), Tensiometry, Turbidity, Zeta Potential, Optical Microscopy, GC/MS, HPLC, Applied Math, Computational Modeling, MATLAB, Polymath, Mathematica, PRO/II, C Programming, Microsoft Office Suite, Windows, Foreign Languages (fluent in Korean, familiar with Spanish)

Technical Interests

  • Design structure-property relationships for surfactants and polymers
  • Enzyme-surfactant interaction and kinetics
  • Development of target-specific detergent formulations
  • Surface and interfacial characterization

Experience – Research / Industrial

  • Graduate Research Assistant at Columbia University. Projects: Development of a predictive tool for selection of biosurfactant mixtures in target-specific oil-spill cleanup, Brown carbon in atmospheric aerosols.

Extra-curriculum: Leadership, Teaching, outreach etc.

  • Teaching assistant for Surface and Colloids Chemistry, Reactor Kinetics/Design, Transport Phenomena, Chemical Engineering Thermodynamics, Solid and Hazardous Waste Management
  • Volunteer for the Edonation Project: Provided free education in mathematics to the community in the greater New York City area