Brent Shanks

Dr. Brent Shanks is the Mike and Jean Steffenson Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and Director of the NSF’s Engineering Research Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC) at Iowa State University.  He was a research engineer from 1988-1997 and department manager from 1997-1999 at Shell Chemical Co.  He received a B.S. Chemical Engineering, Iowa State University, 1983; M.S. Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1985; and Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, California Institute of Technology, 1988.  Brent’s research projects include Catalytic Conversion of Biorenewable Feedstocks; Mesoporous Metal Oxides as Nanostructured Catalytic Hosts; and Potassium-Promoted Iron Oxide Catalysts.

Brent is a Shell Faculty Fellow 2000-2002; recipient of VEISHEA Engineering Faculty of the Year 2000; ISU Engineering Student Council Leadership Award 2004; AlChE Student Chapter Teaching Award 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2008; and recipient of the 2007 Superior Engineering Teacher Award.  His professional memberships include the American Chemical Society, American Institute of Chemical Engineers, North American Catalysis Society, Omega Chi Epsilon, and Tau Beta Pi.