Bakshi Sustainable Engineering Research Group

Our research is motivated by the following dilemma facing humanity. On the one hand, engineering plays an essential role in meeting our needs and enhancing our well-being. Evidence of this includes products like transportation fuels, vaccines, medicines, plastics, artificial fertilizers, etc. However, on the other hand, engineering also contributes to degradation of the very ecosystems that are essential for our well-being. Examples include climate change due to greenhouse gas emissions from mobilization of fossil fuels, harmful algal blooms due to runoff of artificial fertilizers, and plastic pollution due to littering and lack of biodegradability.

To address this dilemma, we are developing systematic methods and tools to transform engineering so that its results are ecologically viable, socially desirable, and economically feasible for present and future generations. For this, we adopt a transdisciplinary approach for convergence of engineering with disciplines such as environmental economics and ecosystem ecology. To prevent unintended harm from engineering activities, we consider a large system boundary from individual molecules and reactions, to manufacturing processes, their life cycles, the economy, and the biosphere. This is depicted in the adjacent figure. Our research is computational in nature and relies on advanced techniques from mathematical modeling, optimization, statistics, and machine learning.

Current projects are developing innovative designs by seeking synergies between human and natural systems, including the role of ecosystems in sustainability assessment, enabling a circular economy of plastics, decarbonization of the chemical industry, and planning to meet campus carbon neutrality goals.

We welcome you to browse this page for more information.

Bakshi, Bhavik

Emeritus, Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering

Directory Categories

Faculty

Faculty Emeriti

-Sustainability, Energy, Environment, Process Engineering

(614) 292-4904

bakshi.2@osu.edu

CBE Department News

NATIONAL AWARDS AND HONORS

2018 NSF Graduate Research Fellowship, Michael Charles. Michael was a representative at the 23rd United Nations Climate Negotiations in Bonn, Germany in 2017.
2018 Young Researcher Travel Award, Process Systems Engineering International Symposium, Tapajyoti Ghosh
2017 Outstanding Paper Award, Journal of Clean Technologies and Environmental Policy, Varsha Gopalakrishnan.
2014 Best paper award, 1st place from the Sustainable Engineering Forum of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers, with Shweta Singh
2013 Best paper award, second place at the International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology, Cincinnati, OH, with Rebecca Hanes and Nathan Cruze
2012 Graduate Student Paper Award, honorable mention, AIChE Sustainable Engineering Forum, with Geoffrey Grubb
2010 Best paper award, 1st place at the IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology, Washington, DC, with Shweta Singh
2010 Best poster award, 1st place at the IEEE International Symposium on Sustainable Systems and Technology, Washington, DC, with Shweta Singh
2008 Best Poster Award for the paper \A Framework for Assessing the Biocomplexity of Material Use", International Input Output Meeting, Seville, Spain, 9-11 July, 2008, with Dr. Jun-Ki Choi
2008 First Place Award, IEEE student technical paper contest to Mr. Geo rey Grubb. IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, San Francisco, May 2008
2008 Third Place Award, IEEE student technical paper contest to Mr. Vikas Khanna. IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, San Francisco, CA, May 2008
Graduate Student Paper Award, second place, AIChE Environmental Division to Jorge Hau, 2007
Graduate Student Paper Award, honorable mention, AIChE Environmental Division to Nandan Ukidwe, 2007
First Place Award, IEEE student technical paper contest to Mr. Vikas Khanna. IEEE International Symposium on Electronics and the Environment, Orlando, FL, May 2007
Graduate Student Paper Award, second place, AIChE Environmental Division to Jorge Hau, 2004

LOCAL AND REGIONAL RECOGNITIONS

National Research Council Post-Doctoral Fellowship to Shweta Singh, 2012
Presidential Fellowship, Ohio State University to Mr. Vikas Khanna, 2008-09
Christine Mirzayan Science & Technology Policy Graduate Fellowship at the National Academies to Mr. Vikas Khanna, Summer 2007
Whitney Research Award from the Department of Statistics to Mr. Lixin Lang, 2007
Presidential Fellowship, Ohio State University to Mr. Nandan Ukidwe, 2004-05

Name	Degree and Year	Immediate Affiliation
Dr. Vyom Thakker	Ph.D., 2023	Dow Chemical, Lake Jackson, TX
Dr. Yazeed Aleissa	Ph.D., 2022	King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Dr. Utkarsh Shah	Ph.D., 2022	Amazon, Seattle, WA
Dr. Michael Charles	Ph.D., 2021	Ohio State University
Ms. Amrita Sen	M.S., 2021	Ohio State University
Mr. Vivek Vattyam	M.S., 2021	Tesla, Fremont, CA
Mr. Kevin Do	M.S., 2020	Matrix Meats, Columbus, OH
Dr. Kyuha Lee	Ph.D., 2020	Argonne National Laboratory
Dr. Monika Varga	Visiting Fulbright scholar, 2019	Kaposvar University, Hungary
Dr. Bela Csukas	Visiting scholar, 2019	Kaposvar University, Hungary
Dr. Tapajyoti Ghosh	Ph.D., 2019	Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Mr. Shubhankar Upasani	M.S., 2019	Kohler, Milwaukee, WI
Ms. Jingying Hu	M.S., 2019	Ohio State University
Ms. Ruonan Zhao	M.S., 2019	Maersk, Beijing, China
Dr. Xinyu Liu	Ph.D., 2018	Argonne National Laboratory
Mr. Xiangming Gu	M.S., 2018	Ohio State University
Dr. Shelly Bogra*	Ph.D., 2017	Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai
Dr. Varsha Gopalakrishnan	Ph.D., 2017	Ramboll Environ, San Francisco, CA
Mr. Muzhapaer Motianlifu	M.S., 2017	PetroChina Company Ltd.
Mr. Fabrizio Saladini	Visiting Scholar, 2016	University of Siena, Italy
Mr. Don Irby	M.S., 2016	Catalent Pharma Solutions
Mr. Stefan Heglas	M.S., 2016	Arkema
Ms. Emily Helber	M.S., 2016	Accenture
Dr. Prasad Mandade*	Ph.D., 2015	Indian Institute of Technology, Mumbai, India
Dr. Sachin Jadhao*	Ph.D., 2015	Geist Research Pvt. Ltd., Goa, India
Dr. Rebecca Hanes	Ph.D., 2015	National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Colorado
Ms. Xiang Zhang	MS, 2014	Indiana University
Dr. Erin Gibbemeyer	Ph.D., 2014	University of Dayton
Mr. Diego Martinez	Visiting Scientist, 2014	Industrial University of Santander, Bucaramanga, Colombia
Ms. Hyoseon Kim	Visiting Scientist, 2012-13	POSCO, Korea
Dr. Laura Merugula	Ph.D., 2013	USEPA, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Berrin Kursun	Ph.D., 2013	Marmara University, Istanbul, Turkey
Dr. Oleg Mishchenko	Programmer, 2010-13	Halliburton, TX
Dr. Nathan Cruze	Ph.D., 2012	U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, National Statistics Service
Dr. Robert Urban	Ph.D., 2012; Post-Doctoral research associate, 2012-2013	Integrated Mill Systems, Cleveland, Ohio
Dr. Shweta Singh	Ph.D., 2012	USEPA, Corvalis, Oregon
Dr. Geoffrey Grubb	Ph.D., 2010	OARDC, Wooster, Ohio
Dr. Vikas Khanna	Ph.D., 2009	Conoco Philips, Oklahoma
Dr. Anil Baral	Post-Doctoral Research Associate, 2006-2009	International Council on Clean Transportation, Washington, DC
Dr. Jun-Ki (Dominick) Choi	Post-Doctoral Research Associate, 2007-2009	Brookhaven National Laboratory, New York
Dr. Yi Zhang	Ph.D., 2008	American Electric Power, Columbus, Ohio
Dr. Lixin Lang	Ph.D., 2008 (Statistics, co-advisor, Prof. P. K. Goel)	Bristol-Myers Squibb, Princeton, NJ
Dr. Hongshu Chen	Ph.D., 2007 (co-advisor, Prof. P. K. Goel)	Fidelity Investments, Boston, MA
Dr. Heui-Seok Yi	Post-Doctoral Research Associate, 2003-06	N/A
Dr. Roberto Ridolfi	Visiting Scientist, May-June, 2006	University of Siena, Italy
Dr. Jorge L. Hau	Ph.D., 2005	University of Surrey, UK
Dr. Nandan U. Ukidwe	Ph.D., 2005	Solutia, Springfield, MA
Mr. Daniel Arthur	M.S., 2005	General Electric, Cleveland
Dr. Wen-Shiang Chen	Ph.D., 2004	Ohio State University
Dr. Jingqin Su	Visiting Fulbright Scholar, 2002-2003	Dalian University, China
Mr. Srinivasan Ganesan	M.S., 2002	Capital Resin Co., Columbus
Mr. Marco Seabra	Visiting Student, June-August, 2001	University of Coimbra, Portugal
Dr. Hrishikesh B. Aradhye	Ph.D., 2001 (co-advisor, Prof. J. F. Davis)	SRI International, Palo Alto, CA
Dr. Mohamed N. Nounou	Ph.D., 2000	PDF Solutions, San Jose, CA
Mr. Oscar Lara	M.S., 2000	Graduate Student, OSU
Mr. Ramon Strauss	M.S., 2000	PDVSA, Venezuela
Dr. Manabu Kano	Visiting Faculty, 1999-2000	Kyoto University, Japan
Dr. Sridhar Ungarala	Post-Doctoral Research Associate, 1999	Cleveland State University
Ms. Sermin Top	M.S., 1998	Becton Dickinson and Company, NJ
Mr. Raja Chatterjee	M.S., 1998	Lucent Technologies, Columbus
Mr. Noel Cabigon	Visting Scholar, 1997-98	De LaSalle University, Philippines
Mr. Zafar Ali	M.S., 1997 (co-advisor, Prof. J. F. Davis)	Aspen Technology, Houston
Mr. Pranay Gupta	M. S., 1996 (co-advisor, Prof. J. F. Davis)	UOP, Chicago
Mr. Prakhar Bansal	M.S., 1996	Morningstar, Chicago
Mr. Huan Zhong	M.S., 1996 (co-advisor, Prof. L.-S. Fan)	Elsag-Bailey, Cleveland
Mr. Utomo Utojo	M.S., 1996	Battelle, Columbus

* Co-advised PhD students at Institute of Chemical Technology, Mumbai and TERI University, New Delhi, India

Books

B. R. Bakshi and G. Ziv (editors), Engineering and Ecosystems: Innovation and Sustainability by Seeking Synergies with Nature. in preparation. Springer, 2022.
B. R. Bakshi, Sustainable Engineering: Principles and Practice, Cambridge University Press, 2019
B. R. Bakshi, T. G. Gutowski, and D. P. Sekulic (editors), Thermodynamics and the Destruction of Resources, Cambridge University Press, 2011

Book Chapters

K. Lee and B. R. Bakshi. “Energy-Water-CO₂ Nexus of Fossil Fuel Based Power Generation”. Advances in Carbon Management Technologies. Ed. by S. Sikdar and F. Princiotta. CRC Press, Mar. 2020, pp. 184–202.
T. Ghosh, K. Lee, and B. R. Bakshi. “Integrating market models and price effects in a multiscale sustainable process design framework”. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. 47. Copper Mountain, CO, 2019, pp. 175–180.
U. D. Shah and B. R. Bakshi. “Design and Operation of Technoecological Synergy: A NO2 Case Study”. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. 47. 2019, pp. 193–198.
B. R. Bakshi. “Including Nature in Engineering for Innovation and Sustainability: Promise, Progress and Peril”. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. Ed. by M. R. Eden, M. G. Ierapetritou, and G. P. Towler. Vol. 44. Elsevier, Jan. 2018, pp. 53–62.
T. Ghosh, X. Liu, and B. R. Bakshi. “Including Ecosystem Services in Sustainable Process Design across Multiple Spatial Scales”. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. Ed. by M. R. Eden, M. G. Ierapetritou, and G. P. Towler. Vol. 44. Elsevier, Jan. 2018, pp. 1837–1842.
X. Liu and B. R. Bakshi. “Extracting Heuristics for Designing Sustainable Built Environments by Coupling Multiobjective Evolutionary Optimization and Machine Learning”. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. Ed. by M. R. Eden, M. G. Ierapetritou, and G. P. Towler. Vol. 44. Elsevier, Jan. 2018, pp. 2539–2544.
V. Gopalakrishnan and B. R. Bakshi. “Including Nature in Engineering Decisions for Sustainability”. Encyclopedia of Sustainable Technologies. Ed. by Martin Abraham. 1st edition, Elsevier, 2017.
B. Kursun and B. R. Bakshi. "Sustainability Assessment in a Geographical Region and of the Activities Performed, Handbook of Research on Green Economic Development Initiatives and Strategies." Ed. by M. Mustafa Erdogdu, Thankom Arun, and Imran Habib Ahmad. IGI Global, 2016. Chap. 2, pp. 18–43.
R. J. Hanes and B. R. Bakshi. “Comprehensive life cycle accounting in sustainable process design”. Sustainability of Products, Processes and Supply Chains: Theory and Applications. Ed. by Fengqi You. Computer Aided Chemical Engineering. Elsevier, 2015.
S. Singh and B. R. Bakshi. “Carbon and Nitrogen Footprints of Chemical and Manufacturing Industry Sectors”. Sustainability in the Analysis, Synthesis and Design of Chemical Engineering Processes. Ed. by G. R. Mercado and H. Cabezas. Elsevier, 2015.
S. Singh and B. R. Bakshi. “Carbon and Nitrogen Footprints of Engineering Activities”. Assessing and Measuring Environmental Impacts in Engineering. Ed. by Jiri J. Klemes. Elsevier, 2014.
B. R. Bakshi and G. F. Grubb. “Implications of Thermodynamics for Sustainability”. Sustainability: Multidisciplinary Perspectives. Ed. by H. Cabezas and U. Diwekar. CRC Press, 2012.
V. Khanna, L. A. Merugula, and B. R. Bakshi. “Environmental Life Cycle Assessment of Polymer Nanocomposites”. Advances in Polymer Nanocomposites. Ed. by F. Gao. Woodhead Publishing, 2012.
E. Landers, R. A. Urban, and B. R. Bakshi. “Accounting for Ecosystem Services in Life Cycle Assessment and Design”. Life Cycle Assessment: A Guide for Environmentally Sustainable Products. Ed. by Mary Ann Curran. Scrivener Publishing, 2012.
B. R. Bakshi, A. Baral, and J. L. Hau. “Thermodynamic Methods for Resource Accounting”. Thermodynamics and the Destruction of Resources. Ed. by B. R. Bakshi, T. G. Gutowski, and D. P. Sekulic. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
B. R. Bakshi, P. K. Goel, and H. J. Kim. “Improving the Quality of Life Cycle Inventory Data by Reconciliation with the Laws of Thermodynamics”. Thermodynamics and the Destruction of Resources. Ed. by B. R. Bakshi, T. G. Gutowski, and D. P. Sekulic. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
N. U. Ukidwe and B. R. Bakshi. “Exergy and Materials Flow in Industrial and Ecological Systems”. Thermodynamics and the Destruction of Resources. Ed. by B. R. Bakshi, T. G. Gutowski, and D. P. Sekulic. Cambridge University Press, 2011.
A. Baral and B. R. Bakshi. “Comprehensive Study of Cellulosic Ethanol Using Hybrid Eco-LCA”. Biofuel and Bioenergy from Biowastes and Residues. Ed. by S. Khanal. American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE), Reston, Virginia, 2009.
H. Chen, B. Li, B. R. Bakshi, and P. K. Goel. “Nonlinear Modeling: Linear Approaches for Nonlinear Modeling”. Comprehensive Chemometrics. Ed. by S. Brown, B.Walczak, and R. Tauler. Elsevier, 2009.
B. Li, P. K. Goel, and B. R. Bakshi. “Nonlinear Regression: Other Methods”. Comprehensive Chemometrics. Ed. by S. Brown, B.Walczak, and R. Tauler. Elsevier, 2009.
M. Seabra, B. R. Bakshi, and P. M. Saraiva. “Denoising and Signal to Noise (SNR) enhancement: Wavelet Transform and Fourier Transform”. Comprehensive Chemometrics. Ed. by S. Brown, B.Walczak, and R. Tauler. Elsevier, 2009.
N. U. Ukidwe, J. L. Hau, and B. R. Bakshi. “Thermodynamic Input-Output Analysis of Economic and Ecological Systems”. Handbook of Input-Output Economics in Industrial Ecology. Ed. by S. Suh. Springer, 2009.
V. Khanna, Y. Zhang, G. F. Grubb, B. R. Bakshi, and L. J. Lee. “Life Cycle Assessment of Carbon Nanofibres”. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology: Environmental and Health Impact. Ed. by V. H. Grassian. John Wiley, 2008.
B. R. Bakshi. “Energy”. Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. Ed. by P. Robbins. Sage Publications, 2007.
B. R. Bakshi. “Life Cycle Analysis”. Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. Ed. by P. Robbins. Sage Publications, 2007.
B. R. Bakshi. “Thermodynamics”. Encyclopedia of Environment and Society. Ed. by P. Robbins. Sage Publications, 2007.
V. Norberg-Bohm, W. C. Clark, B. Bakshi, A. Berkenkamp, S. A. Bishko, M. D. Koehler, J. A. Marrs, C. P. Nielsen, and A. Sagar. “International comparisons of environmental hazards”. Global Environmental Risk. Ed. by J. X. Kasperson and R. E. Kasperson. Tokyo: United Nations University Press, 2001, pp. 55–147.
S. Ungarala and B. R. Bakshi. “Multiscale Estimation of Linear Dynamic Systems with and without Accurate Models”. Wavelets in Signal and Image Analysis. Ed. by A. Petrosian and F. Meyer. Kluwer Academic Publishers, 2001.
B. R. Bakshi. “Multiscale Modeling and Model-Based Denoising”. Wavelets in Chemistry. Ed. by B. Walczak. Elsevier, 2000.
[20] M. N. Nounou and B. R. Bakshi. “Multiscale Methods for Denoising and Compression”. Wavelets in Chemistry. Ed. by B. Walczak. Elsevier, 2000.
J. F. Davis, M. J. Piovoso, K. A. Hoo, and B. R. Bakshi. “Process Data Analysis and Data Interpretation”. Advances in Chemical Engineering. Ed. by J. A. Wei. Vol. 25. Academic Press, 1999, pp. 1–103.
B. R. Bakshi and G. Stephanopoulos. “Reasoning in Time; Modeling, Analysis and Pattern Recognition of Temporal Process Trends”. Paradigms of Intelligent Systems in Process Engineering. Ed. by George Stephanopoulos and Chonghun Han. Academic Press, 1995.
C. Han, R. Lakshmanan, B. R. Bakshi, and G. Stephanopoulos. “Non-Monotonic Reasoning: The Synthesis of Operating Procedures in Chemical Plants”. Paradigms of Intelligent Systems in Process Engineering. Ed. by George Stephanopoulos and Chonghun Han. Academic Press, 1995.
A. Koulouris, B. R. Bakshi, and G. Stephanopoulos. “Empirical Learning Through Neural Networks: The Wave-Net Solution”. Paradigms of Intelligent Systems in Process Engineering. Ed. by George Stephanopoulos and Chonghun Han. Academic Press, 1995.
U. Utojo and B. R. Bakshi. “Connections Between Artificial Neural Networks and Multiariate Statistical Methods - An Overview”. Neural Networks in Bioprocessing and Chemical Engineering. Ed. by D. R. Baughman and Y. A. Liu. Academic Press, San Diego, CA, 1995.
B. R. Bakshi, A Koulouris, and G. Stephanopoulos. “Learning at Multiple Resolutions: Wavelets as Basis Functions in Artificial Neural Networks and Inductive Decision Trees”. Wavelet Applications in Chemical Engineering. Ed. by R. Motard and B. Joseph. Kluwer Inc., Boston, 1994.