RAMON GONZALEZ

Dr. Ramon Gonzalez is a Professor and Florida World Class Scholar in the Department of Chemical, Biological and Materials Engineering at the University of South Florida (USF) where he leads the laboratory for Metabolic Engineering and Biomanufacturing. He is also the Editor-in-Chief of the Journal of Industrial Microbiology and Biotechnology (JIMB). Before joining USF, Dr. Gonzalez was a Professor in the Departments of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Bioengineering at Rice University and the Founding Director of Rice’s Advanced Biomanufacturing Initiative, and from 2012 to 2015 served as Program Director with the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) of the U.S. Department of Energy.

Dr. Gonzalez’s work has been published in prestigious scientific journals, including Nature, Nature Biotechnology, Nature Chemical Biology, Nature Catalysis, PNAS, and Science and he has given more than 100 invited talks at institutions around the world. He is the lead inventor in 25 patents/patent applications, co-founded Glycos Biotechnologies Inc. and Creo Ingredients Inc., and has advised major companies in the field of industrial biotechnology.

In addition to his role as E-i-C of JIMB, Dr. Gonzalez is a member/has served in the editorial boards of Science, Biotechnology Journal, Metabolic Engineering Communications, Applied & Environmental Microbiology, Applied Biochemistry & Biotechnology, and Food Biotechnology. He has received numerous recognitions, including elected Fellow of the American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), Tiangong Forum Lecture (TIB-CAS, China), AIChE Division 15c Plenary Lecture, ASM Distinguished Lecturer, SDA/NBB Glycerine Innovation Research Award, and NSF CAREER Award. Dr. Gonzalez obtained a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Chile, an M.S. in Biochemical Engineering from the Pontifical Catholic University of Valparaíso (Chile), and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Central University “Marta Abreu” of Las Villas (Cuba).

Publications

Professional Experience

2018 to present – Professor, Florida 21st Century World Class Scholar, Department of Chemical, Biological, and Materials Engineering, University of South Florida, Tampa, Florida
2015 to present – Editor-in-Chief, Journal of Industrial Microbiology & Biotechnology
2014 to 2018 – Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
2016 to 2018 – Founding Director, Advanced Biomanufacturing Initiative (iBIO), Rice University, Houston, Texas
2014 to 2016 – Director, Energy and Environment Initiative (EEi), Rice University, Houston, Texas
2012 to 2015 – Program Director, Advanced Research Projects Agency—Energy (ARPA-E), U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), Washington D.C.
2011 to 2014 – Associate Professor, Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
2007 to 2011 – Assistant Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
2005 to 2011 – William W. Akers Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, Rice University, Houston, Texas
2002 to 2005 – Assistant Professor, Departments of Chemical & Biological Engineering and Food Science & Human Nutrition, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa
2001 to 2002 – Postdoctoral Associate, Department of Microbiology and Cell Science, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida
1994 to 1995 – Process Engineer, Marcelo Salado Sugar Mill (Formerly, Reforma Sugar Mill), MINAZ (Cuba's Sugar Ministry), Caibarien, Cuba
1993 to 1996 – Research Associate and Lecturer, Center for Processes Analysis, Department of Chemical Engineering, Central University of Las Villas, Santa Clara, Cuba

Education

2001 – Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, University of Chile
1999 – M.Sc., Biochemical Engineering, Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile
1993 – B.Sc., Chemical Engineering, Central University of Las Villas, Cuba

Awards and Honors

Elected Fellow, American Institute for Medical and Biological Engineering (AIMBE), 2018.
AIChE Food, Pharmaceutical, and Bioengineering Division 15C Plenary Award, AIChE Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, MN, 2017.
American Society for Microbiology Distinguished Lecturer (ASMDL), ASMDL Program, 2015-2019
Keynote Lecture, Emerging Technologies in Clean Energy Keynote, 2014 AIChE Spring Meeting, New Orleans, LA, 2014
Keynote Lecture, Biofuels and Sustainable Energy Session, Division of Biochemical Technology, 247th ACS National Meeting, Dallas, TX, 2014
Invited Participant, National Academy of Engineering’s 2013 US Frontiers of Engineering Symposium. Wilmington, DE, 2013
Eugene Goldschmidt Lecture, Texas Branch American Society for Microbiology Spring Conference, 2011
SDA/NBB Glycerine Innovation Research Award, American Oil Chemists' Society, 2010
Hershel M. Rich Invention Award, Rice University, 2010
Faculty Teaching and Mentoring Award, Graduate Student Association, Rice University, 2010
Distinguished Faculty Associate, Baker College, Rice University, 2009-2010 Academic Year
Hamill Innovation Award, Institute of Biosciences and Bioengineering, Rice University, 2009
NSF Faculty Early Career (CAREER) Award, National Science Foundation, 2007
Visiting Professor, School of Biochemical Engineering, Catholic University of Valparaiso, Chile, 2004/2008
Graduated with distinction: University of Chile, 2001; Catholic University of Valparaiso, 1999; Central University of Las Villas, 1993
AgCI Fellowship, Ministry of Planning, Chile, 1996
First Prize. Cuban National Olympiad of Chemistry, Engineering Level. Havana, Cuba, 1989

CONTACT INFORMATION

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