Alum Dane Grismer Receives NC State Professional Development Award

Alum Dr. Dane Grismer (B.S. ’09), a Postdoctoral Research Scholar in Dr. Velev’s group, has been awarded the NC State Professional Development Award for Postdocs. Established in 2013, the Award is designed to assist postdoctoral scholars pursuing professional development or training opportunities and to help them reach their professional and/or career goals.

Dane’s overarching research interest is in healthcare technologies that improve patient outcomes and quality of life. His graduate research at the University of Notre Dame was focused on the design of portable diagnostic devices, and his ultimate goal is a career in industrial R&D where he wants to contribute to the development and distribution of diagnostics and therapeutics.

Dane used the Award funds to enroll in an AIChE online course, “Biomanufacturing for Chemical Engineers.” As an aside, content for the course was developed by six BTEC (Golden LEAF Biomanufacturing Training and Education Center) staff members. The course allowed him “to fill in gaps in my knowledge of biopharmaceutical manufacturing . . ., as well as further prepare for an industrial career.”

Dane’s postdoc research is focused on remediation of bioparticle-stabilized foams in commercial bioreactors. The work builds on a knowledge base he developed as a graduate student, as an Undergraduate Research Assistant in the (then) Department of Wood and Paper Science (Dane earned B.S. degrees in ChE and Paper Science and Engineering), and as a Co-op Intern at both National Gypsum Company in Charlotte and at Hercules, Inc.in Wilmington, DE.

Congratulations Dane for your Award and commitment to help improve peoples’ medical outcomes.