Al Weimer (Chemical and Biological Engineering)

For this month’s Industry Research Partnerships (IRP) Faculty Spotlight, we interviewed Dr. Alan (Al) Weimer, Melvin E. and Virginia M. Clark Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering, to learn more about his work, research and impact at ̽����Ƶ.

Partnership journey

IRP: We’ve really appreciated the way you’ve engaged with industry over time—could you share a bit about how those relationships have developed for you, and what’s worked well along the way?

Dr. Weimer: I had the opportunity to serve as the Founding Executive Director of the Colorado Center for Biorefining and Biofuels (C2B2), established in 2007. The center eventually grew to include approximately 30 companies and collaborations among the University of Colorado, Colorado State University, and the Colorado School of Mines. To my knowledge, it became the longest-lasting center created by the State of Colorado during that period.

Companies joined C2B2 for a variety of reasons, but a central motivation was their desire to be engaged in the research, better understand emerging opportunities and potential challenges, and learn from academic expertise. A question I often asked industry partners was: “What can C2B2 do to help address your concerns, provide insight and help solve the problems you face?” The goal was then to connect them with the research laboratories and principal investigators within C2B2 whose expertise aligned with those needs.

I have generally found this approach to be effective for building productive industry partnerships. My perspective is shaped in part by more than 16 years of experience working in industry prior to joining CU, which differs from the background of many faculty members. Establishing clear, achievable research deliverables and timelines—and meeting those commitments—is essential. Industry partners can become hesitant when investigators accept funding but fail to deliver what was agreed upon.

I have also made a point of placing students at the center of these collaborations. Giving them direct exposure to industrial partners allows companies to see the individuals carrying out the work and provides invaluable professional experience for the students. In many cases, my students become the primary interface with industry and play a key role in communicating research progress—often becoming the true “deal closers.”

Added value to research, education and lab work

IRP: From your perspective, how have these partnerships contributed to your research or lab—whether through new ideas, resources, or different types of problems to work on?

Dr. Weimer: From my perspective these partnerships have been essential to the success of my research program. My lab conducts what I describe as “fundamental applied research.” We work on real-world applications—which students find highly motivating—while also addressing the underlying fundamental science. Although we carry out relatively large-scale experiments, our work still appears in some of the leading scientific journals.

One industry representative once told me that their company supports our work because we “actually build things.” That is accurate. Many of the systems we construct operate under extreme conditions and push the boundaries of what can be experimentally demonstrated. My laboratory includes seven walk-in hoods, which allows us to conduct research at a relatively large scale and, in some cases, approach technology readiness levels (TRLs) that help bridge the proverbial “valley of death” between research and deployment. In this respect, our laboratory infrastructure is quite unique.

I am also proud that this applied research environment has not limited the career paths of our students. Of the 40 Ph.D. students I have advised, seven have gone on to academic careers and three have become CEOs.

Industry partnerships have also been very supportive in terms of infrastructure. Our partners have consistently helped ensure that we have the instrumentation and equipment necessary to perform the work. I have never encountered difficulty obtaining the resources needed for specialized analyses or for building the experimental systems required for our research.

Student experience

IRP: We’re especially interested in the student side—how have these industry-connected projects shaped the experience for your students in terms of skills, exposure or confidence working on real-world challenges?

Dr. Weimer: As a hands-on applied engineering research lab, our students develop skills beyond modeling, solving equations, operating existing systems, or running analytical instruments. Most new Ph.D. students design and build experimental systems from the ground up. We provide exceptional resources, including experienced professional research assistants who help students work through design challenges and an outstanding machine shop capable of fabricating custom systems based on those designs.

Students gain practical experience with tubing and fittings, temperature and pressure transmitters, flow controllers, in-line analyzers, and the control programming needed to operate integrated experimental systems. When problems occur, the most valuable learning comes from diagnosing the cause and determining how to fix it. These hands-on experiences are distinctive to our lab and provide students with a unique and highly valuable skill set when seeking employment.

Some Ph.D. students have also completed one-day-per-week internships with partner companies, gaining firsthand exposure to industrial projects. In addition, we developed a novel reactor skid process in our shop that operates at a solids flow rate of 1 kg per hour—significantly larger than what can reasonably be operated within our laboratory. OCG helped facilitate lending this skid to a local company for their use while enabling us to pursue joint research proposals. In this arrangement, the company becomes a natural partner for projects where the skid offers unique capabilities.

Student outcomes

IRP: Have you seen any examples where this kind of engagement has opened doors for students—whether in career paths, collaborations or other opportunities?

Dr. Weimer: My students have achieved 100% job placement, in large part because the hands-on experience they gain in the lab is unique and highly valued by industry. My Ph.D. students regularly present papers in professional sessions attended by industrial researchers, creating valuable opportunities for them to be visible and to network with potential employers.

I also encourage faculty interested in industrial collaboration to attend these industry-focused sessions. Many faculty tend to concentrate exclusively on academic sessions, but engaging with industry audiences can be extremely beneficial. Through participation in these sessions and related events, such as conference dinners, I have developed relationships with industrial research scientists that have led to several funded research collaborations.

IRP: Have you been able to engage industry in your teaching and educational mission and how has this impacted student learning and outcomes?

Dr. Weimer: I began teaching the capstone design course in 1996 with the goal of transforming it into a more practical, industry-connected experience for senior undergraduates. The objective was to give students meaningful problem-solving experience while strengthening ties between the department and industry. I wanted students to work directly with industry professionals and complete projects that produced tangible, real-world outcomes they could discuss in job interviews. Converting the course from a traditional academic format to an industry-facing model was a major and challenging overhaul. Since then, more than 150 organizations—including private companies and government laboratories—have participated.

Industry liaisons, many of whom are department alumni, collaborate with student teams on chemical process design and economic analysis for real-world projects. Students submit biweekly letter reports, deliver two midterm oral presentations, present a final 45-minute presentation at the liaison’s facility, and complete a comprehensive written design report. On average, about 5–10% of students receive job offers based on their project work. In some cases, project liaisons originate from companies that fund research in my laboratory; in others, course interactions have led to new funded research projects for Ph.D. students. I also appreciate that my department entrusts a tenured professor to teach this applied undergraduate capstone course, which is relatively uncommon.