John G. Ekerdt is the associate dean for research in the Cockrell School of Engineering at The University of Texas at Austin. His work is supported by the endowment created as the Dick Rothwell Endowed Chair in Chemical Engineering. He holds a Texas professional engineer's license.
Dr. Ekerdt joined the faculty in 1979, after earning degrees from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, (B.S., 1974), and the University of California, Berkeley, California (Ph.D., 1979). At The University of Texas at Austin, he has taught and conducted research within the Department of Chemical Engineering. His research interests include growth and properties of barrier thin films; kinetics and interface chemistry of silicon-germanium alloy nanocrystal dot growth from hydrides; precursor chemistry in thin film growth; thin film and quantum dot self-assembly at interfaces; growth and properties of dielectric films; kinetics and chemistry of biomass conversion.
Dr. Ekerdt has held several administrative posts within and outside the university, including the Department of Chemical Engineering graduate advisor from 1985-90 and department chair from 1997-2005. He served as associate director of a National Science Foundation Science and Technology Center the university from 1999-2001 and chaired the Chemical Technology Operating Council of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2009. He has authored more than 230 refereed publications, two books and three book chapters, and five U.S. patents. He has supervised more than 39 Ph.D. and 7 M.S. students.
His professional awards are many and include the Charles M.A. Stine Award in Materials Science and Engineering of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2001, the Joe J. King Professonal Engineering Achievement Award, The University of Texas in 2005, and election to Fellow of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers in 2006.
