Education
Doctor of Engineering (DRE), Chemical Engineering, Cleveland State University, 1988
B.S., Chemical Engineering, Case Western Reserve University, 1980

Honors and Awards

• 2018 Caplenor Faculty Research Award, for outstanding research scholarship 
•  J. Am. Cer. Soc. Best Paper Award, Cements in the 21st Century, Perspectives, and Opportunities, J. J. Biernacki, et al, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 100 (7), 2746-2773 (2017). 
• American Ceramic Society Cements Division, Brunauer Award for Best Paper published in the J. Am. Ceram. Soc. on a cements related topic, “An Application of Computer-Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) Using the Signature Molecular Descriptor – Part 1. Identification of Surface Tension Reducing Agents and the Search for Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures,” and “Part 2.  Evaluating Newly Identified Surface Tension Reducing Substances for Potential Use as Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures” and is co-authored by Hamed Kayello, Naresh Tadisina, Natalia Shlonimskaya and Donald P. Visco.
• American Ceramic Society Cements Division, 2016 Della Roy Lecture Award
• Chemical Engineering Education (CEE) “Top 5” paper: J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005).  The “Top 5” designation was established by a vote of CEE editors after reviewing papers published in CEE for the past 50 years, see CEE, 50(1), 2-13 (2016). 
• TTU Department of Chemical Engineering, 2016 Outstanding Teacher Award
• TTU, 2016 Outstanding Honors Faculty Award
• TTU College of Engineering, 2015 Teacher-Scholar Award
• TTU College of Engineering, 2014 Teacher-Scholar Award
• TTU College of Engineering, 2013 Teacher-Scholar Award
• 2012 Leighton E. Sissom Innovation and Creativity Award
• University Distinguished Faculty Fellow (2011-2013)
• 2009 Caplenor Faculty Research Award, for outstanding research scholarship
• 2008 TTU Outstanding Faculty Teaching Award 
• 2007 American Concrete Institute (ACI), Fellow 
• 2007 ACerS (American Ceramic Society) Profiles in Excellence
• 2007 TTU College of Engineering Brown-Henderson Award, for outstanding Engineering faculty
• 2006 QEP Award for Innovative Instruction, for integration of laboratory and lecture
• 2006 ASEE Corcoran Award, Best Paper, J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
• 2006 ASEE, Southeast Section, Thomas C. Evans Award, Best Paper, J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
• Annals of Research in Engineering Education, Winter 2006, Vol. 2, No. 1 - J. J. Biernacki, A Course-level Strategy for Continuous Improvement, Chem. Eng. Ed., 39(3) 186-193 (2005)
• 2005 College of Engineering Dean’s Advisory Board Award for Excellence (the nomination cited Biernacki’s many contributions to ACI and to the multi-disciplinary research of concrete materials)
• 2003 Outstanding Faculty Award for Professional Service (the nomination cited Biernacki’s involvement and dedication to both ACI and the ACerS Cements Division)
• 2002 Leighton E. Sissom Innovation and Creativity Award
• 2002 Kinslow Engineering Research Award, Best Paper, (J. J. Biernacki, P. Stutzman and P. J. Williams, Kinetics of the Reaction Between Fly Ash and Calcium Hydroxide, ACI Mat. J., 98(4), 340-349 (2001))

Research Statement

The primary emphasis of my research group is to develop fundamental kinetic and thermophysical data for materials synthesis. Materials in this case are primarily ceramics, but may include composites of ceramics, metals and polymers. While my specific focus changes from project to project, there are several themes: stoichiometry and hydration kinetics of portland cement and supplementary cementitious materials and characterization of the microstructure and transport processes in the same; synthesis kinetics and associated transport processes of ceramic materials; and kinetics of synthesis and degradation of organic materials, particularly at high temperatures, e.g. biomass pyrolysis.

Publications

Most Recent

•  H. Taheri Afarani, W. Carrol, E. J. Garboczi and J. J. Biernacki, Designing 3D Printable Cementitious Materials with Gel-Forming Polymers, Construction and Building Materials, 268, 121709 (2021), published in advance of hard copy at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0950061820337132. 
• A. Zolghadr, C. Tempelton and J. J. Biernacki, Biomass Fast Pyrolysis using a Novel Micro-Particle Micro-Reactor Approach: Model-based Interpretations, Biomass Type and Temperature, Energy and Fuel, (published on-line in advance of hard copy at: DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.9b02209), 33(11), 10999-11008 (2019). 
• A. Zolghadr, J. J. Biernacki and R. Moore, Biomass Fast Pyrolysis using a Novel Micro-Particle Micro-Reactor Approach: Effect of Particles Size, Biomass Type and Temperature, Energy and Fuel, DOI: 10.1021/acs.energyfuels.8b03395, 33 (2), 1146-1156 (2019). 
• Zolghadr, M. D. Kelley, G. Sokhansefat, M. Moradian, B. Sullins, T. Ley and J. J. Biernacki, Biomass Microspheres – A New Method for Characterization of Biomass Pyrolysis and Shrinkage, Bioresource Technology,  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.09.137, 273, 16-24 (2018). 
• A. S. Mohammad, J. J. Biernacki, S. Northrup and M. Adenson, Diffusion of CO2 and Fractional Free Volume in Crystalline and Amorphous Cellulose, J. Anal. Appl. Pyrol., in press, published on-line at: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2018.05.005 (2018). 

Other Select

• J. D. Murillo, G. L. Norris and J. J. Biernacki, The Southern Grassroots Biofuels Project: A Participatory Study of Conservationists and Stakeholders from Two Upper Cumberland Counties, Sociology Spectrum, 35(4), 249-371 (2015).
• B. Agee, D. Swartling, and J. J. Biernacki,Wolff-Kishnerreduction Reactions Using a Solar Irradiation Heat Source and a Green Solvent System, Green Chemistry Letters and Reviews,7 (4), 283-392 (2014).
• J. D. Murillo, E. A. Ware and J. J. Biernacki,Characterization of Milling Effects on the Physical and Chemical Nature of Herbaceous Biomass with Comparison of Fast Pyrolysis Product Distributions Using Py-GC/MS, J.Analy. Appl. Pyrol.,108, 234-247 (2014).
• N. Shlonimskaya, J. J. Biernacki, H. M. Kayello and D. P.VisocJr., An Application of Computer-Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) Using the Signature Molecular Descriptor – Part 2.Evaluating Newly Identified Surface Tension Reducing Substances for Potential Use as Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 97 (2) 365-377 (2014).
• H. M. Kayello, N. K. R. Tadisina, N.Shlonimskaya, J. J. Biernacki and D. P. VisocJr., An Application of Computer-Aided Molecular Design (CAMD) Using the Signature Molecular Descriptor – Part 1.Identification of Surface Tension Reducing Agents and the Search for Shrinkage Reducing Admixtures, J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 97 (2), 378-385 (2014).

Recent Courses Taught

Undergraduate:

• CHE 4410 (F2020) - Chemical Engineering Design I
• CHE 4420 (S2021) - Chemical Engineering Design II

Graduate:

• CHE 6210 (S2019) Advanced Reaction Engineering