Gerard Capellades, Ph.D.
Gerard Capellades, Ph.D.
Gerard Capellades, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Biography
Website: go.rowan.edu/capellades, https://cryarc.org/
Education:
Postdoctoral Associate, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Ph.D., Technical University of Denmark
M.S., Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Technical University of Denmark
B.S., Chemical Engineering, IQS School of Engineering, Spain
Impactful Research Areas:
Health
Biomedical
Sustainability
Sustainable Materials & Processes
Connectivity
Digital Engineering
Sensors & Robotics
Research Expertise:
Industrial Crystallization, Particulate Processes, Continuous Pharmaceutical Manufacturing, Nucleation, Crystal Growth, Impurity Rejection, Solid Solutions
As the principal investigator of the Crystallization Science & Pharmaceutical Engineering (CSPE) group, my research falls at the interplay between crystallization theory, automation, and process design. Areas of focus are the separation of complex mixtures containing multiple components, the effect of solvents and impurities on solubility and crystallization, thermodynamics and kinetics of solid solution formation, and nucleation from solution.
My group seeks to develop systematic process design strategies that draw from crystallization theory to minimize development resources while improving process understanding and scalability. In parallel, we work on the design of automated screening devices to drive fundamental work and rapid process development, and on the design of novel configurations for industrial crystallization, filtration, and drying.
Honors & Awards:
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) - Delaware Valley Section (DVS) Outstanding Faculty Award, 2026
Chemical Engineering Faculty Excellence Award (teaching award given by students), 2026
NSF CAREER Award - Division of Materials Research, 2024
Rowan University Faculty Research Achievement Award, 2024
Henry M. Rowan College of Engineering Excellence in Research Award, 2024
KEEN Engineering Unleashed Fellow (teaching award by the Kern Family Foundation), 2023
NSF ERI Award - Directorate for Engineering, 2023
Professional Memberships:
American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE): Separations Division; Pharmaceutical Discovery, Development and Manufacturing Forum.
American Chemical Society (ACS): Colloid & Surface Chemistry Division
2025 - 2026: Chair for AIChE Area 2B (Crystallization & Precipitation), Separations Division
2023 - 2024: Vice Chair for AIChE Area 2B (Crystallization & Precipitation), Separations Division