Pedro J. Tarafa-Velez, Ph.D., P.E.
Assistant Professor
Ph.D. University of South Carolina

Office T-207,
Mayagüez, PR 00680
(787) 832-4040, Ext. 3087
E-Mail: pedro.tarafa@upr.edu

Professional Experience

• 09/10 – Pres          Assistant Professor, Department of Engineering Sciences & Materials, University of Puerto Rico, Mayagüez, PR
• 01/06 – 05/10        Research Assistant, Dense Phase Fluids Lab, Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC
• 02/02 – 12/05         Process Engineer II; Interim Supervisor (12/02-06/03); Acting Manager (04/04-07/04), Tank Farm and Chemical Warehouse, Pfizer Pharmaceuticals (former Pharmacia Corp.), Arecibo, PR
• 10/00 – 12/01         Environmental Consultant Engineer, Pacheco Carlos & Assoc., San Juan, PR
• 07/99 – 10/00        Environmental Technical Services Engineer, Lilly del         Caribe, Inc., Carolina, PR  

Professional Affiliations

Colegio de Ingenieros y Agrimensores de Puerto Rico

Institute of Chemical Engineers of Puerto Rico   

American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) 

Professional Preparation

Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 2010, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC

MS. Environmental Engineering , 1999, University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

BS. Chemical Engineering, 1997,  University of Puerto Rico, Mayaguez

Publications

• Tarafa P.J., Williams E., Panvelker S., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A., Removing endotoxin from metallic biomaterials with compressed carbon dioxide-based mixtures, J.Supercrit. Fluids (2010), doi:10.1016/j.supflu.2010.09.010.

  Tarafa P.J. and Matthews M.A., Phase equilibrium for surfactant Ls-54 in liquid CO2 with water and solubility estimation using the Peng-Robinson equation of state, Fluid Phase Equilibria (2010), doi:10.1016/j.fluid.2010.07.020.  

  Tarafa P.J., Jiménez A., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A., Compressed carbon dioxide for decontamination of biomaterials and tissue scaffolds, J.Supercrit. Fluids 53 (2010) 192-199.  

   

  PROCEEDINGS IN REFEREED CONFERENCES

  Tarafa P.J., Jiménez A., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A., Supercritical CO2 for disinfection and processing of biomaterials and tissue scaffolds. Proceedings of the 9th International Symposium on Supercritical Fluids (2009).  

  Tarafa P.J. and Tang N.S., Leachate Recirculation within the Landfill.  Hazardous and Industrial Wastes.  Proceedings of the 32nd Mid-Atlantic Industrial and Hazardous Waste Conference (2000).

   

  POSTERS AND TECHNICAL PRESENTATIONS

  Tarafa P.J., Williams E., Panvelker S., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A, Removing Endotoxin from Metallic Biomaterials with Compressed CO2-Based Mixtures. Poster presented at the 2010 Society for Biomaterials Annual Meeting, Seattle WA. April 21-24, 2010.  

  Tarafa P.J., Williams E., Panvelker S., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A, Processing Endotoxin-Contaminated Metallic Biomaterials with Compressed CO2-Based Mixtures. Poster presented at the 2009 South Carolina Bioengineering Symposium, Columbia SC. April 14-15 2009.

  Tarafa P.J., Jiménez A., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A, Liquid and Supercritical CO2 for Decontamination of Biomedical Materials. 2008 American Institute of Chemical Engineers (AIChE) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. November 21, 2008.  

  Tarafa P.J., Panvelker S., Zhang J., and Matthews M.A Processing of Contaminated Metal Surfaces with Compressed CO2: Biomedical Applications. Poster presented at the AIChE 2007 Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City UT. November 2007.  

   

  AWARDS AND HONORS

  Alfred P. Sloan Fellowship (2007-2009)

  NSF- South Eastern Alliance for Graduate Education and the Professoriate Fellowship (2006)  

  Honeywell Fellowship (2006)  

  Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company Fellowship (1997-1999)

  Alliance for Minority Participation Scholarship (1995)