Dr. Russell Chianelli
Director
Materials Research and Technology Institute
United States
Biography
Russell R. Chianelli is currently Director of the Materials Research and Technology Institute at the University of Texas at El Paso and Professor of Chemistry, Materials and Environmental Science and Engineering. After receiving his PhD, he joined the Corporate Research Laboratories of Exxon Research and Engineering Co in 1974. While at this laboratory he conducted research in both fundamental and applied areas of interest to the energy industry. He is recognized worldwide for his work in Transition Metal Sulfide environmental catalytic materials. This work resulted in over 130 publications and 60 issued United States patents. During this period he was active in the Materials Research Society (MRS), serving as vice president (1989), president (1990), past president (1991) and Counselor (1992-1994). In 1996 he joined the Chemistry Department at the University of Texas at El Paso as Chairman and Professor of Chemistry and Environmental Sciences. In 2001 he resigned as Chemistry Department Chairman to head the Materials Research and Technology Institute (MRTI) at UTEP. The MRTI is dedicated to research relevant to the US/Mexico border in Materials related to energy, environment and health.
Research Interest
Material Science and the management of research and development efforts. His most recent work has focused on the development of new catalysts and pigments primarily directed to the field of layered compounds.