R. Allen Kimel
Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering
212A Steidle Building
The Pennsylvania State University
University Park, PA 16802
Tel: (814) 865-5397
Fax: (814) 865-2917
Email: kimel@matse.psu.edu
EDUCATION
 Ph.D., Materials Science and Engineering, August 2002. The Pennsylvania State
University, University Park, PA.
o Thesis: “Solution Chemistry Issues During the Aqueous Synthesis and
Processing of Nanosized Yttria Tetragonally Stabilized Zirconia (YTZP)”
o Thesis advisor: Dr. James H. Adair
 M.S., Chemistry, May 1998. The University of North Carolina Greensboro,
Greensboro, NC.
o Thesis: “EPR Investigation of Azide as an Inhibitor of Oxygen Evolution in
Photosystem II”
o Thesis advisor: Dr. Alice Haddy
 B.S., Materials Science and Engineering, May 1994. North Carolina State
University, Raleigh, NC.
o Senior thesis: “Effect of Process Parameters on the Reproducibility of Milled
Tungsten Carbide Powders,”
o Faculty advisor: Dr. Hayne Palmour, III.
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
 Assistant Professor. July 2002 – present, Materials Science and Engineering
Department, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA.
o Undergraduate education and research
o Aqueous synthesis and processing of nanosized inorganic particles
o Aqueous ceramics processing
o Colloidal and interfacial chemistry
o General materials chemistry
 High School Teacher. November 1994 – July 1995, United States Peace Corps,
Swaziland, Africa.
o Instructor of chemistry, physics and math at grade level equivalent to 8 and 11
o Advisor for volleyball and class monitors/representatives
RESEARCH
PATENT
 S.S. Pak and R.A. Kimel, “Fabrication of Y3Al5O12 Fibers from Water Soluble
Polymers,” October 4, 1994, U.S. Patent Number 5,352,642.
RESEARCH (cont’d)
PUBLICATIONS
 R.A. Kimel and J.H. Adair, “Recovery of Well-Dispersed Less Than 10 nm Y-TZP
Utilizing a Nanoscale Analog to a Protective Colloid Approach,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc.,
submitted 2005.
 R.A. Kimel and J.H. Adair, “Aqueous Synthesis at 200C of Sub-10 Nanometer YTZP Using a Metal-Ligand Approach,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 88 [5], 1133-1138
(2005).
 R.A. Kimel, “Yttria Tetragonally Stabilized Zirconia: Aqueous Synthesis and
Processing,” in Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Schwarz, J.A.,
Contescu, C., Putyera, K., Eds.; Marcel Dekker, New York, NY, 2004.
 R.A. Kimel and J.H. Adair, “Aqueous Degradation and Chemical Passivation of
Yttria Tetragonally Stabilized Zirconia at 25C,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 85 [6], 14031408 (2002).
 R.A. Kimel, V. Ganine, and J.H. Adair, “Double Injection Synthesis and Dispersion
of Submicrometer Barium Titanyl Oxalate Tetrahydrate,” J. Am. Ceram. Soc., 84 [5],
1172-1174 (2001).
 A. Haddy, R.A. Kimel, and R. Thomas, “Effects of Azide on the S2 State EPR Signals
from Photosystem II,” Photosynthesis Research, 63, 35-45 (2000).
 A. Haddy, J.A. Hatchell, R.A. Kimel, and R. Thomas, “Azide as a Competitor of
Chloride in Oxygen Evolution by Photosystem II,” Biochemistry, 38, 6104-6110
(1999).
TEACHING
CLASSES CREATED/TAUGHT
 MatSE 013. Applied Materials Chemistry for Engineers. Co-created fall 2004 with
Jim Adair, first course offering spring 2005.
 MatSE 081. Materials Today. Taught spring 2003 and spring 2004.
 MatSE 460. Introduction to Materials Science and Engineering Laboratory. Created
summer 2002, taught fall 2002 – present.
 MatSE 462. General Properties Laboratory. Created fall 2004, taught spring 2005 present.
 MatSE 468. Senior Ceramics Processing Laboratory. Taught fall 2003 – present.
 MatSE 474. Polymer Materials Characterization. Created spring 2004, taught spring
2004 – present.
 EM SC 100S. First Year Seminar: Materials Science and Engineering – Enabling the
Evolution of Technology in Society. Created summer 2004, taught fall 2004 - present.
ADVISING
 Co-advisor, Freshmen/sophomore students without declared option, Department of
Materials Science and Engineering, 2003 - present
 Advisor, Materials Advantage Club (undergraduate student organization),
Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2004 – present

Advisor, Keramos (Penn State chapter of the national professional ceramic
engineering fraternity), Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2004 present
ADVISING (cont’d)
 Advisor, College of Earth and Mineral Science Student Council, 2003 – present
SERVICE
DEPARTMENT LEVEL
 Recruitment Committee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2002 –
present
 Curriculum Committee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering, 2003 –
present
 Department Museum Committee, Department of Materials Science and Engineering,
2004 – present
 Coordinator, Department Graduate Student/Post-doc Poster Competition, Department
of Materials Science and Engineering, 2002 - present
 Chair, Undergraduate Laboratory Committee, Department of Materials Science and
Engineering, 2002 – 2004
COLLEGE LEVEL
 Advisor, College of Earth and Mineral Science Student Council, 2003 – present
 Coordinator, Total Orientation to Earth and Mineral Sciences (TOTEMS) Freshman
Orientation Program, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences, 2003 - present
 Fix Term/Research Faculty Advisory Committee, College of Earth and Mineral
Sciences, 2004 – present.
 Student Recruitment and Retainment Committee, College of Earth and Mineral
Sciences, Fall 2002.
HONORS and PROFESSIONAL SOCIETIES
 2004 Faculty Mentoring Award, College of Earth and Mineral Sciences
 2003 Travel Fellowship Recipient for 8th Annual Meeting of the European Ceramics
Society, June 29 – July 3, Istanbul, Turkey.
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Member, American Chemical Society, 1996 - present
Member, American Ceramics Society, 1998 - present
Member, Sigma Xi Research Society, 1998 - present
Member, Keramos, 2000 – present