Kofke New Chair of Chemical and Biological Engineering

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- David Kofke, Ph.D., University at Buffalo Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering in the UB School of Engineering and Applied Sciences, has been appointed chair of the department.

Kofke conducts research in which he uses molecular simulation to evaluate the physical behaviors exhibited by model materials.

One of his goals is to develop knowledge and methods that enable others to conduct thermodynamic free-energy calculations efficiently and reliably, which is critical to the rational design of better, more sophisticated materials and processes, as well as to improving understanding of the basic mechanisms of nature, life and disease.

Research applications that Kofke currently is pursuing include electromigration in solids, which is important to the development of a new generation of lead-free solders for electronic packaging; and the role of entropy in solid-phase stability, which is key to the formulation and manufacture of new drugs, among other things.

Kofke also is involved in a major effort in software engineering aimed at developing cyberinfrastructure that can synthesize the efforts of a broad range of molecular simulation developers and making these techniques accessible to nonexperts with applications in both research and education.

Kofke is a recipient of the prestigious 2004 John M. Prausnitz Award for "significant and lasting contributions to the field of applied chemical thermodynamics." Early in his career, Kofke received a Presidential Young Investigator Award and a Dow Outstanding New Faculty Award.

A UB faculty member since 1989, Kofke is a recipient of the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the SUNY Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Research and Creative Activities. He also received a UB Exceptional Scholar Award for Sustained Achievement.

The author of approximately 100 scientific papers, Kofke's research on the development and application of simulation methods is supported by the National Science Foundation and the Department of Energy; his software engineering efforts are supported by and IBM and by grants from the NSF.

Kofke lives in East Amherst.