CAC Directors
The members of the Center have experience with batch and continuous reactors for use
in both liquid and vapor phase reactions.
Robert L. Augustine received his Ph.D. in 1957 from Columbia University. After four years on the staff
of the chemistry department of the University of Texas, Austin, he joined the faculty
at Seton Hall University. His first book on Catalytic Hydrogenation was published
in 1965. His most recent book, "Heterogeneous Catalysis for the Synthetic Chemist"
was published in 1995. He has supervised research which has led to the writing of
thirty seven doctoral dissertations and nine masters thesis and the publication of
over 120 research articles, ten books, seventeen patents and six chapters and reviews
in areas such as organic synthesis, catalytic hydrogenation, the utilization of catalytic
reactions in synthesis and the use of dispersed metals as catalysts for reactions
other than hydrogenations. In 1990 he received the Paul N. Rylander award from the
Organic Reactions Catalysis Society for outstanding achievements in the use of catalysis
in organic synthesis. He was the recipient of the 2003 Henry J. Alper Award from
the International Precious Metal Institute for "major technical and commercial contributions
to the field of precious metals catalysis, over a distinguished career that embodies
the ideals of this award".
Setrak K. Tanielyan received his Ph.D. in 1978 from the Institute of Organic Chemistry of the Bulgarian
Academy of Sciences. He remained at this Institute as a Research Scientist and Assistant
Professor until 1989 when he came to Seton Hall University as a Research Associate.
He has twenty five patents and has published over sixty research articles in areas
such as catalytic oxidation, enantioselective heterogeneous catalysis, catalytic hydrogenations
and catalytic epoxidations.
Augustine and Tanielyan have, between them over sixty years of experience in the design
and use of catalysts in selective reactions.