Joel TerMaat

Associate Professor Engineering

Phone Number: 402.826.8621
Department: Engineering and Physics
Office: LI241
Email: [email protected]
Primary Campus: Crete
Credentials: BS, PHD

Education:

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2004

Ph.D. in Engineering (Specialization:  Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering), University of Nebraska-Lincoln, 2011

Courses Taught at Doane:

Introductory Physics I & II, General Physics I & II, Engineering Statics, Engineering Thermodynamics,  Fundamentals of Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, Design and Analysis of Energy Systems, Foundations of Environmental Engineering, Intro to Electronics & Electrical Circuits, Engineering Measurements & Experimentation, Responsible Engineering Practice, Introduction to Material Science, Senior Engineering Design I with Engineering Project Management, Senior Engineering Design II, Senior Seminar.

Areas of Interest:

My research interests are primarily at the intersection of chemical engineering, thermal fluid sciences, and instrumentation development.  I have conducted R&D within both academia and industry to develop laboratory and medical device instruments, including several start-ups focusing on commercialization of these technologies. 

Undergraduate students have significant opportunities to be involved in my engineering lab, either through funded research projects or as part of the senior engineering design capstone sequence.  Some examples of past student research and senior design projects are:

• Research into a fluidized bed reactor for bioremediation of water
• Design of solar-powered aeration system for improving lake water quality
• Development of a 3d-printed manufacturing die
• Design of a geothermal heat pump system for campus dorm
• Development of a 3d-printed Ranque-Hilsch vortex tube

In addition to traditional engineering areas, I also have interests in discipline based education research to improve undergraduate engineering education, particularly related to the professional development of engineers.  I am currently a member of the American Society for Engineering Education (ASEE) and the Society for Ethics Across the Curriculum (SEAC). 

Selected Publications

1. Connelly CM, Porter LR, TerMaat JR.  (2014) PCR amplification of a triple-repeat genetic target directly from whole blood in 15 minutes as a proof-of-principle PCR study for direct sample analysis for a clinically relevant target.  BMC Medical Genetics. 15:130.
2. TerMaat JR, Mamedov TG, Pienaar E, Whitney SE, Subramanian A. (2010) Automated two-column purification of Iminobiotin and BrdU labeled PCR products for rapid cloning: application to genes synthesized by Polymerase Chain Assembly. J. Chromatogr. Sci.  48:120-124
3. TerMaat JR, Pienaar E, Whitney SE, Mamedov TG, Subramanian A. (2009) Gene synthesis by integrated polymerase chain assembly and PCR amplification using a high-speed thermocycler. J. Microbiol. Methods.  79:  295-300
4. Ni M, Reichenbach S, Visvanathan A, TerMaat JR, Ledford EB. (2005) Peak Pattern Variations Related to Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Gas Chromatography Acquisition.  Journal of Chromatography A, 1086(1-2): 165-170.