Research Background

Younas has been trained as a multi-disciplinary chemical engineer through working as a researcher and faculty in different universities for more than fifteen years and as an industry consultant for more than five years. Younas’ research background can be summarized in the following topics:

• Process Design and Simulation
• Multi-objective Optimization Targeting Productivity Enhancement
• Multiphase Multicomponent Phase Behavior Modeling (Multiscale Modeling)
• Mass-Energy-Property Integration Enhancing Waste Minimization and Sustainability
• Physicochemical Characterization
• Big Data and Machine Learning
• Human Factor Analyses in Process Design
• Consolidated and Hygroscopic Porous Media Modeling

Current Research

Currently, Younas is a Research Associate at Cornell University. Younas’ field of interest forges much-needed connections between engineering, food, and life science. He is leading several projects targeting the food-water-energy-environment nexus to promote a circular economy. Also, Younas’ fundamental engineering and science understanding motivate him to be further engaged in life science projects shedding light on in-vitro fertilization, virus and bacterial detection, and bio-active in-body interaction.

Younas is co-supervising and mentoring a large group (more than 15 members) of graduate, undergraduate students, and postdocs. Younas’ main responsibility is idea generation, brainstorming, and proposal development, targeting industry and federal agencies to bring funding for the research lab.