The Coal Utilization Center staff is composed of persons having educational backgrounds and work experience capable of conducting research and development for industry and government agencies; short and long-term projects; and proprietary and non-proprietary projects. The CUC also avails itself of other expertise present within other research groups at Penn State on as-needed basis for specific projects. Graduate students also participate on projects funded at the CUC. Administrative support is provided by the Energy and Fuels Research Center.

The Coal Utilization Center Staff

Alan W. Scaroni, Professor of Fuel Science, Director of the Energy and Fuels Research Center,

has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering, M.S. and Ph.D. in Fuel Science and has four years of industrial and 14 years of academic experience in various aspects of combustion research. Dr. Scaroni has published over 130 technical papers, supervised 18 M.S. and Ph.D. theses, and has been principal investigator/co-principal investigator for research projects worth $32.5 million over the past 14 years. He is responsible for the overall research and academic activities of the Energy and Fuels Research Center and setting the research direction of the center.

Bruce G. Miller, Associate Director of the Coal Utilization Center,

has B.S. and M.S. degress in Chemical Engineering and over 15 years of experience in various aspects of combustion research. Mr. Miller has published over 60 technical papers and final reports and over 140 other research resports to sponsors, and has been responsible for implementing research and development projects, as principal investigator/co-principal investigator/lead engineer, totaling $29 million over the last 11 years. He is responsible for the research and development activities of the Coal Utilization Center.

Sharon Falcone Miller, Research Associate,

has a B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geology and a Ph.D. in Fuel Science and has over 13 years of experience in the field of fuel characterization and combustion research. Dr. Falcone Miller has published over 50 articles, conference papers and final reports in the areas of ash characterization, ash formation, emissions, material characterization, utilization of coal waste fines, and SO₂ remediation technology. Dr. Falcone Miller has been responsible for initiating industrial and government funded projects and managing projects to completion.

Joel L. Morrison, Senior Research Assistant,

has a B.S. in Geology, M.S. in Mineral Processing, and 13 years of experience in the areas of acidic mine drainage, coal-water slurry fuel preparation and stabilization, and characterization of sorbents for fluidized-bed applications. He has published over 30 technical papers and final reports and is responsible for research operations of the Fuel Preparation Facility, liasing between the coal and aggregate industries and the Coal Utilization Center, and execution of field research.

Mike Anna, Research Technologist,

has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and more than three years experience in operating industrial boilers and pilot-scale fuel preparation equipment. His responsibilities include assisting in research operations of the Demonstration Boiler and Fuel Preparation Facility, data reduction, analysis, and reporting, and maintenance and modification to research facilities.

David Bartley, Research Technologist,

has a B.S. in Mineral Economics and more than three years experience in operating industrial boilers and pilot-scale fuel preparation equipment. He is currently responsible for assisting in research operations of the Demonstration Boiler and Fuel Preparation Facility, data reduction, analysis, and reporting, and maintenance and modification to research facilities.

Glenn Decker, Research Technician,

has over 20 years experience in machining, welding, and other fabrication techniques for the construction or modification of research equipment, and three years experience in operating industrial boilers and pilot-scale fuel preparation equipment. His responsibilities include assisting in research operations of the Demonstration Boiler and Fuel Preparation Facility, and design, fabrication, and maintenance of research facilities.

Howard Glunt, Research Technician,

has four years experience in operating oil- and natural-gas fired boilers in the U.S. Navy and five years experience in operating industrial boiler and pilot-scale fuel preparation equipment. He is currently responsible for assisting in research operations of the Demonstration Boiler and Fuel Preparation Facility, and fabrication, and maintenance of research facilities.

Bradley Maben, Research Technician,

has six years experience in operating steel furnaces and three years experience in operating industrial boilers and pilot-scale fuel preparation equipment. He is currently responsible for assisting in research operations of the Demonstration Boiler and Fuel Preparation Facility and maintenance of research facilities.

Ronald T. Wincek, Research Assistant,

has a B.S. in Chemical Engineering and nine years of experience in process instrumentation and control, and the maintenance of various laboratory analyzers used in characterization of fuels and measurement of combustion species. He is responsible for maintenance of instrumentation and laboratory analyzers, and interfacing them with computerized data acquisition systems.

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