Tammam Abo-Nabout | Chemical Engineer Portfolio

01.

About Me

Hello! I'm Tammam (Tam), a Chemical Engineering graduate from UC San Diego pursuing a career in process design, simulation, and optimization. My academic training provided a rigorous foundation in heat transfer, mass transport, and reaction engineering, equipping me to model and analyze systems relevant to the petrochemical, energy, and environmental sectors.

Through extensive capstone design projects, I applied these principles to complex engineering scenarios ranging from traditional manufacturing to emerging technologies. I utilized industry-standard tools like Aspen Plus and HYSYS to simulate an industrial-scale ammonia synthesis plant and model a direct air capture system for climate technology.

My technical expertise span:

Process Design & Safety: PFDs/P&IDs, Equipment Sizing, HAZOP, Heat & Mass Transfer Analysis
Modeling & Simulation: Aspen Plus, HYSYS, MATLAB, Simulink, AutoCAD, VMD
Data & Visualization: Python, Excel, Root Cause Analysis, Web-Based Visualization (JS/CSS)
Lab Characterization: NMR, XRD, FTIR/UV-Vis, Cyclic Voltammetry
Particle Analysis: DLS, ICP-OES, Auto-titration

02.

Education

Bachelor of Science - Chemical Engineering @ UC San Diego

Sep 2023 - Jun 2025

Comprehensive coursework in process design, unit operations, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering with emphasis on industrial-scale chemical processes
Completed year-long ammonia synthesis capstone project achieving 943.2 kmol/h NH₃ production with 48.9% efficiency improvement through advanced heat integration
Developed expertise in process simulation using Aspen Plus and HYSYS for complex chemical process design and optimization
Designed direct air capture system capable of removing 1 million metric tons CO₂ annually using advanced sorbent technology and multi-stage processing
Applied heat and mass transfer principles in equipment design including heat exchangers, distillation columns, and reactor systems
Gained proficiency in economic analysis, capital cost estimation, and process optimization for commercial viability assessment

Associate of Science - Chemistry @ San Diego Miramar College

Sep 2020 - Jun 2023

Completed comprehensive chemistry coursework including organic, inorganic, analytical, and physical chemistry providing strong foundation for chemical engineering principles
Gained extensive laboratory experience with advanced analytical instrumentation including FTIR, NMR spectroscopy, and electrochemical analysis techniques
Developed expertise in chemical synthesis, characterization, and analysis through hands-on research experience with organometallic compounds
Co-authored research on iridium(III) complexes presented at American Chemical Society Spring 2025 Convention, demonstrating technical communication skills
Built strong foundation in thermodynamics, kinetics, and chemical principles essential for process engineering applications
Achieved academic excellence while developing critical thinking and quantitative analysis skills transferable to industrial process design

03.

Where I've Worked

Research Assistant & Co-Author @ San Diego Miramar College

June 2023 - September 2023

Co-authored research on organometallic iridium(III) complexes presented at the American Chemical Society Spring 2025 Convention (Poster Board #499).
Synthesized and characterized multiple iridium(III) cyclometallated complexes using methylated 2-phenylpyridine ligands, achieving yields ranging from 30% to 60% through reaction optimization
Operated advanced analytical instrumentation including Thermo Scientific Nicolet FTIR-iS5 Spectrometer and ANASAZI EFT 90 MHz NMR Spectrometer for structural confirmation
Employed sophisticated spectroscopic techniques including 1H and 13C NMR, COSY, and HETCOR NMR for detailed resonance assignments and structural analysis
Conducted electrochemical analysis using cyclic voltammetry to assess redox properties and performed X-ray crystallographic analysis for high-resolution structural determination
Utilized MNova software for comprehensive data processing and analysis of complex organometallic compounds

Presenting our organometallic iridium(III) complex research at ACS Spring 2025, San Diego Convention Center. Proud to be part of this collaborative team that successfully synthesized and characterized multiple metal complexes using advanced analytical techniques including NMR, FTIR, and X-ray crystallography

Download Poster

General Merchandise Expert @ Target

August 2024 - June 2025

Demonstrated strong analytical and problem-solving skills through inventory management, loss prevention, and process optimization initiatives
Applied mathematical skills for accurate transaction processing, inventory counting, and operational efficiency improvements
Collaborated effectively with cross-functional teams including fulfillment, cashier operations, and management to achieve operational targets
Maintained detailed documentation and protocols while ensuring compliance with safety and security procedures

04.

Things I've Done

Direct Air Capture Plant Design

Senior capstone project designing a scalable DAC system capable of removing 1 million metric tons of CO₂ annually from the atmosphere. Complete process engineering with economic analysis achieving $39,770 capital savings through optimization.

Climate Technology
Process Design
Aspen Plus
Economic Analysis

Ammonia Synthesis Plant Design

Comprehensive four-quarter capstone project designing a complete ammonia synthesis plant using the Haber-Bosch process. Achieved 943.2 kmol/h NH₃ production with 48.9% efficiency improvement through advanced heat integration.

Haber-Bosch Process
Reactor Design
Process Integration
Economic Analysis

Plate Heat Exchanger Performance

Analyzed thermal performance of 7-plate stainless steel heat exchanger by determining empirical Nusselt correlation coefficients. Developed predictive models with R² > 0.98 correlation for design optimization.

Heat Transfer
Nusselt Correlations
Regression Analysis
Equipment Design

Reverse Osmosis Membrane Analysis

Investigated effects of operating pressure on water and salt transport in RO configurations. Achieved 68% water recovery with comprehensive selectivity analysis for desalination optimization.

Membrane Technology
Desalination
Transport Phenomena
Process Optimization

Liposome Nanoparticle Optimization

Optimized liposome nanoparticle fabrication using extrusion method. Achieved minimum particle size of 109.8 nm with 51% reduction and polydispersity index of 0.082 for pharmaceutical applications.

Nanoparticles
Drug Delivery
Process Optimization
Material Science

Photocatalytic Degradation Study

Investigated photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue using TiO₂ catalyst and UV light. Applied pseudo-first-order kinetics with maximum rate constant of 0.0797 s⁻¹ achieved through H₂O₂ optimization.

Photocatalysis
Water Treatment
Reaction Kinetics
Environmental Engineering

Cooling Tower Performance Analysis

Analyzed counterflow cooling tower performance using Merkel's equation. Validated exponential decay relationship between NTU and L/G ratio with maximum temperature drop of 13.4°C achieved at optimal conditions.

Heat Transfer
Mass Transfer
Cooling Systems
Process Analysis

PEM Fuel Cell Performance Analysis

Comprehensive experimental analysis of proton exchange membrane fuel cell systems. Achieved 35% performance improvement with double membrane configuration yielding 75.1 mW peak power and 95% conversion efficiency.

Fuel Cells
Clean Energy
Electrochemistry
System Optimization

Solar Thermal Collector Analysis

Characterized thermal performance of ThermoRay TRB-26 flat-plate solar collector through steady-state efficiency testing. Achieved thermal time constant of 2.13 minutes with comprehensive dynamic response analysis.

Solar Thermal
Heat Transfer
DLS Analysis
Performance Testing

EGFR Inhibitor & Nanocarrier Design

Designed a novel 20-residue therapeutic peptide via de novo protein design to inhibit EGFR-driven cancer cell proliferation. Developed a targeted Lipid Nanoparticle (LNP) delivery formulation and bacterial expression manufacturing pipeline.

Protein Design
Nanocarriers (LNP)
AlphaFold
Genetic Engineering

Tammam Abo-Nabout.

I design industrial processes.