Associate Consultant
Dr. Joseph Victor Alexander, PhD PE

Dr. Joseph Victor Alexander - Nanoscale Engineering Expert

Joseph combines his knowledge of Biomedical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, and Materials Engineering along with Nanoscale Engineering to implement cutting edge technologies within existing industries. Joseph’s experience in disparate industries from semiconductors to medical devices, aerospace/defense and the energy industries clearly elucidated the potential for new technologies along with existing methods from other industries to provide massive value, superior profits, and a durable competitive advantage.

Experience
October 2020 – Present
BGHAM Incorporated, President/Founder
Lexington, Kentucky

• Designed and fabricated manufacturing equipment to produce polymeric hollow fiber to be used in the medical device industry and for the purification of food and beverages.
  • Able to produce product within 5 months of start with minimum of capital.

 
March 2019 - Present
Consulting Engineer
Lexington, Kentucky

• Matador Resources

• Designed system to remove particulate from oilfield produced water for less than $0.01/bbl
  • Saved customer several hundred thousand per day in operating expenses
  • Prevented damage to $7 million disposal well
  • Designed and fabricated pilot system for customer demonstrations
• Determined cause of solid buildup in produced water disposal pipeline, suggested and designed solution
• Identified sediment buildup in water tanks, preventing early failure
  • Used to design preventative maintenance program, extending plant life
• Revolution Midstream
  • Performed and directed laboratory analysis on layflat hose to predict lifetime and failure mechanism under operating conditions
  • Designed and oversaw commissioning of pilot production line to produce chemical resistant flexible hose
• Gas Processor
  • Designed system to remove sulfur mercaptans from natural gas stream, allowing recovery of condensable natural gas liquids
• Orr Energy Group
  • Designing water treatment system to remove boron, dissolved solids from produced water, allowing use for agricultural irrigation
• Peterson Farms/Kentucky Heritage Hemp
  • Analyzed hemp oil extraction equipment to optimize process economics
  • Assisted with clean room design and selection for hemp oil processing and packaging
  • Designed system to purify and refine hemp oil

 
July 2011 - July 2020
Triblue Corporation, President and CEO
Prospect, Kentucky

• Developed, scaled, and brought to market natural gas processing technology developed during graduate work.
• Performed following development tasks with $100,000 of invested capital
  • Laboratory scale proof of concept and refinement
  • Acquired confirmation of performance from independent testing laboratory
  • Filed and was granted US and International Patents
  • Scaled laboratory prototypes into commercially sized unit
  • Performed multiple successful pilot trials at dispersed natural gas plants and wells
  • Designed and simulated performance of gas separation processes in customer’s plants

 
October 2014- July 2018
SpaceTango, Senior Consulting Engineer
Lexington, Kentucky

• Developed components and systems for automated cell and tissue culturing and monitoring for installation on International Space Station
  
• Designed and provided guidance for atmosphere control and monitoring within cell culture apparatus during spaceflight
• Established parameters to ensure fog or dew would not form within enclosed module
• Designed surface treatment to ensure that components sent to International Space Station were not damaged by prolong contact with solvent
• Designed and developed heating system to maintain a desired temperature within enclosed component on board International Space Station

 
August 2008 – January 2015
Graduate Research Assistant; Department of Biomedical Engineering & Department of Surgery, University of Kentucky
Lexington, Kentucky

• Designed and built equipment to produce prototypes of artificial organs and surgical devices
• Assisted with long term animal surgical studies, including administering medications and providing nursing care to animal subjects
• Prepared and analyzed surgical devices after animal trials
• Designed and fabricated equipment necessary to manufacture prototype blood oxygenators
• Planned and supervised laboratory research performed by undergraduate, high school students.
• Performed and characterized surface initiated controlled radical polymerizations
• Planned and performed chemical reactions involving organic substances
• Designed and built equipment as part of a team that allowed the development of a surgical technique that saved approximately 400 US military personnel in Iraq and Afghanistan

 
June 2006 – August 2008
Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering (CENSE), University of Kentucky, Assistant
Lexington, Kentucky

• Maintained and installed scientific instruments and process equipment used in semiconductor fabrication
• Conducted training seminars to new users of equipment operated by the nanocenter

 
December 2006 – August 2008
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Assistant
Lexington, Kentucky

• Developed a metallographic rolling teaching laboratory for materials engineering class

• Designed and constructed a mobile Sharpy impact testing device for demonstration and research use
• Designed and maintained a website describing the incorporation of ferrous metallurgy into the materials engineering curriculum

 
January 2007 – August 2008
Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering, University of Kentucky, Research assistant under Dr. Bruce J. Hinds
Lexington, Kentucky

• Performed research project concerning the electrochemical control of enzyme activity via attachment to porous carbon nanotube membranes
• Presented poster at ‘Posters at the Capitol’ event

         
Education             

• University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Doctorate of Philosophy in Biomedical Engineering

• University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering
• University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Bachelor of Science in Materials Engineering
• Minor Degrees
  • Mathematics
  • Chemistry
• University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY, Nanoscale Engineering Certificate

Awards    

• Invited participant in the College of Engineering Dean’s Leadership Class.
• Recipient of an American Materials Society Scholarship
• 2008 Materials Science and Engineering Student of the Year
• President of Biomedical Engineering Graduate Student Society
• Vogt Award Finalist
• Hot Dozen Award Winner
• State of Kentucky Startup Competition Champion

Certifications

• Professional Engineer – Kentucky State Board of Licensure for Professional Engineers License Number 33144
• Graduated True Lean™ Short Course - Toyota Production System
• RealPars™ PLC and Industrial Automation

 
Publications

• Cherry Croft, Richard Broaddus, Broaddus, Joseph Alexander; Dongfang Wang; Joseph Zwischenberger, Ovine Smoke/Burn ARDS Model: A New Ventilator-Controlled Smoke Delivery System. The Journal of Surgical Research, 2010. 164(1): p. e155-e162.
• Joseph V. Alexander, James W. Neely, Nathan McKee, Eric A. Grulke, Effect of chemical functionalization on the mechanical properties of polypropylene hollow fiber membranes. Journal of Polymer Science. Polymer Physics Edition
• Joseph V. Alexander, James W. Neely, Nathan McKee, Eric A. Grulke, Completely Aqueous Functionalization and Subsequent Formation of Non-Porous Coating Polypropylene Hollow Fibers, Submission Date: April 2014
• Joseph V. Alexander, James W. Neely, Nathan McKee, Eric A. Grulke, Module fabricated using Composite S-ATRP Hollow Fiber Membranes, Submission Date: April 2014

 
Patents

• US Patent# 9260539 - Methods of Forming a Polymer Layer on a Polymer Surface.
• US Patent# 10047206 – Methods of Forming a Polymer Layer on a Polymer Surface
• Method to Determine Failure Strength of Solid in Non-Destructive Manner, Submitted to University of Kentucky Research Foundation - March 2014

Contact Dr. Alexander