Bio
Radu Custelcean was born and grew up in Transylvania, Romania. After completing his undergraduate and master education from Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania, in 1996, he continued his studies in Chemistry at Michigan State University in the US, where he received his Ph.D. in 2000 for work with James E. Jackson on structure and reactivity of dihydrogen-bonded crystals. After a postdoctoral training in crystal engineering at the University of Minnesota with Michael D. Ward, and a short research stint at Washington State University where he studied molecular crystals under high pressure, he started his independent career in 2003 as a research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory.
His research interests are in the areas of self-assembled molecules and crystals for environmental and energy applications, separation science and technology, supramolecular chemistry, crystal engineering, and carbon dioxide removal.
Professional Experience
2020-present Senior Research Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2008-2019 Research Scientist, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2003-2008 R&D Associate, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
2002-2003 Senior Research Associate, Institute for Shock Physics, Washington State University
2000-2002 Postdoctoral Associate, Dept. of Chem. Eng. and Materials Science, University of Minnesota
Awards
- 2021 R&D100 Award for BIG NET Technology
- ORNL Innovation Awards, 2020, 2021
- Margaret Etter Early Career Award from the American Crystallographic Association, 2008
Education
2000 Ph.D. Organic Chemistry, Michigan State University
1996 M.S. Organic Chemistry, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
1995 B.S. Chemistry, Babeş-Bolyai University, Romania
Professional Service
- 2023-present, Associate Editor, Frontiers in Energy Research – Carbon Capture, Utilization
and Storage
- 2022, Guest Editor, MRS Bulletin Special Issue: Materials for Carbon Capture Technologies
- Member of the editorial board, Crystals, 2020-present
- Member of the editorial board, Journal of Crystallography, 2012-2017
Professional Affiliations
American Chemical Society
American Crystallographic Association
Specialized Equipment
Single-crystal X-ray diffractometer
Trademarks and Patents
Williams, N. J.; Custelcean, R.; Seipp, C. A.; Moyer, B. A.; Ellis, R.; Abney, C. W. Lipophilic Guanidinium Compounds for Removal of Oxyanions from Aqueous Solutions, US patent number 11,001,554, granted on May 11, 2021.
Custelcean, R.; Seipp, C. A.; Williams, N. J. “Guanidine Compounds for Removal of Oxyanions from Aqueous Solutions and for Carbon Dioxide Capture”, US patent number 10,633,332, granted on April 28, 2020.
Custelcean, R.; Seipp, C. A.; Williams, N. J. “Guanidine Compounds for Carbon Dioxide Capture”, US patent number 10,583,387, granted on March 10, 2020.
Custelcean, R.; Moyer, B. A.; Rajbanshi, A. “Selective Oxoanion Separation Using a Tripodal Ligand”, US patent number 9,260,326, granted on February 16, 2016.