Born: March 5, 1957, Parral, Chihuahua, Mexico

José Santiesteban received his B.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Technology Institute of Chihuahua in 1979. He received a M.S. Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Technology Institute of Cd. Madero, Tamaulipas in 1983. Prior to getting his M.S. Degree, he spent a couple of years as research associate in the Mexican Petroleum Institute and the University of Mexico. He received a Ph.D. in Physicochemistry from Lehigh University, Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in 1988.

José joined Mobil's Central Research Laboratory in Princeton, NJ in 1989 where he carried out research in the area of exploratory catalysis until 1994. His research included kinetics and mechanistic studies of catalytic cracking, methanol conversion to hydrocarbons, hydrocracking, coking studies of zeolites, reforming/isomerization and petrochemical synthesis.

In 1994 he transferred to Mobil's Paulsboro research Laboratory, Lubricant Products Development Division in Paulsboro, NJ where he was a key contributor in the development of novel synthetic lubricants for hydroturbines.

In 1995, José left Mobil to join Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. at Allentown, Pennsylvania where he led an interdepartmental group in the synthesis of novel chemical compounds and the use of shape selective catalysis for chemicals production. Discovered a catalytic process for the production of polyurethane organic catalysts.

José went back to Mobil in early 1998 at Paulsboro, NJ to lead a group of fourteen chemists/chemical engineers and laboratory technicians in exploratory research of new petrochemical technologies. These efforts resulted in the discovery and commercial implementation of catalytic technologies for the production of p-xylene, ethylbenzene, cumene and phenol. He acted as Department Manager of the Strategic Research Center of Mobil through part of 1999, after which he joined the Corporate Transition Team (team consisted of a total five members) responsible for the consolidation of the corporate research laboratories during the Exxon-Mobil merger.

In February of 2000, José was appointed Section Head of the Light Hydrocarbon Science Section in ExxonMobil's Research and Engineering's Corporate Strategic Research Laboratory in Annandale, NJ. This group carries out basic and applied research in the area of catalytic processes for the production of Basic Chemicals and Intermediates.

José is a member of the New York Catalysis Society, North American Catalyst Society, American Chemical Society, and has organized and served as chairman of symposiums of the North American Catalysis Society, AIChE and ACS. He is referee of various scientific journals (J. Physical Chemistry, J. Catalysis, Applied Catalysis, Ind. Eng. Chem. Res., Microporous and Mesoporous Materials , etc.)

José is the named inventor or co-inventor on more than 50 U.S. patents and has authored or co-authored over 30 articles and outside presentations. He was a guest co-editor of a Special Issue of Zeolites and Catalysis in Honor of Werner O. Haag and co-editor of a Catalysis Today volume on Environmental Catalysis.


Presentation Topic : New Developments in Shape-Selective Catalysis for the Production of Petrochemicals.

By: Dr. José G. Santiesteban

Summary :

Conversion of crude oil and natural gas to a variety of fuels, lubricants and petrochemical products has been and will continue to be of importance in improving our quality of life. Present and future challenges coming from competitive pressure and societal requirements are driving changes in this industry that will require, now more than ever, new advances in science and technology. Catalysis, in particular, has played a key role, in meeting these challenges and is expected that will continue to do so. In this talk, I will discuss some examples of ExxonMobil's catalysis efforts on the design, development and application of shape-selective zeolite catalysts. Through a set of post synthetic methods, zeolites may be modified to alter activity, add functionality or change difussional properties resulting in "tunable" reactant or product selectivity. During the past several years we have exploited the full range of novel zeolite and mesoporous structures and catalyst modification techniques to molecularly design catalytic materials capable of selective production of high-value petrochemicals.

List of Speakers