E DUCATION
University of Iowa | Iowa City, IA, USA May 2022, GPA 3.9/4.00
PhD, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering
University of Technology | Baghdad, Iraq
Master of Science, Chemical Engineering (Ranked one among eight graduates)
University of Technology | Baghdad, Iraq
Bachelor of Science, Chemical Engineering (Ranked two among 288 graduates)
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
University of Technology, Baghdad, Iraq August 2022 – Present
Assistant Professor, Chemical Engineering Department
• Instructing undergraduate students in various chemical engineering courses.
• Spearheading a team of professors to motivate scholars who studied abroad, capitalizing on their acquired expertise.
• Pioneering the establishment of the Innovation and Incubation Center, designed to support aspiring entrepreneurs in turning their ideas into successful businesses.
• Overseeing senior students graduation project seminars within the chemical engineering department.
• Collaborating with academic teams to troubleshoot newly acquired machinery and develop comprehensive laboratory operating manuals.
• Implanting standardized operational protocols and safety regulations for laboratories within the chemical engineering department.

Integrated DNA Technology, Coralville, IA, USA May 2021 – March 2023
Specialist\Team Lead, Custom Quality Control Department
• Led a team in evaluating products to support various manufacturing departments at Integrated DNA Technologies.
• Supervised the determination of IDT product quality using various molecular biology methods and equipment.
• Oversaw QC tests, record-keeping, and data analysis according to standard operating procedures.
• Performed troubleshooting, maintenance, and calibration on specialized equipment.
• Played a key role in implementing and validating standard operating protocols.
• Ensured adherence to safety standards in the laboratory.
University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA, USA August 2014 – May 2022
Graduate Research Assistant, Chemical & Biochemical Engineering Department
• Investigated the effects of thermal shock on biofilm elimination on medical device surfaces.
• Studied the combined effect of thermal shock and antibiotics on microorganisms’ community (biofilm).
• Investigated the methodology by which a community of bacteria responds to heat.
• Prepared and characterized iron oxide nanoparticles for induced heating.
• Worked on project research implementation and improvement as well as research publications.
• Mentored two teams of undergrad students in maintaining high-level research.
• Wrote detailed procedures, maintained laboratory instruments, and maintained a safe and secure lab environment.
University of Calabria, Calabria, Italy September 2011 – December 2011
Graduate Research Assistant, Institute on Membrane Technology (ITM-CNR)
• Worked with professors, grad, and undergrad students conducting ultrafiltration-related research.
• Characterized spinning parameters in preparation of hollow-fiber membranes for protein separation.
• Developed nanoparticles-polymer composite coating for better mechanical properties of the membrane.
• Set up, adjusted, calibrated, and maintained lab instruments and equipment such as hollow fiber spinning machine, pore size distribution, mechanical properties testing device, and surface tension.
• Tested and studied new composite membranes for the different separation processes.
INSTRUMENTATION EXPERIENCE
Gas chromatography (GC) Rheometer
UV-Vis Laser Diffraction Nanoparticle Size Analyzer
High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) Reflectometer
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) DNA Extraction
Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) Contact Angle
Fluorescence Spectroscopy Ph, O2, Turbidity, Conductivity Meters
Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) Alternating Magnetic Field Generator
Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) Soxhlet Extractor
Capillary electrophoresis (CE) Polymer Spinner
Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) Fermenter
PUBLICATIONS AND CONFERENCES
Publications
• Aljaafari HAS, Parnian P, Van Dyne J, Nuxoll E. Thermal susceptibility and antibiotic synergism of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus biofilms. Biofouling. 2023;39(5):516-526. DOI: 10.1080/08927014.2023.2234290.
• Haydar A.S. Aljaafari, Yuejia Gu, Hannah Chicchelly, Eric Nuxoll. Thermal Shock and Ciprofloxacin Act Orthogonally on Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. Antibiotics. 2021; 10(8). DOI:10.3390/antibiotics10081017
• Hayder A.Alalwan, Malik M.Mohammed, Abbas J.Sultan, Mohammed N. Abbas, Thekra A. Ibrahim, Haydar A. S. Aljaafari, Alaa A. Alminshid. Adsorption of Methyl Green Stain from Aqueous Solutions using Non-conventional Adsorbent Media: Isothermal Kinetic and Thermodynamic Studies. Bioresource Technology Reports. 2021; Volume 14, Pages 100680-100686. DOI:10.1016/j.biteb.2021.100680
• Hayder A.Alalwan, Alaa H.Alminshid, Haydar A.S. Aljaafari. Promising evolution of biofuel generations. Subject review. Renewable Energy Focus. 2019; Volume 28, March 2019, Pages 127-139. DOI:10.1016/j.ref.2018.12.006
• Erica Ricker, Haydar Aljaafari, Trigg Bader, Bruce Hundley, and Eric Nuxoll. Thermal Shock Susceptibility and Regrowth of Pseudomonas aeruginosa Biofilms. International Journal of Hyperthermia. 2018; 34(2):168-176. DOI:10.1080/02656736.2017.1347964
• Alsalhy, Q.F., R.I. Ibrahim, H.A. Salih and M.A. Zablouk. Experimental investigation and optimization of air sparging on hollow fiber membrane performance. Am. J. Mod. Chem. Eng. 2014; 1: 40-54.
• Alsalhy, Q.F., H.A. Salih, S. Simone, M. Zablouk, E. Drioli and A. Figoli. Poly(ether sulfone) (PES) hollow-fiber membranes prepared from various spinning parameters. Desalination. 2014; 345: 21-35. DOI: 10.1016/j.desal.2014.04.029
• Alsalhy, Q.F., H.A. Salih, R.H. Melkon, Y.M. Mahdi and N.A. Abdul Karim. Effect of the preparation conditions on the morphology and performance of poly(imide) hollow fiber membranes. J. Applied Polym. Sci. 2014; Vol. 131, No. 12. DOI: 10.1002/app.40428.
Conferences
• More than ten papers presented in Annual Meetings in the US, Italy, Malaysia, Egypt, and Iraq.
HONORS AND AWARDS
• Kammermeyer Research Award from the Department of Chemical and Biochemical Engineering 2022.
• Microbes at Biomedical Interfaces Graduate Student Competition Award from AIChE Annual Meeting 2020.
• Ballard and Seashore Dissertation Fellowships Award from Graduate College UI Fall 2020.
• Two Summer Fellowship Awards from Graduate College UI Summer 2020, 2019.
• Two Travel grants award from Graduate Student Senate 2020, 2017
• Finalist of Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition University of Iowa 2019.
• Winner of the Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Department Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition 2019.
• Graduate College Post-Comprehensive Research Award from Graduate College UI Fall 2018.
• Two Travel grant awards from Graduate & Professional Student Government 2017 and 2018.
• Fellowship sponsored by the Ministry of Higher Education and Scientific Research.
CERTIFICATE OF PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT TRAINING
• Graduate Certificate in College Teaching. University of Iowa, College of Education. (May, 2020) Iowa City, IA.
• Lab Design by Sandia National Laboratories. (June 2019), Denver, CO.
• Process Safety by DOW Chemical Company. (June 2018), Lake Jackson, TX.
• Chemical and Biological Security Training by the U.S. Department of State. (Dec. 2017), Kansas City, MO.