Research & Initiatives

Meet the Experts

Dr Phil

George P. Philippidis, Ph.D. 

Dr. Philippidis is Associate Dean for Research and Associate Professor at USF’s Patel College of Global Sustainability.  He is a Fulbright Scholar and possesses a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and an MBA.  He has authored numerous publications and 11 patents.  

Dr. Philippidis has long experience leading strategic business units in the private sector, directing research in the public sector, and teaching sustainability in academia. He started his career at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Denver before moving to Thermo Fisher Scientific in Boston, a Fortune 500 company.  He then joined the Applied Research Center at Florida International University in Miami to create and direct its energy business.  

He has been partner in a venture capital firm, has founded technology start-ups, and has advised companies and government agencies, including the US State Department, the US Department of Agriculture, and the Organization of American States. 

At USF Dr. Philippidis directs the Biofuels & Bioproducts Lab and outdoor facility with a focus on technology development and commercialization to make society and the economy sustainable in partnership with industry and government.  His applied research focuses on: 

  • Sustainable fuels and products from algae, biomass, and oilseed crops
  • Biochemical process development
  • Bioprocess modeling, scale-up, and commercialization
  • Supply chain optimization and resiliency for the bioprocess industry
  • Bioeconomy education and workforce development