Mr. D. Wayne Blaylock
PhD Candidate

Mailing Address:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology Department of Chemical Engineering 66-264, 77 Massachusetts Avenue Cambridge, MA  02139 Ph:  (617) 253-6554 Fx:  (617) 324-006 Email: blaylock@mit.edu

I attended Tennessee Technological University where I received my B.S. in chemical engineering in 2003.  While at Tennessee Tech, I was actively involved in student government, serving as a senator, cabinet member, and ultimately president of the SGA.  Combining my engineering education with my work in student government led to a strong interest in science and technology policy issues.  During my fourth year of undergrad, I accepted a co-op position at Y-12 National Security Complex (NSC), a Department of Energy facility in Oak Ridge, TN.  Following a 12-month assignment at Y-12, I was accepted as an intern in the Washington Internships for Students of Engineering (WISE) program.  WISE brings together about 10-15 students from across the country, sponsored by the NSF and professional engineering societies, to study science and technology policy for a summer in Washington, D.C.  I was co-sponsored by AIChE (American Institute of Chemical Engineers) and ANS (American Nuclear Society).

After graduating with my B.S. degree, I accepted a position with BWXT Y-12 at the Y-12 NSC.  I returned to the group that I had been assigned to as a co-op and began my job as a process design engineer.  Working at Y-12 was a great experience – the work was challenging and interesting, making my time there a blast (no pun intended).  After two more years at Y-12, I decided that it was time to pursue a graduate degree; however, I was initially torn between a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and a M.S./Ph.D. in Science and Technology Policy.  After discussing career options with science and technology professionals around the country, I decided that the best option for me was a Ph.D. in chemical engineering.

I married my wife, Lindsay, in August 2005 and began pursuing my Ph.D. at MIT shortly thereafter (as in two weeks).  I think that getting married, changing jobs, and moving are listed among the top stress-inducing activities/events.  So, as opposed to taking them one at a time, Lindsay and I decided to be adventurous and do them all within two weeks!  I joined the Green Group in January 2006.  My research focuses on theoretical catalyst design for hydrogen production via steam reforming.  More information about this project can be found here.  In addition to industrial funding from Statoil and Norsk Hydro, I am also grateful for funding from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship program. 

I have not lost my interest in science and technology policy.  My research, while not a policy study, is squarely located at an interface between science and policy:  the technology of a potential hydrogen economy.  I attended the MIT science and technology policy “boot camp” in spring 2007.  I have also taken two great courses: 12.848 – Global Climate Change:  Economics, Science, and Policy (Professors Jacoby and Prinn) and 10.579 – Applications of Technology in Energy and the Environment (Professors Deutch and Lester).  I also participated in Congressional Visits Day (CVD) in May 2007 as part of a delegation of MIT graduate and post-doc students interested in science and technology policy.  CVD was a great opportunity to discuss the importance of government investment in research and development with legislative staff.  The strength of MIT’s research programs is a great example of the power of government investment in science and technology R&D.  I think that it is critical that scientists and engineers engage the policy-making process.  However, I also think that before technologists can inform the policy process – they must be informed of the process, which is why science and technology policy coursework and events like Congressional Visits Day are so important.  OK – off my soap box now.

I am a huge Tennessee Volunteers football and basketball fan.  I’ve included a picture of my lab-mate Mike Harper and I at the Tennessee-Cal game in 2006 on this page.  Notice the score on the scoreboard!!  While I was not a Red Sox fan before I moved to Boston, I have always hated the Yankees – so, I think that I have been accepted as a transplant Red Sox fan.  I still like to watch the Braves – as any kid who grew up in the south should.  And my wife still likes to hate the Braves – as any kid who grew up in Cincinnati watching the Braves beat the socks of the Reds should.  Lindsay is slowly becoming a Volunteers fan – and I am working on my lab mates.

If you have any questions about my research, I would be happy to discuss it with you.  Please feel free to contact me via any of the means listed above.