David E. Bernal Neira

Long Biography

David E. Bernal Neira is the Mitchel Papanicolas Family/Del Ray Glass Company Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University. He leads the SECQUOIA research group (Systems Engineering via Classical and QUantum Optimization for Industrial Applications) and co-directs the Center for Operations and Optimization in Process Systems (COOPS). His research develops theory, algorithms, and open-source software for discrete-continuous nonlinear optimization, and explores how quantum and other emerging computing architectures can address challenging problems in chemical and process systems engineering. His group applies these methods to energy and infrastructure systems, process intensification and control, computational chemistry, machine learning, and decision-making under uncertainty.

Before joining Purdue, Bernal Neira was a research scientist at NASA's Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and an associate scientist at the Universities Space Research Association's Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science. He earned a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and bachelor's degrees in chemical engineering and physics, as well as a master's degree in chemical engineering, from Universidad de los Andes. He is a member of the inaugural cohort of Purdue Engineering's Emerging Research Leaders and the Young Academy of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences.

Short Biography

David E. Bernal Neira is the Mitchel Papanicolas Family/Del Ray Glass Company Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering at Purdue University, where he leads the SECQUOIA research group and co-directs the Center for Operations and Optimization in Process Systems. He develops optimization theory, algorithms, and software and studies quantum and emerging computing methods for chemical, energy, and infrastructure systems. Before Purdue, he was a research scientist at NASA's Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory and an associate scientist at the Universities Space Research Association. He earned his Ph.D. from Carnegie Mellon University.

Extra-Short Biography

David E. Bernal Neira is Purdue's Mitchel Papanicolas Family/Del Ray Glass Company Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering and leads the SECQUOIA research group in optimization and quantum computing.

Purdue University profile · Full curriculum vitae

Current Roles and Affiliations

  • Mitchel Papanicolas Family/Del Ray Glass Company Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (2023–present; named professorship since 2026)
  • Principal Investigator, SECQUOIA, Purdue University (2023–present)
  • Co-director, Center for Operations and Optimization in Process Systems (COOPS), Purdue University (2024–present)
  • Artificial Intelligence Liaison, Davidson School of Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (2026–present)
  • Member, inaugural cohort of Purdue College of Engineering Emerging Research Leaders, Purdue University (2026–present)
  • Member, Center for Quantum Technologies, Center of Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources, and Purdue Quantum Science and Engineering Institute (2023–present)
  • Member, Young Academy, Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (2025–2030)

Former Positions

  • Visiting Scientist, USRA Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (2023–2024)
  • Visiting Scientist, NASA Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (2023–2024)
  • Research Scientist, NASA Quantum Artificial Intelligence Laboratory (2021–2023)
  • Associate Scientist, USRA Research Institute for Advanced Computer Science (2021–2023)
  • Adjunct Professor of Operations Management and Quantum Computing, Tepper School of Business, Carnegie Mellon University (2023)
  • Visiting Research Scholar, Department of Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University (2021–2022)

Education

  • Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, USA (2017–2021)
    Advisor: Prof. Ignacio E. Grossmann
  • B.Sc. in Physics, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (2011–2018)
    Advisor: Prof. Jaime Forero
  • M.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (2014–2016)
    Advisor: Prof. Jorge Mario Gómez
  • B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes, Bogotá, Colombia (2010–2014)
    Advisor: Prof. Jorge Mario Gómez

Research Interests

Our group works at the interface of optimization, systems engineering, and advanced computing. Key research areas include:

  • Optimization in systems engineering, including energy and infrastructure systems, process intensification, and control
  • Quantum algorithms for combinatorial optimization in chemical and process systems engineering
  • Optimization and simulation algorithms for emerging computing hardware
  • Decision-making under uncertainty using optimization, machine learning, and artificial intelligence
  • Theory, algorithms, and software for discrete-continuous nonlinear optimization

Teaching

See the teaching page for more on teaching experience and philosophy. Courses taught by Prof. Bernal include:

  • Process Dynamics and Control — Purdue CHE 456 (Fall 2023, Fall 2024, Fall 2025)
  • Data Science in Chemical Engineering — Purdue CHE 597 (Spring 2025, Spring 2026)
  • Quantum Integer Programming and Quantum Machine Learning — CMU 47-779 / 47-785, 18-819F
    Fall 2021, Fall 2022, Fall 2023
  • Quantum Integer Programming — CMU 47-779 Fall 2020

Awards

  • Mitchel Papanicolas Family/Del Ray Glass Company Rising Star Assistant Professorship, Purdue University (2026)
  • Inaugural Cohort, Purdue Engineering Emerging Research Leaders (2026)
  • Phillip C. Wankat Graduate Teaching Award in Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (2025–2026)
  • Member, Young Academy of the Colombian Academy of Exact, Physical and Natural Sciences (2025–2030)
  • Invited Participant, Connections to Sustain Science in Latin America, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2025)
  • Best Paper Award, Future Generation Computer Systems (2024)
  • Arab-American Frontiers Fellowship, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (2024)
  • Best Talk Award, Quantum Computing Applications in Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Workshop (2022)
  • Finalist, AIChE CAST Directors' Student Presentation Awards (2020)
  • Mark Dennis Karl Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award, Chemical Engineering Department, Carnegie Mellon University (2019)
  • Cum Laude, Chemical Engineering, Universidad de los Andes (2014)
  • Alberto Magno Scholarship, Universidad de los Andes (2010–2014)
  • Valedictorian, Gimnasio Británico (2009)
  • First Place, Colombian Physics Olympiad (Superior Level), Universidad Antonio Nariño (2007)

Publications

Please see the publications page.

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