Linda J. Broadbelt

Linda Broadbelt is Sarah Rebecca Roland Professor in the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering and the Associate Dean for Research of the McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science at Northwestern University. She was Chair of the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering from 2009-2017. She was also appointed the Donald and June Brewer Junior Professor from 1994-1996. She has completed the short course Business for Scientists and Engineers through the Kellogg Graduate School of Management. 

Broadbelt is internationally recognized for contributions in complex kinetic modeling of a diverserange of chemistries. Her group has developed the capability to build the most detailed models of depolymerization, creating the first mechanistic model of biomass decomposition, recently translated to industrial practice, and detailed models of polymer recycling. She was an early leader in advancing the application of stochastic simulations, developing a novel acceleration method that allows simulations of copolymerization to be sped up for process development by industrial collaborators. Her group’s discovery of novel biotransformations of bio-derived feedstocks has led to novel biochemical routes to new biobased products.