Elmer Ledesma, Ph.D.
Instructional Assistant ProfessorEmail ebledesm [at] cougarnet.uh.edu
Main
Dr. Elmer Ledesma is an Instructional Assistant Professor in the Engineering Undergraduate Programs at the Cullen College of Engineering. His current teaching duties include Introduction to Engineering and Computing and Problem Solving for Engineers. With an educational background in chemical engineering and physical chemistry, he has technical expertise in the thermochemical conversion processes of fossil fuels and biomass. Elmer Ledesma also has much experience teaching undergraduate students at both four-year and community colleges. He has a passion for teaching, mentoring, and inspiring the next- and future-generation of engineers and scientists.
Instruction
- ENGI 1100 - Introduction to Engineering
- ENGI 1331 - Computing and Problem Solving for Engineers
Research
- Thermochemical conversion processes
- Chemical reaction kinetics
- Thermodynamics
- Transport phenomena
- Computational fluid dynamics
- Computational chemistry
- Engineering education
Publications
- Ledesma, E. B.; Idamakanti, M.; Bollini, P.; Harold, M. P.; Ratnakar, R. R. Decarbonizing Steam-Methane Reforming: Enhancing Activity through Joule Heating of a Ni/ZrO2-Coated FeCrAl Coil. ChemCatChem 2024, 16, e202301110.
- Idamakanti, M.; Ledesma, E. B.; Ratnakar, R. R.; Harold, M. P.; Balakotaiah, V.; Bollini, P. Electrified Catalysts for Endothermic Chemical Processes: Materials Needs, Advances, and Challenges. ACS Engineering Au 2024, 4, 71-90.
- Mullery, A. A.; Hoang, J. N.; Nguyen, A. T.; Luong, C. D.; Ledesma, E. B. Thermal Decomposition Pathways of 4-Ethylguaiacol under Fast Pyrolysis and Gasification Conditions. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis 2017, 123, 83-91.
- Ledesma, E. B.; Mullery, A. A.; Vu, J. V.; Hoang, J. N. Lumped Kinetics for Biomass Tar Cracking Using 4-Propylguaiacol as a Model Compound. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research 2015, 54, 5613-5623.
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Conference PresentationsLedesma, E. B.; Harold, M. P. Joule-Heated Multi-Wire Reactor for Steam-Methane Reforming: Modeling Study for the Commercial-Scale. 2025 AIChE Annual Meeting, Boston, MA, November 2025Ledesma, E. B.; Idamakanti, M.; Bollini, P.; Ratnakar, R. R.; Harold, M. P. Steam-Methane Reforming on Joule Heated Ni-Coated Metal Wires. 28th International Symposium on Chemical Reaction Engineering, Turku/Åbo, Finland, June 2024.Ledesma, E. B. Multi-Step Reaction Kinetic Model for Secondary Vapor-Phase Cracking of Lignin-Derived Tar. 25th European Biomass Conference & Exhibition, Stockholm, Sweden, June 2017.