Dr. James N. McKirahan, Jr.
Assistant Professor Website: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/james-mckirahan/27/baa/966INTRODUCTION
Dr. McKirahan's Ph.D. is in Technology Management, Manufacturing Systems from Indiana State University. His dissertation entitled, "Processing Research and Development of ‘Green' Polymer Nanoclay Composites Containing Polyhydroxybutyrate, Vinyl Acetates, and Modified Montmorillonite Clay" involved research using various processing and mechanical and flow properties techniques to develop polymer clay nanocomposites (PCN).
In addition to several years of industrial experience in both the chemical and injection molding plastics industry, he taught for several years at the community college level and as an adjunct instructor/instructor at the university level.
His personal interests include travel (pictured above recently at Stonehenge, near Amesbury, England), the impact of technology upon the past, present, and the future, and philosophical aspects concerning technology use.
His professional interests are in plastics manufacturing toward product development applications, and automation.
His office is in Klehm Hall, room 3111. His office telephone number is 217-581-8535.
Education & Training
Indiana State University
-Ph.D. (2013) in Technology Management (Manufacturing Systems).
Eastern Illinois University
-M.S. in Technology ('95).
Eastern Illinois University
-B.S. in Industrial Technology ('87).
Southern Illinois University
-A.A.S. in Electronics Technology ('85).
Conference Presentations
McKirahan, J. (2014).Processing Research and Development of 'Green' Polymer Clay
Nanocomposites Containing Polyhydroxybutyrate, Vinyl Acetates, and Monmorrillonite Clay.
Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC 2014, Annual Technical Conference, Las Vegas, Nevada.
McKirahan, J., Tatum, J., & Melton, D. (2011). Rethinking the future toward
increased polymer nanocomposites usage. ATMAE Conference
McKirahan, J., Guccione, S. & Marjanovic, U. (2007). Creating an always connected industrial
ethernet for student use. ATMAE Conference
McKirahan, J. & Smallwood, J. (2004). Innovative projects to develop acquired skills, and to
promote problem solving ability in a teamwork environment. ATMAE Conference
McKirahan, J., Wickman, J. & Brenner, M. (1998). An injection molding training software
package addresses design of experiments (DOE). Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC (1998)
Conference Proceedings
McKirahan, J., Liu, P. & Brillhart, M. (1996). Thermoplastic composites of recycled high density
polyethylene and recycled tire particles. Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE) ANTEC (1996)
Conference Proceedings
Frequently Taught Courses
AET 2324 Electronic Control Systems
AET 3073 Programmable Logic Controllers
AET 3103 Robotics and Automated Control Systems
AET 4843 Statistical Quality Assurance
AET 4853 Polymers & Composites
TEC 5970 Theory of Technology
TEC 5970 Enterprise Resource Planning, Integration and Execution
Research & Creative Interests
Nanotechnology
Biodegradable Polymers
Polymer clay nanocomposites (PCN) development
Agile Manufacturing
History of Technological Development
Theory/Philosophy of Technology - M. R. Smith, Leo Marx, Jacque Ellul,
Martin Heidegger, Melvin Kranzberg, James Burke, Kevin Kelly
Professional Affiliations
Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME)
Society of Plastics Engineers (SPE)
Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE)