Alum ready to go the distance with engineering students

Amanda Malefyt Malefyt Headshot

Trine University - Allen School of Engineering & Computing

Professor, McKetta Department of Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering
B.S.- Trine University
Doctorate - Michigan State University

260.665.4612 | email

After graduating from Trine University with a Bachelor of Science in chemical engineering and a bioprocessing minor, I worked for Pfizer in Kalamazoo, Mich., as a manufacturing engineer for active pharmaceutical ingredients. Little did I know, after obtaining my Ph.D. from Michigan State University, I would return to my alma mater as a professor. I love being back on campus and appreciate the opportunity to engage students in chemical engineering topics with a smaller classroom atmosphere.

I am a member of the American Institute of Chemical Engineering (AIChE) and American Society of Engineering Education (ASEE).  My favorite aspect of chemical engineering is in biochemical engineering and its applications toward the development of therapeutics to treat diseases and injuries. I offer undergraduate research opportunities in the areas of mammalian cell culture, genetic engineering of protein therapeutics, and engineering educational outreach.

amanda

As a former member of the Thunder cross country and track teams, I enjoy attending Trine sporting events.  Other hobbies include gardening, non-motorized watersports, and playing outside with my husband and our 2 kids.

Introduction to Engineering
Intro to Chemical and Bioprocess Engineering Biology for Engineers
Material and Energy Balances
Measurements and Instrumentation Lab
ChE Statistics and Computer Methods
Chemical Engineering Fluids
Unit Operations II Lab
Biochemical Engineering
Pharmaceutical Processes
Numerical Methods
Professional Practice
Women at Work Honors Seminar

  • Lab-scale Bioreactor Design for the Production of Monoclonal Antibodies in Mammalian Cell Lines (2018 – Present)
  • Optimization of GFP purification process by HIC bead resin following pGreen transformation of coli for biochemical engineering curriculum applications (2017 – 2018)
  • CRISPR-Cas9 Inhibition of Inositol-Requiring Enzyme 1 (IRE1) in Human Colon Cancer Cells (2016 – 2017)
  • Lactic Acid Production: Using Lactobacillus to Redesign a Lab Experiment (2015 – 2016)
  • Malefyt AP. 2024 INSGC ($5142) “Production and purification of a cancer-targeting monoclonal antibody in mammalian cells for future microgravity applications”
  • Malefyt AP, Borden J. 2022 INSGC ($11500) “Plasmid design and production of a cancer-targeting monoclonal antibody in mammalian cells for future microgravity applications”
  • Malefyt AP, Wagner J. 2022 CACHE ($5000) “org: Open-Sourced System for Variable Parameter Quantitative and Qualitative Engineering Problems”
  • Malefyt AP, Borden J, Wagner J. 2021 Helen S. and John J. McKetta Charitable Foundation ($20600) “On-Campus Hands-On Outreach and Student Centered Study Space and Presentation Center”
  • Liberatore MW, Czerniak C, Malefyt AP 2017 IUSE NSF ($300000) “Developing Problem Solving Skills Using Student-Generated Problems that Reverse Engineer YouTube Videos”
  • Awards
    • 2023 Trine University Barrenbrugge Award for Faculty Excellence
    • 2019 Trine University Jannen Renaissance Scholar
    • 2018 Frank and Julia Gelet McKetta Excellence in Teaching Award in Engineering
    • 2014 John J. and Mary Gelet McKetta Excellence in Teaching Award in Engineering
  1. Malefyt AP (2025) Bridging K-12 Classrooms with University STEM Experiences. Trine Storm Into Summer Teaching Conference
  2. Malefyt AP (2025) Engineer Your Future: Solve Problems, Change the World! Junior Achievement JobSpark Virtual Seminar
  3. Malefyt AP, Wagner JE. (2024) QRProblems.org: Open-Sourced System for Variable Paremeter Quantitative and Qualitative Engineering Problems. CAChE Grant Update Presentation – AIChE National Meeting San Diego, CA
  4. Asogwa U; Duckett TR, Malefyt AP, Stevens L, Mentzer G, Liberatore MW (2023) Video-Inspired, Student-Written Problems vs. Textbook Problems: Comparing Difficulty and Problem-Solving Skills Between Two Cohorts in Chemical Engineering. Journal of Chemical Education 100(6), 2190-2196.
  5. Liberatore M, Malefyt AP. (2023) Visual, Creative Problems for Any Engineering Course Keen National Conference Atlanta GA (1.5 Hour Workshop).
  6. Liberatore M, Malefyt AP. (2022) Visual, Creative Problems for Any Engineering Course AIChE/ASEE Summer School (2.5 Hour Workshop).
  7. Asogwa U, Duckett TR, Malefyt AP, Stevens L Mentzer G, Liberatore MW (2021) Comparing Engineering Problem-Solving Ability and Problem Difficulty Between Textbook and Student-Written YouTube Problems. International Journal of Engineering Education 37(5): 1414-1428.
  8. Splichal C, Gredell J, Vogel E, Malefyt AP, Comiskey G, Smith M, Chan C, Walton SP (2020) Modulating polymer-siRNA binding does not promote polyplex-mediated silencing. Nucleic Acid Therapeutics Published Online ahead of print:29 Jul 2020https://doi.org/10.1089/nat.2020.0857