Dr. Rafael Hernandez

Dr. Rafael Hernandez currently serves as a Professor and Department Head of Chemical Engineering at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, holding the J. Madison Nelson Professorship since May 2013. In this role, Dr. Hernandez manages the academic, personnel, financial, and material needs of the department while guiding faculty to align with the administration's institutional goals. Prior to this position, Dr. Hernandez was an Associate Professor of Chemical Engineering at Mississippi State University from May 2003 to May 2013. Dr. Hernandez earned a Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Chemical Engineering from Mississippi State University, as well as both a Master of Science (MS) and a Bachelor of Science (BS) in Chemical Engineering from the University of Puerto Rico-Mayaguez.