Dr. Ziad Abu El-Rub
Dr. Ziad Abu El-Rub is Dean of the School of Applied Medical Sciences and Associate Professor of Pharmaceutical and Chemical Engineering at the German Jordanian University. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Twente, the Netherlands, with research expertise in sustainable chemical and energy systems, biomass gasification, catalytic tar removal, natural mineral catalysts, renewable energy technologies, oil shale characterization, and applied sustainability.
His academic profile combines chemical engineering research, applied engineering education, externally funded international projects, and institutional academic leadership. He has contributed to peer-reviewed publications with approximately 2,000 Google Scholar citations and has led or contributed to projects supported by GIZ, DAAD, Erasmus+, and institutional research funds, with active and completed projects exceeding USD/EUR 1.5 million in total value.
Dr. Abu El-Rub has held several academic leadership roles at GJU, including Dean, Vice Dean, Acting Department Head, Director of the Center for E-Learning and Academic Performance Improvement, and Chair of university and school-level committees. His institutional work includes program development, accreditation, quality assurance, digital learning, micro-credentials, university-industry collaboration, employability, labour mobility, and responsible integration of AI in higher education.
Before joining academia, he gained senior industrial experience in technical sales, business development, process design, separation technologies, petrochemical projects, and quality control. This combination of academic, industrial, and leadership experience supports his commitment to advancing applied education, sustainability, innovation, and academic-industry engagement.
Education:
- Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, University of Twente, the Netherlands, 2008
Dissertation: Biomass char as an in-situ catalyst for tar removal in gasification systems
- Master of Technological Design, University of Twente, the Netherlands, 2002
Thesis: High-temperature catalytic tar removal from producer gas of biomass-fueled gasifiers
- B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Jordan, Jordan, 1998
Thesis: Plant design for biogas production from Amman municipal solid waste
Scopus: https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=6506446262
ORCID ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4664-2132
Educational Background
Master of Technological Design, University of Twente, the Netherlands, 2002
B.Sc. in Chemical Engineering, University of Jordan, Jordan, 1998
- Biomass gasification and catalytic tar removal
- Biomass char catalysis and low-cost natural mineral catalysts
- Renewable and sustainable energy systems
- Oil shale pyrolysis, thermogravimetric analysis, kinetics, and characterization
- Membrane-based separation and wastewater treatment technologies
- AI, digital learning, micro-credentials, and transformation of higher education
- University-industry collaboration, employability, and applied engineering education
Selected Publications
| 2025 | Ziad Abu El-Rub, Nadine Nassar, Noor Shuqum, Rama Al-Junaidi,"Recycling Technologies for Lithium-Ion Batteries in Electric Vehicles: A Critical Review",the Deanship of Research, Al-Balqa Applied University, Al-Salt, Jordan,2025 [View] |
| 2021 | Muhammad Tawalbeh, Amani Al-Othman, Tareq Salamaha, Malek Alkasrawi, Remston Martis, Ziad Abu El-Rub,"A critical review on metal-based catalysts used in the pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass materials",Journal of Environmental Management (Elsevier),299, 113597,2021 [View] |
| 2021 | Prof. Dr. Samer Al-Gharabli , Dr. Ziad Abu El-Rub , Dr. Eyad Hamad, Khaffaf, Aseel , Yasin, Omar, Wael Al-Kouz, Ali Chamkha,"Review of Nanofluids and Their Biomedical Application",American Scientific Publishers (Journal of Nanofluids),Volume 10, Number 4, December 2021, pp. 463-477(15),2021 [View] |
| 2021 | Samer Al-Gharabli, Ziad Abu El-Rub, Eyad M. Hamad, Wojciech Kujawski, Zuzanna Flanc, Katarzyna Pianka, Joanna Kujawa,"Surfaces with Adjustable Features—Effective and Durable Materials for Water Desalination",International Journal of Molecular Sciences (MDPI),Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2021, 22(21), 11743,2021 [View] |
| 2021 | Mohammad F. Khanfar, Taleen S. Kopti, Natalie O. Gharaibeh, Ziad Abu El-Rub,"Differential pulse voltammetry as an alternative method for tracking Hydrochlorothiazide electrolytic degradation",Jordanian Journal of Engineering and Chemical Industries (Al-Balqa Applied University),4 (3), 70-77,2021 [View] |
| 2020 | Ziad Abu El-Rub, Joanna Kujawa, Samer Al-Gharabli,"Pyrolysis Kinetic Parameters of Omari Oil Shale using Thermogravimetric Analysis.",Energies,13 (16), 1-13,2020 [View] |
| 2019 | Abu El-Rub, Z,"TGA and BET Characterization of Spent Oil Shale as a Catalyst in Biomass Tar Removal Applications",International Journal of Smart Grid and Clean Energy 2019,8(6)680-687,2019 [View] |
| 2019 | Ziad Abu El-Rub, Joanna Kujawa, Esra’a Albarahmiah, Nafisah Rifai, Fathieh Qaimari, Samer Al-Gharabli,"High Throughput Screening and Characterization Methods of Jordanian Oil Shale as a Case Study",Energies 2019,12(16), 3148, doi,2019 [View] |
| 2019 | Ziad Abu El-Rub, Eddy Bramer, Samer Al-Gharabli, Gerrit Brem," Impact of char properties and reaction parameters on naphthalene conversion in a macro-TGA fixed char bed reactor",Catalysts 2019,9, 307, doi,2019 [View] |
| 2018 | Samer Al-Gharabli, Eyad Hamad, Munib Saket, Ziad Abu El-Rub, Hassan Arafat, Wojciech Kujawski , Joanna Kujawa,"Advanced material - ordered nano-tubular ceramic membrane covalently capped with single wall carbon nanotubes",Materials 2018,11(5), 739, (Q1, 5-Year IF: 3.236),2018 [View] |
| 2018 | Samer Al-Gharabli, Wojciech Kujawski, Ziad Abu El-Rub, Eyad M. Hamad, Joanna Kujawa,"Enhancing membrane performance in removal of hazardous VOCs from water by modified fluorinated PVDF porous material",Journal of Membrane Science,556, 214-226, (Q1, five years IF: 5.983),2018 [View] |
| 2017 | Abu El-Rub, Z, Kähler, B, Al-Khatib, J,"University Industry Collaboration: A Case Study from the German Jordanian University", In: 3rd MENA Higher Education Leadership Forum,,Dubai, UAE,2017 |
| 2017 | Taftanazi, Y, Neumann, H, Burger, D, Hagelstein, G, Abu El-Rub, Z, Gschwander, S,"Stability study of Phase Change Material between 100 °C and 200 °C",Paper presented at the the 8th Jordan International Chemical Engineering Conference,Amman, Jordan,2017 |
| 2016 | Abu El-Rub, Z., Brem, G., Bramer,E.A.,"Parameters affecting the removal of naphthalene over fixed biomass char bed",Venice 2016, Sixth International Symposium on Energy from Biomass and Waste, CISA, Venice, Italy,2016 |
| 2016 | bu El-Rub, Z., Bramer, E. A., Brem, G.,"Naphthalene Removal Experiments over a Fixed Bed of Biomass Char",Paper presented at the 5th Global Conference on Renewables and Energy Effficiency for Desert Regions (GCREEDER 2016), ,Amman, Jordan.,2016 [View] |
| 2015 | Abu El-Rub, Z, Bramer, E.A, & Brem, G,"Single Char Particle Model for Naphthalene Reduction in a Biomass Gasification System",Biomass and Bioenergy,72, 19-27, (Q1, five years IF: 4.186 ),2015 [View] |
| 2015 | Abu El-Rub, Z., Bramer, E. A., Brem, G.,"Real Tar Removal over Fixed Bed of Biomass Char",Paper presented at the 23rd European Biomass Conference and Exhibition,Vienna, Austria.,2015 |
| 2014 | Al-Gharabli, S, Abu El-Rub, Z, & Khanfar, M,"High Throughput Screening of Oil Content in Jordanian Oil Shale Using ATR-FTIR and Refractive Index Techniques",Paper Presented at the 7th Jordan International Chemical Engineering (JIChE 07) Conference,Amman, Jordan,2014 |
| 2014 | Abu El-Rub, Z., Bramer, E. A, Brem, G.,"Formulation of a Single Char Particle Model for naphthalene Removal in Biomass Gasification",Paper presented at the the 7th Jordan International Chemical Engineering (JIChE 07) Conference,Amman, Jordan.,2014 |