Joshua Whiting

Principal Member of the Technical Staff

(505) 845-0712

Sandia National Laboratories, New Mexico
P.O. Box 5800
Albuquerque, NM 87185-0892

Biography

Whiting’s work focuses on chemical analysis and sensor development based on MEMS based gas chromatography (GC) and comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GCxGC). Whiting has lead the development of novel portable low-SWaP low-power MEMS GCxGC systems for high sensitivity and ultra-low false alarm rate detection. He co-founded a start-up to commercialize chemical sensor instrumentation for the energy sector before returning to Sandia in 2018. He has led system and sensor development for DARPA (Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency), DTRA (Defense Threat Reduction Agency), USAF (United States Air Force), and other commercial customers. His recent work has focused on the development of systems and methods for identifying VOC biomarkers produced by plants and bacteria and has worked to expand Sandia’s capability in this area.

Education

Bachelor’s Degree: Health and Society, University of Rochester (1993-1996)

Master’s Degree: Chemistry, Wright State University (1996-1999)

Doctoral Degree: Chemistry, University of Michigan (1999-2004)

Whiting’s master’s thesis focused on the study of low molecular weight organic acids in understanding the health of natural and man-made wetlands. This work combined his interest in analytical chemistry and biological applications. His Doctoral thesis focused on developing techniques to bring laboratory equipment to the field to facilitate real time analysis and minimize sample degradation from transport.

Research Interests

Developing and using GC and GCxGC based tools to advance chemical sensing. Increasing our understanding of the complex VOC mix produced by biological systems. Development of portable and handheld systems to take powerful analytical instrumentation to the field. Developing advanced modeling for MEMS GC design to increase the capability of fielded systems including the development of packed, pseudo-packed, and other novel GC concepts.

Relevant Prior Positions

Owner and founder, 3 Degrees of Separation (2010-2017)
Advanced Research Department, LECO Corp. (2009-2010)
SMTS, Sandia (2004-2009)
Systems Integrator, Wireless Integrated MicroSystems, Univ. of Mich. (2004-2005)
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Michigan, Professor Richard Sacks, (1999-2004)
Graduate Research Assistant, Wright State University, Prof. George Hess, (1997-1999)

Publications

Joshua Whiting, (2021). Recent Advances in Microfabricated Gas Chromatography for Process Analysis https://doi.org/10.2172/1860458 Publication ID: 77816

Joshua Whiting, Matthew Moorman, Ronald Manginell, Joe Simonson, Kent Pfeifer, (2020). History of Sandia?s MicroChemLab: a path to reduced false alarms in handheld systems https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1769581 Publication ID: 72939

Joshua Whiting, Matthew Moorman, Jason Sammon, Kent Pfeifer, Robert Simonson, (2020). Microfabrication in GCxGC: a path to reduced false alarms in handheld systems https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1783612 Publication ID: 72881

Matthew Moorman, Joshua Whiting, Kent Pfeifer, Robert Simonson, (2019). Portable Chemical Detection Technology With Ultra-low False Alarms https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1643347 Publication ID: 66419

Joshua Whiting, Leah Appelhans, David Wheeler, (2019). Novel Chemistry to Support the Detection of Advanced Chemical Agents https://doi.org/10.2172/1570803 Publication ID: 65602

Joshua Whiting, Matthew Moorman, Ronald Manginell, Komandoor Achyuthan, David Wheeler, Robert Simonson, Douglas Read, (2019). ChemLab? ? Twenty Years of Developing Microfabricated gas Analyzer for Chemical Detection https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1890355 Publication ID: 69590

Joshua Whiting, Douglas Read, Komandoor Achyuthan, Cory Fix, Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, Robert Simonson, David Wheeler, (2019). A Hydrogen Bonded Acidic Polymer (DKAP) as a Gas Chromatography Stationary Phase for Organophosphonates and Organophosphates https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1641069 Publication ID: 69595

Joshua Whiting, Edward Myers, Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, Kent Pfeifer, John Anderson, Cory Fix, Cody Washburn, Alan Staton, Daniel Porter, Darin Graf, David Wheeler, John Richards, Komandoor Achyuthan, Michael Roukes, Robert Simonson, (2019). μChemLab? ? Twenty Years of Developing CBRNE Detection Systems with Low False Alarm Rates https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1641071 Publication ID: 69597

Joshua Whiting, Edward Myers, Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, John Anderson, Cory Fix, Cody Washburn, Al Staton, Daniel Porter, Darin Graf, David Wheeler, Stephen Howell, John Richards, Haley Monteith, Komandoor Achyuthan, Michael Roukes, Robert Simonson, (2019). A high-speed, high-performance, microfabricated comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatograph Lab on a Chip https://doi.org/10.1039/C9LC00027E Publication ID: 67766

Joshua Whiting, Matthew Moorman, Ronald Manginell, (2019). Portable Chemical Detection Systems for Chemicals and Natural Gas https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1877807 Publication ID: 65720

Douglas Read, Komandoor Achyuthan, Cory Fix, Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, Robert Simonson, David Wheeler, Joshua Whiting, (2019). Thermodynamic studies on a hydrogen bonded acidic 3,5-Bis(trifluoromethyl)phenol-functionalized polymer as a gas chromatography stationary phase for selectively speciating chemical warfare agents Analytical Sciences https://doi.org/10.2116/analsci.18P537 Publication ID: 59693

Joshua Whiting, Edward Myers, Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, Kent Pfeifer, John Anderson, Cory Fix, Cody Washburn, Alan Staton, Daniel Porter, Darin Graf, David Wheeler, John Richards, Komandoor Achyuthan, Michael Roukes, Robert Simonson, (2019). μchemLab: Twenty years of developing CBRNE detection systems with low false alarm rates Proceedings of SPIE – The International Society for Optical Engineering https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1641070 Publication ID: 69596

Joshua Whiting, Matthew Moorman, Robert Simonson, Ronald Manginell, (2018). Practical Method to Determine the False Alarm Rate of a High‐Surety Chemical Analysis System https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1512558 Publication ID: 61961

Ronald Manginell, Matthew Moorman, Robert Simonson, John Anderson, Jason Sammon, Philip Miller, Kent Pfeifer, Joshua Whiting, Ronald Manginell, (2018). Field Portable Micro GC and Micro GCxGC System Development for Chemicals and Biogenic VOCs https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1524266 Publication ID: 61994

Philip Miller, Jason Sammon, Matthew Moorman, Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, Curtis Mowry, Adam Pimentel, Ronald Manginell, Kent Pfeifer, Komandoor Achyuthan, (2018). Systems for Plant Volatile Organic Compound (VOC) Analysis https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1500200 Publication ID: 61078

Shawn Dirk, Stephen Howell, Patricia Sawyer, Darin Graf, Cody Washburn, Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, (2009). Fast vapor sensing using chemiresistors functionalized with metal nanoparticle loaded silicate matrixes https://www.osti.gov/biblio/950680 Publication ID: 15835

Cory Fix, Joshua Whiting, (2009). Comprehensive Multidimensional Gas Chromatography and Modulator Development for Portable Instrumentation https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1698306 Publication ID: 15680

Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, (2008). High-speed Valve Modulator Studies https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1706301 Publication ID: 14965

Stephen Howell, Cody Washburn, Joshua Whiting, Hongyou Fan, Robert Simonson, Shawn Dirk, (2008). Vapor Sensing Using Conjugated Molecule-Linked Au Nanoparticles in a Silica Matrix Journal of Nanomaterials https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1143070 Publication ID: 14036

Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, Darin Graf, Alan Staton, Ronald Manginell, Cody Washburn, David Peterson, Cory Fix, (2008). Pneumatically modulated GCxGC development for handheld instrumentation for military and homeland security applications https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1028956 Publication ID: 13776

Joshua Whiting, (2007). Next generation uChem Lab development at Sandia National Laboratories https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1719057 Publication ID: 11804

David Scrymgeour, Shawn Dirk, Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, (2007). Nano-Enabled Smart Chemiresistors for Improved Chemical Sensing https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1147251 Publication ID: 10618

Patrick Lewis, Daniel Porter, Matthew Moorman, Robert Simonson, Richard Kottenstette, Joshua Whiting, Richard Cernosek, (2007). Microfabricated Preconcentrators for Portable Chemical Analysis Systems https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1267223 Publication ID: 8840

Robert Simonson, Kamyar Rahimian, Joshua Whiting, Ronald Manginell, Paul Galambos, Alan Staton, Darin Graf, Cody Washburn, Shawn Dirk, Stephen Howell, (2006). Microfabricated Gas Analyzer for Rapid Identification of Chemical Warfare Agents https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1264557 Publication ID: 8526

Joshua Whiting, Paul Galambos, Conrad James, Jaime McClain, Kamyar Rahimian, Randy Shul, Robert Simonson, Alan Staton, Stephen Howell, Shawn Dirk, Ronald Manginell, Alex Robinson, (2006). Development of a High-Speed High-Performance Microfabricated Gas Chromatograph for Military Applications https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1141289 Publication ID: 8021

Patrick Lewis, Richard Cernosek, Richard Kottenstette, Jon Bryan, Vincent Hietala, Matthew Moorman, Michael Siegal, Robert Simonson, Alex Robinson, Joshua Whiting, (2006). Microfabricated Preconcentrators for Portable Chemical Analysis Systems https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1264561 Publication ID: 8097

Joshua Whiting, Robert Simonson, Shawn Dirk, Stephen Howell, Ronald Manginell, Alan Staton, (2006). Microfabricated fast GC system for DARPA MGA https://www.osti.gov/biblio/900013 Publication ID: 6527

Louis Romero, Joshua Whiting, Michael Parks, (2005). A reduced order model for the study of asymmetries in linear gas chromatography for homogeneous tubular columns https://doi.org/10.2172/923173 Publication ID: 5923

Showing Results. Show More Publications

Selected Publications

JJ Whiting, CJ Lu, ET Zellers, RD Sacks “A portable, high-speed, vacuum-outlet GC vapor analyzer employing air as carrier gas and surface acoustic wave detection,” Analytical chemistry, 2001, 73, 4668
CJ Lu, J Whiting, RD Sacks, ET Zellers “Portable gas chromatograph with tunable retention and sensor array detection for determination of complex vapor mixtures,” Analytical chemistry, 2003, 75, 1400
FL Dorman, EB Overton, JJ Whiting, JW Cochran, JG Torresdey “Gas Chromatography,” Analytical Chemitry, 2008, 80, 4487
J Whiting; CS. Fix ; JM. Anderson ; AW. Staton ; RP. Manginell ; DR Wheeler, Edward B. Myers, Michael L. Roukes, R.J. Simonson “High-speed two-dimensional gas chromatography using microfabricated GC columns combined with nanoelectromechanical mass sensors,” Transducers, 2009, Denver
J Whiting, R Sacks “Selectivity enhancement for high-speed GC analysis of volatile organic compounds with portable instruments designed for vacuum-outlet and atmospheric-pressure Inlet Operation Using Air as the Carrier Gas,” Anal. Chem., 2002, 74, 246
JJ Whiting, RD Sacks “Evaluation of split/splitless operation and rapid heating of a multi‐bed sorption trap used for gas chromatography analysis of large‐volume air samples” Journal of separation science, 2006, 29, 218
J Whiting, R Sacks “Programmable selectivity for GC with series-coupled columns using pulsed heating of the second column,” Analytical chemistry, 2003, 75, 2215

Selected Patents

RD Sacks, JJM Whiting, “Pulsed carrier gas flow modulation for selectivity enhancements with gas chromatography using series-coupled column ensembles” US Patent 6,702,989, 2004
Kazi Zulfiqur, Ali Hassan, William M. Cost, Curtis D. Mowry, Michael P. Siegal, Alex Robinson, Joshua J. Whiting, Stephen W. Howell “Portable analytical system for detecting organic chemicals in water” US Patent 8,302,458, 2007
Philippe Andreucci, Eric Colinet, Laurent Duraffourg, Edward Myers, Mélanie Petitjean, Michael Lee Roukes, Joshua Whiting “System and method for analyzing a gas” US Patent Application: 20150308990A1 2015