Members

Li Research Group (June 2022)
      
Top Row, Left to right: Ryota Akutsu, William Martin, Dr. Xin Li, Dr. Luke Neal, Kyle Vogt-Lowell, and Sherafghan Ifthikar. 

                      Middle Row, Left to right: Leo Brody, Dr. Jian Dou , Dennis Chacko, Junchen Liu, Dr. Fanxing Li, Dr. Rouchen Wu, and Aaron Frye. 

Bottom Row, Left to right: Mahe Rukh, Hilal Bektas, Emily Krzystowczyk, Dr. Kunran Yang, and Dr. Chongyan Ruan.

*Not Pictured: Yian Tian and Dr. Runxia Cai.

Principal Investigator
Fanxing Li

Alcoa Professor and University Faculty Scholar

B.S. Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University (2001)
M.S. Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University (2004)
Ph.D. The Ohio State University (2009)

Visiting Scholars, Senior and Postdoctoral Researchers
Luke Neal

Research Assistant Professor

B.S. Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2003)
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering from the University of Florida (2008)

Chongyan Ruan

Visiting Scholar

Education: B.E. Environmental Science and Engineering, Dalian Maritime University (2013)

                   Ph.D. Industrial Catalysis, Chinese Academy of Sciences (2019)

Research: “I work on syngas production via a chemical looping approach.”

Hobbies/Interests: Traveling and reading.

Kunran Yang

Postdoctoral Researcher

Education: B.S. Chemistry, East China Normal University (2016)

                  Ph.D. Physical Science and Technology, ShanghaiTech University  (2021)

Research: “My research interests lie in using ab initio calculations via density functional theory (DFT) to understand and predict fundamental material properties for chemical applications.”

Baitang Jin

Postdoctoral Researcher

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianjin University (2014)

M.E. Chemical Engineering, Tianjin University (2017)

                  Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Missouri University of                        Science and Technology  (2022)

Research: “I work on catalyst development in the dehydrogenation process to obtain valuable products. I am also working on the reactor system design to achieve a more efficient pathway.”

Hobbies/Interests: Traveling, Cooking, Video Games.

Mohammedreza Kosari

Postdoctoral Researcher

Education: M.Sc. Energy Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (2013)

                  Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, National University of Singapore (2022)

Research: “My research is to investigate morphology-performance relationship of advanced nanocatalysts in heterogeneous catalysis, especially for sustainability-motivated reactions such as CO2 utilization and CH4 transformation to produce value-added chemicals”

Hobbies/Interests: Gym and learning.

 

Doctoral Students
Dennis Chacko

PhD Candidate 

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Maryland Baltimore County (2019)

Research:I work on oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene using molten salt promoted catalysts. I am also working on developing molten salt catalysts for integrated CO2 capture and CO2-ODH.” 

Hobbies/Interests: Playing the saxophone and singing.

Sherafghan Iftikhar 

PhD Candidate

Education:
B.E. Chemical Engineering, COMSATS Institute of Information and Technology (2014)

M.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, Lahore (2019)

Research: “I work on chemical looping dry reforming of methane to produce Fischer Tropsch ready syngas with the aid of oxygen carriers. As a part of my project, I am also interested in developing alternative ways to produce inherently separated syngas streams in a chemical looping scheme.”

Hobbies/Interests: Cricket, learning about new cultures, and quality time with friends

Leo Brody

PhD Candidate

Education:

B.S. Environmental Science, American University (2016)

M.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2021)

Research: “I am currently studying sorption-enhanced oxidative reforming of biomass for simultaneous hydrogen production and in-situ CO2 capture. I am also working on a modular ethane-to-liquids technology based on chemical looping-based oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene.” 

Hobbies/Interests: Chess, reading, piano, and learning foreign languages.

Kyle Vogt-Lowell 

PhD Candidate

Education:

B.A. Biology/Biological Sciences, Cornell University (2017)

M.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2022)

Research:  “I’m currently exploring CO2 capture and utilization from power plant flue gas in the context of ethane dehydrogenation. By employing novel molten salt and mixed oxide substrate chemistries in a chemical looping scheme, we hope to improve upon traditional CO2-ODH processes, decreasing CO2 emissions while creating value-added chemical products.”

Hobbies/Interests: Music, tennis, hiking/camping, and BJJ. 

Mahe Rukh

PhD Candidate

Education: B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (2017)

Research: “My research centers around designing effective multifunctional catalytic sorbents for converting biomass wastes into renewable syngas.”

Hobbies/Interests: Playing Kalimba and reading. 

Aaron Frye

PhD Candidate

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2012)

Research: “I work on an Eastman project related to oxidative dehydrogenation of alkenyl benzene compounds using tailored perovskite oxides.”

Hobbies/Interests: I enjoy video games, disc golf, hiking, cooking and quality time with my wife and dogs. 

Hilal Bektas

PhD Candidate

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Bogazici University, Istanbul, Turkey (2021)

Research: “I am researching thermochemical looping energy storage”

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, swimming, quality time with my friends. 

William Martin

PhD Student

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2021)

Research: “I am working with Sherafghan Iftikhar on methane dry reforming for sustainable syngas production.”

Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, frisbee golf. 

Sam Portillo

PhD Student

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Arizona (2019)

Research: “My research is centered around the development of novel perovskite and molten-phase catalysts for the decomposition of methane to hydrogen and carbon nanotubes.”

Hobbies/Interests: Reading, photography, learning/playing jazz guitar.  

 

Seyedamin Razavi

PhD Student

Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Sharif University of Technology (2022)

Research: “My research focuses on sorbents for the direct capture of CO2 from ambient air (DAC).”

Hobbies/Interests: Soccer, movies, and music.

 

Ibrahim Sultan

PhD Student

Education:

B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of Engineering & Technology, Lahore (2015)

M.Eng. Materials Engineering Science, Osaka University, Japan (2021)

Research: “I am working on the process intensification strategies for naphtha cracking for production of valuable chemicals. I am also working on the dehydrogenation process. “

Hobbies/Interests: Cycling, Cooking, Photography, Exploring new places, quality time with my family and friends.

 

Casey Killmer

PhD Student

Education:

B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, West Virginia University (2019)

Research: “I am working on Sorption-enhanced processes for the development of sustainable fuels and chemicals and finding possible routes for the utilization of CO2 as a chemical feedstock.”

Hobbies/Interests: Playing soccer, watching football, hiking, and reading.

 

Micah Dickens

PhD Student and Goodnight Fellow, co-advised by Prof. Michael Dickey

Education:

B.Sc. Chemical Engineering, University of South Alabama (2023)

Research: “I work to understand gallium-based liquid metals for catalysis. This work has multiple applications, such as the dehydrogenation of alkane, CO2 reduction reactions, and the catalytic decomposition of methane. My project is developing more effective synthetic routes for catalytic synthesis and then applying these newly developed catalysts to standard model systems, such as the dehydrogenation of propane.”

Hobbies/Interests: Reading (Tolkien and theology), Hiking, Playing Baseball and other sports, and playing Chess.

 

Masters Students
Lauren Teague

MS Student

Education:

B.S. Chemical Engineering, North Carolina State University (2023)

Research: “I am studying composite materials for use in high-capacity thermochemical energy storage.”

Hobbies/Interests: Watching NC State sports and Detroit Lions football, reading, traveling.

Jack Hughes

MS Student

Education:

B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Arizona (2023)

Research: “I am studying the use of sorbents for the direct air capture of CO2.”

Hobbies/Interests: Playing basketball, watching sports, working out.

 

Undergraduate Researchers
  • Anna Lawrence
  • Azin Saberi Bosari
  • Eric Giavedoni
  • Lexi Pierce
Former Group Members
Graduate Students
 

  • Junchen Liu, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2023) — currently at Clariant Specialty Chemicals.
  • Yuan Tian, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2022) — currently at MSA Safety Appliances.
  • Emily Kryzstowczyk, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2022) — currently in Future Leaders Program at BASF.
  • Alajia Thornton, M.S. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2021) — currently at U.S. Army Chem Corps.
  • Joey Funderberg, M.S. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2021) — currently at KBI BioPharma.
  • Yunfei Gao, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2019) currently an associate professor at East China University of Science and Technology.
  • Ryan Dudek, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2020) — currently a AAAS Science and Technology Fellow.
  • Seif Yusuf, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2019) — currently at Clariant Specialty Chemicals.
  • Vasudev Haribal, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2019) — currently at Susteon, Inc.
  • Daniel Jackson, M.S. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2019) — currently at Cree.
  • Amit Mishra, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2018) — currently at Advanced Semiconductor Materials.
  • Arya Shafiefarhood, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2016) — currently at Advanced Semiconductor Materials.
  • Nathan Galinsky, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2016) — currently an assistant professor at West Virginia Technical University.
  • Feng He, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, NC State University (2015) — currently at Tesla Motors.

Just a few places where some of our previous group members have found employment:

 

Postdoctoral Researchers & Visiting Scholars
  • Shuang Wang, Ph.D., Jilin University (2011) — currently at Taiyuan University of Technology
  • Xing Zhu, Ph.D. — currently at Kunming University of Science and Technology
  • Young-Min Chung, Ph.D. — currently at Kunsan National University
  • Xin Tian, Ph.D. — currently at Huazhong University of Science and Technology
  • Yun Chen, Ph.D. — currently at South China University of Technology
  • Moti Herskowitz, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, UC Davis (1978) — currently at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev
  • Junshe Zhang, Ph.D., National University of Singapore — currently at Xi’an Jiaotong University
  • Yang Liu, Ph.D., Harbin Institute of Technology (2003)
  • Tianyang Li, Ph.D. Chemistry, Ohio State University (2016) — currently at Duke University
  • Matthew Cooper, Ph.D., Ohio University (2008) — currently at NC State University
  • Yan Huang, Ph.D. — currently at Xiangtan University
  • Yanguang Chen, Ph.D. — currently at Northeast Petroleum University
Undergraduate Students
  • Madison Baldwin
  • Millicent Blivin
  • Megan Boland
  • Timothy Brantley
  • Shivalik Daga
  • Arjun Devarajan
  • Carl Druebbisch
  • Farrah Haeri
  • J. Clay Hamill
  • Soveth Hourn
  • Dylan Jackson
  • Gaochen Jin
  • Daniel Kim
  • Alan May
  • Finlay O’Donnell
  • Patrick O’Shea
  • Samir Patel
  • Courtney Paulus
  • Benazir Asifa Mohamed Raffi
  • Thomas Robbins
  • Evan Scott
  • Marwan Sendi
  • Ji-Young Shin
  • Elizabeth Shively
  • Dharshan Sivaraj
  • Brian Todd Smith
  • Amy Stewart
  • Grant Thomas
  • Ziren Wang