Members
| Li Research Group (June 2022) | |
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| 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. |
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| Principal Investigator | |
| Fanxing Li
Alcoa Professor and University Faculty Scholar B.S. Chemical Engineering, Tsinghua University (2001) |
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| Visiting Scholars, Senior and Postdoctoral Researchers | |
| Luke Neal
Research Assistant Professor B.S. Chemical Engineering from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2003) |
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| Runxia Cai
Postdoctoral Researcher Education: B.S. Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University (2014) Ph.D. Thermal Engineering, Tsinghua University (2020) Research: “I work on dynamic simulation of chemical looping air separation as well as oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane. Additionally, I am studying sorbent-enhanced gasification of glycerol/biomass to produce high-hydrogen content syngas.” Hobbies/Interests: Photography and swimming. |
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| 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. |
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| Ruochen Wu
Postdoctoral Researcher Education: Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Brigham Young University (2020) Research: “Most of my research over the years has been focusing on sustainable energy (biomass gasification modeling and optimization) and plastic waste recycling. Currently I am working on the carbon capture project.” Hobbies/Interests: Basketball, billiards, traveling. |
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| 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.” |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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| Graduate Students | |
| Junchen Liu
PhD Candidate Education: B.S. Chemical Engineering, Purdue University (2018) Research: “I work on molten salt assisted oxidative dehydrogenation of ethane to ethylene using a chemical looping scheme. Additionally, I am studying aromatic dehydrogenation.” Hobbies/Interests: Hiking |
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| 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. |
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| Sherafghan Iftikhar
PhD Candidate Education: 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 |
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| 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. |
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| Kyle Vogt-Lowell
PhD Candidate Education: B.A. Biology/Biological Sciences, Cornell University (2017) 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. |
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| Mahe Rukh
PhD Student 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. |
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| Aaron Frye
PhD Student 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. |
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| Hilal Bektas
PhD Student 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. |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| Undergraduate Researchers | |
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| Former Group Members |
| Graduate Students |
Just a few places where some of our previous group members have found employment:
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| Postdoctoral Researchers & Visiting Scholars |
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| Undergraduate Students |
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