A New Home
In the fall of 2020, the Clean Energy Conversions Laboratory moved to its new home at the University of Pennsylvania. This lab is the culmination of years of investment from Professor Jennifer Wilcox and the countless group members that have contributed across the years to drive this research to the bleeding edge. Below, we honor those members who carry on the torch and recognize many of those who have helped build this group into what it is today.
Jennifer Wilcox, Presidential Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Engineering and Energy Policy
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
Wilcox’s research takes aim at the nexus of energy and the environment, developing both mitigation and adaptation strategies to minimize negative climate impacts associated with society’s dependence on fossil fuels. This work carefully examines the role of carbon management and opportunities therein that could assist in preventing 2°C warming by 2100. Carbon management includes a mix of technologies spanning from the direct removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to its capture from industrial, utility-scale and micro-emitter (motor vehicle) exhaust streams, followed by utilization or reliable storage of carbon dioxide on a timescale and magnitude that will have a positive impact on our current climate change crisis. Funding for her research is primarily sourced through the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy and the private sector. She has served on a number of committees including the National Academy of Sciences and the American Physical Society to assess carbon capture methods and impacts on climate. She is the author of the first textbook on carbon capture, published in March 2012.
Learn more about Jen
Peter Psarras, Research Assistant Professor
Research Focus Areas
Direct air capture, techno-economic assessment, life cycle analysis, carbon mineralization, geographic information systems mapping for responsible deployment of carbon management, carbon capture, utilization and storage
Learn more about Pete
Hélène Pilorgé, Research Associate
Research Focus Areas
Carbon capture and storage, point source capture, direct air capture, carbon mineralization, carbon accounting, geographic information systems mapping for responsible deployment of carbon management, low-carbon energy, alternative fuels
Learn more about Hélène
Estrella Beroff, Lab Manager
Research Focus Areas
Carbon mineralization, quantitative mineralogy, laboratory management
Learn more about Estrella
Maxwell Pisciotta, PhD Candidate
Pronouns: they/them or he/him
Research Focus Areas
Direct air capture, carbon mineralization, carbon capture and storage, life cycle analysis
Learn more about Max
Katherine Vaz Gomes, PhD Candidate
Research Focus Areas
Carbon mineralization, direct air capture, carbon capture & storage, techno-economic assessment
See More About Katherine
Affiliated Members
Chris Deeley, Undergraduate CBE Student
Anna Hallac, Undergraduate VIPER Student
Emma Li, Undergraduate VIPER Student
Caroline Magdolen, Undergraduate VIPER Student
Corbyn Stosich, Undergraduate CBE Student
Jacob Sheldon, Undergraduate CBE Student
Sara Takenaka, Undergraduate CBE Student
Former Members
Daniel Nothaft, Lab Manager
Dan is currently starting a company, Uplift Geo Systems!
Connect with Dan on LinkedIn!
Haarini Ramesh, M.S.
Haarini is currently working at Holtec International.
Check out Haarini's LinkedIn Page.
Mariam Alqubati, M.S.
Caitlyn McCloskey, B.S.
Caitlyn current works at Sublime Systems.
Check out Caitlyn's LinkedIn Page.
Noah McQueen, Ph.D.
Noah is currently co-founder and Head of Research at Heirloom Carbon. Learn more about this exciting technology here.
Noah's Linkedin page.
Caleb Woodall, Ph.D.
Caleb is currently a postdoctoral fellow in the Carbon Management Research Initiative at the Center on Global Energy Policy, Columbia University.
Caleb's Linkedin page.