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
Abby Lunstrum, Ph.D., Research Associate
Research Focus Areas
Carbon sequestration, renewable energy, carbon mineralization, geochemistry, and biogeochemistry.
Learn more about Abby
Hélène Pilorgé, Ph.D., 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
Max Pisciotta, Ph.D., Postdoctoral Fellow
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, carbon capture & storage, techno-economic assessment
See More About Katherine
Shelvey Swett, PhD Candidate
Research Focus Areas
Carbon mineralization, separations, carbon capture & storage, techno-economic assessment
See More About Shelvey
Aline Uwase, PhD Student
Research Focus Areas
Carbon mineralization, carbon capture & storage, materials characterization, CO2 adsorption
See More About Aline
Shrey Patel, PhD Candidate
Research Focus Areas
Direct air capture, carbon mineralization, carbon capture & storage, process modelling, techno-economic assessment, low-carbon energy
See More About Shrey
Affiliated Members
Rithika Ramkumar, Undergraduate CBE Student/Data Science minor
Ananya Srivastav, Undergraduate VIPER Student
Former Members
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 Program Manager of the University Training and Research Program at the US DOE, office of Fossil Energy and Carbon Management.
Caleb's LinkedIn page.
Kourosh (Cyrus) Kian, Ph.D.
Cyrus is currently a Senior Program Manager at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). He is leading the Methane Emissions Reduction Program (MERP) at the DOE's Office of Resource Sustainability, Division of Methane Mitigation Technologies.
Cyrus's LinkedIn page.
Peter Psarras, Ph.D.
Peter was a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Pennsylvania and acted temporary PI of the CEC lab while Jen was on DOE appointment.
Peter's LinkedIn page. Peter's Google Scholar page.
