Principal Investigator (PI)

Pedro Castano

Professor

Research Scientists (RS)

Mengmeng Cui

Research Scientist 2022-... Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2021

Research Interests: CFD, CFD-DEM, Fluidized beds, Multizone beds, Downers and risers, Operando reactors, Process simulation, Digital twins

Vijay V. Kumar

Research Scientist 2023-... Postdoctoral Fellow 2019-2023

Research Interests: MOFs, Supported nanoparticles, Carbides, nitrides, sulfides, Operando reactors, Forced dynamic reactors, Spectroscopy, XPS, Packed beds, H2S splitting, CO2 to methanol, C-H activation, H2S valorization

Postdocs (PD)

Azimet A. Karluk

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026-...

Research Interests: Supported nanoparticles, CO2 to methanol, Hydrogen production, Bio-electrochemical reactors

Hui (Steven) Rong

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Research Interests: Spray drying, Extrusion, Spray fluidized bed, Technical catalysts, Powder technology, Catalyst scale-up, CFD

Jose Lucas Vieira

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-... Visiting Student, 2023-2024

Research Interests: Complex mixtures, Mass spectrometry, Analytical techniques, Reaction networks, Molecular-level kinetics, Biomass and algae, Hydrothermal liquefaction, Plastic waste, Hydroprocessing, Fouling, Chromatography, Waste tires

Seba AlAreeqi

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Research Interests: DFT, Microkinetics, Macrokinetics, Reaction networks, Molecular-level kinetics, CO2 to methanol, CO2 electroreduction, H2S splitting, Process simulation, Catalyst poisons

PhD Students (PhD)

Abdulrahman H. Asiri

PhD Student

Research Interests: Process simulation, Techno-economics, LCA, Hydrogen production, H2S splitting, Carbides, nitrides, sulfides, Digital twins, H2S valorization

Abdulrahman Mubarak Alsaiari

PhD Student

Research Interests: Forced dynamic reactors, Operando reactors, High-throughput testing, Neural networks, C-H activation

Jose Ignacio Bielma Velasco

PhD Student

MSc Student, Graduated 2023

Research Interests: Multizone beds, Fluidized beds, Berty reactors

Kiruthika Jayaseelan

PhD Student

Research Interests: Oligomerization, Oxygenates to hydrocarbons, Zeolites

Muhammad Arief Shafarifky

PhD Student

Research Interests: CO2 electroreduction, Bio-electrochemical reactors, Nuclear magnetic resonance

Muhammed Ikbal Arikan

PhD Student

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, CFD, CFD-DEM, Multiphase reactors

Sherif Alabi

PhD Student

Research Interests: Supported nanoparticles, Dry reforming, Microkinetics, Process simulation, Berty reactors

Talal Aldugman

PhD Student

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Research Interests: Downers and risers, Fluidized beds, Crude to chemicals, Fluid catalytic cracking

Masters Students (MSc)

Altaiyr Khaidarov

MSc Student

Research Interests: Process simulation, Fluidized beds

Changtai Li

MSc Student

Research Interests: CO2 electroreduction, CFD, Bio-electrochemical reactors

Laman Talibova

MSc Student

Research Interests: Hydroprocessing, Carbides, nitrides, sulfides, Crude to chemicals, Fluid catalytic cracking, Operando reactors

Momen Hassan

Master’s Student

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, CFD, Multiphase reactors

Zhandarbek Sapargaliyev

Master’s Student

Research Interests: Crude to chemicals, Fluidized beds

Visiting Student

Jana Alsubail

Visiting Student 2026 Fall

Research Interests: DFT, CO2 electroreduction

Alumni

Abdullah Gobouri

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Research Interests: Catalyst deactivation, Macrokinetics, Catalyst poisons

Abdulrahman Moosa Alzailaie

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, Downers and risers

Ali Alkadhem

PhD student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Spray fluidized bed, Spray drying, Powder technology

Daffer AlYami

MSc Student, Graduated 2026

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, CFD, Fluid catalytic cracking

Gontzal Lezcano

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Reaction networks, Neural networks, Catalyst deactivation, Analytical techniques, Chromatography, Coke characterization, Trapped species

Isa Al Aslani

PhD Student, Graduated in 2025

Kenia Moreno Martínez

MSc Student, Graduated 2023

Khaled A. Alshehri

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Research Interests: Crude to chemicals, Hydroprocessing

Marwan Alamro

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Mohammad M. Ali

MSc Student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Process simulation, Reaction networks

Mohammed Albuali

PhD Student (co-affiliated), Graduated 2025

Research Interests: CO2 to methanol

Mohammed Babkoor

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Research Interests: Methane pyrolysis, Carbon materials

Natalia Realpe

MSc Student, Graduated 2021 PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Membrane reactors, Ammonia decomposition, Process simulation

Naydu Paola Zambrano Urrutia

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Complex mixtures, Asphaltenes and petcoke, Analytical techniques, Chromatography

Omar A. Abed

PhD Student, Graduated 2023

Research Interests: Oligomerization, Supported nanoparticles

Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026.

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: Bio-electrochemical reactors

Salman Aldossary

MSc Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: Fluid catalytic cracking, Catalyst deactivation, Fluidized beds

Xueqin Bai (Bruce)

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: Exsolved perovskites, Catalyst deactivation, Supported nanoparticles, Microkinetics

Zainab Almoruhen

MSc Student, Graduated 2025

Previous Visitors

Abdulaziz Alshohail

Summer Research Intern, KGSP

Abdulaziz Badr M. Aljoaid

Visiting Student, SRSI

Abdullah Alhamadat

Summer Research Intern, KGSP

Abdulrahman Al-Ansari

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (SRSI)

Aitor Achutegui Narbona

Visiting PhD Student

Ammar Babateen

Visiting Student 2021 Summer (SRSI)

Inaki Imanol Arzac

Visiting Student 2019 Fall (VS)

Jon Pascual

Visiting Researcher

Lamar Abdulaal

Visiting Student (2026 Summer KGSP)

Layan A Alhajji

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (KGSP)

Meshal Alrwaished

Summer Research Intern

Meshari Aldossary

Visiting Student 2022 Summer (SRSI)

Mohamed M Fadhul

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (VSRP)

Mohammed Alquraini

Summer Research Intern, SRSI

Nader Masmali

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (SRSI)

Sohailh Marie

Summer Research Intern

Suní Rodríguez Plaza

Visiting Student

Tasnim Eisa

Visiting Student 2024 Summer (VS)

Vlada Shestakova

Visiting Student 2023 Spring (VS)

Yasir S. Bajaber

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (KGSP)

Previous members

Attada Yerrayya

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2022

Diego Zapater Bes

Postdoctoral Fellow 2022-2024

Research Interests: Oxygenates to hydrocarbons, Zeolites

Faseeh Kulangara Kandiyil

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Fernanda Tavares

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2021

Research Interests: Intraparticle SiC, Supported nanoparticles

Gontzal Lezcano

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Research Interests: Reaction networks, Neural networks, Catalyst deactivation, Analytical techniques, Chromatography, Coke characterization, Trapped species

Haidong Li

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2021

Research Interests: Complex mixtures, Hydroprocessing, Fluid catalytic cracking

Hend Omar Mohamed

Research Scientist 2023-2026 Postdoctoral Fellow 2019-2023

Research Interests: Zeolites, Hierarchical catalysts, Alloys and multimetals, Carbides, nitrides, sulfides, MXenes, CO2 electroreduction, Bio-electrochemical reactors, Photothermal reactors, High-throughput testing, Technical catalysts, Nuclear magnetic resonance, Spectroscopy, Oligomerization, Hollow catalysts

Idoia Hita

Research Scientist 2019-2024

Research Interests: Catalyst deactivation, Plastic waste, Biomass and algae, Supported nanoparticles, Coke characterization, Waste tires

Jahirul Mazumder

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2021

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, CFD

Juan David Trueba

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2026

Manel Nasfi

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2026

Research Interests: Downers and risers, Fluidized beds, Deasphalting and fouling, Oxygenates to hydrocarbons, Fluid catalytic cracking

Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026.

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: Bio-electrochemical reactors

Pia Dally

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

Quaid Johar Samun Virpurwala

PhD Student

Research Interests: CO2 utilization

Ruben Iran Medina Flores

PhD Student

Research Interests: Downers and risers

Rushana Khairova

Research Specialist 2024-2025

Shekhar R. Kulkarni

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2023 Research Scientist 2023-2024

Research Interests: Technical catalysts, Intraparticle SiC

Xueli Yao

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2023

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