Principal Investigator (PI)

Pedro Castano

Professor

Research Scientists (RS)

Hend Omar Mohamed

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

Research Interests: Reforming, Oligomerization, Heat transfer enhanced catalyst, Bio- and electro-reactors, Zeolites, Catalyst synthesis, High throughput testing, Hydroprocessing, Waste Upgrading, Catalyst deactivation

Mengmeng Cui

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

Research Interests: Computational fluid dynamics, Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds, Operando reactors

Vijay V. Kumar

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

Research Interests: C-H activation, CO2 valorization, Fluidized beds, High throughput testing, Catalyst synthesis, Zeolites, Operando reactors, Catalytic Cracking, Hydrodeoxygenation

Postdocs (PD)

Azimet A. Karluk

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026-...

Research Interests: Reforming, Catalytic Cracking, Catalyst deactivation, Catalyst synthesis, Zeolites, Bio- and electro-reactors

Hui (Steven) Rong

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Research Interests: Hydroprocessing, Waste Upgrading

José Lucas Vieira

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

Research Interests: Hydroprocessing, Waste Upgrading, algae hydrothermal liquefaction

Manel Nasfi

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-...

Research Interests: Waste Upgrading, Hydroprocessing, Computational fluid dynamics, Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds, High throughput testing

Seba Alareeqi

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Research Interests: CO2 valorization, Hydroprocessing, Oxygenates to hydrocarbons, Catalyst deactivation, Micro kinetic modeling , Fluidized beds

PhD Students (PhD)

Abdulrahman H. Asiri

PhD Student

Research Interests: Reforming, Waste Upgrading, CO2 valorization

Abdulrahman Mubarak Alsaiari

PhD Student

Research Interests: Operando reactors, Micro kinetic modeling , Computational fluid dynamics, High throughput testing

Jose Ignacio Bielma Velasco

PhD Student

MSc Student, Graduated 2023

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, Gas-solid reactors

Kiruthika Jayaseelan

PhD Student

Research Interests: Catalyst synthesis, Oligomerization

Muhammad Arief Shafarifky

PhD Student

Research Interests: Catalyst synthesis, CO2 valorization, Bio- and electro-reactors, Waste Upgrading

Muhammed Ikbal Arikan

PhD Student

Research Interests: Computational fluid dynamics, Fluidized beds, Gas-solid reactors

Sherif Alabi

PhD Student

Research Interests: C-H activation, CO2 valorization, Waste Upgrading, Reforming, Operando reactors, Micro kinetic modeling , Fluidized beds

Talal Aldugman

PhD Student

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Research Interests: Fluidized beds, Gas-solid reactors

Masters Students (MSc)

Altaiyr Khaidarov

MSc Student

Research Interests: Crude to chemicals

Changtai Li

MSc Student

Research Interests: Operando reactors, Micro kinetic modeling , High throughput testing

Daffer AlYami

MSc Student

Research Interests: Waste Upgrading, Catalytic Cracking, Crude to chemicals, Hydroprocessing, Micro kinetic modeling , Computational fluid dynamics, Gas-solid reactors

Laman Talibova

MSc Student

Research Interests: Catalyst synthesis, Catalytic Cracking, Crude to chemicals, Operando reactors, Hydroprocessing

Momen Hassan

Master’s Student

Research Interests: Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds, Computational fluid dynamics

Zhandarbek Sapargaliyev

Master’s Student

Research Interests: Crude to chemicals, Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds

Visiting Student

Layan A Alhajji

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (KGSP)

Research Interests: Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds

Mohamed M Fadhul

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (VSRP)

Research Interests: Bio- and electro-reactors

Yasir S. Bajaber

Visiting Student 2026 Summer (KGSP)

Research Interests: Process system engineering

Alumni

Abdullah Gobouri

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Abdulrahman Moosa Alzailaie

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Ali Alkadhem

PhD student, Graduated 2024

Gontzal Lezcano

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Isa Al Aslani

PhD Student, Graduated in 2025

Kenia Moreno Martínez

MSc Student, Graduated 2023

Khaled A. Alshehri

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Marwan Alamro

MSc Student, Graduated 2022

Mohammad M. Ali

MSc Student, Graduated 2024

Mohammed Albuali

PhD Student (co-affiliated), Graduated 2025

Mohammed Babkoor

MSc Student, Graduated 2021

Natalia Realpe

MSc Student, Graduated 2021 PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Naydu Paola Zambrano Urrutia

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Omar A. Abed

PhD Student, Graduated 2023

Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026.

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Salman Aldossary

MSc Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: Catalytic Cracking, Catalyst deactivation, Fluidized beds

Xueqin Bai (Bruce)

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Zainab Almoruhen

MSc Student, Graduated 2025

Research Interests: C-H activation, CO2 valorization, Operando reactors, Micro kinetic modeling , Catalyst synthesis

Previous Visitors

Abdulaziz Alshohail

Summer Research Intern, KGSP

Abdulaziz Badr M. Aljoaid

Visiting Student, SRSI

Abdullah Alhamadat

Summer Research Intern, KGSP

Jon Pascual

Visiting Researcher

Lamar Abdulaal

Visiting Student (2026 Summer KGSP)

Research Interests: C-H activation, CO2 valorization, Reforming, Bio- and electro-reactors, Catalyst synthesis

Meshal Alrwaished

Summer Research Intern

Sohailh Marie

Summer Research Intern

Suní Rodríguez Plaza

Visiting Student

Previous members

Attada Yerrayya

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2022

Diego Zapater Bes

Postdoctoral Fellow 2022-2024

Faseeh Kulangara Kandiyil

Postdoctoral Fellow 2025-...

Research Interests: Heat transfer enhanced catalyst, Computational fluid dynamics, Gas-solid reactors, Fluidized beds

Fernanda Tavares

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2021

Gontzal Lezcano

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

PhD Student, Graduated 2024

Haidong Li

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2020-2021

Idoia Hita

Research Scientist 2019-2024

Jahirul Mazumder

Postdoctoral Fellow, 2019-2021

Juan David Trueba

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2026

Pewee Datoo Kolubah

Postdoctoral Fellow 2026.

PhD Student, Graduated 2025

Pia Dally

Postdoctoral Fellow 2024-2025

Rushana Khairova

Research Specialist 2024-2025

Shekhar R. Kulkarni

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2023 Research Scientist 2023-2024

Xueli Yao

Postdoctoral Fellow 2020-2023

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