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