CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center

Last month, the UNM School of Engineering had the opportunity of participating in the Discovery Festival, an STEAM-H event that inspires and connects students in our community with the boundless career possibilities in science, technology, engineering, arts, math, and health fields. We were thrilled to showcase a variety of fun, interactive demos designed to spark curiosity and foster a love for innovation. We are deeply honored that more than 1,800 students attended the event from K-12 and selected us for the Student Choice Award. This recognition means the world to us, as it reflects the enthusiasm and excitement of the students who engaged with our team. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who made this experience possible—but most importantly, the bright young minds who shared their energy and curiosity with us.

On November 20, I had the pleasure of visiting the Institut Charles Gerhardt Montpellier ICGM Montpellier, a multidisciplinary laboratory with nearly 500 staff focused on the chemistry of materials in health, environment, and energy. True to their motto, “Fundamental research to serve society,” ICGM is organized into five departments: Chemistry and Molecular Materials; Chemistry and Macromolecular Materials; Porous and Hybrid Materials; Chemistry of Materials for Energy and Nanostructures; and Theoretical Physical Chemistry and Modelling. The visit began with an insightful overview of the institute by Director Eric Clot, followed by detailed discussions with catalysis leaders Nathalie Tanchoux, Nathalie Marcotte, and Rémi André. We explored the design of catalytic materials and advanced operando methods for studying catalysts. A highlight was the tour of ICGM’s state-of-the-art facilities, which underscore their dedication to excellence in research and education. ICGM’s strong focus on health sciences is connected to the legacy of their university, home to one of the oldest medical schools in the world. This unique interdisciplinary approach enriches their work, bridging diverse fields to address pressing societal challenges. As always, the seminar inspired lively discussions with students and faculty on the energy transition and how heterogeneous catalysis can be a key enabler of transformative solutions. These exchanges were both thought-provoking and energizing, underscoring the importance of collaboration in tackling global challenges. Thank you to my colleagues at ICGM for their warm hospitality and the many stimulating conversations about science and education. It was a truly enriching visit, and I look forward to seeing how their innovative work continues to make an impact.

Congratulations to our CISTAR Fellows, Asha Ramanujam and Ángel N. Santiago Colón as they were 2 of 5 Purdue University students who received an award at the 2024 AIChE - American Institute of Chemical Engineers Conference in San Diego, California! Asha placed third in the CAST Directors' Student Presentation Award Session and Ángel received the Catalysis and Reaction Engineering (CRE) Division Travel Award that recognizes graduate students who have made an impact on catalysis and reaction engineering! https://lnkd.in/gDjFQaZE

📢 Opportunity Alert: Purdue SURF Applications Opening Soon! 🌊🏄♀️ 🗓️ Mark your calendars! The Purdue Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (#SURF) application opens December 1, 2024. 🔬 SURF offers a 10-week paid research experience for undergrads enrolled in US universities. Here's what you need to know: • Program Dates: May 25 - August 8, 2025 • Priority Deadline: January 15, 2025 (Rolling admissions after) • Stipend: $6,500 for the summer | Travel and Housing benefits available. Up to total compensation of $10,000 • Learn more about SURF here: https://lnkd.in/gRFfJ9it 🚀 Aspiring PhD students, don't miss the Pathways Scholars cohort: https://lnkd.in/drYTpXnM 📧 SURF Questions? Contact eur@purdue.edu Don't let this wave of opportunity pass you by! Start preparing your application now. #PurdueUniversity #SURF2025 #UndergraduateResearch #SummerOpportunity Purdue University College of Engineering, Arvind Raman, Tamara Kinzer-Ursem, John Howarter, Kay Kobak, PhD, Janet Beagle, Ph.D., Colleen Coulter, Purdue Engineering Pathways Scholars, Purdue University Graduate Engineering Programs, Purdue Engineering GradTrack Scholars, Engineering Undergraduate Research Office, Maeve Drummond Oakes, Denise Driscoll, Nikhilesh Chawla, William (Bill) Oakes, Ali Shakouri, John Fitzgerald Gates, Ph.D., Phillip S. Dunston, Gabriella Torres, Rachel Clark, Steve Beaudoin, Jacqueline Linnes, Purdue University, Valerie Lim, SHPE, National Society of Black Engineers, National Science Foundation (NSF), Society of Women Engineers, IEEE

Mahagani Lasciers, who participated in CISTAR's REM and REU programs, is featured here. Thank you to the Purdue Engineering Pathways program for providing such outstanding professional development.

Applications are open for the ND Energy Student Research Fellowships! This is an opportunity for Notre Dame undergraduate and graduate students to gain valuable research experience in energy-related areas in collaboration with ND Energy faculty affiliates. Students will receive awards to support their research efforts and advance their research knowledge, while making new discoveries and solving some of the greatest energy challenges facing the world today. Fellowship opportunities include the: —Vincent P. Slatt Fellowship for Undergraduate Research in Energy Systems and Processes —Patrick and Jana Eilers Graduate Student Fellowship for Energy Related Research —Forgash Fellowship for Graduate Student Research in Solar Energy —Forgash Fellowship for Graduate Student Research in Energy Storage Applications will be accepted until Tuesday, December 3, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. (ET). Explore the fellowships and application instructions: https://lnkd.in/ebj_H7wp #EnergyResearch #RenewableEnergy #SolarEnergy #EnergyStorage #STEMEducation

Deadline Extended! The Call for Abstracts for NAM29 is now open until Friday, December 6th. #NAM29 https://lnkd.in/gycA6H-u

On Friday, November 15, I had the pleasure of visiting the Catalysis and Spectrochemistry Laboratory (LCS) in Caen, marking the start of my "Tour de France." LCS is renowned for its pioneering work in material preparation, particularly zeolites, and the development of advanced spectroscopic techniques—especially IR spectroscopy—for studying porous materials under reaction conditions. These challenging yet essential techniques are essential for advancing our understanding of catalysis and driving the creation of innovative processes and materials. I was particularly excited to discover that colleagues at CISTAR and LCS share similar approaches in zeolite research and in the ongoing pursuit of improving operando techniques. LCS’s engagement in kinetic measurements further complements its expertise, offering a holistic approach to catalytic research. During my visit, I had the privilege of engaging with the current lab director, Professor Guillaume Clet, former director Professor Jean-Pierre Gilson (pictured), and many talented colleagues at LCS. After my seminar, thought-provoking questions and stimulating discussions with students and faculty provided fresh perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in the energy transition. We delved into topics such as the hydrogen economy and reflected on how incremental improvements in catalysts over decades (e.g., FCC) can collectively result in transformative advancements. A heartfelt thank-you to the LCS team for their warm hospitality and inspiring discussions. This visit was both enlightening and immensely enjoyable. I look forward to future collaborations in zeolite research and spectroscopy, as well as the exciting insights these connections will inspire as we work for a sustainable energy future.

Our latest paper, "Market optimization and technoeconomic analysis of hydrogen-electricity coproduction systems," is now available in Energy and Environmental Science! https://lnkd.in/gZrU8Nrf #IntegratedEnergySystems (IESs) provide #PowerGrid #flexibility by coupling multiple technologies and products to create more efficient and dynamically responsive systems. Due to #hydrogen's anticipated role in #decarbonization, we investigate the integration of electricity and hydrogen production via solid oxide #electrolysis. We develop a framework to directly compare technology options of varying flexibility and demonstrate its use via six process concepts. Our results indicate that solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) and solid oxide electrolyzer cell (SOEC)-based IESs have significant economic advantages over standalone fuel cells and natural gas combined cycles. Integrated systems that coproduce electricity and hydrogen – SOFC + SOEC and reversible solid oxide cell (rSOC) – are profitable in 85% and the top performer in 74% of considered market scenarios. The SOFC and rSOC technologies also show extremely flexible performance in anticipated market scenarios with high levels of variable renewable energy penetration. These findings strongly encourage research investments in SOFC and SOEC technologies, especially flexible coproduction systems. #optimization #EnergyTransition #HydrogenEconomy #ProcessSystemsEngineering #EnergySystems Thank you to our amazing team: Daniel Laky, Nicole P Cortes, John Eslick, Alexander Noring, Naresh Susarla, Chinedu Okoli, Miguel Zamarripa, Douglas Allan, John Brewer, Arun Iyengar, Maojian Wang, Anthony Burgard, David Miller, Alexander Dowling from ND Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National Energy Technology Laboratory, and KeyLogic.

🌟 First Purdue Chemistry Day at The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis! CISTAR NSF Engineering Research Center at Purdue University partnered with The Children's Museum of Indianapolis to host Chemistry Day 2024! Over 200 elementary-aged students explored STEM concepts through hands-on activities led by Purdue University chemistry and chemical engineering students. From bubbling lava lamps to invisible ink and color-changing reactions, each activity introduced kids to fundamental chemistry principles in a fun, interactive way. We are grateful to the museum's Science Programs department for collaborating with us to make STEM education accessible and exciting for kids! Special thanks to our Purdue volunteers for inspiring the next generation of scientists and to the museum’s Science Programs Manager, Don Riefler Reifler, who made it all happen!  #STEMEducation #ChemistryDay #CISTAR #PurdueUniversity #FutureScientists #HandsOnScience Chemistry Day Volunteers Aadideva Agarwal, Ángel N. Santiago Colón, Asha Ramanujam, David Roshan, Divya Chauhan, Emma Niemann, Isabel Courson, Jiwon Kim, Joanna Rosenberger, Karan Nair, Khushie Murthy, Liam Holmes, Madison Mercer, Mah Gull Syed, Jai Shah