assistant professor
Ana Morais
ana.morais@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Dr. Ana Rita C. Morais recently accepted a position as an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering in the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas. Dr. Morais received her Ph.D. in Sustainable Chemistry from NOVA University of Lisbon, Portugal in 2018. Her doctoral research was focused on the development of sustainable solvent systems based on supercritical and sub-critical fluids for producing fuels and chemicals from biomass. While pursuing her Ph.D., Dr. Morais developed a new ammonia-based technology for upgrading lignocellulosic biomass in Michigan Biotechnology Institute (MSU-MBI) and Great Lakes Bioenergy Research Center (GLBRC). After completing her Ph.D., Dr. Morais was hired as a post-doctoral research associate to work on the determination of thermodynamic and transport properties of refrigerants with low global warming potential in lubricating oils, in collaboration with Chemours Company. In 2019, Dr. Morais joined National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Colorado, to investigate the performance of a catalytic process for upgrading lignin from varying sources into valuable aromatic platform chemicals. In addition, Dr. Morais worked on a project under the BOTTLETM U.S. Department of Energy Consortium aiming to recycle post-consumer plastics using an organocatalyzed process. Dr. Morais’s research interests focus on developing economically viable and energy-efficient technologies for upgrading lignocellulose and mixed plastic wastes and exploring potential synergies between lignocellulosic biomass conversion and plastic recycling.
Graduate STUDENTS
Alejandra Rocha
KU Profile
alejandra.rocha@ku.edu
Linkedin
Alejadra was Dr. Shiflett’s first graduate student at KU. She graduated with her M.S. in Chemical Engineering with Honors in December of 2018. She now works for Black & Veatch in Kansas City, KS. Alejandra received her chemical engineering bachelor’s degree with honors from the University of Kansas in 2014. After graduating, she worked in the process engineering industry running dynamic state simulations.
Nicole Montoya
nicole.montoya@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Nicole Montoya graduated with her B.S. in Chemical Engineering with a concentration in Bioengineering from the University of Kansas in May of 2019. She joined the Shiflett lab in January of 2020 to pursue her M.S in Chemical Engineering. Her research focuses on the thermal stabilization of vaccines using mesoporous silica in order to eliminate the need for a cold chain transport and increase global vaccine impact. Other research interests include drug delivery and biomaterials.
Ankit Verma
KU Profile
ankitverma@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Ankit received his bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, India in 2016. He was admitted for his PhD at KU in fall 2016 as a Chancellor’s Fellow. During the first two years of PhD he has worked on development of carbon nanotubes based high surface area materials. Under the guidance of Dr. Shiflett, Ankit is currently working on metal separations from mixed metal oxides. Upon graduation, he plans to pursue a career in industrial research.
Nicholas Reding
KU Profile
n221r069@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Nicholas Reding received his Bachelor and Master of Science in chemical engineering from the University of Kansas in 2016 and 2019, respectively. Nicholas currently works in the field of explosion protection, designing and consulting on protection solutions for a wide range of applications. After several years of industry experience, he decided to continue onward in his pursuit of a doctorate in chemical engineering. His research interests include process safety, combustion science, and explosion protection (more specifically, suppression and isolation of non-standard deflagrations). Under the guidance of Dr. Shiflett, Nicholas is currently working on a study that applies computational fluid dynamics and numerical modeling techniques to predict pressure evolution during contained metal dust explosion events. Working in collaboration with Fike Corporation, his primary focus is to standardize the industry’s approach toward hazard assessment and mitigation solution design for nonstandard metal dust applications. Upon graduation, Nicholas plans to explore complex research studies with continued attention towards industry-related projects in his field.
Ethan Finberg
ethan.finberg@ku.edu
LINKEDIN
Ethan Finberg graduated with a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from The University of Kansas in 2019. Following graduation, Ethan was hired by the Chemical & Petroleum Department and began working with Dr. Shiflett as an instructor for the Senior Chemical Engineering Laboratory course. Ethan continues to teach this course and, as of January of 2020, began research with Dr. Shiflett in pursuit of a M.S. in Chemical Engineering. Ethan’s graduate research involves modeling and building an extractive distillation column to separate refrigerants using an ionic liquid solvent.
Tugba Turnaoglu
KU Profile
turnaoglu@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Tugba was Dr. Shiflett’s first PhD student at KU. She graduated with her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering with Honors in December of 2019. Her Ph.D. thesis was entitled “Phase Behavior of Binary Ionic Liquid Systems: Ionic Liquids with Ammonia, Carbon Dioxide, and Dihydroxy Alcohols”. Tugba received her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at Ankara University in Turkey and her master’s degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Oklahoma. Her current research interests are ionic liquids, heating cooling cycles, vapor liquid equilibria, zeolites, nanofluids, surfactants and surface phenomena. She is very enthusiastic about research and teaching, and plans to start her career at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL).
Francisco Cunha
Francisco.cunha@ku.edu
Francisco was a Masters student from Instituto Superior Técnico in Portugal working on his MsC dissertation in Dr. Shiflett’s lab, focusing on the use of ionic liquids to separate refrigerant R-410a into less harmful components. While pursuing his degree, he also did lab work researching the properties of DES. During his free time, he works as a coordinator for a political party in his home country, while spending the remaining time writing, reading and playing video games.
PREVIOUS Research Associates
Rajkumar Kore
KU Profile
rrkore@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Dr. Rajkumar Kore has been working as a Senior Researcher with Dr. Mark Shiflett’s research group since May 2018. His current research interests are design ionic liquids (IL) for catalysis, separation, materials development, etc. Prior to joining Dr. Shiflett’s group, Dr. Kore worked as a postdoctoral research scientist with Prof. Robin D. Rogers’ group at The University of Alabama from November 2014 to April 2018. There, he worked on multiple IL-based projects, led a team of research postdocs on an industrially sponsored project (from Reliance Industries) and developed several homogeneous and heterogeneous ILs used for catalysis and separation processes. Dr. Kore completed his Ph.D. degree in chemistry from Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar with Prof. Rajendra Srivastava, from 2010 to 2014. His doctoral study was primarily focused on the development of ILs as well as porous materials like hierarchical zeolites for catalysis. Prior to his Ph.D., he worked as a research assistant on development of a continuous process for biodiesel in the Indo-US project in NCL Pune from 2009 to 2010. He has 34 research articles (with 708 citations), 4 US patents granted and filed 3, 15 notice of invention submitted on new catalysts, and multiple other works under review.
PREVIOUS POST DOCTORAL RESEARCHERS
Hannes Schmidt
hannes.schmidt@ku.edu
LinkedIn
Hannes Schmidt received his PhD in mechanical engineering from the University of Rostock in 2019 for experimental analyses of thermodynamic seawater properties at PTB, the national metrology institute of Germany. Hannes’ results sparked a multidisciplinary discussion on oceanographic standards and enable reliable thermohaline circulation and climate predictions. In Dr. Shiflett’s working group, Hannes is researching the interaction of refrigerants with low global warming potential and lubricants in collaboration with the Chemours Company, in order to advance climate-friendly chilling processes.
Carlos Castor Jr
carlos.castor@ku.edu
Dr. Carlos Castor received his Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ), Brazil. He completed his Master and Doctor’s degree in Chemical Engineering at UFRJ. During his doctorate, Dr. Carlos Castor worked on several research projects in cooperation with some international petrochemical companies, more specifically related to the polymerization processes under Prof. Jose Carlos Pinto leadership and guidance. In 2015 Dr. Carlos Castor worked as a post-doctorate at Tulane University for development and implementation of an Automatic Continuous Online Monitoring and Control Platform for polymerization reactions under Prof. Wayne Reed leadership. From February 2016 to October 2019, he worked as Research Engineer under Prof. Pinto leadership at the Polymer Engineering Laboratory (LabPol). Dr. Carlos Castor joined the Dr. Allgeier and Dr. Shiflett’s research group in November 2019 to develop a continuous polymerization process on different scales. He has experience in chemical reactors, micro-reactors, batch and continuous processes, in particular in the area of modeling/simulation of polymerization processes.
David L. Minnick, ph.d.
KU Profile
davidminnick@ku.edu
Linkedin
Dave Minnick conducted his graduate work at the University of Kansas in the department of chemical and petroleum engineering from 2011-2016 as a Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellow. The core of Minnick’s doctoral research was dedicated to leveraging ionic liquid solvent technology for the development of improved cellulosic biomass processing routes. After completing his Ph.D. with honors in 2016, Minnick was hired as a short-term post-doctoral research associate to investigate a proprietary chemical reaction for the Chevron Phillips Chemical Company as part of a joint project between the Center for Environmentally Beneficial Catalysis and Chevron Phillips. Within Dr. Shiflett’s lab, Minnick continued his industrial-academic collaborative research efforts as a post-doctoral research associate overseeing multiple undergraduate projects and a confidential industrial project. Dave accepted a position with DuPont as a Research Investigator at the Washington Works site in Parkersburg, West Virginia.
William J.R. Gilbert, ph.D.
KU Profile
gilbert_7@yahoo.com
linkedin
William (Bill) Gilbert received his Ph.D. from the University of Kansas, Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering in 2016. While pursuing a Ph.D., Bill received the Madison and Lila Self Graduate Fellowship and was a School of Engineering Graduate Ambassador. His graduate research focused on the development of a novel enzymatic method for degrading polyacrylamide polymer used in slickwater fracturing. Bill received a B.S. in environmental science from Haskell Indian Nations University and was named the American Indian Higher Education Consortium Student of the Year and the Midwestern Collegiate Athletic Conference Scholar Athlete of the Year. His collegiate work was interrupted in from 2003-2005 when he was deployed to Tikrit, Iraq, through the U.S. Army Reserve. Bill also participated in the Haskell/KU Bridge program and Post-Baccalaureate Research Education Program where he conducted cardiopulmonary physiology and polymer thermodynamics research. Bill joined Dr. Shiflett’s lab as a post-doctoral research assistant during the Fall of 2016 and supervised a number of undergraduate projects in addition to a confidential industrial project. On the summer of 2018, Bill initiated his career in industry with Chemours Chemical Company at the Chemours TiO2 facility in New Johnsonville, Tennessee.
Sachin U. Nandanwar
su.nandanwar@ncl.res.in
LINKEDIN
Sachin received his PhD degree in Chemical Engineering from the Sardar Vallabhbhai National Institute of Technology, Surat (India) in 2013. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemical engineering from the University Institute of Chemical Technology, UICT (formerly UDCT), North Maharashtra University and Dr Babasaheb Ambedkar Technological University, (India) respectively. During his doctoral program his research focus was on the synthesis and characterization of the γ-Al2O3 supported ruthenium catalyst for the hydrogenation of benzene. Next, Dr. Nandanwar worked as a Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Idaho, Moscow, Idaho on the design and development of nanostructured sorbents for selective removal of iodine and krypton from off-gas streams. After that, Dr. Nandanwar joined another Post-Doctoral Research Associate at the University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming. His research focused on the development of mixed oxide-supported metal catalysts for dry reforming of methane to syngas production. Later, he joined Professor Shiflett’s research group in June 2018 at the University of Kansas, Lawrence and worked on the separation of nitrogen from methane using porous materials. Recently, Dr. Nandanwar joined the CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune (India) as a Senior Scientist in the Catalysis & Inorganic Chemistry Division.
Previous research technologists
MAtthew Torres-Maksimowicz
mattormax@ku.edu
LINKEDIN
Matthew Torres-Maksimowicz received his Master’s in Project Management from the University of Kansas in 2017 and Bachelor’s in Mathematics from the University of Kansas in 2007. Matthew has experience with lab testing, troubleshooting, instrumentation, maintenance and repair, and fabrication in a research environment. He also designs and 3D prints a wide range of objects for prototyping or functional use. Matthew worked as a research technologist for the Shiflett Research group.
PrEVIOUS UNDERGRADUATE RESEARCHERS
Rhianna Roth
rhianna.roth@ku.edu
Rhianna is currently a senior pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering with a Biomedical emphasis. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she works on Project Protium and Project Tritium studying membrane permeability with Erin Sturd. Rhianna also serves as the Vice President of the Jayhawk Club Water Polo team.
Greta Olsen
gretaolsen@ku.edu
Greta is a junior at KU studying chemical engineering with an environmental focus. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab she will be working on refrigerant separation in order to decrease their global warming potentials. As a member of the University of Kansas Swim and Dive team, Greta competes in butterfly and sprint freestyle events. In her free time, she enjoys reading and being outdoors.
Teresa soraoka
teresa.soraoka@ku.edu
I am currently a junior pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering. I am studying the effects of ionic liquids on hair and I hope to continue working in the cosmetology field of Chemical Engineering throughout college and after graduation. I am also involved in iHAWKE and a new scholarship program at KU called KUEST ONE.
Ethan Eichberger
ethaneichberger@ku
Ethan Eichberger is a junior studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas. He is researching the interaction of refrigerants with low global warming potential and lubricants under the supervision of Dr. Hannes Schmidt. At KU, Ethan is also involved in Jayhawk Motorsports and peer tutoring.
Erin Sturd
ersturd@ku.edu
Erin is currently a junior studying chemical engineering at KU. In her free time, Erin serves as the Vice President of Campus Relations of Engineering Student Council and as a varsity member of the KU Crew Rowing Team. She is also a part of the University Honors Program and the KUEST ONE Scholars Program.
Abhishekram Raja
abhishekram.r@ku.edu
Abhishekram is currently a sophomore studying chemical engineering. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, Abhishekram works with Dr. Rajkumar Kore on development of ionic liquid-based materials for sustainable processes. In his free time he enjoys reading, hiking, cycling, and watching movies.
Vincent Hsiung vhsiung@ku.edu
Vincent is in the class of 2024 double majoring in chemical engineering and music. In Dr. Shifflett’s lab, he is working with Dr. Rajkumar Kore on converting waste biomass into reusable materials. Vincent is the KU EXPO Activities Chair for the Engineering Student Council, as well as the Alpha Tau Omega Fraternity’s scholarship chair. In his free time, he enjoys listening to and playing music, as well as hanging out with friends and going to the gym
Hannah Jin
jiayingjin@ku.edu
Jiaying (Hannah) is in the class of 2025 majoring in chemical engineering and minoring in biomedical engineering. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she will be working with Kalin Baca as a part of Project EARTH. Jiaying is also a part of the KU Honors Progam. In her free time, she loves watching shows, spending time with friends, travelling, and reading.
Benjamin Shaw
benjamin.shaw@ku.edu
Benjamin is a sophomore studying chemical engineering. He is working with Andrew Yancey to research porous media and how they can be used to sustainably separate hydrofluorocarbon refrigerant mixtures. In addition to research, Benjamin is involved in Engineers Without Borders and the Society for Biomaterials at KU. In his free time, he likes to watch movies, read, and play the piano.
Sophia Terian
sterian@ku.edu
Sophia is a sophomore, born and raised in Kansas City, studying chemical engineering with an environmental emphasis. She currently works on researching the iron binding capacities of zeolites and other materials with Dr. Mark Shiflett, Dr. David Corbin, and Professor Cory Berkland. Sophia is a member of Engineers Without Borders and the University Honors Program. In her free time, she enjoys painting, poetry, and practicing piano and French.
Brian Kirchhoff
bckirchhoff@ku.edu
Brian Kirchhoff is a junior studying chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. With the Shiflett Group, he is researching the creation of Cold-Chain Independent Vaccines using Inorganic Vehicles under the supervision of Dr. Picking. Outside of the lab, Brian is a member of the SELF Fellowship, Engineers Without Borders, AIChE, and the Engineering Student Council. In his free time, Brian enjoys hiking, swimming and spending time with friends
Eric Hartman
Ehartman@ku.edu
Eric is a junior at the University of Kansas majoring in chemical engineering with a premedical focus. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he exercises his passions for chemistry and medicine as a member of the Vaccine Encapsulation Project; a project which seeks to utilize porous materials in order to inhibit protein denaturation under the conditions of vaccine transport. At KU, Eric is heavily involved with fraternity life, being the Director of Interfraternal Relations on the Junior Interfraternity Council and serving as the Community Service Coordinator and Philanthropy Chairman for his own fraternity, Delta Tau Delta.
Anna Wilson
annawilson@ku.edu
Anna studied chemical engineering with a biomedical focus. She researched the iron binding properties of zeolites as well as other structures with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. David Corbin, Professor Cory Berkland and Kerry Kao. Anna was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma and moved to Wichita, Kansas 4 years ago. She was a fellow of the Self Engineering Leadership Program and Vann Fellowship of Economic Innovation. Anna will be attending MIT for graduate school in Chemical Engineering.
Leslie Laguna
leslielaguna@ku.edu
Leslie is a senior studying Chemical Engineering with a Biomedical focus. At KU Leslie is involved with Chem Club and the Multicultural Scholars Program. In her free time Leslie enjoys reading, baking, and binging TV with her cat.
Lansten Yew
lanstenyew@ku.edu
Lansten is a junior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering at KU. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he researches ways that fluorinated organic compounds PFOA and PFOS can be removed from water. Lansten is involved with AIChE and is part of the University Honors Program. In his free time, he enjoys playing basketball and soccer.
Catherine Dehaemers
cdehaemers@gmail.com
Catherine is currently a junior studying mechanical engineering with a minor in visual art at KU. She works under Dr. Shiflett and Dr. Ana Morais on Project Shell. This project aspires to convert pistachio shells into reusable alternatives. Outside of the lab, Catherine serves as an Engineering Student Ambassador, as a member of the Club Soccer team, and as the Vice President of her sorority.
Ngan Tran
ngan1998@ku.edu
Ngan is currently a senior studying chemical engineering with an environmental concentration. He is currently working with graduate student Ethan Finberg in Project EARTH, which focuses on the separation of hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants that have a high global warming potential. Ngan is part of the University Honors Program, SELF Engineering Leadership Fellowship and the President of the Society of Asian Scientists & Engineers. In his free time, he enjoys cooking, baking and hiking at Clinton Lake.
Kathryn Mcnaughton
kmcnaughton@ku.edu
Kathryn is a junior studying chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis. She serves on the exec board at Margaret Amini Scholarship Hall and is a part of Alpha Sigma Kappa – Women in Technical Studies and the University Honors Program. In her free time, Kathryn enjoys baking and crochet.
Jake Wagner
jtwagner634@ku.edu
Jake was a junior studying chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, Jake worked with Michael Shao in helping create Apsen Plus guides. On campus, Jake is involved as a college Younglife leader, is the financial officer of Jayhawk Rocket Design, and is part of the University Honors Program. In his free time, he enjoys golfing, hiking and fishing, cooking, and hanging out with friends.
Ty Stranghoner
tastranghoner@gmail.com
Ty was a sophomore studying Chemical Engineering with a petroleum emphasis. He worked in Dr. Shiflett’s lab on the recycling of valuable metals in lithium-ion batteries. On campus, Ty is involved with AIChE, the University Club Tennis Team, and the St. Lawrence Center. In his free time, he likes to play tennis, read, and hang out with friends.
Miracle Emenuga
Emenugamiracle@ku.edu
Miracle Emenuga was a sophomore pursuing a chemical engineering degree at KU. She worked in Dr Shiflett’s lab with a team on the removal of PFOA and PFOS in drinking water. To achieve this, zeolites, which have been detected to be more effective and cost efficient than activated carbon, were used. Outside of class work, Miracle is an Orientation leader, a Peer mentor for International students, and a member of both Global Partners and the National Society of Black Engineers (NSBE). In her free time, Miracle likes to nap, watch movies, listen to music/dance and read novels.
Noses Lor
lornoses@ku.edu
Noses Lor was a senior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis at the University of Kansas. He was part of the group researching ways to remove PFOA and PFOS using activated charcoal and zeolites.
Edward Reyes
reyesedwardj@ku.edu
Edward was a sophomore studying chemical engineering . In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he assisted Nicholas Reding in his research on suppressing metal dust explosions. Edward is a Lawrence native . In his free time, Edward was involved in AICHE and the KU Chemistry Club on campus. Among Edward’s many interests include cooking, baking, puzzles, traveling, manatees, spending time with his pet rabbit, and going on late night adventures around town that often involve swing sets and impromptu karaoke. He was also a fellow of the Self Engineering Leadership Program.
Taylor Needham
taylor.needham@ku.edu
Taylor is pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical emphasis at KU. She previously assisted Dr. Shiflett in the analysis of ionic liquid solvent technology for the dissolution/partial dissolution of keratin for care and treatment of human hair.
Kalena Nichols
lena_nichols16@ku.edu
Kalena was a sophomore studying chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. Her research was on the stabilization of vaccines via encapsulation alongside Dr. Picking, Kaylee Barr, Elvis Umana, Lily Higgins, and Channary Ny. She was part of the University Honors Program and was highly involved in the Scholarship Hall Community, where she served as the Community Service Chair at Watkins Scholarship Hall. Kalena regularly volunteers at the Lawrence Humane Society as well. During her free time, she likes to read books, hang out with friends, build robots with her dad, and bake.
Christopher Lawrence
chris.Lawrence@ku.edu
Christopher was a senior studying chemical engineering with an emphasis in biomed and pre-medicine. His project focused on recycling valuable metals, such as lithium and cobalt, from lithium-ion batteries. Outside of classes, Christopher was an active member of Alpha Sigma Phi and volunteered in the Emergency Department at LMH. Christopher plans to attend graduate school for chemical engineering or medical school.
Yinxian Wang
yinxianw@ku.edu
Yinxian was a senior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with a biomedical concentration. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he was part of a team that is working on the PFOA removal from drinking water using microporous zeolites. Yinxian was involved with KU Biodiesel Initiative and was a part of the University Honors Program. Yinxian is attending the Columbia University to obtain a graduate degree in Chemical Engineering
Jane Wang
jiaying.wang@ku.edu
Jane was a senior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with a concentration in pre-medicine. She worked on researching the iron binding capabilities of zeolites with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. David Corbin, and Professor Cory Berkland. Outside of classes, Jane was active on the board of International Student Association, was an orientation leader for International Orientation, and was a member of the University Honors Program. Jane is attending the University of Kansas to obtain a MS in Chemical Engineering.
Grant Johnson
g448j563@ku.edu
Grant was a senior who studied chemical engineering at KU. He was part of the valuable metal recovery group that targeted the recycle of lithium and cobalt from mixed metal oxide batteries. Grant is currently working at Pall Corporation as a Field Service Engineer.
Kaylee Barr
kbarr@ku.edu
Kaylee was a senior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she studied the thermal stability of vaccines and how to use encapsulation to prevent denaturation of the proteins in vaccines during transport. At KU, she wasinvolved in SWE, AIChE, and was one of the large event chairs for Chem Club. Kaylee is attending the University of Minnesota to obtain a PhD in Chemical Engineering
Michael Shao
michael.shao13524@gmail.com
Michael was a senior who studied chemical engineering and economics.In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he worked with Alejandra Rocha studying desalination using clathrate hydrates and also assists Dr. Shiflett in creating ASPEN Plus guides. Michael is working for Black & Veatch in Kansas City, Missouri as a Process Engineer.
Kilah Baca
Kilah Baca was a freshman pursuing a degree in chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. She was a member of both the KU Honors Program and the Self Engineering Leadership Fellows Program. Kilah is from Albuquerque, New Mexico and decided to return to the University of New Mexico to pursue a degree in Nursing. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, playing tennis, singing, and being with family and friends.
Elvis Umana
jumana@ku.edu
Elvis studied chemical engineering at the University of Kansas. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, he researched the stabilization of vaccines via encapsulation alongside Dr. Picking, Kaylee Barr, and Channary Ny. Outside of the lab, Elvis was involved with AIChE, Honors StuCo, and Shot@Life. Elvis is attending the University of Wisconsin-Madison to obtain a PhD in Chemical Engineering
SOWMYA Ragothaman
syragothaman@ku.edu
Sowmya studied Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she worked with Elizabeth on the removal of sulfites from wine. Using CAD modeling and 3D printing, she developed a prototype device which will filtered the wine.
Channary Ny
nychannary@ku.edu
Channary was a senior pursuing a degree in chemical engineering with an emphasis in biomedical engineering at KU. She worked on the Vaccine Encapsulation Project. The goal of the project is to encapsulate proteins in mesoporous materials to prevent denaturing during transportation. Channary plans to work at Hecto Group as a chemical engineer and lab manager.
Mekayla Depaolis
mekayla.depaolis@ku.edu
Mekayla studied Chemical Engineering at the University of Kansas. She worked on the Sulfite project with Elizabeth Hyde and Sowmya Ragothaman. The project focuses on finding compounds that aid the removal of the chemical preservative sulfite from wine. Outside of class she was involved in the Society of Women Engineers, iHAWKE, and oSTEM. Mekayla is attending the University of Texas at Austin in an Environmental and Water Resources Engineering graduate program.
Dinuka Rajapakse
dinuraj2012@ku.edu
Dinuka was a junior pursuing a bachelors degree in chemical engineering at KU. He was on the undergraduate team investigating ways to remove PFOA from drinking water using micro-porous zeolites.
Bob Collins
bobdcollinskc@gmail.com
Bob Collins was a sophomore pre-med student studying Chemical Engineering, Biomedical emphasis. He studied the effects of ionic liquids on hair for future use in the field of cosmetology. He enjoys participating in intramural volleyball and acting as the philanthropy chair of Sigma Pi fraternity.
Austin Keller
austin.keller@ku.edu
Austin graduated in 2019 with degrees in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics at KU. He investigated electric field assisted CO2 desorption from ionic liquids with Dr. Gilbert. In his free time, Austin is a musician and avid sports fan—playing trumpet in the Marching Jayhawks as well as the KU Volleyball band for 2 seasons. Austin will pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of Texas in Austin.
Elizabeth Hyde
elizabethhyde@ku.edu
Elizabeth graduated in 2019 with a degree in Chemical Engineering from KU. She worked on the creation and development of the Shiflett Research website and a project with Sowmya Ragothaman and Mekayla DePaolis investigating the removal of sulfites, a chemical preservative, from wine. After graduation, Elizabeth moved to Bakersfield, CA to begin her career as an environmental engineer with Trinity Consultants.
Kerry Kao
kykao@ku.edu
Kerry graduated in 2019 with a Chemical Engineering degree with a biomedical emphasis at KU. In Shiflett Research Group, she was a member of the iron binding zeolite project team alongside Dr. David Corbin and Professor Cory Berkland. She studied different zeolite structures and their affinity to bind iron. Outside of classes, Kerry immersed herself in her role of KU Chem Club Secretary; performing chemistry demos for children and coming up with chemistry jokes to share with her peers. Kerry will pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering at the University of Washington in Seattle.
Lily Higgins
lilyhiggins@ku.edu
Lily is a sophomore studying pharmaceutical sciences and religious studies at KU. She is researching vaccine protein encapsulation for the prevention of denaturing in Dr. Shiflett’s lab. Besides being in the lab, Lily is involved with Navigators and CCO and is part of the University Honors Program.
David Jr. Treviño
dtrev78@ku.edu
David graduated with his Chemical Engineering degree from KU in 2019. He worked with Nicholas Reding on characterizing suppressant agents for metal dust explosions. In his free time, David served as President of Engineers Without Borders KU, Vice President of the Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers, and was an active Fellow of the Self Engineering Leadership Program and Vann Fellowship of Economic Innovation. David now serves as a Contact Process Engineer at ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Rachel Speckin
rachelspeckin@ku.edu
Rachel is studying Mechanical Engineering at the University of Kansas. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she assisted Nicholas Reding in his research on suppressing metal dust explosions.
Zakk Roy (Fall 2017-Spring 2018)
zakkroy@ku.edu
Zakk Roy graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at the University of Kansas on May 2018. He worked with Dr. Mark Shiflett, Dr. David Corbin, and Dr. David Minnick on a project to recycle cathode materials from spent lithium-ion batteries. Zakk is now working with Honeywell in Kansas City, Missouri.
Sofía de la O (Summer 2017-Spring 2018)
sofia.delao@ku.edu
Sofía graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering with a concentration in pre-medicine at KU on May 2018. She worked on a zeolite project with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. Bill Gilbert, Dr. David Corbin and Professor Cory Berkland. Sofía studied several zeolite structures and their ability to bind iron. The end goal of the project was to develop a drug to treat hemochromatosis. Sofía now studies medicine at the University of Kansas Medical School.
Grant Romme
g161r633@ku.edu
Grant graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at KU on May 2018. During his time in the Shiflett lab, he researched the iron binding capabilities of zeolites and several other structures. He researched this project with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. Bill Gilbert, Dr. David Corbin, Professor Cory Berkland, Katie Bauguess, and Sofia de la O. Grant now serves as a Process Engineer at Buzzi Unicem USA in Pryor, Oklahoma.
Katie Bauguess
kathrynbauguess@ku.edu
Katie graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at KU on May 2018. In our lab, she worked on a zeolite project with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. Bill Gilbert, Dr. David Corbin and Professor Cory Berkland. She researched several zeolite structures and their ability to bind with metals with a specific focus on iron. Katie is now working with ExxonMobil in Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
Brooks Danahy
b911d898@ku.edu
Brooks graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at KU on May 2018. In the Shiflett research group he assisted Dr. David Minnick with a project investigating gas sorption in ionic liquids. Brooks is working with Burns & McDonnell in Houston, TX, as an Assistant Chemical Engineer.
Maddie Lyda
madddielyda@ku.edu
Maddie graduated on May 2018 with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering with a focus in biomedical engineering. In the lab, she is researched the removal of sulfites from wine.
Sally Ritchie
sallygrace1@ku.edu
Sally Ritchie graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering here at KU on May 2018. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she worked on researching the solubility of ammonia in ionic liquids with Tugba Turnaoglu, which has applications in absorption refrigeration cycles, as well as liquid-liquid equilibrium of alcohols and ionic liquids. Sally now serves as a Production Support Chemical Engineer at Boeing in Seattle, Washington.
Simon Velasquez Morales
svelasmor@gmail.com
Simon graduated with a B.S. degree in chemical engineering at KU in Summer of 2017. During the summer he worked with the vaccine project team in Dr. Shiflett’s research group. Simon returned to KU for his Ph.D program in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and is currently working in Dr. Alan Allgeier’s lab.
Yadira Chavez-Arambula
yadira_chavez09@yahoo.com
Yadira graduated with a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering with a Geology minor on May 2017. She contributed to the Shiflett lab by setting up and calibrating gas chromatographs with flame ionization (FID) and thermal conductivity (TCD) detectors. Additionally, Yadira created a design concept with KU logos and inspiring quotes to foster a culture of creativity and energy within the lab. Yadira now serves as a Quality Engineer for Kiewit in Long Beach, California.
Dylan Flohrschutz
dylan.flohrschutz@ku.edu
Dylan is currently pursuing a degree in chemical engineering at KU. He worked with Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. Bill Gilbert, and Dr. David Corbin on a project that aims to investigate the ability of several hydrotalcites at removing sulfites from wine.
David Moeder
d048m218@ku.edu
David graduated with his Chemical Engineering degree from KU in 2018. He was part of the sulfite removal group alongside Dylan Flohrshutz, Professor Mark Shiflett, Dr. Bill Gilbert, and Dr. David Corbin. The group manipulated different techniques to measure sulfites in wine, along with discovering optimal materials to remove these sulfites. He now serves as a Process Engineer for Buzzi Unicem USA in Festus, Missouri.
PREVIOUS SENIOR SCIENTISTS
Mark A. Harmer, Ph.D.
markharmer@ku.edu
www.harmergreenchem.com
Dr. Harmer is currently working at Sustainable Chemistry Consulting in Landenberg, PA. He has 32 years of industrial experience with several commercial products, 73 patents, and 81 publications. He is also a member of the board J. Green Chemistry, and is a NSF and DOE grant reviewer and Strategy Consultant. He is primarily interested in acid catalysis, ionic liquid applications, and biobased adhesives.
Scott C. Jackson, Ph.D.
scott.c.jackson@ku.edu
Dr. Jackson is an adjunct senior research scientist at KU and an adjunct professor at Villanova University. Previously, he was a DuPont Senior Technical Fellow with 33 years of industrial research experience. In addition to his 41 US patents and 28 publications and presentations, he is also a recipient of the Engineering Excellence Award for the development of Extractive Distillation technology. His primary area of research interest includes fluid phase thermodynamics of biphasic systems and scale ups of liquid-liquid extraction systems.
Previous REU STUDENTS
Summer 2019
Abby Harders
abbynharders@ku.edu
Abby Harders was a participant of the 2019 IDEA Incubator Program. Abby was a senior at Bethel College, double majoring in Chemistry and Mathematical Sciences. In Dr. Shiflett’s lab, she explored the use of ionic liquids to separate the refrigerant R-410a into the component with the lower global warming potential. She looks forward to growing as a researcher and aspires to continue working with Dr. Shiflett in graduate school. In her free time, Abby enjoys riding her horses, gardening, graphic design, drawing, and spending time with her dogs.
sierra Staatz
Sierrastaatz@ku.edu
Sierra was an undergraduate at Kansas State University entering her sophomore year. She participated in Dr. Shiflett’s and Dr. Allgeier’s lab through the REU program. Her research focused on characterizing zeolites for gas separation while also comparing their characteristics with various ion exchanges. Sierra is Vice President of K-State’s Engineers Without Borders and Executive Officer of Engineering Student Council. She also enjoys participating in Kansas State’s Book Network and going on adventurous walks.
Karim Al-Barghouti
karim_5@ku.edu
Karim was a senior in chemical engineering at the University of South Florida. He participated in a summer research program at KU where he worked on a research project under Professor Aaron Scurto’s mentorship. The project’s title is ”Fluid and Heat Transport of Novel Sustainable Refrigeration Systems”. Karim enjoys playing and watching sports, specifically basketball. At USF, he has worked on research projects involving fluid transport and biofuels. Karim aims to pursue a graduate degree in chemical engineering after completing his bachelor’s degree.
Previous Visiting Students
Riley Unekis
Riley Unekis is going into her junior year at Lawrence high school. She wants to become an engineer but is unsure what field. She is hoping to take away valuable information that she could use in the future. During the summer of 2019, she is working with Dr. Shiflett’s lab with a research team that is trying to filter out PFOA and PFOS from drinking water and how to test for it. Riley’s hobbies include soccer, FIRST robotics on team 5119, doing graphic design work for her school newspaper, and playing video games on her PC.
Summer 2018
Evan Xie
Evan is a high school senior in Libertyville, IL. He became interested in chemistry during his junior year when taking an AP chemistry course and loved the class and said he found chemistry to be fascinating and practical at the same time. In summer 2018, he worked mainly in Dr. Shiflett’s lab with an undergraduate research team who helped mentor him in lab safety and basic experimental methodology and protocol. He helped improve reproducibility and reliability of lab results. In his free time, Evan enjoys playing euphonium and League of Legends.
Previous RET Students
Summer 2019
Andrew Taylor
amtaylor@olatheschools.org
Andrew Taylor is a freshman biology teacher in the Engineering Academy at Olathe Northwest High School. Additionally, Andrew coaches FIRST Robotics Team 1710. Andrew completed his undergraduate education at the University of Kansas. At KU, Andrew enrolled in the UKanTeach program, which enabled him to pursue a degree in his chosen scientific field while also earning a teaching certificate upon graduation. Andrew took advantage of this opportunity, and graduated in 2011 from the University of Kansas with a Bachelors of Science in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. Additionally, Andrew earned distinction at KU as a Noyce Scholar, and earned a Mark of Excellence on his teaching and learning Praxis exam. Andrew spent the first five years of his career teaching general biology at Seaman High School in Topeka, KS. While there, Andrew coached tennis and swimming, earning recognition as the 2015 Centennial League girls tennis Coach of the Year. Andrew is currently serving as the vice president of the Kansas Association of Biology Teachers. Andrew has joined the Shiflett lab as part of the NSF funded Research Experience for Teachers program. In the lab, Andrew is working on removing PFAS from drinking water using various substances, such as zeolites.
Candice Van Allen
cvanallen@weskanschools.org
Candice Van Allen completed undergraduate courses at Solano Community College and the University California, Davis and graduated from the University of California, San Francisco with a Doctor of Pharmacy in 2000. Upon graduation, she resumed her career in the United States Air Force, completed a pharmacy practice residency in 2004 and retired in 2014. In 2017, she moved to Kansas and enrolled in the Transition to Teaching program at Fort Hays State University and is concurrently working towards her Masters of Science in Education. She is a science teacher in Weskan, Kansas where she teaches Biology, Physical Science, Chemistry, Anatomy and Physiology, Earth Science, Environmental Science, Science Projects and Life Science in grades 6-12. As a participant in the Research Experience for Teachers program, she looks forward to working with Dr Shiflett’s team learning about the removal of perfluoroalkyl substances from drinking water. Her goal is to translate this research into interesting and meaningful lessons for the classroom that will inspire students to enter the intriguing fields of science and engineering.
Summer 2017
Patrick Cannon
patrickdcannon@gmail.com
Patrick Cannon graduated from Johnson & Wales in Providence, Rhode Island in 2013 with a B.A. in Culinary Arts and Food Service Management. Previously, he worked for Hyatt Hotels in both San Antonio and Denver as a Sous Chef. Patrick joined the Teach for America Corps in 2016 and has been placed in Oklahoma City working at Oklahoma Centennial Mid-High School where he teaches 7th and 8th Grade Science, Anatomy, and Mathematics. Patrick has joined the Shiflett Lab through the CEBC’s Research Experience for Teacher program. Patrick’s main areas of interest are zeolites and their potential uses as well as how the methodology of research in the Shiflett Lab can be translated into lesson for the 7th-12th Grade Science classroom.
Shelly Robinson
srobinson@usd434.us
Shelly is a participant in the Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) program whose goal is to expose and engage high school science teachers to the exciting research being done at the University of Kansas and take this back to their classroom. Shelly earned her BS in Biology from Southwestern College in Winfield, Kansas and a masters in Curriculum and Instruction from Saint Mary University in Leavenworth, Kansas. Shelly has 28 years of experience in the field of education with 25 of that in her current position with Santa Fe Trail High school where she teaches Biology, Earth & and Space Science and Energy Science. In her first year in the RET program Shelly worked under Dr. Susan Williams and researched the runoff potential of Hydroxyapatite which is a byproduct of the algal hydrothermal liquefaction process used to produce renewable biodiesel. As a second year RET participant Shelly is excited to work with Dr. Shiflett’s staff and to learn how sulfite and iron absorption can be implemented in her high school classroom.
Shiflett Research Group 
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