Team
USorb-DAC brings together world-leading research teams from Heriot-Watt University (HWU) in the UK, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) and Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule Zürich (ETH Zürich) in Switzerland, University of California, Berkeley (UCB) in the USA, and École normale supérieure (CNRS-ENS) in France.
Principal Investigators
Prof. Susana García
I am the Associate Director on Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) at the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) and Full Professor in Chemical Engineering at Heriot Watt University. My group has the ambition to change the paradigm on how novel processes based on advanced materials are developed through the integration of process engineering and basic science.
Prof. Berend Smit
I am the director of the laboratory for molecular simulation (LSMO) and adjunct professor of Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley. My research focuses on the application and development of novel molecular simulation techniques, with emphasis on energy related applications. Daan Frenkel and I wrote the textbook Understanding Molecular Simulations and together with Jeff Reimer, Curt Oldenburg, and Ian Bourg I wrote the textbook Introduction to Carbon Capture and Sequestration.
Prof. Andre Bardow
I am the director for the laboratory for Energy and Process Systems Engineering (EPSE) at ETH Zurich. The goal of my research is the design of sustainable energy and chemical process systems by integrating energy systems engineering, adsorption-based systems, physical property measurements, and computer-aided molecular design with life cycle assessment.
Prof. Jeffrey A. Reimer
I am a professor at UC Berkeley in Chemical and Biological Engineering as well as a Faculty Scientist at LBNL. My group is comprised of experimentalists that use many different tools for their research yet retain special expertise and interest in magnetic resonance (MR) spectroscopy and imaging. These methods provide insights into the structure, dynamics, and mechanisms of CO2 sorption into porous materials. Research interests: carbon capture, spectroscopy, NMR, hyperpolarization https://reimergroup.org
Dr Amir Jahanbakhsh
I am USorb-DAC’s project manager and work closely with the project coordinator and also the principal investigators. In addition to my research activities, I am involved in project management of multidisciplinary consortium CCUS projects at the RCCS.
Dr Georges Mouchaham
I am a CNRS research scientist at IMAP. My actual research interests focus on the design, the elaboration and the study of robust MOFs and their composites as well as their use as versatile platform for applications related to environment and energy (such as CO2 capture, VOC removal, photocatalytic H2 production, etc.). In Usorb-DAC, I am mainly involved in the synthesis and the study of MOFs and their composites. Research interests: Porous solids, MOF, synthesis, gas sorption, CO2 capture
Prof. Christian Serre
I have a long-term expertise in the design of new functional porous solids, such as MOFs (e.g. the MIL-n materials), and their related composites, in a view of potential applications in energy (e.g. heat reallocation), environment (e.g gas phase separation) and health (e.g. drug delivery). It also encompasses the synthesis optimisation, scale-up and shaping of MOFs.
Team members
Alireza Pourghaderi
I’m a Ph.D. student in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at UC Berkeley. My focus is on exploring the characterization and application of MOFs, with a keen interest in environmental studies. Currently, I’m working on solid-state NMR spectroscopy of MOFs for carbon capture as part of the USorb-DAC project.
Anastasia Bickhina
I am doing a PhD in the Laboratory of Molecular Simulation at EPFL under the supervision of Berend Smit. In the framework of USorb-DAC project, I am working on synthesis and characterization of metal-organic frameworks as promising sorbent materials for CO₂ capture.
Ashna Nizar
As part of the USorb-DAC project, my research is aimed at scoping the opportunities for industrial decarbonisation through CCUS in UAE, using Machine Learning techniques. My work addresses the pressing need for optimized capture technologies in the UAE, where per capita CO2 emissions exceed 20 metric tons, prompting the government’s “UAE Net Zero by 2050” initiative. My project involves mapping the existing and potential CO2 sources and sinks, to define tailored decarbonization case studies for UAE. This research, crucial for achieving cost-competitive carbon capture solutions, aligns with global efforts for sustainable industrial practices. Research interests: Carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS), circular economy, techno-economic assessment, Sustainable Processing, Process Engineering
Balázs Novotny
I am a PhD student in the experimental section of LSMO at EPFL, with a research focus on devising metal-organic frameworks for sorption-based applications. Some of my key interests are homochiral MOF for enatioseparations and bioinspired functional materials. For the USorb-DAC project, I have contributed by advancing the measurement of the specific heat of MOF, thereby validating pertaining computation predictions. I am also working on the synthesis of ligands and MOF, as part of our carbon dioxide sorbent screening effort.
Dr Ah-Young Song
In the part of the Usorb-DAC project, I am leading the molecular characterization and validation of the sorbents at University of California, Berkeley, employing solid-state NMR techniques. Specifically, I aim to uncover guest-sorbent interactions at the molecular level for Direct air capture, from benchmarked to novel materials. By exploring various adsorption conditions such as CO2-H2O co-adsorption, I focus on understanding adsorption mechanism to demonstrate the efficiency of the sorbents for DAC. Research interests: materials characterization, carbon capture, solid-state NMR, material science
Dr Fatmah Mish Ebrahim
I am a scientist at the Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LSMO) at EPFL, specializing in the design and study of inorganic molecular materials for environmental applications. My research is centered on developing innovative, cost-effective, and scalable materials for critical processes such as carbon capture, water purification, and photocatalytic hydrogen generation. By exploring the molecular mechanisms that drive material performance, I aim to contribute to sustainable solutions for pressing environmental challenges. Within the USorb-DAC project, my primary focus is on unconventional DAC separation concepts and alternative sorbent regeneration processes.
Dr Haiyan Mao
I am passionately interested in developing new nanoporous materials such as polymers, MOFs, and COFs, as well as sustainable materials like wood, cellulose, and lignin. My focus lies in advanced solid-state NMR spectroscopy techniques to enable sustainable, energy-efficient, and scalable chemical transformations for water pollutants and CO₂ capture/reduction, including direct air capture (DAC). My research portfolio includes atomic-level design of robust, scalable, and sustainable materials for CO₂ capture/reduction and renewable energy, cutting-edge solid-state NMR techniques to analyze CO₂-nanomaterial interactions, and designing the next generation of MOFs confined catalysts for the greenhouse gas-energy-climate nexus.
Dr Jin-Yu Wang
As part of the USorb-DAC project, I am leading the modelling activities on the development of DAC-PrISMa module at Heriot-Watt university, with the focus on exploring the potential and cost effectiveness of DACS processes coupled with novel sorbents and their holistic evaluation from multi-stakeholder’s perspectives. With an extensive expertise on adsorption equilibrium and kinetic measurements as well as test rig design and set-up, I am also actively engaged in experimental side of the project, mainly focused on the development of a novel breakthrough apparatus for DAC-relevant testing.
Dr Johannes Schilling
I am a postdoc in the group of André Bardow at ETH Zurich. I have done my Ph.D. at RWTH Aachen University in the integrated design of processes and molecules in energy and chemical engineering, exploring the link of process modeling, predictive thermodynamics, and molecular design. As part of the USorb-DAC project, I am exploring how environmental aspects can be incorporated in the materials screening. Furthermore, I support the life cycle assessment of the identified promising materials to determine their environmental impact.
Dr Joren Van Herck
I am currently working in Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LSMO), EPFL as a post doctoral researcher. I obtained my PhD at Monash University (Melbourne) under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Tanja Junkers, where I focussed on the digitalization of (polymer) chemistry. In the USorb-DAC project, I will further explore and implement Big Data concepts to enhance data-driven research.
Dr Laura Herraiz
My research activities as part of the USorb-DAC project focus on exploring options for a cost-effective integration of a wide range of utilities to supply of heat, power and cooing to the integrated system and conducting a techno-economic assessment to evaluate the cost of CO2 avoided.
Dr Matthew Garvin
My role in the USorb-DAC project is to conduct and coordinate the experimental work of the Heriot‑Watt University team. This work focuses on the characterisation and evaluation of sorbents for Direct Air Capture (DAC) that have been identified by the modelling team. Alongside this work, I guide research into the development of monolith coating methodology and the implementation of structured sorbent testing. This has involved the development of a novel breakthrough system tailor made for DAC studies of structured and unstructured sorbents. Research interests: Carbon capture; Direct-air capture; Metal-organic frameworks; Amine-functionalised sorbents; Monoliths; Structured sorbents
Dr Mayank Gupta
I obtained my Ph.D. in coordination polymers for gas sorption, catalysis, and optical studies from the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IIT Kanpur), India in 2019. After that, I pursued a postdoctoral position at the National University of Singapore, where I synthesized new metal-organic frameworks for non-linear optical properties. In May 2023, I joined the Porous Materials Institute of Paris (IMAP) as a postdoctoral fellow, where my focus is on designing and synthesizing MOF composites for CO2 direct air capture. In 2018, I was awarded the IUCR Young Scientist Award from the Asian Crystallographic Association at the University of Auckland.
Dr Mijndert van der Spek
My primary activities in USorb-DAC are in WP1, where I focus on process modelling and economic analysis, source-sink matching, and value chain analysis. My main interest here is in sorbent-based CO2 direct air capture (DAC), trying to discover new potential sorbents, and once synthesised and tested (WP3 and WP4), to develop optimised adsorption processes for these sorbents.
Dr Mohsen Karimi
I am a Postdoc researcher at RCCS-HWU. As part of the USorb-DAC project, I am actively involved in experimental team of project to synthesis and discover novel adsorbents for CO2 direct air capture (DAC), as well as trying to design and develop novel approaches/techniques to reduce the cost of DAC and enhance the efficiency of process in a sustainable way. Research interests: CO2 Capture and Utilization, Adsorption Technology, Direct Air Capture, Sustainability, Climate Change Mitigation.
Dr Shaohan Chen
I am a postdoc in Prof. André Bardow’s group at ETH Zurich. I obtained my Ph.D. from Zhejiang University under the supervision of Prof. Chuanhou Gao and Prof. Nikolaos Sahinidis (at Georgia Tech). During my Ph.D., I designed novel machine-learning methods for small-data problems by leveraging transfer learning, feature selection, and knowledge integration techniques. As a member of the USorb-DAC project, I investigate how to extend the LCA layer of our PrISMa platform to include direct air capture. Moreover, I will refine the estimation of the environmental impacts of material synthesis.
Dr Shing Bo Peh
I am primarily involved in the process modelling aspect of the USorb-DAC project focussing on the integration of appropriate models to improve the predictions of dynamic capture performance within the screening platform. In particular, I aim to supplement existing equilibrium-based workflows with relevant coadsorption and mass transfer information to facilitate the synthesis of improved process configurations for low concentration CO₂ capture.
Elias Moubarak
I am a Doctoral Assistant in the Laboratory of Molecular Simulation at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne working on carbon capture and sequestration using nanoporous material. In USorb-DAC, I am part of WP2 (Computational Materials Genome), which mainly focuses on developing computational methods that could be used to select the most promising materials based on KPIs that would stem from the carbon capture system.
Fergus Mcilwaine
I am a PhD student at the RCCS where I explore how big-data science can be applied to material databases to identify high-performing carbon capture materials. As part of my PhD, I aim to develop multiscale workflows that help us find correlations between the properties of materials and their performance in process.
Julian Nöhl
I am a PhD student at Prof. André Bardow’s group at ETH Zurich, assessing the life-cycle environmental impacts of carbon capture and storage value chains. As a member of the USorb-DAC project, I am studying how to extend the LCA layer of our PrISMa platform with a focus on the transport and storage step. Furthermore, I am exploring how environmental aspects can be incorporated in the materials screening and support the life cycle assessment of the identified promising materials to determine their environmental impact. Research interests: prospective LCA, predictive LCA for MOFs, CO2 transport, CCS, DAC
Katia Piscina
My PhD research focuses on direct air capture of amine-functionalised solid adsorbents. I measure CO2, water, and co-adsorption isotherms experimentally and use the data to inform and optimise adsorption process models. With water adsorption comes adsorbent swelling, and part of my research investigates how this swelling affects the diffusion of CO2into the adsorbent. Research interests: Adsorption, process modelling, adsorbent swelling, mathematical modelling
Lokuge Aravindani Malaki Fernando
I am a PhD student at the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions (RCCS) in Heriot-Watt University. As a member of the USorb-DAC project, I am focusing on the synthesis of novel sorbent materials for CO2 capture under DAC conditions. I am aiming to develop materials with reduced capture energy intensity and cost. Research interests: CO2 capture, Photocatalysis, Water splitting, Hydrogen
Neda Poudineh
I am a PhD student at the RCCS. My research area focuses on the photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to value-added chemicals and fuel over MOFs based photocatalysts. For this research I will investigate the performance of plasmonic-MOFs photocatalysts, I also aim to develop a kinetic model that help us design the reactor using for CO2 reduction reaction.
Nency Domingues
I am a PhD student in the Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LSMO) at EPFL, working on the synthesis and characterization of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) for gas adsorption applications and CO2 reduction. As part of the USorb-DAC project, my main focus is to effectively design, synthesize and characterize sorbent materials which have been found to be promising for wet flue gas CO2 capture.
Prof. Phil Renforth
I am a Professor in the Research Centre for Carbon Solutions at Heriot-Watt University. My research combines skills in civil and chemical engineering, engineering geology, and geochemistry to investigate methods of atmospheric CO2 removal through reaction with rocks and minerals. This includes connecting experimental work from bench-top to pilot scale, with technology and environmental impact assessment. My work in USorb-DAC will explore the combination of mineralisation and direct air capture. Research interests: Carbon dioxide removal; mineralisation; ocean alkalinity enhancement; enhanced weathering https://sites.google.com/view/philrenforth/home
Raluca – Ana Kessler
I am a PhD student in LSMO (Laboratory of Molecular Simulation) at EPFL, where my research is focused on carbon capture and nanomaterials. Within the Usorb-DAC project, my main role is to develop renewable methods for regenerating CO2 sorbents. Moreover, I am also involved in synthesizing and characterizing promising sorbent candidates for the capture of CO2 from the atmosphere. Research interests: Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOF), nanomaterials, CO2 capture, sorbent regeneration.
Sauradeep Majumdar
I am a Ph.D. student at EPFL. I am working on the construction of hypothetical metal organic frameworks (MOFs) and their evaluation for different applications like carbon capture, photocatalysis. As part of USorb-DAC, I am working on WP2, focusing on the calculation of different material properties required for material screening. I am skilled in molecular simulation of adsorption.
Seyed Amirmohammad Elahi
I am currently pursuing my PhD in Laboratory of Molecular Simulation (LSMO), EPFL. I mainly focus on data driven research in the field of carbon capture. I am also interested in modelling and optimization of different processes. In the USorb-DAC project, I will further incorporate machine leaning concepts to develop data-driven research. Research interest: Machine learning, Carbon capture, modelling and optimization, Environmental engineering
Xiaoqi Zhang
I am a Ph.D. student working in the LSMO at EPFL under the supervision of Berend Smit. My research focuses on finding the hidden chemical patterns in the MOF databases with machine learning. I am particularly passionate about developing robust and trustworthy machine-learning models for gas adsorption and separation.
Yutao Li
I am Yutao Li and a Ph.D student in EPFL. And as part of the USorb-DAC project. I mainly focus on improve the accuracy of force field which will be used to generate adsorption properties for MOFs. An accuracy force field is the basis of screen materials and I refit a new force field for some subsets of MOF. Research interests: Molecular simulation, Classic force field, Machine learning potential