GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT | ITHACA, NY
Cornell University, August 2021 – September 2021
Under the supervision of Dr. Goldfarb, I investigated the impact of biomass constituents on the formation, composition, and reactivity of secondary char on the surface of primary char following hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). I studied the yield, composition, oxidation/combustion behavior, and energy density of the hydrochar prepared from biomass that represents the naturally occurring plant biomass in the upstate NY region. The solid phase of hydrochar was thermogravimetrically analyzed (TGA) in two stages, as-carbonized and then as primary char following extraction. The liquid phase of HTC and the secondary char were studied using high-performance liquid chromatography (HP-LC) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Through these investigations, we saw that extraction of secondary char lowered the peak reactivity of hydrochar in oxidative environments and increased
the temperature at which it occurs, therefore potentially improving performance as solid biofuel. I also collaborated with researchers at Pennsylvania State University to investigate the combustion characteristics of Cellulose as a model solid fuel and then elaborated on the study on solid food waste.
RESEARCH ASSISTANT | BROOKLYN, NY
New York University, June 2020 – May 2021
Collaborated with Dr. Ryan Hartman and Dr. Tianyi Hua to examine the influence of subtle temperature fluctuations on the dynamic stability of the hydrate deposits in the Permafrost regions. Coupled mass and energy balance equations that describe the microbial bioreactions, their consumption by feather duster worms, and methane hydrate dissociation were simulated and they confirmed that the bioreaction kinetics is dominated by endothermic methanogenic metabolism while feather duster worms also stabilize the hydrates via their selective consumption of methanotrophs that could otherwise overtake the system by their exothermic metabolism. This phenomenon stabilizes methane hydrates with a fragile tolerance to 0.001K temperature increase.
SUMMER RESEARCH ASSISTANT | BROOKLYN, NY
New York University, February 2018 – August 2018
Worked under the supervision of Dr. Ayashkanta Sahu and Dr. Ingrid Paredes to synthesize CuxInyS Quantum Dots for highly sensitive molecular bioimaging to detect early-stage eye tumors. I designed and 3D printed an electrochemical cell to utilize the nanoparticles and constructed its standard operation procedure (SOP). In addition to this project, I assisted Dr. Paredes in manufacturing Metal Phosphide as an eco-friendly substitution for expensive III-V semiconductors and performed material analysis to evaluate the efficacy of Aminophosphine as a safe precursor to synthesize ZnxPy.