People

Current Team Heading link

Dr. Achinivu Principal Investigator	Assistant Professor of Chemical Engineering bringing Green Chemistry and Sustainable Solutions to the Energy Industry
Oluwaseyi Saliu Post-Doctoral Researcher	Dr Saliu obtained both his BSc degree (with first class honors) and MSc (with distinction) in Industrial Chemistry. He obtained his PhD in the area of green energy storage and he is passionate about creating sustainable solutions for renewable energy generation and storage. He is currently working on lignin depolymerization and valorization for value added chemicals in the energy industries. He has won both the IUPAC and NRF awards for green materials research. Dr Saliu has published extensively in high- impact and peer-reviewed journals and is a member of ACS, RSC, and IUPAC.
Omar Aly Graduate Research Associate	I have a BS in Chemical Engineering with an emphasis on Energy Management from Western Michigan University. I was humbled to graduate as a Presidential Scholar with a 3.83 GPA. I am currently a graduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago majoring in Chemical Engineering. Growing up in a developing country, I always had a feeling of responsibility towards my community and other communities in the world facing the dangers of energy and resource scarcity. I hope my studies will be relevant in fighting today’s wars against climate change, overpopulation and global warming.
Taiwo Zacchaeus Adesanya Graduate Research Associate	Zac is passionate about developing bioproducts and bioprocesses that meet performance requirements, are commercially viable, and are environmentally friendly. He holds a bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from the University of Lagos in Nigeria and has extensive engineering design experience in the oil and gas industry. He is engaged in an extensive inquiry into the creation of sustainable bioproducts and bioprocesses from biomass. He strives to transform laboratory facts into factories through procedures including product and process development, characterization, separation, molecular and process simulations, process integration, and control, techno-economic, social, and environmental impact assessments, etc.
Kacper Switalski Graduate Research Assistant	Energy availability and energy storage solutions are some of the areas that Kacper is currently interested in as he believes it can create a more sustainable future for everyone to enjoy. He wishes to use his background in biochemistry to help identify and optimize new mechanisms and pathways used in biodegradation and biofuel creation. Kacper earned his degree in biochemistry from Arizona State University where he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a 3.89 GPA.
Alex Acquah Graduate Research Assistant	My passion for solutions to waste conversion into products fuelled my interest to pursue a Bachelors in Chemical Engineering at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Ghana. I am currently a Chemical Engineering graduate student at the University of Illinois Chicago. MoDSE lab equips my research interest in sustainable energy development and transformation of biomass into bioproducts. I aim to have breakthrough research work in sustainable energy solutions.
Abdullah Amer Graduate Research Assistant	I'm embarking on an exciting journey in the field of lignin applications. I have a deep fascination for the potential of research that will change the world and intersect the fields of biology and engineering. I’m always eager about the opportunities that will lead to my personal and intellectual growth and look forward to the challenges and rewards that are waiting for me.
Madina Sissenbay Research Associate	Holding a Bachelor's degree in Chemistry from Nazarbayev University, I engaged in research on nanomaterials, air quality, and petroleum engineering. A highlight was presenting my work on "Mesoporous Silica Particles for Quick Methylene Blue Dye Removal from Water" at the 2022 Applied Physics & Materials Science Congress in Turkey. These experiences steered me towards the MoDSE lab, aligning with my professional interests. Now, I am focused on contributing to green chemistry, aiming to impact both the scientific community and the energy industry significantly.
Karoll Cancino Research Associate	I pursued my BS in Chemical Engineering in Colombia. During my years as an associate research student in the research group CICTA (science and food technology), I started feeling the attraction of sustainable chemistry related to the food waste problem and its huge impact on biodiversity. Working on finding a new alternative to use fruit waste as a new source of fuel production, bioethanol. Participating in different seminars, showing the big impact of the project on a rural community. Now as a master’s student at UIC I am happy to be part of the MoDSE lab and contribute to the research team with my work and interests. My passion in the field is to look up for new material substitutes for the overproduction and pollution waste problems that can’t be eradicated but it's possible to modify and reduce the impact of the industrial processes on the ecosystem.
Jessica Fajardo Research Associate	I am a senior pursuing a bachelor’s in chemical engineering and intent to complete a concentration in Polymers and Molecular Engineering. Therefore, I am focusing my research on biopolymers and biomaterials. With my research I hope to enhance my education as an engineer and develop skills that will help solve real life problems.
Ameena Beg Research Associate	I am a senior chemical engineering student at the University of Illinois at Chicago, about to complete my Bachelor's degree. Throughout my academic journey, I have nurtured a profound passion for sustainability. Working in the MoDSE Lab provides me with a unique platform to explore the combination of polymers and Green Chemistry in order to create a brighter future. By conducting research and developing new approaches, I am dedicated to advancing sustainable practices in the field of chemical engineering.
Matthew Gaughan Research Associate	Matt is pursuing a BS in Chemical Engineering. He is passionate about the development of sustainable materials as an essential part of the project to transition current modes of production into modes which can cohabit with our planet. He has previously worked on sustainable textiles research, and is returning to school with the hopes of pursuing further research opportunities in the development of bioplastics.
Ben Dobbins Research Associate	I'm a senior chemical engineer undergrad in my last semester. The current focus of chemical engineering has been on sustainability, and the MOSDE lab explores this in full. By furthering research on new and emerging methods for the manufacturing of biomaterials, a world where our products not only support us but also our environment is that much closer. Hopefully, closer than we think. I hope the research I do will lead to a runaway reaction of new findings for the community, or at least add enough to the activation energy so that the next generation may begin their reactions.
Matthew McCawley Research Associate	I am a chemical engineering student who is passionate about using science to create useful materials that people can use. To me, science and math can be broken down to either interesting novelties that bring wonder and curiosity or fun puzzles to solve. MoDSE lab allows me to provide my skills to work that can ultimately benefit people. I hope to learn much from my experience in MoDSE and apply it to my future career. Though careers and math are good things, other things I do in life include learning CGI, playing guitar, skateboarding, quad skating, and meditation.
Aman Dudeja Research Associate	I am an international student from India pursuing my senior year in Chemical Engineering at UIC. My research at the MoDSE lab focuses on pretreatment of lignin to produce sustainable biomaterials like bioplastics, biopolymers etc. I have previous research experience in the field of rheology, in regards to extrusion based 3D bioprinting and direct wire writing. I enjoy applying my previous laboratory skills and rheological concepts in my current research.Combating climate change and water scarcity are the top challenges I want to work on as an engineer and I believe my current research at the MoDSE lab will prove to be instrumental in building my career in the field of environmental engineering.

Previous Members Heading link

Donatella Poveda Research Associate	Marko Bogosavljevic Research Associate	Huyen Nguyen Research Associate	Love Patel Research Associate	Mustafa Soniwala Research Associate
Sylvia Jarecki Research Associate	Zain Alsalhani Research Associate	Salma Khalifa Research Associate	Najmin Isa Research Associate	Rawan E. Hussein Research Associate
Keira Leech Research Associate	Keith Michael Christopher Research Associate	Lauren Livingston Research Associate	Ogechikanma Ihenacho Research Associate	Jacob Nowobilski Research Associate
		Cooper Ross Research Associate