Hometown: Dubuque, IA
Major: Chemical Engineering with a minor in French

Why UIowa?
The collaborative environment that permeates the university coupled with the extensive research activity made Iowa the right choice for me. It’s a place where I fit in, can grow as a student and a person, and contribute to things I am passionate about.

Why this group?
Being a part of the Shepherd group is an opportunity to study topics I am interested in, work with a great group of individuals, and develop useful skills that will help me in my future academica and professional careers. 

What is your project?
My project is focused on running calculations to see how carbon dioxide behaves with different transition metal catalysts. The goal is to find structures and conditions which direct reaction of carbon dioxide into other carbon fuels which can be used as a means of energy storage.

Why is it interesting?
The world needs a variety of innovations to make our energy infrastructure more environmentally sustainable. Renewable energy technology has been an interest of mine for a long time and working with carbon neutral fuels in a project like this is an ideal way to apply my chemical engineering background to this field.

What are your future career plans?
I intend to continue my education into a chemical engineering PhD program focused on development of renewable energy technology with an entrepreneurial focus. From there I’d like to be a part of a team within either an established company or a startup focused on the development, economization, and implementation of renewable energy technology.