DOE Grant Award
Approaching Life With Passion and Determination by Staci Van Norman
E
nergy is a constant topic of debates locally, nationally and internationally. The discussion about where and how we should obtain energy to maintain our way of life is an important issue. Clean, domestic, accessible, sustainable and economical; new and existing energy systems are being vetted every day based on these criteria. I am just one of the many people working toward a balanced new solution to our energy needs. My name is Staci Van Norman. I am a Chemical Engineer from Southern Oregon and the Cow Creek Band of the Umpqua Tribe of Indians and an AIGC fellow. Currently, I am in my fourth year of the Chemical Engineering PhD program at University of Colorado Boulder and committed to the research area of renewable and sustainable energy. The significance of my PhD research, for an immediate and significant impact on sustainable energy, was recently recognized by the Department of Energy through the Advanced Research Programs Agency-Energy. My proposal was awarded a $380,000 seedling grant. With this award, I will demonstrate that my novel technology is a balanced economic and sustainable solution for domestic energy production.
Staci Van Norman
to create a commercially-viable technology and we have filed a patent application. If successful, this domestic production of liquid fuels would create much needed jobs and revenue for the US economy. I am passionate about research and development of new technologies and their ability to make an immediate impact on domestic energy production and our nation’s economic concerns. The Department of Energy Advanced Research Programs Agency-Energy looks to collaboratively work, with research teams, on projects prepared to meet
I am passionate about research and development of new technologies and their ability to make an immediate impact on domestic energy production and our nation’s economic concerns. My thesis research is entitled Microtubular Atomic Layer Deposition-based Reactor Systems for Catalytic Reforming and is a novel concept for fabricating microstructured reactors, including catalyst integration, for production of liquid fuels (gasoline, diesel and jet fuel). My work is focused on experimental validation of the concept of using atomic layer deposition for fabrication of a structured reactor, as an alternative to microchannel reactors, and the opportunity to improve on their performance. The goal is to reduce the cost and simplify the method of fabrication,
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The American Indian Graduate
quantitative benchmark performance goals on aggressive deadlines schedules. The future of my research will be to focus on transferring the successful technology to the next phase of commercialization. This seedling grant award is putting my PhD research into high gear, for my final year, and propelling me closer to my career goals of developing new technologies. This is a very exciting time and I anticipate continuing the advancement of this technology to the commercial market and continuing my professional career after obtaining my PhD.