Molecular modeling of hydrate melting and formation as possible approach to carbon sequestration; molecular modeling of heterogeneous ice nucleation for improved weather and climate models; computational modeling of phase behavior of water, carbon dioxide and salt mixtures for carbon capture and storage and geothermal energy production; computational investigation of water in nafion membranes for fuel cells; desalination with gas hydrates for improved fresh water production and greater energy efficiency

Numerical and experimental studies of turbulent multi-phase flows in environmental systems, air-sea interaction, waves and breaking waves, drops and bubbles

DiBenedetto’s research focuses on fundamental fluid mechanics with applications towards oceanography, biology, environmental contaminants, and renewable energy. Our lab uses a variety of tools including laboratory experiments, mathematical modeling, and field observations.

Developing theory and computational methods for the design and discovery of materials and chemicals for energy and sustainability. Our work covers methods enabling more efficient and effective ways of doing simulation and sampling, generative modeling, and active search. We’re particularly fond of nanoporous materials such as metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Our work has enabled the discovery of novel MOFs for NH3 adsorption that are energy-efficient, thermally stable, and high-capacity.

The Dincă Lab is focused on addressing research challenges related to the storage and consumption of energy and global environmental concerns. Central to our efforts is the synthesis of novel organic-inorganic hybrid materials and the manipulation of their electrochemical and photophysical properties, with a current emphasis on microporous materials.

Inorganic and organic synthesis, as well as rigorous physical characterization are the cornerstones of our research. Students and post-doctoral researchers will gain synthetic skills spanning inorganic (Schlenk & Glove Box techniques), solid state, solvothermal, and organic chemistry (for ligand synthesis). We employ a range of characterization techniques: single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction, gas-sorption analysis, electrochemistry, thermogravimetry and various spectroscopic techniques: NMR, UV-Vis, IR, EPR, etc. These allow us to delineate important structure-function relationships that guide us in the design of new materials with predesigned physical properties.

Climate-model development; cloud and convective processes in the atmospheric general circulation; role of clouds in climate and climate change

Petroleum and non-petroleum derived transportation fuels and fuel blends, their production, chemical kinetics, energy security, and net carbon cycle emission impacts; ignition, combustion, and air pollutant emissions generation/abatement; syngas/high-hydrogen content fuels for advanced gas turbine power generation; fire safety related issues on earth and in micro gravity environments

Risk modeling, statistics, financial econometrics, analysis of big data, computational biology, machine learning, probabilistic tropical cyclone risk modeling

Ferris’ research group conducts experimental work at the intersection of chemical kinetics, optical diagnostics, and fuel science. We use shock waves and optical diagnostics to study high-temperature, gas-phase reaction chemistry, and develop laser-based diagnostic tools to guide the development of next-generation, sustainable fuels. Current areas of interest include measuring key reaction rates related to low-carbon fuels; probing the link between aviation-produced particulates and subsequent contrail formation; and accelerating the development of sustainable aviation fuels through data-driven predictive modeling.

Plasma physics with applications to nuclear fusion energy: plasma waves, current drive, laser/plasma interaction; atomic radiation in plasmas; petroleum refining; statistical inference and pattern recognition, modified Otto-cycle engines

Technology development and engineering risk; assessment of complex technologies that may support decarbonization of the energy system.  Fission and fusion systems R&D; reactor safeguards, regulatory policy and proliferation risk; Research employs process modeling, systems engineering, engineering economics, and quantitative risk and decision analysis.

My research uses theory and computation to understand the fundamental transport and reaction processes that occur in electrochemical systems relevant to energy storage and environmental applications, such as Li-ion batteries, electrochemical CO2 capture, and water treatment.

Many commonly used electrochemical devices, including batteries found in phones and electric cars, are characterized by structural and chemical disorder, which is known to result in reduced performance and a shorter lifespan. However, the underlying mechanisms causing these phenomena are still poorly understood. By investigating the influence of disorder on reaction and transport mechanisms, our goal is to gain a deeper understanding of electrochemical and transport processes and propose strategies to improve the performance and lifetime of electrochemical devices. We are interested in exploring several fundamental questions, such as: (1) How does structural and chemical disorder affect the ion transport mechanism in ionic conductors? (2) How does the presence of structural heterogeneities and thin films at electrode interfaces alter the electrochemical activity? (3) How does structural and topological disorder impact the performance and lifetime of electrochemical devices?

Our approach to addressing these challenges integrates theoretical methodologies inspired by non-equilibrium thermodynamics, stochastic processes, statistical mechanics, condensed matter physics, quantum dynamics, and dynamical systems. We also employ continuum and molecular computational methodologies, such as finite element methods, molecular dynamics, Monte Carlo methods, enhanced sampling techniques and free-energy calculations. As a result, our work is highly interdisciplinary, lying at the intersection of engineering, physics, chemistry, materials science, and applied mathematics.

IoT platforms and applications; energy-efficient; cloud and mobile systems; distributed systems and geo-replicated applications

Urban planning and development of sustainable infrastructures for the 21st century

Resilient and sustainable structural design, and efficient structural systems and forms that minimize construction materials.

Dr. Gates is the stellarator physics leader at PPPL. In this role he acts as the US Technical Representative for the International Collaboration on Superconducting Stellarators. He is also the Principle Investigator of an ARPA-E project entitled “Stellarator Simplification using Permanent Magnets”. At Andlinger, Dr. Gates is also performing research on the improvement of stellarator designs and has recently submitted a proposal entitled “Using permanent magnets for near perfect quasi-symmetry in a stellarator”.  Stellarators are a type of plasma containment device that has great promise for creating fusion energy.

If you’d like to learn more about the stellarator concept see Dr. Gates’ lecture: https://www.pppl.gov/events/2021/science-saturday-renaissance-stellarator-fusion-concept

Nuclear power (fission/fusion); nuclear fuel cycle/nonproliferation; neutronics calculations for new systems (e.g. small modular reactors; safeguards and verification; energy policy)

Built environment, structural health monitoring (SHM), advanced SHM technologies, physics- and data-based diagnostics and prognostic, decision making, smart adaptable and deployable structures, heritage and historic structures.

Mid-infrared sensing applications in environment using high-performance quantum cascade lasers; instrument development for remote sensing of pollutants; field deployments of environmental sensors; laser development for mid-infrared, trace-chemical sensors

Role of environment in human health; social and economic factors on adult health and the physiological pathways through which these factors operate

Experimental plasma physics, plasma heating and transport for fusion energy. Edge power handling. Fusion reactor and power plant designs, including tokamak, spherical torus, and stellarator configurations. Socio-economic aspects of nuclear energy, particularly nuclear proliferation risks

Research interests center around the science and applications of non-equilibrium, or ‘low temperature,’ ionized gas plasma. The large range of technological applications and associated scientific approaches requires developing collaborations with colleagues in associated fields, such as materials and surface science, device physics, biochemistry, medicine or agriculture.

Chris Greig is the Theodora D. ’78 and William H. Walton III ’74 Senior Research Scientist at the Andlinger Center for Energy and the Environment, Princeton University. He has a Bachelors, Masters, and Ph.D. degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of Queensland; is an Honorary Professor at The University of Queensland and University of Melbourne; and a fellow of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering. He is also a member of the Sustainability External Advisory Council at Dow Chemical Company.

Prior to academia, Chris spent almost 3 decades in the energy and resources industries, as a successful company founder, senior executive and non-executive director, across 4 continents. Central to all of his experience, was the development, delivery, and sometimes operations of capital-intensive infrastructure. These included the CEO of ZeroGen (one of the earliest large-scale CCS ventures), the Deputy Chair of Gladstone Ports Corp (owner of one of Australia’s leading energy export hubs), and the Non-Executive Director of several listed engineering firms.

His research is interdisciplinary and deeply collaborative with industry, and focuses on overcoming the challenges to scale-up clean energy and fuels production, carbon capture and storage (CCS), industrial decarbonization, along with climate finance, and energy infrastructure delivery innovation. He co-led Princeton’s influential Net-Zero America study and is leading Princeton’s participation in collaborations on similar studies in Asia-Pacific countries.

Chemical catalysis and biocataysis of hydrocarbon oxidation and functionalization

Control of surface structures for multiple applications, including catalysis and evolving microstructures in solid oxide fuel cells and battery materials