Dr. Ana C. Alba-Rubio

Principal Investigator

Postdoctoral research.  Dept. of Chemical and Biological Engineering, University of Wisconsin-Madison (2015).

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Ph.D. Applied Physical Chemistry.  Universidad Autónoma de Madrid & ICP-CSIC, Spain (2011).

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B.S. Chemical Engineering.  Universidad de Málaga, Spain (2007).

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Dr. Ana C. Alba-Rubio is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Toledo. She received a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Málaga, Spain in 2007. She then moved to the Institute of Catalysis and Petrochemistry (CSIC) in Madrid, Spain to pursue her doctoral studies under the supervision of Dr. Manuel López Granados. Her Ph.D. focused on base and acid catalysis for biodiesel production from vegetable oils. As a doctoral student, she enjoyed two short research stays in Brazil and the Netherlands. After receiving her Ph.D., Dr. Alba-Rubio joined the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of Wisconsin-Madison to conduct postdoctoral research under the supervision of Prof. James Dumesic and Prof. Manos Mavrikakis. She focused on the controlled synthesis of metal, bimetallic and bifunctional catalysts for reactions of interest in biomass conversion and the direct synthesis of H2O2 from H2 and O2. In 2015, she joined the University of Toledo as a faculty member, and her current research interests involve the rational design and synthesis of nanomaterials for catalysis and sensing applications. In her spare time, you can find her listening to music, dancing, crafting, reading, or playing with her two dogs and three cats.

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• 2021 - Nanoscale 2021 Emerging Investigators. ​

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• 2020 - I&EC Research 2020 Class of Influential Researchers.

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• 2019 - UToledo College of Engineering Excellence in Supervision of Undergraduate Research Award.

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• 2019 - NSF CAREER Award for "Dual Function Materials for Capture and Conversion of CO2 into Methanol and Higher Alcohols."

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• 2018 - UToledo President's Award for Outstanding Contributions in Scholarship and Creative Activity.

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• 2018 - Carl Storm Underrepresented Minority (CSURM) Fellowship to attend the first Gordon Conference. 

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• 2010 - Scholarship from the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) to a research stay in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the University of Groningen, The Netherlands. 

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• 2009 - Scholarship from the Federal University of Ceará to do a research stay in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering. Fortaleza, Brazil.

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• 2006 - Undergraduate Research Scholarship from the Spanish Government to conduct research in the Dept. of Inorganic Chemistry, Crystallography, and Mineralogy at the University of Málaga, Spain.

Ibeh Omodolor

Ph.D. candidate

Ibeh was born in Nigeria, and his interest in chemical engineering started when he was a high school student. After graduating as the best student in his school, he started his undergraduate studies at the prestigious University of Lagos. During his fourth year, he conducted a six-month mandatory internship at the fluid catalytic cracking unit of the Warri Refining and Petroleum Company, Nigeria. He graduated with first-class honors, and his final year project focused on experimental studies on a spray dryer. His love for the energy industry made him decide to pursue a master's degree at the Institute of Petroleum Studies at Portharcourt, Nigeria. There, Ibeh was exposed to the latest petroleum engineering drilling technique and reservoir modeling. He graduated with distinctions, and his project focused on modeling and simulation of a propane pre-cooled mixed exchanger for energy efficiency. Currently, Ibeh is a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Toledo. Ibeh is in his third year, and he has received numerous awards and recognitions, such as the UToledo College of Engineering research mentor award, Kokes award, best poster presentation award at the 4th UT-WSU Chemical Engineering Graduate Research Symposium, and an NSBE BCA/ Major/ Fellows Scholarship. Ibeh is currently developing a soluble and reusable bifunctional catalyst for biomass conversion. He is married to Tolulope Omodolor, and they have a lovely daughter whose name is Isabelle.

Surachet (Ray) Duanghathaipornsuk

Ph.D. candidate

Surachet Duanghathaipornsuk is a Ph.D. candidate in the Dept. of Chemical Engineering at the University of Toledo. He got his M.S. degree in Polymer Science from the Petroleum and Petrochemical College (PPC), Chulalongkron University in 2015. His research at PPC focused on the synthesis of copolymers to be used as drug delivery systems. He is now developing a sensor for the detection of hydroxyl free radicals by integrating inorganic compounds with an electrochemical technique.

Nkem Ofole

M.S. student

Nkem grew up in Nigeria and earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering from the University of Benin. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted a six-month internship at Chevron Nigeria Limited, where she worked on one of its onshore crude oil production platforms. Upon completion of her undergraduate studies, she worked with Benin Electricity Distribution Company, and later, she taught high-school Mathematics at Greensprings School.

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Nkem currently serves as the President of the Chemical Engineering Graduate Student Association at the University of Toledo. She is currently working on the development of soluble and reusable catalysts for biomass conversion. When not doing research, Nkem enjoys reading and visiting new places.