Principle Investigator

Linxiao Chen

Assistant Professor in Chemical Engineering​

The University of Akron, 2023 – Present​

Postdoc, ​Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, 2019 – 2023

Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry, Indiana University, 2019​​

B.S. in Chemistry, Peking University (China), 2014​

Hometown: Xiamen, China

When not conducting research or education activities, Linxiao enjoys sports, running, hiking, biking, cooking, music, watching cute animal videos, and sunny warm weather. He is a geogrphy nerd who likes traveling and exploring different cultures.

Graduate Student

Uchenna Nwachukwu

Joined 2024 Spring​

B.S. in Chemical Engineering, Federal University of Technology, Owerri (Nigeria)​, 2017

Hometown: Imo, Nigeria

Research Project: Bifunctional Polyolefin Hydrocracking

Uchenna is passionate about research and industrial applications of chemical Engineering. Outside of research, he stays active with gym workouts and running. He also loves cooking traditional native meals, traveling, and exploring new cultures. Surfing the internet keeps Uchenna connected with the latest trends and knowledge.

Graduate Student

Nadiira Hassan

Joined 2024 Fall​

B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering, Marwardi University (India), 2024​

Hometown: Hargeisa, Somaliland

Research Project: Hydrodeoxygenation of Bio-Derived Molecules

Nadiira enjoys staying active through hiking, running, and sports. When not occupied by school work, she loves exploring new food spots in the city, reading about history and ancient civilizations, and practicing photography. She also finds joy in learning new languages and discovering different cultures. Her life goal is to visit as many countries as possible.

Graduate Student

Aswathi Rajeevan V V

Joined 2024 Fall​

M.S. in Material Chemistry, Kannur University, 2021​

B.S. in Chemistry, Kannur University (India), 2019​

Hometown: Kerala, India

Research Project: Epitaxial Metal-Support Catalysts

When not spending time with research or academics, you'll find Aswathi enjoying her love for movies and series, exploring new places, and learning about the diverse cultures of the people she meets. An animal lover at heart, she never misses an opportunity to pet a furry friend. She also appreciates the occasional escape into a good book or the soothing rhythms of music, making her well-rounded in both her professional and personal life.

Undergraduate Student (Junior, Chemical Engineering at Akron)

Matthew Moegling

Joined 2024 Spring​

Hometown: Mentor, Ohio

Research Project: Cl Effects on Bifunctional Catalysts

The career goals of Matt are to start in process engineering when he graduates with his B.S. in Chemical Engineering, and then later in his career go into a research role. When not spending time with engineering, Matt enjoys cooking, music, Star Wars, nature, doing work with his hands, and problem solving. One of his goals is to be able to cook something from almost every culture.

Lab Mascots

Mochi & Coconut

Golden Retriever & Maltese

Group OG - Keeping It Cute Since Feb 2022

Hometown: Prosser, WA & Seoul, South Korea

Expert in catdogalysis. Bilingually trained.