“We were excited about this project because climate change is an important societal problem that must be addressed.” ~Dr. David Kwabi
This unique issue of the Global CO2 Initiative newsletter features a team of people, rather than an individual: Dr. David Kwabi (PI), Dr. Anne McNeil (Co-PI) and Dr. Bryan R. Goldsmith (Co-PI). These three University of Michigan faculty members were recently accepted to participate in the Microsoft Climate Research Initiative (MCRI), a community of multi-disciplinary researchers working together to fight climate change.
Their project, “Computational Design and Characterization of Organic Electrolytes for Flow Battery and Carbon Capture Applications,” seeks to use generative machine learning models and quantum mechanical modeling to drive the discovery and optimization of a new class of organic molecules for energy-efficient electrochemical energy storage and carbon capture. It is of particular importance because energy storage is essential to enable 100% zero-carbon electricity generation.
In addition to U-M PhD students Cameron Gruich, Siddhant Singh, and Jessica Tami, they will also work with team members from Microsoft: Bichlien Nguyen, Karin Strauss, Jake Smith, Kali Frost, Ziheng Lu, Yingce Xia
Dr. Kwabi, Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Global CO2 Initiative Faculty Affiliate, earned his PhD in mechanical engineering from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University. The Kwabi research group investigates the interplay between electrochemical charge transfer reactions and bulk phase transformations, involving expertise in mechanical engineering, physical chemistry and materials science. He is also an avid tennis fan.