Major and Classification
B.S. Human Biology & Minor in Science and Management of Biomedical Therapuetics
Faculty Mentor
Dr. Smaranda Marinescu
Department
USC Dornsife, Department of Chemistry
Research Gateway Project
In Progress
Project Abstract
With climate change worsening, the need for cleaner, renewable energy is ever-increasing. One form of renewable energy is that of methane. Methane is especially interesting for its ability to be efficiently combusted in gas turbines, as well as its use in power plants to produce electricity. Reducing carbon dioxide to carbon monoxide, then again to methane has previously been done in the lab, however, ways to optimize this reduction pathway are still actively being studied. Hence, I will be studying different metal catalysts in the reduction of carbon monoxide to methane to identify which first-row transition metal is most effective. Doing so can significantly streamline this process and lead to greater methane production.