03/15/2023
By Kelly Craig
When: Friday, March 17, 2-3 p.m.
Where: Online (Zoom) and in person (Dandeneau 220)
What: "Making Waste Work For Us
Who: Prof. Michael Timko (Department of Chemical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute)
Waste is the natural byproduct of our extractive economy, and its accumulation, including everything from atmospheric gases to water pollutants, threatens our ecosystems and increasingly our health. The problem of waste, however, is not without value, provided that we have ways to valorize waste streams and prevent inequitable exposure to waste and pollution in disadvantaged communities. Prof. Timko's research works to develop new ways to convert waste to valuable energy, fuels, chemicals, and materials; in this talk, he will invite our audience to follow along with the journey from basic chemistry to environmental and economic benefit for food waste streams. Beginning with a fundamental understanding of food waste chemistry, they developed sequential generations of technologies for converting it into a renewable fuel, with each iteration showing improvement on those previous and providing a deeper understanding of the complex chemical pathways for waste conversion. Their most recent family of catalysts is based on abundant materials, including calcium and phosphorous, stable under harsh reaction conditions, and results in a product that can be competitive economically with petroleum-based fuels. This series of discoveries has set the stage for advances in economic analysis, upgrading, and reactor modeling to make a positive impact on waste valorization to benefit both the environment and the economy.
About Michael Timko:
Prof. Michael Timko is a Professor of Chemical Engineering at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI). His research interests involve the study of new technologies for production of sustainable fuels, chemicals, & materials for advancing the circular economy. Prior to joining WPI, Timko was a Principal Engineer at Aerodyne Research Inc. and a Research Engineer at MIT. His training is in chemical engineering and chemical physics at The Ohio State University (B.S.), MIT (M.S. and Ph.D.), and Harvard University (post-doc).
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