Current Fellows
Hauwa Adedo
Home Department: Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science
Advisor: Dr. Paul Ohodnicki
Mascaro Fellow
The global shift toward electrification is driving increased demand for soft magnetic materials used in power electronics and grid-edge devices. However, key elemental constituents are from geographically concentrated supply chains, creating an economic sensitivity that is rarely considered in alloy design. Hauwa's research aims to establish an integrated framework connecting alloy composition to structure-property relationships and economic implications, thereby guiding supply-chain-resilient alloy design from low-cost feedstocks and scrap streams. Before joining Pitt, she completed her Master's degree in Physics at Miami University focused on magnetocaloric materials for sustainable solid-state refrigeration, and her Bachelor's degree in Physics from Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto, Nigeria.
Lakshmi Yasodhara Ananthabhotla
Home Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Karl Johnson
Covestro Fellow
When industrialization happened, nobody thought about where the waste would end up. In today’s world, designing for a Circular economy and adopting sustainable living methods could bring a noticeable change in solving environmental issues. Lakshmi's passion lies in working to bring about these changes while at the same time boosting awareness of the seriousness of these issues. She holds an undergraduate degree in Chemical engineering from Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, India. Before joining Pitt, she worked as a project associate at the Indian Institute of Technology, India on the modeling of multi-phase reactors for biomass pyrolysis.
Cornelius Dorsogilaa
Home Department: Chemical and Petroleum Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Götz Veser
Mascaro Fellow
Cornelius Dorsogilaa is a Ph.D. student and Mascaro Fellow working in the Catalytic Reaction and Process Intensification Laboratory. His research focuses on decarbonizing and intensifying ethylene production through liquid metal catalysis. He seeks to understand how liquid metal catalysts behave under reaction conditions and use that mechanistic understanding to guide the design and scale-up of a lower-carbon, intensified route to ethylene. Cornelius holds a B.S. in Petroleum Engineering from Ghana and has two years of experience as a process engineer in the oil and gas industry. Prior to joining Pitt, he conducted research at Northeastern University on repurposing end-of-life electric vehicle batteries for energy storage applications. As a Mascaro Fellow, his work connects circular economy principles with chemical manufacturing by pursuing longer catalyst life, reduced waste and emissions, and more efficient use of energy and materials.
Carlan Gray
Home Department: Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Susan Fullerton-Shirey
Mascaro Fellow
Carlan Gray is a PhD student and a Covestro Circular Economy Fellow. He completed his Master's degree in Chemistry and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics at Duquesne University in 2023. During his five years at Duquesne, Carlan led his own project studying the biophysical characteristics of ribonucleic acids. Now, he seeks to help guide the chemical world towards sustainability and a circular economy.
Past Fellows
Santiago Ortiz
Home Department: Chemical & Petroleum Engineering
Advisors: Dr. Götz Veser and James McKone
Covestro Fellow
Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Chemical Engineer and Master in Process Design and Management from Universidad de La Sabana (Colombia). Three years of experience developing and leading research projects framed in the energy transition and design of novel low-carbon-footprint technologies. Two years of experience as a university lecturer in multiple engineering courses. Expertise in scientific programming, computer-aided engineering design, and data science. Current research interests in chemical reaction engineering and process intensification for Power-to-X applications.
Mahjabin Rahman
Home Department: Industrial Engineering
Advisor: Dr. Amin Rahimian
Mascaro Fellow
Ph.D. student in the Department of Industrial Engineering at the University of Pittsburgh. Graduated from Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) with a bachelor's degree in Industrial and Production Engineering. Four years of experience as a university lecturer while teaching several courses in the relevant field. The most intriguing aspect of Industrial Engineering is its way of involving humans, technology, and machines while formulating optimal decision-making models in the presence of uncertainty. Looking ahead to implementing these tools to build eco-friendly production processes, reduce waste with lean manufacturing, and prioritize ethical supply-chain practices and consumer behavior.