Adam is a Breakthrough Energy Fellow who is driven to apply his fascination for materials chemistry toward solutions that can meaningfully combat environmental challenges. He has led numerous programs focused on DEI, STEM, and environmental service, including water purification and resource recovery projects on four different continents. Adam obtained his B.S. in Chemical Engineering with three minors from the Pennsylvania State University and his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley, supported by NSF GRFP, AIChE, NAMS, AWWA, and Philomathia fellowships.

Ever is a Breakthrough Energy Fellow who is passionate about developing new solutions to combat climate change and environmental injustice. As an NSF graduate research fellow, he earned his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of California, Berkeley. In his previous research, Ever specialized in innovating new materials for molecular separations that offer significant enhancements in energy efficiency and performance. These new materials included plasticization-resistant membranes, porous inorganic materials, porous polymers, phase-change adsorbents, and metal–organic frameworks.

Maria earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2022 from the University of California, Berkeley, where she studied porous materials for chemical separations. Maria is also passionate about climate justice and policy solutions and was the VP of Finance for the UC Berkeley Science Policy Group during graduate school. In her free time, Maria sings with the NY Choral Society.

Ravi is an expert in polymer and membrane technologies with a Ph.D. and 18+ years of industrial experience in these areas. He has pioneered groundbreaking advancements in forward osmosis and reverse osmosis membranes, thin-film composites, block copolymer self-assembly, anti-fouling coatings, self-healing polymers, controlled release applications, and membrane distillation technologies. With broad hands-on experiences and unwavering dedication to polymer innovation, Ravi is a proven leader in the polymer sciences.

Alyssa is a process engineer at ChemFinity, leading different parts of the development and testing of ChemFinity’s highly selective separation prototypes. She was previously a semiconductor engineer at IBM and a chemical engineer at Amogy. As Amogy’s first employee, Alyssa wore many hats and contributed to several successful demonstrations of their technology, which utilizes ammonia as an energy source. She is highly interested in tackling environmental and climate concerns. Alyssa earned her B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of South Carolina. 

Andy earned his Ph.D. in Organometallic Chemistry from the University of Rochester, where he focused on C-H bond activation and catalyst design for dehydration reactions. He later worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers-Newark, where he developed iron-based catalysts for hydrogen production. With a broad set of skills in synthetic chemistry, Andy is passionate about applying his expertise to green technology applications.

Shantal Risk is an accomplished strategic and detail-oriented administrative professional with experience providing leadership development, consultation, and direction for both grassroot and corporate organizations. She has significant experience in supporting organizational transformation at the structural level, particularly in operations, HR, marketing, and project coordination. She most recently honed these skills as the Sales and Recruiting Coordinator for Beacon Hill Staffing Group. Shantal holds a B.S. degree in Communications and Rhetorical Studies with minors in both Business Marketing and Spanish from Syracuse University.

Gustavo is a Chemistry R&D Intern at ChemFinity, focused on the synthesis and characterization of adsorbents for critical mineral recovery. As part of the Columbia Combined Plan Dual Degree Program, he earned a bachelor’s degree in Chemistry from Brandeis University and is currently pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering at Columbia University. His undergraduate research explored Molecular Solar Thermal (MOST) systems for energy storage and sustainable heating. He is passionate about renewable energy and climate technology.

Anvita is a Materials R&D Intern at ChemFinity, focused on developing and testing selective gas separation membranes for clean energy applications. She is currently pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering with a minor in Computer Science at Columbia University. As part of the Solar Fuels Research Group, her work has centered on improving water electrolysis using flow cell design and in-situ Raman spectroscopy. She is passionate about sustainability and renewable energy, and is committed to advancing engineered solutions for the climate crisis.

Frank is a Chemistry R&D Intern at ChemFinity, where he focuses on developing advanced catalysts and materials for sustainable energy applications. He earned his M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Rochester, where his research centered on metal catalysts for energy-related reactions. He previously completed a B.A. in Chemistry at Hamilton College, writing a thesis on polymer synthesis for carbon dioxide reduction electrocatalysis. With experience in synthesis, analytical techniques, and materials research, Frank is passionate about advancing renewable and sustainable chemistry solutions to address the climate crisis.