The Laboratory for Low-Carbon Energy and Environmental Sustainability in the College of Engineering and Physical Sciences at the University of Wyoming (UW) has one PhD research assistant position in bioenergy with deep carbon capture and storage, which will be available from Spring 2023.
The Laboratory for Low-Carbon Energy and Environmental Sustainability promotes a long-term vision for the role of both technology and policy to cope with complex energy, environmental and natural resource challenges. The laboratory conducts systems research that addresses technical, economic, and policy issues related to energy and environmental systems. Current interests of research mainly include low-carbon energy systems, carbon capture and storage, bioenergy with carbon capture and storage, hydrogen production, and the energy-water nexus under carbon constraints for climate change mitigation. The laboratory pioneers the development of the Integrated Environmental Control Model (IECM), a publicly available computer tool used worldwide for power plant modeling and assessment. The principal investigator is Prof. Haibo Zhai, the Roy & Caryl Cline Chair of Engineering, Environment and Natural Resources at UW. He is also Adjunct Faculty in the School of Energy Resources at UW and in the Department of Engineering and Public Policy at Carnegie Mellon University.
The laboratory will hire a graduate research assistant (at the PhD level) to work on a new research project sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy. This project will perform systems analysis for advancing bioenergy with deep carbon capture and storage (CCS) toward net-zero emissions in the electric power sector. The PhD research assistant will conduct techno-economic analysis and life cycle analysis for bioenergy with deep CCS and then incorporate research outcomes into the IECM with the PI, senior research staff, and postdoctoral research fellows.
Perspective students in chemical and environmental engineering, mechanical engineering, or energy-related disciplines are strongly encouraged. For any questions about this position, please feel free to contact Prof. Haibo Zhai by email at hzhai@uwyo.edu.