Dr. Parisa Bazazi received B.Sc. in Petroleum Engineering from the University of Tehran in 2015 and the M.Sc. and Ph.D. in Chemical and Petroleum Engineering from the University of Calgary respectively in 2017 and 2021. She worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering in Princeton University before joining the Petroleum Engineering department at Mines in January 2023.

Dr. Bazazi’s research interests are in interfacial sciences, materials, and fluid dynamics. She leads experimental and theoretical research related to transport phenomena in porous media, generation of novel interfacial materials, and soft matter. Her research goal is to develop an integrated platform to formulate engineered interfacial materials and tailor interfaces toward energy, environment, and health applications.

John Bradford received dual BS degrees in Physics and Engineering Physics with a concentration in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 1994.   He received his PhD in Geophysics from Rice University in 1999.   In 2001 he joined the Center for Geophysical Investigation of the Shallow Subsurface at Boise State University, where he served as director from 2006-2009.  In 2017 he moved to the Colorado School of Mines where he served as the Geophysics Department Head until 2019, Vice Provost and Dean from 2019 – 2020, and is currently Vice President for Global Initiatives and heads the Office of Global Initiatives and Business Development.  He remains active in research and is focused on developing methodologies for quantitative analysis of near-surface seismic and ground-penetrating radar data with emphasis on using these tools to solve interdisciplinary science and engineering problems.  He has published on a diverse array of topics that include hydrocarbon detection as both resource and environmental contaminant, geothermal characterization, hydrogeophysics, glaciology, and archaeology.  In 2015/2016 he served as the President of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists.  In this role, he was Chairman of the Board of a global corporation with four subsidiary corporations and offices in Tulsa, Beijing, and Dubai.

Dr. Robert Braun, Distinguished Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, leads the Advanced Energy Systems group (https://aes.mines.edu).  He received a PhD from the University of Wisconsin–Madison in 2002. From 2002 to 2007, Dr. Braun was at United Technologies Fuel Cell and Research Center divisions where he last served as project leader for UTC’s mobile solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power system development program. Dr. Braun has a multidisciplinary background in mechanical and chemical engineering, and his research focuses on energy systems modeling and analysis, techno-economic optimization, and numerical simulation of transport phenomena occurring within fuel cell and alternative energy systems. His industry experience encompasses development of low-NOx burners, CO₂-based refrigeration, and fuel cell technologies (incl. PEMFC, PAFC, MCFC, SOFC, and PCFC). Dr. Braun’s current research activities focus on hybrid fuel cell/engine systems, renewable energy pathways to synthetic fuel production, grid-scale energy storage, novel protonic ceramics, supercritical CO₂ power cycles, and dispatch optimization of concentrating solar power plants. He is a Link Energy Foundation Fellow, a member of ASME, ECS, and ASHRAE, has over 50 journal publications, and holds 6 U.S. patents.

Zachary Buck graduated with a B.S. in Physics from Rowan University in 2012, after which he attended the University of Missouri where he received a Ph.D. in May 2018 for experimental condensed matter physics with an emphasis on neutron scattering. Zack has studied a wide range of materials science problems while working at several neutron research facilities including, the University of Missouri Research Reactor (MURR), Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and the China Spallation Neutron Source (CSNS). Beginning in May 2021, Zack joined the Fatigue and Fracture Group at NIST – Boulder, where he remains to this day, investigating hydrogen-assisted failure mechanisms in steels. Data collected in the NIST Fatigue and Fracture group has been critical in developing codes and standards for pipelines and pressure vessels, which contributes to our energy infrastructure and security.

Lawrence Cho is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines. He also holds an associate research appointment at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-Boulder. Previously, he was a Research Assistant Professor associated with the Advanced Steel Processing and Products Research Center (ASPPRC) at Mines and worked as a Materials Research Engineer at the NIST through the NRC Research Associateship program. His research focuses on the application of fundamental steel science to practical challenges related to the development of advanced materials for industrial applications. His recent interests include the design of sustainable and economical materials and processes for clean energy technologies, including hydrogen service applications, carbon capture transportation utilization storage, and industrial decarbonization.

A physical chemist by training, Walter Copan began his career in R&D, business leadership and biotech ventures at The Lubrizol Corporation. Over the years, he has held a variety of roles in the private and public sectors, including the U.S. Department of Energy National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, where he served from 2003 to 2005 as principal licensing executive for technology transfer, focused on increasing NREL’s effectiveness in developing and commercializing clean energy technologies. Copan then served as executive vice president and chief technology officer at Clean Diesel Technologies, Inc., helping to lead the company’s transformation from research focus to a successful commercial enterprise. He returned to the public sector in 2010, when he was named managing director for technology commercialization and partnerships at the DOE’s Brookhaven National Laboratory.

In October 2017, Copan was unanimously confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology and Director of NIST. At NIST, he spearheaded streamlining and modernization of U.S. policies and practices for innovation and technology transfer arising from federally funded research. Since January 2021, Copan has served as Senior Advisor at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, co-founding the Renewing American Innovation project to advance U.S. innovation, standards and intellectual property policy.

Copan holds a PhD in physical chemistry and a B.S./B.A. dual degree in chemistry and music, all from Case Western Reserve University. He was recognized by the university as Distinguished Alumnus of the Year in 2008. He is a Fellow of the National Academy of Inventors and was named the 2020 Laboratory Director of the Year by the Federal Laboratory Consortium. AUTM, a leading association in technology transfer, recognized Copan with its 2021 Bayh-Dole Award for his contributions to innovation and technology transfer.

Brian DeBruine is a co-founder and the Director of the non-profit Colorado Hydrogen Network (CHN), which is a hydrogen advocacy organization.  The mission of CHN is to serve as a networking hub for hydrogen stakeholders around the world, to help start the hydrogen market by bringing together suppliers, users and infrastructure around hydrogen projects.  Brian is also one of the founders of New Day Hydrogen (NDH), which is a hydrogen fuel station supplier.  NDH along with Colorado State University were awarded a $9M grant from the Federal Highway Administration to build and operate Colorado’s first three hydrogen fuel stations.  Brian also hosts the HydrogenNowCast podcast, with over 90 episodes and subscribers around the world.  Brian previously enjoyed a 36-year career with Honeywell Aerospace in engineering and project development.  Brian is listed in Marquis “Who’s Who in America” for his over five years of volunteer work in hydrogen advocacy.

Professor R. W. Dibble is the principal investigator of the Combustion Analysis group. His main area of research is the internal combustion engine. He is also the leading scientist behind the development of the Argon Power Cycle technology.

Paul C. Johnson is the 17th President of Colorado School of Mines in Golden, Colorado and his career reflects his strong passion for innovation, education and student success.

He began his career at Shell Development in Houston, developing novel approaches for managing and restoring contaminated soil and groundwater sites. He then joined the faculty at Arizona State University to continue this work and share his experiences with students. He was attracted to the presidency at Colorado School of Mines because of its focused mission, long history of rich industry partnerships, use-inspired research programs, reputation for producing outstanding graduates and strong alumni affinity.

He has received awards recognizing his contributions to education and research, including the Fair Distinguished Engineering Educator Award from the Water Environment Federation, the Brown and Caldwell Lifetime Achievement Award in Remediation, and the National Ground Water Association’s Keith E. Anderson Award. A chemical engineer, Dr. Johnson earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of California-Davis and master’s and doctoral degrees from Princeton University.

Ken Lee is a Principal Engineer in the Welding Technology Group at DNV, and has over 30 years of industry and government experience in pipeline safety and welding.  Prior to joining DNV in 2019, Mr. Lee was at the US Department of Transportation, Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (USDOT PHMSA), Office of Pipeline Safety, for 9 years, where he was Director of the Engineering and Research Division, and at The Lincoln Electric Company in Cleveland, Ohio for 19 years, where he was pipeline welding engineer. Mr. Lee’s experience includes pipeline construction and welding, instructing pipeline welding courses, fitness for service, regulatory and code compliance, failure investigations, pipeline research, and API and AWS standard committees.

Mr. Lee holds a M.S. in Welding Engineering from The Ohio State University, a B.S. in Engineering Mechanics from The Johns Hopkins University, and is a licensed Professional Engineer in the State of Virginia.

Dr. Yaoguo Li is a Professor in the Department of Geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines, where he has been leading the Center for Gravity, Electrical, and Magnetic Studies (CGEM), co-leading the Geo-Multiphysics Research Consortium (GMRC), and co-leading a newly formed consortium on the Potential for Geologic Hydrogen Gas Resources.  He holds a PhD in geophysics from the University of British Columbia. Dr. Li’s research interests include inverse theory, and inversion of gravity, magnetic, electrical, and electromagnetic geophysical data, joint inversion and geology differentiation. Geologic hydrogen exploration, efficient data acquisition in resource exploration, and machine learning-assisted inversion methods are among his newest pursuits. His research covers a broad range of geoscientific problems in geologic hydrogen exploration, mineral exploration, and carbon storage monitoring. He is the instructor of 11th EAGE Education Tour. He is a co-recipient of the 1999 Gerald W. Hohmann Award, and Honorary Member of the Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG). 

Dr. Travis McLing is a Directorate Fellow and Chief Geologist at the Idaho National Laboratory (INL). Dr. McLing has more than 30 years of experience in developing, growing, and leading multi-institutional, interdisciplinary research in geochemistry and water-related fields. Dr. McLing has developed expertise in the fields of rare earth elements, and other critical and strategic minerals, and developing situ tracers to fingerprint geothermal systems. Dr McLing is also a Research Fellow at the Center for Advanced Energy Studies where he leads the Geoenergy research activities. Dr. McLing has authored and co-authored more than 100 peer-reviewed papers and conference proceedings and given more than 125 presentations at national and international meetings and conferences. Dr. McLing holds affiliate faculty positions at Idaho State University, University of Idaho and a Distinguished Affiliate Faulty position at the University of Wyoming’s School of Energy Resources. Through these affiliate faculty positions he regularly advises graduate students and post-doctorates fellows.

Zainub Noor is the Director of Technology and Innovation at Halliburton Labs, where she leads the development and execution of innovation strategies aimed at advancing energy resources. She collaborates with industry partners to address global energy challenges, focusing on security, affordability, and reliability, while minimizing environmental impact. In her role, Zainub evaluates cutting-edge technologies and startups across the entire energy value chain, providing access to industrial resources and networks to help them scale and commercialize.

With a rich background in both technology leadership and business management, Zainub has held various key roles, including her most recent position as Global Head of Technology for Reservoir Management, Production Operations & Economics, where she spearheaded digital transformation efforts in the oil and gas sector. Her experience spans leading major asset development projects globally, focusing on digital oil fields, industrial decarbonization, production optimization, and the development of digital twins for assets, as well as overseeing research and development for integrated petroleum solutions.

Zainub is actively involved in industry forums and committees, and she holds multiple patents and has published numerous papers. She has been recognized as one of the Top 25 Women in Energy by Oil and Gas Investor and one of the Global Elite 100 Leaders by Petroleum Economist.

Mary Qiao is a Principal Engineer from Technology of American Bureau of Shipping (ABS). She works on the development of ABS Rules/Requirements on Materials & Welding, Nondestructive Testing, Additive Manufacturing etc.

Dr. Rajasegar received his MS and PhD degrees in Mechanical Science and Engineering from University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in 2013 and 2018, respectively.  His research focuses on low greenhouse gas (GHG) fuels for in-cylinder combustion. 

Dr. Chris San Marchi is a Distinguished Member of the Technical Staff at Sandia National Laboratories in Livermore CA. Chris and his colleagues are studying the interactions between hydrogen and materials, unraveling the complex nature of hydrogen’s effects on the performance of structural materials, a collection of phenomena commonly referred to as gaseous hydrogen embrittlement. Chris has co-authored over 100 conference and journal publications and several book chapters, providing the scientific and engineering basis for hydrogen-related codes and standards both domestically and internationally, including contributions to the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE), American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) as well as the UN’s Global Technical Regulation No. 13 for Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Vehicles. Additionally, Chris is the Sandia PI on the Hydrogen Materials Compatibility Consortium (H-Mat), an Energy Materials Network, sponsored by the US Department of Energy’s Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy. Chris is also the Sandia PI on the Pipeline Blending CRADA (a DOE HyBlend project), a multi-laboratory partnership with industry exploring the implications of blending hydrogen into natural gas infrastructure.

Professor Sullivan’s research focuses on experimentation with electrochemical ceramics. In his current position as Professor of Mechanical Engineering at Colorado School of Mines, Professor Sullivan leads experimental operations within the Colorado Fuel Cell Center, for which he serves as director. Applications range from fuel cells for efficient electricity generation to electrolyzers for energy storage and hydrogen production to membrane reactors for electro-fuels synthesis. Research activities of emerging electroceramics include device fabrication, microstructural characterization, button-cell scale-up to large-area multi-cell stacks, catalyst integration, performance analysis, and degradation mitigation. At larger scales, Prof. Sullivan’s research includes demonstrations of multi-stack and hybrid fuel-cell/engine systems approaching 100-kW power levels. This span from early-stage materials development to complete system integrations is supported through a robust equipment base formed over decades of collaborative research with many of the world’s leaders in high-temperature electrochemistry.

Allen (Al) Toweill is a Hydrogen Delivery Manager within the Innovation group of the Chevron Technology Center and has been with Chevron for 25 years. His current focus areas include hydrogen and other lower carbon fuels.
Before joining CTC, Al managed Chevron’s Biofuels Compliance Strategy (including California’s Low Carbon Fuel Standard compliance program), was a project manager for the West Coast Supply Chain Optimization group and held positions of increasing responsibility within Richmond and El Segundo refineries in process engineering and planning.
Al joined Chevron in 2000 as a Chemical Engineer from University of Washington. Al enjoys backpacking and other outdoor endeavors.

Dr. Wolden’s research interests are focused on the synthesis of nanostructured materials and their application to solving challenges in the areas of renewable energy and sustainability. Synthesis techniques include both vapor deposition (sputtering, CVD) and solution processing (reactive precipitation, electrodeposition, etc.). A central theme is developing novel processing techniques that impart nanoscale control while retaining high rate for the efficient synthesis of mesoscale structures (5 – 500 nm). The materials we synthesize serve as integral components in thin film photovoltaics, solid state batteries, and catalytic membrane reactors. Investigation of these processes is guided by detailed reactive flow modeling and experimental measures of both homogeneous and heterogeneous kinetics. In-situ process diagnostics and ex-situ materials characterization are used to gain a fundamental understanding of the process–structure–performance relationships in these systems.

Dr. Douglas Wicks currently serves as a Program Director at the Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA‑E). His focus at ARPA-E is on waste-to-energy, critical mineral mining and geologic hydrogen technologies.   Wicks joined ARPA-E from Imerys a French industrial minerals production and processing company, where he was most recently the Director of Transformational and External Innovation. At Imerys he developed an innovation network comprised of academic, contract research organizations, start-ups and strategic partners. Before joining Imerys Wicks worked in a variety of roles at several start-up companies focused on innovative materials. Dr. Wicks began his career at Bayer Corporation, where he ultimately became Vice President of Research for the Coatings and Colorants division. Wicks earned a B.S. in Chemistry from North Dakota State University and a Ph.D. in Polymer Science and Engineering from the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Technical Focus: Critical Materials; Industrial Decarbonization

Dr. Mengli Zhang is a Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Geophysics at the Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Zhang invented ergodic sampling that enables economical geophysical data acquisition and accelerates the process by 2 to 10 times compared to traditional acquisition approaches. She is specialized in integration of seismic, electromagnetic, magnetic, and gravity data, optimizing data interpretation and accelerating discovery cycle through ML and AI. She is the Co-Director of the Center for Gravity, Electrical, and Magnetic Studies (CGEM), and the principal investigator (PI) of Geo-Multiphysics Research Consortium. She is also a co-PI of a joint industry program on geologic hydrogen at Colorado School of Mines. Dr. Zhang is the PI of a stimulated hydrogen project funded by ARPA-E as well as the PI of several other projects funded by US government agencies. Dr. Zhang has 10 years of experience in the oil & gas industry, identified well drilling locations with false-positive and false-negative reduction, reserve estimates, risk mitigation. She has located more than 500 drilled natural gas wells, has expertise in the entire exploration cycle starting from prospecting map generation. Her current research is pursuing geologic hydrogen exploration and critical mineral as well as natural gas exploration.