Alexis McKittrick Named Emerging Leader by SWE ChBE alumna Alexis McKittrick (PhD 2005) recently won a Society of Women Engineers (SWE) Emerging Leader Award in recognition of her STEM achievements and community contributions. According to SWE, McKittrick is recognized “for demonstrating technical expertise and insight in shaping science policy; for consistent leadership and technical excellence across varied research environments and scientific topics; and for leadership in cultivating an inclusive environment.” Throughout her career, McKittrick has had success at diving into new research areas and conducting analysis across disciplines in a wide range of research environments -
three Federally Funded Research and Development centers operated by the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA). In March 2020, she became Program Manager, Geothermal Technologies Office at the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). “I’m really proud of the range of research environments I’ve been able to thrive in. My time at Tech taught me how to digest new information quickly and learn on the fly effectively as well as communicate science and from industry to the Environmen- technology to a wide range of audiences.” tal Protection Agency (EPA) and then the Science and Technology Policy Institute (STPI), one of
Three ChBE Grads Make Alumni Association’s “40 Under 40” In 2020, the GT Alumni Association published its inaugual“40 Under 40” List, including: Dhaval Bhandari, PhD 2010, Planning Advisor, ExxonMobil
Samirkumar Patel, PhD 2011, President & CEO, Moonlight Therapeutics
Patel is in awe of the science and technology that powers breakthrough advancements Bhandari in medicine. has contributed As a sciento significant tist, inventor, advancements and entrepreneur, Samirkumar in sustainability as well as in adis propelling the next wave of dressing the world’s dual energy unimaginable medical advancechallenge. His research has been ments of the future. While obtainat two of the nation’s top energyfocused industrial labs: ExxonMobil ing his PhD, he made a discovery Research and Engineering and Gen- in a GT lab that led him to invent a new way to deliver drug treateral Electric Global Research. ment into the eye to treat eye Dhaval has filed more than 20 U.S. patents and applications. And diseases. With this technology, at 26, he became a principal inves- he started Clearside Biomedical in 2011. Two years ago, he started tigators of a $3 million grant from the Department of Energy, leading his second venture, Moonlight Therapeutics, to develop a treata 15-member team. ment for food allergies.
Graham Thorsteinson, ChBE 2006, MS ChE 2007, Chief Technology Officer, Energy One Consulting
Graham Thorsteinson has devoted his career to one of the most pressing problems facing the world today: reducing energy use. After leading General Mills’ energy program for nearly 10 years, Thorsteinson co-founded Energy One Consulting. In 2018, The Association of Energy Engineers awarded Energy One with National Project of the Year for its work improving energy efficiency at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, one of the busiest airports in the world. Thorsteinson’s low capital approach focuses on optimizing existing systems without requiring significant capital upgrades. CHBE.GATECH.EDU
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