Dr. Maria L. Carreon

Group Head

She received her Bachelor degree in Chemical Engineering at UMSNH in Morelia, Michoacan, Mexico in 2007 with the thesis work entitled: “Measurement of the thermoelectric potential coefficient for the characterization of the anisotropy of Ti-6Al-4V samples” and M.S. with the thesis work entitled: “Nanocrystalline Mesoporous Titania Catalysts for the selective oxidation of benzyl alcohol to benzaldehyde” from the same University. Afterwards, she explored the development of membranes for carbon dioxide capture, a highly relevant societal issue. Like most of the experimentalist researchers, she became curious about how things occur, and turned her insight to the fundamentals. Therefore, she became a part of the Conn Center for Renewable Energy at the University of Louisville, to conduct her doctoral studies under the supervision of Mahendra K. Sunkara. During her PhD she focused in understanding the  growth mechanisms of Silicon nanowires using Plasma Enhanced CVD (PE-CVD). During the last few years of her PhD, her delight for teaching and service made her teach analytical chemistry laboratories at UofL in Chemistry Department and be part of the RE3 (Renewable Energy club) as communications officer and of the SHPE (Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers) as graduate student ambassador promoting science and engineering in middle and high schools in Louisville. Among distinctions, she has been awarded 2 Kokes Awards and the Conn Center Fellowship award. She was Assistant Professor at the University of Tulsa from Fall 2015 to Spring 2019. At this institution she secured several internal research grants such as the Shark Tank start-up. She gained important experience teaching at graduate and undergraduate level Heat Transfer, Fluid Mechanics, Reactors Design and Plasma Materials. While at Tulsa she kept participating in outreach activities including SHPE Noche de Ciencias, Girls Scouts beyond Bars STEAM camp and Union High School STEM Cafe. She was Assistant Professor at South Dakota School of Mines & Technology Chemical and Biological Engineering Department from the Fall 2019 to the Summer 2021. She was Assistant Professor at UMass Lowell, Mechanical Engineering Department from the Fall 2021 to the Summer 2023. Currently, she is Associate Professor at the Ralph E. Martin Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of Arkansas. She serves as member of the Mexican National Science Council (SNI-1) and as editor of  IOP Sci-Notes. Her research on non-thermal plasmas is currently funded by NSF and DOE. She recently  received the  prestigious 2023 NSF Career Award.

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Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=Im-F-d8AAAAJ&hl=en

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Curriculum vitae:

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