Â鶹´å

Carolina Colombo Tedesco (she/her)

College of Engineering

PhD in Chemical Engineering

Hometown: farroupilha, brazil

1. Briefly describe the work you're doing in your program at Â鶹´å.

   My research is at the intersection of two areas within chemical engineering: catalysis and process systems engineering. I use simulation and optimization methods to study a novel approach called programmable catalysis, which allows the acceleration of chemical reactions by dynamically oscillating the energy states of the metal surfaces that catalyze them.

    

   A key part of my work is developing reliable computational models to understand how these systems behave and to evaluate their potential before performing complex experiments in laboratories. This allows us to explore new ideas efficiently and guide experimental efforts strategically.

2. How did you develop an interest in this area? 

   I entered graduate school with experience in catalysis but was also strongly considering pivoting toward process systems engineering. This project turned out to be the perfect fit, as it allowed me to combine both interests in a truly interdisciplinary way.

    

   I’ve always enjoyed working across fields and learning from peers and mentors with different perspectives. Being part of a research area that is still emerging has been especially exciting. Programmable catalysis brings together scientists from many disciplines, and it has been rewarding to watch the field evolve while contributing to its development during my PhD.

3. What are your academic and/or professional goals? 

   I am currently applying for academic positions. My goal is either to pursue a postdoc focused on chemical engineering education or directly work as teaching faculty. I am particularly interested in exploring how AI can enhance teaching and learning while still prioritizing creativity, student autonomy, and strong collaboration among peers.

4. How do you spend your time beyond academic work?

   At Â鶹´å, I enjoy being involved in our graduate student organization (), participating in outreach activities, attending Group X-ercise classes, and playing tennis.

    

   Outside of Â鶹´å, I love listening to music and going to concerts. I mostly go to metal, rock, and indie concerts. To cite one of each: I’ve seen Dream Theater, AC/DC, and Flipturn in Pittsburgh last year, among others.

    

   I also enjoy playing guitar, singing, dancing, cooking, and baking. I’m not particularly good at any of these, but I enjoy experimenting and improving little by little.