2026 ERC EARTH Spring Summit

Mark Shiflett

Foundation Distinguished Professor and J.L. Constant Distinguished Professor of Chemical and Petroleum Engineering and ERC EARTH Center Director

University of Kansas

https://www.linkedin.com/in/mark-shiflett-b451b317/

Mark Shiflett is a chemical engineer whose work advances environmentally friendly, energy‑efficient industrial processes, building on nearly three decades at DuPont where he helped develop non‑ozone‑depleting refrigerants and earned major professional honors. He continues to drive sustainable chemical innovation through extensive patents, publications, and leadership within the engineering community.

Patrick Rouse

Vice President of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering and Applied Sciences from Systems Administration

Ivy Tech Community College

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-patrick-rouse-2a387a70/

Patrick Rouse has more than 15 years of experience in workforce development and higher education, leading advanced manufacturing and engineering initiatives that align training programs with industry and statewide workforce needs. He has managed large-scale technical education efforts, partnered with organizations across defense, aerospace, automotive, and advanced technology sectors, and provides consulting on program development and industry collaboration to support organizations adapting to rapid technological change.

Ellyn Lester

Assistant Dean of Construction and Architectural Technologies

Pennsylvania College of Technology

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ellynlester/

Ellyn Lester is a leader in architecture and construction education whose career was shaped by early experiences on construction sites and a long-standing passion for the built environment. After building extensive industry and leadership experience across architectural firms and academic institutions, she now inspires emerging creators at Penn College, where she brings together her background in journalism, architectural marketing, and built‑environment advocacy to equip students for impactful careers.

Cynthia Keeling

Dean, School of Advanced Manufacturing, Engineering, & Applied Sciences, and Assistant Professor

Ivy Tech Community College-South Bend/Elkhart

https://www.linkedin.com/in/cynthia-keeling-a65624236/

Cyndy Keeling brings decades of experience across agriculture, industry, and education, beginning her career with 20 years at John Deere before moving into curriculum leadership and teaching roles in agricultural education. She now leads advanced manufacturing, engineering, and applied sciences programs with a commitment to workforce development, drawing on her background in agricultural economics, agricultural education, and curriculum design while raising purebred Simmental cattle with her family in Indiana.

Paul Downing

HVACR Faculty Fellow

Ivy Tech Community College-South Bend

https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-downing-6bb904b3/

Paul Downing draws on a wide-ranging HVACR career that includes roles as a maintenance technician, service technician, and field supervisor, experience that shapes his commitment to developing new talent in the trade. He brings additional technical depth from his early work as an air‑mixed gas commercial diver and underwater welder, and he collaborates with Notre Dame researchers on EARTH Thrust 3 to advance innovations in refrigerant technology.

Allen Vincent

Graduate Student (Sun Group)

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/allenv412/

Allen Vincent investigates the atmospheric life cycle of priority refrigerants using machine‑learning–enabled reaction dynamics simulations, with a focus on predicting how refrigerants interact with oxidants in the gas phase. His work includes developing autonomous reaction‑pathway search tools to estimate the global warming potential of refrigerant‑like molecules, advancing computational methods that support next‑generation refrigerant evaluation and design.

Christian Salvador

Aerosol Science and Technology Research Staff

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christian-mark-salvador/

Dr. Christian Mark Salvador is an environmental and atmospheric chemist specializing in how anthropogenic emissions shape aerosol formation and atmospheric pollutants. At ORNL, he investigates uranyl aerosol chemistry and the effects of environmental conditions on particle formation.

Jake Casselman

Postdoctoral Associate (Karamperidou Group)

University of Hawaiʻi, Mānoa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jake-casselman/

Jake Casselman works at the intersection of climate variability, predictability, and real‑world decision‑making, examining how large‑scale modes like ENSO translate into impacts on energy systems, infrastructure, and operational risk. His interdisciplinary background spans atmospheric science, geochemistry, engineering, and African weather prediction, and he also serves as Co‑Founder and CEO of ClimaLinks, where he develops tools that turn weather and climate intelligence into actionable strategy.

Elizabeth Scheehle

Chief of Research Division

California Air Resources Board (CARB)

Elizabeth Scheehle leads the California Air Resources Board’s Research Division, directing a team of scientists and engineers who develop the research foundation for the state’s air quality and climate policies. Her work spans equity‑focused research planning, greenhouse gas mitigation, and major initiatives in oil and gas, high‑GWP reductions, and carbon capture, drawing on extensive experience managing climate programs and field studies across the agency.

Doug Reindl

Professor of Mechanical Engineering & ASHRAE Technology Council Member

University of Wisconsin-Madison

https://www.linkedin.com/in/douglas-reindl-854305a6/

Doug Reindl advances thermal energy systems research spanning solar energy, refrigeration, HVAC, and advanced thermal storage, with a strong emphasis on modeling system performance and improving real‑world efficiency. As founding director of the Industrial Refrigeration Consortium, he focuses on enhancing the safety, reliability, and productivity of industrial ammonia refrigeration infrastructure while contributing broadly to renewable energy and building‑energy optimization.

Samantha Slater

Vice President of Government Affairs

Air-Conditioning, Heating, and Refrigeration Institute (AHRI)

https://www.linkedin.com/in/samantha-slater-1b683695/

Samantha Slater brings more than two decades of experience in energy, environmental, and economic policy, having led federal and state advocacy efforts for major organizations including the Renewable Fuels Association and the National Corn Growers Association. She is recognized for her bipartisan approach, deep legislative expertise, and long-standing leadership in shaping public policy across the HVACR and broader energy sectors.

Dave Watson

Director of Quality

Hudson Technologies

https://www.linkedin.com/in/dave-watson-5ba280138/

Dave Watson oversees quality at Hudson Technologies, bringing nearly three decades of experience spanning laboratory leadership, analytical operations, and refrigerant chemistry. He supports Hudson’s mission by ensuring high‑standards in recovery, reclamation, and sustainable refrigerant management, helping advance environmentally responsible practices across the HVACR industry.

Chris Mussey

General Manager

American Refrigerants, Inc.

https://www.linkedin.com/in/christophermussey/

Chris Mussey leads American Refrigerants, Inc., a trusted EPA‑certified reclamation facility founded in 2008 that provides nationwide refrigerant recovery, reclamation, sales, and buy‑back services. He brings deep expertise in strategic planning and financial leadership, drawing on a background in mergers and acquisitions to guide company growth while supporting contractors and industrial clients with compliant, cost‑effective refrigerant solutions.

Steve Harrill

CEO & Owner

Chiller Services Refrigerant Recovery & Reclamation, LLC

https://www.linkedin.com/in/steve-harrill-14616569/

Steve Harrill leads Chiller Services Refrigerant Recovery & Reclamation, guiding customers through the full refrigerant lifecycle with solutions spanning recovery, reclamation, sales, and analytical testing. His team supports industry partners with high‑volume recovery capabilities and authorized Chemours distribution, emphasizing compliance, service quality, and collaborative success across the HVACR sector.

Kalin Baca

Co-Founder, CEO

Icorium Engineering Company

linkedin.com/in/kalinbaca

Kalin Baca is the CEO and Co‑Founder of Icorium Engineering Company, where she leads the commercialization of advanced refrigerant separation technologies. A chemical engineer by training, she earned her PhD from the University of Kansas and previously contributed to award‑winning research at Sandia National Laboratories. Her work spans sustainable engineering, ionic‑liquid‑based separations, and STEM leadership

Jennifer Butsch

Director of Regulatory Affairs

Copeland

https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferbutsch/

Jennifer Butsch leads regulatory affairs at Copeland, where she oversees codes, standards, and policy initiatives across the HVACR sector and contributes widely to industry publications and events. With more than two decades of experience, she is recognized as a trusted voice in refrigerant and safety regulations, actively serving in organizations such as AHRI and ASHRAE and advocating for industry priorities at both state and federal levels.

Gianna Valentino

Assistant Professor of Materials Science and Engineering

University of Maryland

https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianna-valentino-759bb782/

Gianna M. Valentino investigates how deformation mechanisms and interfacial design shape the performance of advanced structural materials, working at the intersection of mechanics and materials. Her research spans refractory metals for extreme environments, shape‑morphing and functionally graded metals, and materials with competing properties, all aimed at understanding and engineering damage pathways to optimize material functionality.

Boyang Liu

Graduate Student (Takeuchi Group)

University of Maryland

https://www.linkedin.com/in/boyang-liu-8366771b8/

Boyang Liu develops advanced shape‑memory alloys for elastocaloric cooling systems, combining materials discovery, experimental testing, and machine learning to accelerate next‑generation, energy‑efficient refrigeration technologies. As a graduate researcher with CEEE, she works across modeling, system design, and testing, gaining hands‑on experience that strengthens her path toward a future industry career.

Yanliang Zhang

Advanced Materials and Manufacturing Collegiate Professor of Aerospace and Mechanical Engineering

University of Notre Dame

Yanliang Zhang advances additive and scalable nanomanufacturing to create high‑performance functional materials and devices, with work spanning thermoelectric energy conversion, extreme‑environment sensing, and autonomous materials discovery. His research, published in leading journals such as Nature Materials and Advanced Materials, integrates nanoscale engineering with novel manufacturing strategies to improve energy and sensing technologies.

Kashif Nawaz

Section Head - Building Technologies Research

Oak Ridge National Laboratory

https://www.linkedin.com/in/kashif-nawaz-328b582b/

Kashif Nawaz is a leader in energy‑conversion science whose work advances high‑performance heat exchangers, next‑generation heat pumps, and innovative carbon‑capture concepts for building and industrial decarbonization. His research integrates advanced materials, additive manufacturing, and novel thermal processes, earning widespread recognition including multiple R&D 100 Awards and Fellow status in ASME and ASHRAE.

Redemption Edegbe

Graduate Student (Phillip Group)

University of Notre Dame

https://www.linkedin.com/in/redemptionedegbe/

Redemption Edegbe develops adsorptive membranes and hierarchically structured porous polymer sorbents designed for selective chemical separations. His work focuses on advancing membrane performance and engineered porosity to improve efficiency and reliability in next‑generation separation technologies.

Bess Vlaisavljevich

Associate Professor of Chemistry

University of Iowa

https://www.linkedin.com/in/bess-vlaisavljevich-4895107a/

Bess Vlaisavljevich studies the complex electronic behavior of transition‑metal, lanthanide, and actinide systems, using quantum chemical and classical methods to guide the design of new functional materials. Her work spans multi‑metal centers, non‑innocent ligands, and defect‑rich materials, earning recognition including a DOE Early Career Award and the ACS OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award.

Kriti Chitrakar

Graduate Student (Wang Group)

University of South Dakota

Kriti Chitrakar designs innovative separation processes that enable the recycling and reuse of refrigerants using Metal-Organic Supercontainers (MOSCs). She is driven by advancing sustainable solutions through molecular‑level design, aiming to improve environmental outcomes and expand the capabilities of next‑generation refrigerant technologies.

Luc Mauro

Graduate Student (Vicic Group)

Lehigh University

https://www.linkedin.com/in/luc-mauro/

Luc Mauro works at the intersection of organometallic chemistry and environmental sustainability, focusing on developing catalysts to recycle inert, high–global‑warming‑potential hydrofluorocarbon refrigerants. Motivated by collaborative problem‑solving, he explores how chemical innovation can address environmental challenges and expand the impact of green technologies.

Andrew Yancey-Jardon

Postdoctoral Associate (Shiflett Group)

University of Kansas

https://www.linkedin.com/in/andrew-yancey-jardon/

Andrew joined Professor Mark Shiflett’s research group in 2020 after earning his B.S. in Chemistry from Baylor University and completing both his M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kansas in 2024. His research focuses on designing zeolites and other porous materials to enable the selective separation of hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), contributing to more efficient and sustainable refrigerant technologies.

Ruilan Guo

Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, ERC EARTH Faculty

University of Notre Dame

https://www.linkedin.com/in/ruilan-guo-23915b7/

Ruilan Guo develops advanced polymer membranes that enable more efficient chemical separations across applications such as desalination, fuel cells, and natural gas purification. Her research focuses on creating high‑performance materials with precisely engineered pore structures to improve energy efficiency and industrial impact.

Abby Harders

Head of R&D

Icorium Engineering Company

linkedin.com/in/abby-harders

Abby is the Head of Research and Development at Icorium Engineering Company, located in Lawrence Kansas, a  PhD chemical engineer dedicated to developing sustainable solutions for industrial problems. Prior to joining Icorium, Abby obtained her PhD in chemical engineering with honors at the University of Kansas. Dr. Harder's research focused on developing membrane technologies for the separation of azeotropic refrigerants; she has a BA in both chemistry and mathematical sciences, providing her with a unique skillset for tackling problems facing the chemical industry.