Graduate student recognized with scientific leadership award

Naseeha Cardwell, a chemical engineering PhD candidate, has received the Dorothy L. Simpson Leadership Award from the Seattle chapter of Achievement Rewards for College Scientists Foundation (ARCS).

The award is in recognition of leadership, intellectual curiosity, community commitment and dedication to the greater good. The ARCS Foundation supports scientific and technological education and provides financial awards to students pursuing degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields.

This award was given to Cardwell in acknowledgement of her dedication to scientific innovation, particularly in the realm of renewable biofuels, as well as in tribute to her mentorship and leadership within the academic community.

Originally from Des Moines, Washington, Cardwell came to WSU after receiving her bachelor's degree in chemical engineering from Montana State University.

"Cardwell is advancing efforts to upgrade bio-oil to usable biofuels," said Jean-Sabin McEwen, her advisor and a professor in the Gene and Linda Voiland School of Chemical Engineering and Bioengineering. "She is increasing the potential for their viability as compared to petroleum-based fuels."

Her work involves simulating these systems at the molecular level to gain insights into the behavior of molecules in biofuels at the surface of a catalyst as well as to inform the design of efficient, durable catalytic materials. She is also collaborating with scientists at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) to quantify how electric fields can be used to mitigate the oxidation of iron-based catalysts.

Cardwell's work is funded primarily by the Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Division of Chemical Sciences, Biosciences and Geosciences within the Catalysis Science program. She is also a GEM fellow, having completed a six-month internship at PNNL through the national GEM Consortium. Her academic journey has won numerous accolades, including the Society of Women Engineers-Intel Graduate Award, the WSU-NASA Space Grant Consortium Fellowship, and the Renewable Energy Scholarship Foundation scholarship.

In recognition of her leadership and scientific contributions, ARCS invited Cardwell to be the guest speaker at their fall chapter meeting and program, where she shared insights into her research and academic journey.

Cardwell is committed to advancing the field of computational catalysis and renewable energy research and to educating future generations about the importance of sustainable fuel technologies.