I am deeply honored to receive the Finishing Fellowship and wish to express my sincere gratitude to the Graduate Dean Awards Advisory Panel and the Dean for this recognition. I am also profoundly thankful to my academic advisor, Dr. Timothy Eisele, as well as Dr. Caryn Heldt, Kristi Pieti, and Shelby Stubenrauch for their tremendous support throughout my Ph.D. journey. I sincerely thank the donors for their generous investment, which allows me to focus entirely on completing my dissertation and bringing my research to a successful conclusion.
I am a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical Engineering at Michigan Technological University, where my research addresses one of the most pressing challenges in sustainability: landfill mining and the recovery of high-value materials from waste. My work focuses on understanding aluminum persistence and corrosion to develop efficient separation processes that transform waste into a resource.
Originally from Ghana, I earned my bachelor’s and master’s degrees in petroleum engineering with first-class honors from Tyumen Industrial University in Russia. Transitioning to chemical engineering for my doctorate was a significant pivot, but by the grace of God, through perseverance and hands-on research, I have built deep expertise in mineral processing and hydrometallurgy. My doctoral research, supported by the U.S. Department of Energy (DE-FE0032236), includes designing aerodynamic separation systems and conducting landfill simulations to advance circular economy solutions. Upon graduation, I aim to apply this expertise in the metals and energy industries to address complex environmental and industrial challenges.
