Lab Members
Research-related interests aside, the primary vision of Dr. Moreno's lab to educate and train its members in the practice of conducting effective research. Therefore, a strong emphasis is placed on the training and mentorship of all students who work in Dr. Moreno's lab, from their background upon joining, their desired learning outcomes on a particular knowledge base or skill set of interest, and future goals upon graduating from Missouri State. That said, the lab nonetheless strives to produce meaningful research outcomes that can be presented and/or published externally, as such success demonstrates effective cooperation within the group.
As electrochemical work is very interdisciplinary in nature, and the lab encompasses both experimental and computational studies, there exist great opportunities for students to be exposed to new opportunities that will enrich their professional profiles and enable them to put to use their skills going forward. Here you can see the diverse range of interests and skills from the current lab members, as of Fall 2023:
Graduate Students:
Niklas Landgraf
Niklas is a 2nd year Master's student in Materials Science. He is working on characterizing and quantifying the gasses evolved from a NiZn cell in real time while cycling, co-advised with Dr. David Cornelison. His dream is to work as an engineer in the space industry. He is passionate about sustainable technology and strengthening our presence in space. As hobbies, he enjoys fly fishing in various Ozark streams and rock climbing in Arkansas on the weekends.
Oluwaseun (David) Iyodo
David is a graduate student majored in Material Science, graduating in Spring, 2024. He is working on Lithium-ion batteries. He would like to be in an industry producing batteries used for electronics/vehicle-related applications.
Undergraduate Students:
Joe Cota
Joe is in his 4th year at MSU/MS&T Engineering Co-op in the Fall of 2023. He is currently a double major student pursuing a bachelor's in both Mechanical Engineering and Physics. He is researching CO2 reduction alongside Dr. Moreno, where we take CO2 and recycle it into a formic acid product to help mitigate greenhouse gases. Some of his hobbies include playing collegiate ultimate frisbee and yoyoing.
Hunter Nelson
Hunter is a senior at Missouri State University majoring in Physics. Hunter worked in Dr. Moreno's lab during Summer 2023, and is returning in Spring 2024 for his senior physics (PHY 486) project. Hunter is working on the CDI project, examining different compositions of porous electrodes being charged at different voltages over an extended period of time.
Emily Rapp
Emily Rapp is a junior majoring in Astrophysics, Materials Science and Applied Mathematics. This semester she will be building an equivalent circuit model for lithium-ion batteries that incorporates their response to suboptimal temperature conditions. Currently, Emily plans to pursue an advanced degree in aerospace engineering. In her free time, she enjoys hiking, paddle boarding, reading, and spending quality time with friends.
Gavin Reese
Gavin is currently a Junior majoring in Mechanical Engineering and Physics. The project he is working on is electrochemical reduction of CO2 into formic acid, which can be used for fuel cells and more. For the future, his main goal is to find a job as an engineer that he enjoys after graduating college. His main hobby is woodworking and he also enjoys reading.
Pablo Skaggs
With a lifelong passion for mechanical engineering and a special knack for troubleshooting, Pablo Skaggs discovered a research haven in Dr. Moreno's lab at MSU after an inspiring thermodynamics class. Pablo has notably contributed to various projects in the lab, particularly in testing the CDI cell for desalination, with a keen focus on troubleshooting and enhancing experimental setups. Pablo aspires to merge his mechanical engineering skills with his entrepreneurial spirit in the robotics sector and his Texas-based metal forming business, aiming to seamlessly blend academic and practical applications. An enthusiast of automation systems, Pablo revels in embedding computerized automation into everyday life, ensuring enhanced efficiency and a modern technological flair. In the lab, Pablo values the intellectual camaraderie among peers, appreciating the diverse knowledge and shared interests that enrich his academic and research journey.
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Former Students:
Grant Cary: Grant is a Senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. During Summer 2023 he worked on the computational analysis of Capacitive Deionization (CDI) systems with the objective of identifying optimal operational parameters for laboratory testing.
Joshua Cox: Joshua graduated from the Co-op Engineering Program between MSU and MS&T, in Mechanical Engineering. Joshua worked in Dr. Moreno's lab from Spring 2022 - Spring 2023. He contributed to various projects on CDI, lithium-ion batteries, and the inital development and testing of electrochemical CO2 conversion using the H-cell.
Devon Parker: Devon is a Senior pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering. During Summer 2022 - Spring 2023 he worked on capactive deionization experiments to determine adsorption limits at room temperature, and helped to construct and desidn a new thermal CDI cell to evaluate adsorption limits at higher temperatures.
Ana Torres: Ana graduated from the Co-op Engineering Program between MSU and MS&T, in Mechanical Engineering. Joshua worked in Dr. Moreno's lab from Spring 2022 - Spring 2023. She worked on the construction and testing of lithium-ion batteries in coin cells to determine the effect of preparation techniques and cycling conditions on their longer-term aging performance.