Katherine Vaz Gomes

Katherine Vaz Gomes is a Science Advisor at Carbon Direct with a strong background in Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering. She is a chemical engineer who specializes in durably storing carbon in mineral form. Her work extends to techno economics, where is comfortable analyzing the cost for carbon mineralization at the industrial scale. Katherine’s expertise includes decarbonation pathways for the cement and concrete industry. She also brings knowledge policies, including regulations and incentives, that are relevant to carbon mineralization and industrial decarbonization.

In addition to her technical expertise, Katherine is active in science communication and education outreach. She commits time to volunteering with groups such as the Girl Scouts of Philadelphia, Skype a Scientist, and the STEM Gems program to improve science literacy in school age groups. She has also served as a judge for the FIRST Global New Technology contest on Carbon Countermeasures, aimed at challenging teenagers to tackle carbon management strategies in their local areas.

Katherine is currently finishing her PhD in Chemical Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania, under the supervision of Dr. Peter Psarras and Dr. Jennifer Wilcox. She has earned certificates in Science Communication and Energy Management during her time in graduate school. She holds two undergraduate degrees from Worcester Polytechnic Institute in Professional Writing and Chemical Engineering.