MEET UMENWEKE, CHUKWUDALU GREAT, Ph.D.
Early-career researcher working at the intersection of catalysis, materials science, and green chemistry.
My current research focuses on the synthesis, design, characterization, and optimization of tunable multifunctional catalysts for the efficient conversion of renewable feedstocks — including biomass, plastics, and CO₂ — into sustainable fuels and high-value chemicals, advancing a green and circular biorefinery future through precision catalysis. I have hands-on experience in catalyst synthesis and characterization techniques such as N₂ physisorption, XRD, NH₃/CO₂-TPD, TPR, H₂ pulse chemisorption, and in situ FTIR spectroscopy. My work also includes environmental and economic assessments (LCA/TEA) of biorefinery processes.
Fun fact: Chemical Engineer with Catalysis Expertise.
Welcome to my CV & Portfolio. Feel free to contact me directly to learn more about me.
ABOUT GREAT UMENWEKE
Dr. Great Umenweke obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Kentucky, where he conducted his research in the Sustainable and Alternative Fuels (SAF) group at the Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER).
His research focused on the application of heterogeneous catalysis for converting oleaginous and lignocellulosic biomass into valuable chemicals and transportation fuels. Specifically, he investigated the catalytic deoxygenation of oleaginous biomass to produce renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel via decarboxylation/decarbonylation.
Great obtained his undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Technology, Owerri (FUTO), Nigeria, in 2017. In 2022, he conducted a short summer research project on in-situ X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS) analysis of metal oxides and zeolite-supported catalysts at Laboratoire Interdisciplinaire Carnot de Bourgogne (ICB), Dijon, France.
Beyond his role as a Ph.D. researcher, Great has received numerous awards and recognitions. He was awarded the Young Talent Label (2024) by the International Congress on Catalysis and was named a Southeastern Conference Emerging Scholar (2023). He is also a recipient of the ACS Student Exchange Award (2022) and was selected to participate in the ACS Summer School in Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy (2022) and the ELITECAT Summer School in Catalysis (2024). Most recently, Great was named a 2025 CAS Future Leader and also received the Richard J. Kokes Award in Catalysis from the North American Catalysis Society.
Great is currently serving as a Provost Postdoctoral Fellow in Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, and his proposed research focuses on the synthesis and design of site-directed multifunctional catalytic materials, including functionalized porous materials and tethered organic/inorganic solid catalysts. He aims to develop these systems for biomass and waste valorization, as well as biomass-mediated CO₂ conversion into valuable fuels and chemicals, under the guidance of Prof. Jason Hicks in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering.
PROFESSIONAL HISTORY
My Qualifications
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT
January 2021 - May 2025
Dr. Great Umenweke obtained his PhD in Chemistry, from the University of Kentucky, Lexington, USA. He performed his graduate research at the University of Kentucky Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) under the supervision of Dr. Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez in the Sustainable & Alternative Fuels (SAF) group, where his research focused on the decarboxylation/decarbonylation of oleaginous wastes into drop-in transportation fuels (renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel).
Selected Publications:
Awards and Honors
1. 2025 CAS Future Leader - One of 35 outstanding early-career scientists in the chemical sciences selected globally for leadership in chemical research and innovation
2. Kokes Award - North American Catalysis Society Meeting (NAM29)
3. Young Talent Award – Label of excellence awarded to emerging young researchers in the field of catalysis - 18th International Congress on Catalysis, Lyon, France (2024)
4. North American Catalysis Society (NACS) Travel Award – 18th International Congress on Catalysis, Lyon, France (2024)
5. Young Talent Award – Label of excellence awarded to emerging young researchers in the field of catalysis - 18th International Congress on Catalysis, Lyon, France (2024)
6. American Chemical Society (ACS) Sustainable Future Travel Grant - 28th Annual ACS Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference in Atlanta, GA (2024)
7. 2nd Place Award/Finalist – GradResearchLive for standard 3-minute thesis track - an event where UK students present their research in 3 minutes (2023)
8. Southeastern Conference (SEC) Emerging Scholar - The program is for postdoctoral scholars and senior graduate students who have demonstrated exceptional research and/or teaching skills, are interested in seeking a career in higher education, and preparing for the job market. (2023)
9. Steckler Fellowship - Awarded for outstanding oral qualifying exam and a participating PhD student with good standing based on DGS nomination (2023).
10. ACS Partner Student Travel Award - travel grant to ACS Fall 2023 meeting in San Francisco, CA (2023)
11. American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Exchange Award - in recognition for a combination of achievements, including the NOBCChE abstract submission, peer-reviewed publication record, and campus/community involvement. (2022)
12. ‘Fast Start Award’ - Presented to a graduate student in his or her first or second year in the Department of Chemistry, who has made outstanding initial overall progress towards his or her degree. Factors to be considered are performance in courses, initiative in research, and success in cumulative exams (2022)
13. Awardee/Nominee of American Chemical Society (ACS) summer school for graduate and postgraduates in Americas on Green Chemistry and Sustainable Energy, at School of Mines, Golden, Colorado (2022)
14. University of Kentucky National Science Foundation Graduate Research Traineeship Fellow (2020)
INSPECTION GRADUATE ENGINEER, JC INTERNATIONAL.
May 2019-April 2020
I was involved in the inspection, testing and design of lifting gears and accessories, used both offshore and onshore.
GRADUATE RESEARCH ASSISTANT, UNIVERSITY OF ABUJA NIGERIA.
April 2018 - April 2019
I was involved in the research and teaching of undergraduate in the department of chemical engineering. I handled tutorials in courses like chemical engineering thermodynamics and chemical process plant design.
EDUCATIONAL HISTORY
Learning and Living
B.ENG CHEMICAL ENGINEERING, FEDERAL UNIVERSITY OF TECHNOLOGY, OWERRI
January 2012 - December 2017
Research Project: Kinetics of Alkali Catalysed Transesterification Reaction of Palm Kernel Oil and physicochemical Characterization of the Biodiesel Product.
DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY, CHEMISTRY, UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY
January 2021 - May 2025
Research Thesis: Lipid Upgrading - The application of heterogeneous catalysis to the production of renewable fuels and chemicals – with emphasis on the catalytic deoxygenation via decarboxylation/decarbonylation of biomass-derived fats, oils and greases (FOG) to drop-in hydrocarbon fuels. Advisor: Dr. Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez
SKILLS
CATALYSTS PREPARATION AND CHARACTERIZATION
Intermediate
Catalyst Preparation:
Dry and wet impregnation preparation technique for monometallic and bimetallic catalysts (metal oxides and zeolite catalysts), co-precipitation and sol-gel method.
Catalyst Characterization:
1. Temperature Programmed Techniques (TPX) - Temperature programmed reduction (TPR), Temperature programmed Oxidation (TPO), Temperature programmed desorption (NH3/CO2-TPD)
2. In-situ Spectroscopy: Diffused Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS)
3. H2 Pulse Chemisorption and N2 Physisorption (BET) technique, particle size and XRD analysis.
4. Simulated Distillation Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry (GCMS), Coke Characterization Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA)
REACTOR DESIGN AND OPERATION
Intermediate
Batch, semi-batch and continuous reactor design, operations and repair.
TEACHING AND LEADERSHIP SKILLS
Intermediate
1. University of Kentucky Microteaching Group Leader and Volunteer, Graduate Student Congress.
2. Chemistry Department - General Chemistry
3. Chemical Engineering - Engineering thermodynamics, Chemical kinetics, and Chemical process plant design
RESEARCH INTERESTS
My current research focuses on the synthesis, design, characterization, and optimization of multifunctional catalysts for the efficient conversion of renewable feedstocks — including biomass, plastics, and CO₂ — into sustainable fuels and high-value chemicals, advancing a green and circular biorefinery future through precision catalysis.
"Hoping to condense on a better plate tomorrow"
Umenweke Great
CONTACT
