Hydrogeologist, Oklahoma Geological Survey (OGS) Mewbourne College of Earth and Energy (MCEE)
Dr. Murray has a diverse and interdisciplinary portfolio of research, two topics of which are particularly relevant for Negative Emissions and Carbon Sequestration projects.
First, Dr. Murray studied micro-algae as a potential feedstock for biofuel including experiments with various lipid-producing strains of micro-algae, growth media, and carbon dioxide (CO2) injection to promote algal biomass growth. His micro-algae based biofuels research was published in Applied Microbiology & Biotechnology, Bioresource Technology, and the American Journal of Biomass and Bioenergy. Second, since moving to Oklahoma in 2011, Dr. Murray has worked extensively on the water-energy nexus and to understand oil, gas, and brine producing formations. He has also studied saltwater disposal or fluid injection into geological reservoirs via underground injection control (UIC) wells, monitored subsurface pressures, and measured/modeled poro-elastic responses in the subsurface. Dr. Murray’s work on these topics has been published in OGS Reports, and the journals of Environmental Science & Technology, Seismological Research Letters, Science Advances, and Geophysical Research Letters. These topics are fundamental to enabling geological sequestration of carbon-based fluids.
Associate Professor in the Department of Geography & Environmental Sustainability and Associate Research Director at the Data Institute for Societal Challenges (DISC)
Dr. Koch’s research focus is the analysis of socio-environmental systems with a special focus on land systems. She uses conceptual models and computer simulation models to better understand the spatial and temporal dynamics resulting from decisions on natural resource management across multiple scales. Dr. Koch furthermore works on data synthesis and the integration of qualitative and quantitative data into simulation models. Her research has been published in journals such as Science of the Total Environment, The Journal of Environmental Management, Scientific Data, and Socio-Environmental Systems Modelling. She typically works in transdisciplinary research teams as the collaboration of across disciplines is a requirement to conceptualize, study, and understand human-environment systems.
Associate Professor of Geography and Environmental Sustainability in the Department of Geography and Environmental Sustainability
Dr. Gliedt’s research focuses on organizational and community decisions related to sustainability. Dr. Gliedt examines how sustainability solutions can be created and how barriers to those solutions can be overcome. His work has focused on water and energy systems and has contributed to understanding the role of green entrepreneurship processes, innovation intermediaries, and technological innovation systems in sustainability transitions. Dr. Gliedt has developed and taught numerous sustainability courses including Principles of Sustainability, Energy Systems and Sustainability, Life Cycle Analysis, Water System Innovation, and Corporate Sustainability Strategy. His research has been published in journals such as Environmental Innovation and Societal Transitions, the Journal of Cleaner Production, Sustainability, Sustainability Science, Energy Policy, and Applied Energy.
Associate Professor of Plant Biology in the Department of Microbiology and Plant Biology
Dr. McCarthy's research uses ecosystem and physiological ecology to explore two related topics: 1) how plant and ecosystem carbon uptake and water loss respond to global changes (e.g., elevated atmospheric CO2, increased nitrogen inputs) and extreme weather events (e.g., wind and ice storms, droughts), and 2) links between human decision-making (such as vegetation compositional choices and management practices), landscape function, human wellbeing, and system resilience in the face of climate stress and water limitations. Her interest extends beyond learning and teaching about the dynamics of ecosystems, to utilizing the acquired knowledge to help manage landscapes to maximize human wellbeing and minimize negative ecosystem impacts. Dr. McCarthy enjoys working with collaborators within the field of ecology, as well as from a diverse set of disciplines across the natural and social sciences, finding that such collaboration is fundamental to understanding the most pressing issues facing present and future ecosystems in a human dominated world.
Director of the Energy Sustainability Laboratory at OU
Prior to his employment with OU, Dr. Kazempoor had worked in research and development for Baker Hughes, and the GE Global Research where he was responsible for driving innovative research and development activities and taking early-stage technologies from the conceptual stage to full commercialization with the business units. He also spent time in the academia as a researcher at Colorado School of Mines, the Max Planck Institute and EMPA- Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology. Dr. Kazempoor is the recipient of BHGE’s 2018 Technology Excellence, OU’VPRP Research and Creativity awards, and Associate Editor for Journal of Natural Gas Science and Engineering-Elsevier. He also published more than 50 papers in various national and international peer-reviewed journals and conferences, including a book chapter. Dr. Kazempoor's innovative experience is also highlighted by several patent applications.
Joshua Hughes holds a BS degree in Aerospace Engineering from OU and is currently an MS student in Plant Biology at OU. His BIC project research will evaluate southern mid-continental region vegetation, productivity of that vegetation, and biomass conversion efficiency into desired products.
Vanessa Rios Perez holds a BS degree in Petroleum Engineering from the Universidad Industrial de Santander and is currently an MS student in the School of Geosciences at OU. Her BIC project research will involve hydrogeologic characterization and hydraulic modeling to ensure hydraulic containment and hydrogeochemical stability of injected fluids.
Nurlan Atauollin holds a BS degree in Petroleum Engineering from West Kazakhstan Agro-Technical University and is currently an MS student in the Mewbourne School of Petroleum and Geological Engineering at OU. His BIC project research will include laboratory-scale testing of carbon-based fluid injection into various geological materials and examining the viability of infrastructure for transporting, storing, and injecting bio-oil and other carbon-based fluids.
