Rebecca J. Gilchrist
Graduate Student
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Worcester Polytechnic Institute
100 Institute Road
Worcester, MA
01609

Contact via email:
rgilchrist followed by WPI’s…

 

Rebecca completed her B.A. in Chemistry at Assumption University. She has spent her time at WPI focusing on the development and understanding of materials with the long-term goal of lowering global anthropogenic CO₂ concentrations.

During her first three years at WPI, Rebecca worked on synthesizing bio-inspired materials for the construction industry aimed at CO₂ sequestration. This work sought to mimic the active site of the enzyme Human Carbonic Anhydrase (HCA) to catalyze the conversion of atmospheric carbon dioxide to form limestone in calcium-rich cementitious materials, with the goal of creating a bio-inspired, carbon negative, construction material.

Rebecca’s current work investigates the vapor mediated hydrolysis of the complex metal hydride, LiAlH_4.  She is using XPS to characterize the reaction and side products of lithium aluminum hydride hydrolysis with the goal of advancing hydrogen storage applications.