Fabio Ribeiro, W. Nicholas and Elizabeth H. Delgass Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, to Serve as Ambassador in Chemical Sciences in France
Fabio Ribeiro, W. Nicholas and Elizabeth H. Delgass Distinguished Professor of Chemical Engineering, has been selected to serve as an Ambassador in Chemical Sciences in France. This prestigious ambassadorship, established in 2019 by the National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS), provides distinguished foreign researchers with the opportunity to visit leading French laboratories in their field. In this role, Ribeiro will deliver lectures across France, sharing his insights on sustainable energy, heterogeneous catalysis, and their crucial roles in advancing a sustainable, equitable, and efficient energy transition.
Ribeiro’s lecture series will begin November 15, 2024 and end on November 29, 2024, allowing him to present in nine different locations throughout France. The ambassadorship also offers him a unique personal connection, as his inspiration to pursue research in heterogeneous catalysis was sparked by French professors who were a part of a collaboration between his undergraduate institution, Instituto Militar de Engenharia (IME) in Brazil, and the French government on catalysis. Ribeiro's career has since focused on catalysis, with his more recent work exploring heterogeneous catalytic reaction kinetics and the development of in situ and operando characterization techniques.
Currently, Ribeiro serves as the Director of the Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources (CISTAR), where he collaborates with researchers to develop catalytic technologies that harness U.S. shale gas while reducing carbon footprints. In addition, as co-director of Leading Energy-Transition Advances & Pathways to Sustainability (LEAPS) initiative, Ribeiro contributes to the development of scalable technologies that support the global energy transition. At Purdue University, he is also a member of the Purdue Catalysis Center, where collaboration among research groups drives efforts to address energy challenges, and the Krach Institute for Tech Diplomacy at Purdue, where he works to accelerate the adoption of trusted technologies to advance technological freedom.
“I’m particularly excited about the international exchange of ideas and innovations that this ‘TOUR DE FRANCE’ will foster. The energy transition is a global challenge, and its solutions will be diverse, requiring region-specific approaches and interdisciplinary collaboration," said Ribeiro. "The opportunity to visit leading academic and industrial laboratories across France is vital. I am eager to learn from French scientists, understand their cutting-edge advancements, and explore how we can build upon these developments in collaboration with researchers from the U.S. and other parts of the world."
The Center for Innovative and Strategic Transformation of Alkane Resources, (CISTAR), the NSF Engineering Research Center led by Ribeiro, is a nationwide collaboration involving five universities and 32 industry partners, focusing on transformative innovations in catalysis, separations, and process enhancements to responsibly harness U.S. shale gas potential and reduce carbon footprints.
Leading Energy Transition Advances & Pathways to Sustainability, (LEAPS), a college-wide initiative, aims to develop scalable technologies for the energy transition, transform energy-focused learning, and accelerate the translation of these technologies through strong academic-industry synergies.