Sara Denison earned a bachelor’s degree in 2020 from The University of Texas at Austin, and at Rice University, received a master’s degree in 2022 and currently is pursuing a PhD — all in environmental engineering. Her research project involves pyrolytic treatment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH)-contaminated soil and addresses a pressing need for more reliable, broadly applicable, and cost-effective remediation methods. Her work has revealed that both natural and modified clays can catalyze pyrolysis reactions and significantly lower the treatment temperature needed for high removal of PAHs from contaminated soils. Her goal is to develop advanced materials that will revolutionize thermal and catalytic remediation procedures. While at Rice, Denison has mentored a diverse cohort of more than 14 students, including K-12 teachers, undergraduates, and high school and middle school students. She has honed her pedagogical skills to cater to the needs of students from diverse backgrounds using techniques such as “think-pair-share” and concept mapping to enhance learning and communication skills. She helped launch a mentoring program for middle and high school girls, and as the committee chair, orchestrated activities focused on community building, professional development, and diversity and inclusion. As a professor, she intends to integrate research results and real-world problems into her courses and host immersive research experiences for underrepresented groups.

Research Interests

Sustainable Environmental Remediation