Timothy Goetjen is currently an undergraduate student studying Chemistry and Computer Science. He is an intern at the Rutgers Energy Institute for the summer of 2016, working with Professor G. Charles Dismukes of the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology.
1: Please briefly describe your research. My research deals with the reduction of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons, transportable fuels, utilizing renewable energy sources. As energy consumption increases year after year, the need for energy production from renewable sources increases. Carbon dioxide reduction takes an unwanted greenhouse gas and converts it into useful products, and through utilizing renewable energy, reduces our dependency on fossil fuels. I am specifically working on improving the efficiency of a known catalyst for this reaction, copper.
2: How did you come to be involved in this research? I applied to this research project through Aresty's Research Assistant program and have not looked back since. I am very passionate about making a difference in renewable energy research and joining this research group has given me a fantastic opportunity to do so in a driven and collaborative environment.
3: Where do you see your research fitting into our energy future? Not only would my research help to utilize more renewable energy sources to provide fuels, thus reducing our dependency on fossil fuels, but also consume atmospheric carbon dioxide, one of the greenhouse gases.
