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| | SpecTIR LLC | Aaron Cumashot | President / COO |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| SpecTIR is a leader in the acquisition, processing, and analysis of high resolution airborne hyperspectral imagery. We offer commercially taskable co-registered VNIRSWIR / LWIR sensor suites and have experience collecting and processing hyperspectral data with the focus of characterizing rare earth mineral occurrences. We are interested in joining the teaming partner list as a hyperspectral data provider. |
| NV |
| | Missouri University of Science and Technology | Jie Huang | Roy A. Wilkens Professor |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Lead PI/Co-PI on multi-agency sensor programs with a focus on in-situ, harsh-environment measurements for steelmaking, energy, and defense. Developed and licensed a high-temperature fiber-optic Raman probe for real-time analysis of molten materials (~1,600 °C), and routinely integrate optics, fibers, and collection paths suitable for shared Raman/LIBS lightpaths with optical switching. Interested in ROCKS Category B (Sensing & Analysis): compact, borehole-ready optics; shared delivery/collection paths (fibers, couplers, switches); and ML pipelines for rapid mineral/element ID. Open to teaming with drilling/coring OEMs, mining operators, geophysics groups, and data/AI partners for field demonstrations. |
| MO |
| | Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. | Edgar van Loef | Chief Scientist |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Radiation Monitoring Devices, Inc. is a Small Business located in the Greater Boston area. Our mission is to perform world class research and develop exceptional commercial products for the semiconductor, radiation detection, and nuclear imaging markets. We have expertise with Ultrafast X-ray imaging, Non-destructive Testing/Evaluation (NDT/NDE); Body Armor Inspection; Bridgman and Czochralski Crystal Growth; Semiconductor fabrication and characterization; Scintillator fabrication and characterization; Ceramics manufacturing and characterization; Advanced Sensors (Nuclear, Optical, Magnetic); Instruments & Systems; Imaging, ALD, CVD, and PVD coatings, films.
With respect to advancing the characterization of rare-earth deposits, we have strong expertise in using X-ray fluorescence and other techniques used by our portable instruments to analyze, characterize, and image elements in compounds and solids. |
| MA |
| | NASA JPL, California Institute of Technology | Jessica Weber | Research Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| I am a research scientist at JPL that co-leads a laboratory group (the Origins and Habitability Lab). I am a chemist and astrobiologist. Much of the work we do focuses on organic reactivity in geologically relevant systems. Our research interests include geochemistry, redox reactivity, mineral analysis, with a focus on hydrothermal systems. Our lab has the capabilities for Raman, ICP-OES, and LIBS. We have previously analyzed both synthetic mineral samples as well as field samples. |
| CA |
| | University of Wisconsin-Madison | William Nachlas | Staff Scientist |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| I am a Staff Scientist at University of Wisconsin-Madison and Director of the Electron Microbeam Laboratories, a shared instrument facility in the Department of Geoscience that houses electron microscopes and microprobes with an array of specialized detectors and supporting equipment. I have over 17 years of experience operating electron probe microanalyzer (EPMA) instruments to perform chemical analysis of solid materials using Wavelength and Energy Dispersive Spectrometry (WDS and EDS) detectors. I have experience acquiring data on at least a dozen different EPMA instruments and have participated in the decommissioning and installation process of multiple generations of both CAMECA and JEOL microprobes.
I specialize in the analysis of complex multi-component materials that require careful attention to X-ray interferences, background offsets, and analysis conditions to ensure accurate measurement results. In the last few years I have contributed to several journal article publications involving chemical microanalysis of REEs in geologic and engineered materials, including: recrystallization of REE phosphates, analysis of REE contents of volcanic glass melt inclusions, high entropy ceramics composed of mixed REE oxides, and oxygen diffusion in novel REE ceramic materials. I have current NSF funding to investigate REE mobility during high-temperature recrystallization of monazite.
My facility houses two CAMECA microprobe instruments, each equipped with five large (160 mm) diameter Rowland circle WDS spectrometers capable of high spectral resolution for precise X-ray discrimination when performing non-destructive chemical analysis of REE materials. |
| WI |
| | Clear Sky Innovations | Kenton Prindle | Chief Executive Officer |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Clear Sky Innovations is an Austin-based software technology company transforming how critical industries (Mining, Oil and Gas, Geothermal, Carbon Capture, etc.) explore and operate, to enhance resource sovereignty to the United States. Our AI-powered geoscience platform brings all exploration workflows into one pane of glass — enabling faster, smarter, and lower-cost decision-making. We are building solutions based on sparse, remote monitoring, drilling-derived rock-physics, multi-modal data search and physics-based Artificial Intelligence (AI).
The company was founded on a unique combination of geoscientific and technology capabilities. Specifically, the founder-CEO, Kenton has a PhD in Geoscience and work experience in Oil and Gas (Shell, Hess, Woodside) AND deep experience in advanced software technology (leader at the innovation engine within Google called GoogleX). We have significant commercial traction - recently completed a revenue-generating technology demonstrator with an Oil and Gas super major, and in discussions with other players in this space. We also have funding from the Google Startup Ecosystem. With ARPA-E collaboration we seek to extend our Oil and Gas technology into mining, and introduce hardware integration. |
| TX |
| | NNSS | Clayton Freimuth | Senior Geologist |
Large Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| RFI-0000093 (hereafter “ARPA-E announcement” or “announcement”) is a notification of the potential that the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Advanced Research Projects Agency – Energy (ARPA-E) is considering publishing a Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) to accelerate domestic supplies of rare earth elements (REE) and critical minerals. This executive summary will outline how the Nevada National Security Site (NNSS) is perfectly situated to collaborate with other teams should the NOFO be published.
The NNSS is a multi-mission, high-hazard experimentation facility located 65 miles northwest of Las Vegas and comprising approximately 870,000 acres. The NNSS is a DOE facility, and frequently collaborates with industry, universities, government agencies, and other DOE laboratories. The site is also home to approximately six historic mining districts that are either fully, or partially, enclosed with the site’s boundaries. Of these six districts, three were reported to produce copper, one reported tungsten production, and one reported antimony production. In addition to these districts, nearby areas historically produced lithium. Therefore, several critical minerals have been reported in a land package that was withdrawn from mineral exploration post-World War II. This presents a unique opportunity for modern exploration.
Besides natural resources, the NNSS has a work force well-suited to the needs of mineral exploration. This includes geologists, geophysicists, and remote sensing laboratories who have legacy site knowledge, a borehole database with decades of historic data, and wide-ranging industry experience and subject matter expertise all along the mining value chain. Furthermore, the NNSS workforce includes drillers, mining engineers, and miners, and a full complement of equipment necessary for these activities as well. The site environmental and other permitting requirements are handled by NNSS staff, working closely with the local DOE office. Finally, given the site’s status as a testbed for DOE’s nuclear nonproliferation projects and for defense projects, there is the possibility for collaboration that could provide long term value for all parties involved by cost sharing.
In summary, the NNSS is well suited to facilitate any mineral exploration activities as a “one-stop shop” where new technology, methods, or other novel ideas can be tested in the pursuit of onshoring U.S. rare earth and critical mineral production. |
| NV |
| | University of Utah | Rajive Ganguli | Professor of Mining Engineering |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| I have 25 years of experience with modeling mining industry related data with AI at industrial scale. My research group develops AI algorithms for mining related applications such as orebody modeling, process plant optimization from energy and other perspective etc. |
| UT |
| | MEFFA LAB OY | Igor Vasilyev | Mr |
Small Business
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Power Generation: Renewable
| MEFFA Lab Oy is a Finnish technology-driven company specializing in advanced field methods for geochemical exploration and rapid in-situ analysis. The company was established to commercialize its patented MEFFA (Mobile Express Fine Fraction Analysis) and NEFFA (Nugget Effect Field Fine Assay) methods, both validated in real exploration projects. These innovations provide a solid foundation for reliable, cost-efficient field characterization of mineral resources, including rare earth element (REE) deposits.
MEFFA integrates drone-assisted sampling, automated fine fraction separation, and portable analytical instruments such as XRF, LIBS, vNIR, and radiation detectors, enabling comprehensive geochemical screening directly in the field. Complementing these methods, MEFFA Lab has developed GERDA, an automation system for portable instruments that reduces manual operations, improves reproducibility, and increases throughput in field-based geochemical characterization.
The company’s current focus includes extending its methodologies toward the detailed characterization of critical raw materials and REE-bearing systems. This includes the development of SORBIONEX — a new line of selective resin-based analytical methods designed to capture and concentrate gold, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, and polymetals for high-sensitivity portable XRF analysis. These approaches are particularly relevant for REE deposit assessment, where rapid and representative data are critical for resource evaluation and sustainable supply chain development.
MEFFA Lab operates mobile laboratory units capable of performing multi-method analyses on-site, drastically reducing turnaround times compared to conventional laboratory workflows. AI-assisted planning and interpretation further enhance efficiency and accuracy, offering a scalable solution for exploration companies and research consortia.
By combining patented innovations, proven field validation, portable instrument automation, and novel analytical platforms, MEFFA Lab is well positioned to support ARPA-E ACRED objectives. Its expertise directly aligns with the program’s focus on advancing characterization techniques for rare earth deposits, enabling improved detection, mapping, and enabling improved detection, mapping, and sustainable development of these strategically critical resources. |
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| | Dex Tech | Ross Orndorff | CTO |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Dex Tech is the federal facing entity of several interrelated technology companies. With a variety of technology and networking available Dex Tech can provide support for a number of problem sets. From AR to industrial emission, Dex Tech covers a wide range of tech. |
| PA |
| | INSITES Consortium - University of Pittsburgh | Paul Ohodnicki | Director |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| The INfrastructure Sensing for Intelligent Transportation and Energy Systems (INSITES) Consortium at University of Pittsburgh (www.engineering.pitt.edu/INSITES) was established to bring together faculty, industry, and government partners around the important area of sensing and monitoring of energy systems and related applications. The faculty involved with the consortium have expertise spanning sensing, networking, artificial intelligence, digital twins, and field testing / validation. Interdisciplinary research areas include optics, photonics, electromagnetics, geological sciences, artificial intelligence, and physics-based modeling to inform advanced analytics methods and techniques.
Relevant to the ARPA-E ROCKS solicitation, the collaboration has direct experience in distributed acoustic sensing and chemical sensing modalities including an award winning (2025 R&D 100) critical metals monitoring system as well as experience with customization and deployment for subsurface and marine applications. The team is interested to work with partners on integration and deployment of new sensor technologies across the range of potential applications relevant to ARPA-E ROCKS. |
| PA |
| | Indiana Geological and Water Survey, Indiana University | Maria Mastalerz | Senior Scientist |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| Mapping and characterization of critical mineral abundances and occurrences in sedimentary rocks (coal, shale, paleosol) and coal-based byproducts (coal refuse, coal ash) using chemical, physical, and microscopic techniques. Capabilities include XRD spectrometer, gas adsorption porosimeters, mercury intrusion porosimeter, carbon and sulfur analyzers, FTIR instrument, several optical (reflected and transmitted light) microscopes and sample preparation facilities. |
Website: igws.iu.edu
Email: mmastale@iu.edu
Phone: 812-855-9416
Address: 1001 E 10th Street, Bloomington, IN, 47405, United States
| IN |
| | MEFFA LAB OY | Igor Vasilyev | Mr |
Small Business
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Power Generation: Renewable
| MEFFA Lab Oy is a Finnish technology-driven company specializing in advanced field methods for geochemical exploration and rapid in-situ analysis. The company was established to commercialize its patented MEFFA (Mobile Express Fine Fraction Analysis) and NEFFA (Nugget Effect Field Fine Assay) methods, both validated in real exploration projects. These innovations provide a solid foundation for reliable, cost-efficient field characterization of mineral resources, including rare earth element (REE) deposits.
MEFFA integrates drone-assisted sampling, automated fine fraction separation, and portable analytical instruments such as XRF, LIBS, vNIR, and radiation detectors, enabling comprehensive geochemical screening directly in the field. Complementing these methods, MEFFA Lab has developed GERDA, an automation system for portable instruments that reduces manual operations, improves reproducibility, and increases throughput in field-based geochemical characterization.
The company’s current focus includes extending its methodologies toward the detailed characterization of critical raw materials and REE-bearing systems. This includes the development of SORBIONEX — a new line of selective resin-based analytical methods designed to capture and concentrate gold, platinum group metals, rare earth elements, and polymetals for high-sensitivity portable XRF analysis. These approaches are particularly relevant for REE deposit assessment, where rapid and representative data are critical for resource evaluation and sustainable supply chain development.
MEFFA Lab operates mobile laboratory units capable of performing multi-method analyses on-site, drastically reducing turnaround times compared to conventional laboratory workflows. AI-assisted planning and interpretation further enhance efficiency and accuracy, offering a scalable solution for exploration companies and research consortia.
By combining patented innovations, proven field validation, portable instrument automation, and novel analytical platforms, MEFFA Lab is well positioned to support ARPA-E ACRED objectives. Its expertise directly aligns with the program’s focus on advancing characterization techniques for rare earth deposits, enabling improved detection, mapping, and enabling improved detection, mapping, and sustainable development of these strategically critical resources. |
| |
| | Deep Blue Geophysics | Kerry Key | President and Geophysicist |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| Deep Blue Geophysics (DBG) is a small business specializing in electromagnetic (EM) sensing and inversion for deposit‑scale feasibility under cover. Capabilities include 1D/2D/3D forward modeling and uncertainty‑aware inversion for MT/AFMAG/CSEM/TDEM; full electromagnetic physics-based spectral induced polarization; adaptive survey design; joint interpretation with geology and geostatistics; and rapid block‑model assimilation. Field experience spans land, marine, and airborne EM; we integrate decision‑grade resistivity and chargeability models into feasibility workflows to reduce core count, schedule, and $/m³. |
| CA |
| | NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory | Laura Barge | Senior Research Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| I have 20+ years of experience in conducting laboratory experiments to simulate chemistry in planetary environments; my research has led to development of methods to simulate hydrothermal systems on Earth and other worlds. I am a geochemist and astrobiologist who is expert in hydrothermal vents and the mineral / metal precipitates that occur there. I lead various projects focusing on topics such as origin of metabolism, habitability of ocean worlds, and exploration of hydrothermal vents in the lab and in the field. My team has well established expertise in simulating hydrothermal chimney growth in the lab, forming minerals including e.g. iron / nickel sulfides, magnesium silicates, iron oxyhydroxides, and other minerals of interest for seafloor systems throughout Earth history. My research also focuses on minerals that form in hydrothermal plumes and sediments and the interaction of these metals with other nutrients e.g. phosphate and nitrogen. My work connects hydrothermal / marine chemistry to astrobiology and the search for life elsewhere: we study systems such as Axial Seamount, Strytan Hydrothermal Field, and other vent systems that have analogous properties to the early Earth and other worlds. The presence of critical minerals and other metal-rich precipitates affect the ability of seafloor environments to support life - since minerals can concentrate nutrients and organics; metals affect chelation of organics in seawater; and electrically conductive metal-rich precipitates (e.g. metal sulfides or polymetallic nodules) can act as “geo-electrodes” on the seafloor providing electrical energy for life. I am also an expert in electrical energy generation in hydrothermal systems: my research group has used fuel cells to simulate hydrothermal vents and we have extensively studied the electrochemical properties of hydrothermal minerals including electrode fabrication using geological materials. |
| CA |
| | Stevens Institute of Technology | Yi Bao | Associate Professor |
Academic
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Other Energy Technologies
| My group focuses on developing and applying AI/ML-powered smart sensing and measurement technologies for complex engineering systems or processes. I direct the Smart Infrastructure Lab at Stevens Institute of Technology. The Lab is located at the Hudson Riverside, NJ, with advanced facilities and equipment for sensor fabrication and testing.
We have developed various sensors and sensing techniques, ranging from physical to chemical sensors, and we use AI/ML technology to accelerate sensor design, deployment, and data processing/analysis. The sensing technologies that we study include, but are not limited to, distributed fiber optic sensors (e.g., distributed acoustic sensing), optical methods (e.g., hyperspectral camera), acoustic/ultrasonic testing, electromagnetic methods, and electrochemical methods.
Our research has been funded by several government agencies and private companies. Our research has led to over 200 peer-reviewed journal papers, including multiple invited feature papers or review papers.
I am interested in joining and contributing to a team by bringing or strengthening the sensing expertise of the team. |
| NJ |
| | ELEMISSION Inc. | François Doucet | Chief Executive Officer |
Small Business
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Other Energy Technologies
| ELEMISSION Inc. is a Canadian scientific instrument manufacturer pioneering the use of Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) / Laser Ablation–Atomic Emission Spectroscopy (LA-AES) for real-time mineralogical and geochemical characterization of drill core. Founded on a decade of R&D and supported by 11+ peer-reviewed publications, ELEMISSION launched its flagship technology, the ECORE in 2021. ECORE was engineered to disrupt the conventional workflow of ore body characterization by delivering laboratory-quality data directly at the drill site, without the delays, sampling biases, and costs inherent to traditional off-site methods.
The disruptive nature of ECORE lies in its ability to perform micro-analysis at macro scale. While conventional solutions require shipping samples to centralized laboratories, introducing weeks or months of delay, ECORE can process 280–500 meters of core per day and return fully quantitative results—both geochemical assays and automated mineralogy—within minutes. This fusion of mineralogical and geochemical data in real-time allows exploration geologists and mining companies to make faster, more informed decisions on drill targeting, deposit delineation, and resource estimation.
Our interest in ARPA-E’s ROCKS program stems from our conviction that next-generation characterization tools are essential to accelerate domestic rare earth element (REE) discovery and reduce U.S. reliance on imports. The ECORE platform is uniquely suited to the program’s objectives: enabling rapid assessment of resources within a 5 km × 5 km area, covering hard rock, clays, and complex polymetallic systems. By providing high-resolution, spatially referenced chemical and mineralogical data at unmatched speed, ECORE bridges the gap between field exploration and laboratory validation, creating new possibilities for real-time ore body knowledge.
ELEMISSION’s capabilities extend beyond the ECORE Mobile Laboratory. The company also offers the ECORE Flex (a benchtop variant for laboratory studies) and COBRA (a continuous on-belt analyzer for process control), together forming a complete solution for critical mineral exploration and mining. With a team of highly specialized chemists, engineers, and data scientists, ELEMISSION has integrated advanced machine learning, chemometrics, and big-data processing into its workflows to ensure robust, transferable calibrations and automated mineral classification.
By combining disruptive LIBS-ba |
| Quebec |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Fabio Ciulla | Geochemistry Postdoc |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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| Signal Processing, Artificial Intelligence/Machine Learning
1) Develop Computer Vision (CV) and Graph Neural Network (GNN) methods to geologic maps and remote sensing data to encode spatial, structural, and mineralogical relationships among rock units for discovery and characterization of rare earth ore deposits.
2) Applying ML models and principles from complex systems to integrate multisensor data for more reliable characterization,
3) Investigating anomaly detection methods that could improve identification of rare or challenging samples. |
| CA |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Evan Um | Staff Data Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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| Seafloor nodules, Geoscience, Sensors, AI
Electromagnetic geophysics and magnetic methods for imaging seafloor resources using AUV/ROV; AI for real-time seafloor imaging
over 20 years of experience in large-scale high-performance parallel computing using NERSC supercomputing facilities. His past and current research projects include marine electromagnetic geophysics, borehole geophysics, seismic full waveform inversion, and geophysical monitoring and characterization for various targets (e.g., geothermal reservoirs, geological storages, EOR, fault zones, fracture networks) and geophysical exploration related to oil&gas, hydrogen and critical mineral resources. |
| CA |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Chun Chang | Staff Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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| Drilling mud innovation
My research focuses on the experimental studies of reservoir processes and subsurface hydrology in porous and fractured media, including multiphase flow, phase dissolution and mass transfer, interfacial and wetting phenomena, carbon dioxide sequestration and shale gas. At LBNL, I work on (1) nanomaterial synthesis and application for investigating subsurface energy production (oil & gas, geothermal, etc.); (2) pore-scale supercritical CO2-brine displacement, including mass transfer and interfacial wetting effects under reservoir high pressure and high temperature conditions, using 2D micromodels, facilitated with fluorescent tracer dye and microscope imaging; (3) core-scale multiphase flow and rock mechanics with X-ray CT imaging and customized triaxial loading system, (4) bench-scale investigations of coupled THMC processes in engineered (clay) barrier systems and engineered (bedrock) damage zones for ensuring the safe and long-term performance of geological disposal of spent nuclear fuel and waste. |
| CA |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Carl Steefel | Senior Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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| Drilling, Geoscience, Sensors, Reactive flow and transport modeling, lab extraction experiments
Over 40 years of experience in developing models for multicomponent reactive transport in porous media and applying them to topics related to geologic hydrogen, terrestrial geochemical fluxes, water-rock interaction, chemical and enhanced weathering, and reactive contaminant transport. Recent work has focused on modeling of geologic hydrogen and geochemical transport through clay-rich rocks. He is the principal developer of the CrunchFlow software, which won an R&D100 Award in 2017. |
| CA |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Bhavna Arora | Staff Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
| I have expertise in fluid–rock interactions and reactive transport modeling. I am interested in optimizing processes that improve recovery efficiency by evaluating how flow rates, injection chemistry and regeneration cycles. I have used models to simulate processes such as acid leaching of clays and carbonate dissolution in sediment-hosted systems. |
| CA |
| | Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory | Abdullah Cihan | Staff Scientist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Other Energy Technologies
| Background in developing and working electrokinetic transport models in charged porous media. I am interested in exploring electrokinetic transport to mining. This would probably require developing/applying sophisticated electrokinetic transport models in porous media. If there is any interest, I would be open to looking into this problem, or any other related transport modeling approach. |
| CA |
| | The Washington Institute for STEM, Entrepreneurship and Research | Vardaan Sahgal | Quantum Solutions head |
Non-Profit
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Other Energy Technologies
| The Washington Institute for STEM, Entrepreneurship and Research (WISER) is a DC-based organization that provides education, workforce development and advanced research particularly in the quantum information sciences domain. For ROCKS, we can provide:
1) expertise in novel Quantum Sensors, especially magnetometers, that can withstand extreme environments (supporting Category 1: Drilling and Category 2: Sensing)
2) capabilities in Quantum Computing (supporting Category 2: Analysis). |
| DC |
| | Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory | Yevgeny Raitses | Managing Principal Research Physicist |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Other Energy Technologies
| Plasma-based technologies (thermal and non-thermal plasmas including DC and AC arcs and plasma torches, high frequency and pulsed plasma discharges, submerged discharges), plasma diagnostics and modeling |
| NJ |
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