Background

Education

• Purdue Univeristy, Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, (2018 - Present)
• Tufts University, B.S. Chemical Engineering (2018)

Experience

• Deshlahra Research Group, Tufts University, Undergraduate Research Assistant (2016 – 2018)

Awards

• Best Poster Award in Catalysis and Reaction Engineering at ChE GSO Symposium – Purdue (2021)
• Donald A. Cowdery Memorial Scholarship Award – Tufts (2018)
• Oliver Chapman Leadership Award – Tufts (2018)
• Gemma Cifarelli Memorial Scholarship Award – Tufts (2017)
• Undergraduate Summer Research Scholarship Award – Tufts ChBE (2016)
• NSBE Board of Corporate Affiliates Scholarship Award (2015)

Project Description

My research deals with the study of arene reactions on Brønsted acid zeolite catalysts. This research incorporates the synthesis, characterization and kinetics study of relevant zeolites and molecular sieve-based catalysts that have the potential to advance the current landscape of liquid fuel and chemical production from hydrocarbon resources. In addition to various (post)synthetic studies, my project focuses on kinetic and mechanistic studies to elucidate the influence of structural and active site properties of zeolite catalysts on arene transformation rates, product distribution, and catalyst deactivation. I am also involved with CISTAR, where I investigate safety practices in academic and industrial laboratories to obtain insights and develop tools that promote safer cultures and mitigate the occurrence or severity of lab safety incidents.

Recent Publications

• Annamalai, L.^†, Ezenwa, S.^†, Dang, Y., Tan, H., Suib, S. L.,* Deshlahra, P.*, Comparison of Structural and Catalytic Properties of Monometallic Mo and V Oxides and M1 Phase Mixed Oxides for Oxidative Dehydrogenation, Catalysis Today, 2021, 368, 28-45
• Talpade, A. D.^†, Ghanekar, P.^†, Ezenwa, S., Joshi, R., Kravitz, S., Tunga, A., Devaraj, J., Ribeiro, F. H., Mentzer, R.*, Promoting a Safe Laboratory Environment Using the Reactive Hazard Evaluation and Analysis Compilation Tool. ACS Chem. Health Saf. (2021)
• L. Annamalai^†, Y. Liu^†, S. Ezenwa, Y. Dang, S. L. Suib, P. Deshlahra*, Influence of Tight Confinement on Selective Oxidative Dehydrogenation of Ethane on MoVTeNb Mixed Oxides, ACS Catalysis 8 (2018) 7051-7067
(*Corresponding author; ^†Co-first author and equal contribution)