ABSTRACT
In this presentation, Dr. Sun will discuss the CO2-induced climate challenge and global warming, and will provide a global view on the decarbonization activities in the around the world. She will introduce the four commonly recognized technical pathways towards decarbonization, i.e., energy efficiency, electrification, low lifecycle carbon fuel and feedstock and carbon capture utilization and storage (CCUS), and discuss the relative maturity of each technology pathway. Some real-life examples will be provided on energy efficiency, electrification, and low life cycle carbon fuels in different utilization sectors including building, industry, ground transportation and aviation. Technical focus of the presentation will be put on the hard to electrify sectors with different CCUS technologies. She will overview CCUS technologies from the basic research at the molecular-scale reactions to at-scale demonstration activities in the US and around the world. Since advanced modelling and simulation have been identified as a key approach in shortening the time and reducing the cost for CCUS equipment scale up, she will provide an overview of the DOE-funded Carbon Capture Simulation Initiative (CCSI) and Carbon Capture for Industry Impact (CCSI-2) – A computationally accelerated carbon capture framework for coal-fired power plants. She will close her presentation by providing a couple of case studies in closing the carbon cycle with industry applications.
BIOGRAPHY
Dr. Sun received her BSE from Shanghai Jiaotong University in 1990. She earned her Ph.D. from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, in 1995. She started her career at Edison Welding Institute (1995) and Battelle Memorial Institute (1996), and joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 2004, where she became a Technical Group Leader in 2011 and then a Laboratory Fellow in 2013. She joined Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in 2017 to lead the Energy and Transportation Science Division as the Division Director. In 2020, she led the establishment of the first ORNL research directorate on applied energy with the sole focus on economy-wide decarbonization and was subsequently selected to be the inaugural Associate Laboratory Director for the Energy Science and Technology Directorate.
Dr. Sun is well known for applying the fundamental mechanics and physics principles in developing multi-scale characterization and simulation tools to accelerate the development to deployment cycles of lightweight metals and advanced energy systems. She is an international authority in Integrated Computational Materials Engineering (ICME), and has led a multitude of research initiatives with ICME principle in the areas of carbon capture simulation, advanced high strength steel development, lightweight metals (aluminum and magnesium) manufacturing process optimization and performance simulations, solid oxide fuel cell design and analyses, joining and forming of advanced lightweight materials for automotive and heavy vehicle applications.
Dr. Sun is a prolific researcher with more than 220 peer-reviewed journal publications and 10 books/book chapters. She has delivered more than 60 invited talks and has received multiple prestigious awards, which include Institute Medal Awards (2019, 2018) American Iron and Steel Institute, Research Leadership Award, Division Level (2018) ORNL, R&D100 (2016), University of Michigan Alumni Society Merit Award (2009), PNNL Laboratory Director’s Award for Exceptional Engineering Achievement (2008), Barbour Scholarship for Oriental Women at University of Michigan (1993).
Former Associate Laboratory Director, Oak Ridge National Laboratory
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