Brad Dixon
UNCAGE-ME

The Center for Understanding and Control of Acid Gas-Induced Evolution of Materials for Energy (UNCAGE-ME) has won Georgia Tech's Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Development for 2024.

Led by Georgia Tech’s School of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering (ChBE), this multi-institution Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) was nominated for outstanding achievements in developing new materials, techniques, and models that are being used in the global fight against climate change. 

Established in 2014, UNCAGE-ME received a third round of funding in 2022 ($13.2 million over four years) for its Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC) to study materials used in clean energy technologies.

UNCAGE-ME is leveraging capabilities developed over the last 10 years to address basic science questions associated with the evolution of materials to be used in clean energy technologies, including systems designed to capture and convert CO2 from the air into useful chemicals.

The UNCAGE-ME team’s findings have resulted in changes to the design of emerging CO2 capture systems that improve material lifetimes and lower costs. Since its formation in 2014, the team has produced more than 300 peer-reviewed articles (173 in 2019-2023) and trained approximately 60 PhD and post-doctoral researchers – and another 20 researchers are being trained in the 2024-2026 phase of the project.

uncage me winning team members

Top: Ryan Lively, Krista Walton, David Sholl

Bottom: Christopher W. Jones, Leslie Schlag, Rochelle Moses

The ChBE members recognized by the Outstanding Achievement in Research Program Development award include:

  • Ryan Lively, the Thomas C. DeLoach Jr. professor and director of UNCAGE-ME.
  • Krista Walton, professor, Robert "Bud" Moeller faculty fellow, and inaugural UNCAGE-ME director.
  • David Sholl, professor and Cecile L. and David I.J. Wang faculty fellow
  • Christoper W. Jones, professor and John F. Brock III School Chair
  • Rochelle Moses, programs and operations manager.
  • Leslie Schlag, grants administrator

They will be recognized at the Faculty and Staff Honors Luncheon April 26.

Organizations participating in UNCAGE-ME include Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Lehigh University, and the University of Alabama.