Full Steam Ahead: Spotlight on Award-winning Student Research
Please join us for an educational and inspiring webinar where students who won GR Scholarships share their work.
Presenters:
- Vanessa Robertson- Director of Policy & Education, Geothermal Rising
- Margariete Malenda - "Linking microstructural, transport, and elastic property evolution in low porosity rocks upon thermal shocking"
- Alex Martin - "Waste to Value: Quantifying Availability at Hellisheidi Combined Heat and Power Plant"
- Princewill Okechukwu - "Geothermal Energy Investigation of the Ruwan-Zafi Hotspring Region, Northeastern Nigeria, using Aeromagnetic Data"
Margariete studied geology at Kutztown University of Pennsylvania as an undergraduate. She then earned her MSc. in geochemistry at Colorado School of Mines, and her PhD. in geophysics at Stanford University. Her PhD thesis used experiments to explore whether fast decreases in temperature can influence transport and elastic properties of geothermal reservoir rocks.
Alex Martin holds a bachelor's degree in Environmental Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder and is currently pursuing a master's in Sustainable Energy Engineering at the Iceland School of Energy. Her thesis focuses on geothermal energy, exploring themes of responsible resource management, cascade utilization, innovation, and the circular economy through the lens of operational processes. In addition to her academic work, she has experience in both high- and low-temperature geothermal applications in the USA and Iceland.
Princewill Nnamdi Okechukwu is a second-year Master’s student at the University of Padua, specializing in Geophysics for Natural Risks and Resources with a focus on geothermal energy. He has extensive research experience in using both passive and active geophysical exploration methods to identify and quantify geothermal resources, particularly in underexplored regions. His notable work includes pioneering geothermal research in Nigeria, such as his published study on modeling geothermal energy potential in the Ruwan-Zafi Hot Spring region using aeromagnetic data.
As the founder of the first geothermal energy startup in West Africa, Princewill is committed to advancing sustainable energy solutions and achieving global climate goals. He is a recipient of the prestigious Marcelo Lippmann Graduate Scholarship from Geothermal Rising, awarded for his exceptional contributions to the field.
At the University of Padua, Princewill’s research emphasizes innovative approaches to geothermal exploration in areas with limited prior geological data. His work bridges academic rigor with practical applications, aiming to transform energy landscapes through geothermal development.