Simon Velasquez Morales

Mentor Spotlight: September 2021

Department: graduate student, Chemical and Petroleum Engineering

Describe your research/creative scholarship in a few sentences that we can all understand:

My research focuses on enabling the principles for ‘greener’ chemistry and continuous manufacturing for the synthesis of active pharmaceutical ingredients, e.g., antidepressants. To do so, we investigate the properties of an iron (Fe) catalyzed nitrile hydrogenation. Iron is one of the most abundant, inexpensive, benign, and underused elements in catalytic processes. Additionally, we seek to optimize reaction vessels and the transport of gaseous species, e.g., hydrogen, into a liquid mixture where these reactions take place.

Q: How did you first get interested in doing research or creative work?

A: During my undergraduate degree I was involved in KU’s AIChE Chem-E-Car team. That year we were tasked to design and build a new hydrogen fuel cell powered car that would generate hydrogen through a chemical reaction and convert it into electricity to power the car during an unknown distance. Fortunately, that year I was able to volunteer in Dr. Trung Nguyen’s laboratory, where I learned how to build and test hydrogen fuel cells which helped in the construction of the Chem-E-Car. While working in his lab I discovered my passion for research and my interest in becoming a research scientist.

Q: What do students in your discipline learn by doing research that they wouldn’t learn by just taking classes?

A: In research, students get to apply what they have learned in the classroom to their experiments. This in itself is a form of active learning that strengthens their understanding of the material. While this is important for students, the greatest lesson I have gained from research is to think critically about my work and the direction it should take. This, I think, is the foundation that leads you to become an independent scientist.

Q: What do you find to be the most exciting part of doing research or creative work? What makes this line of work meaningful and interesting to you?

A: Conducting research is a journey full of “AHA” moments. Some are bigger than another but they can be equally exciting. For me there is tremendous pleasure in understanding something to its core and using your new found knowledge to expand your research and become a pioneer in your own field.

Q: What advice do you have for undergraduates interested in doing research in your field?

A: Research is becoming more interdisciplinary as we face more complex issues. My advice would be to expand your horizon, work in challenging projects that expose you to different fields of study, and focus on understanding the fundamental principles behind the work that you do.

Also, try to get as much exposure to the equipment that is available (or in the vicinity) to you. Instrumentation plays a key role in solving many of the issues we face on a daily basis. The more tools under your belt, the easier it becomes to tackle a job.

Q: For many students, doing research or a larger creative project is the first time they have done work that routinely involves setbacks and the need to troubleshoot problems. Can you tell us about a time that your research didn’t go as expected? Or about any tricks or habits that you’ve developed to help you stay resilient in the face of obstacles?

A: I think 90% of the research I do does not work the first time around, especially, when there is more than one variable affecting the outcome and you cannot obtain immediate feedback. This is why it is important to critically assess your work and form testable hypotheses for future experiments.

Big picture, small steps. In research, it is hard to go from point A to point B in a straight path. Often, you have to decipher different paths of the puzzle before getting to your goals. In this process it is hard to think of your big picture, but I find that focusing on the experiments for that week to be refreshing and an easier metric to measure your progress.

Q: How do you spend your time outside of work?

A: Outside of work I like to spend my time in a variety of physical activities (running, cycling, golfing, etc.) and with family and friends; hopefully at a park - next to a grill – or watching a movie.