About this role
About the Role The Long Island University (LIU) Post research lab led by Dr. Ping Lu seeks a motivated part-time Student Researcher to support an NSF-funded project on designing, synthesizing, and characterizing nanofiber-encapsulated catalysts for CO₂ conversion into value-added chemicals and fuels. This role offers hands-on training in catalyst synthesis, reactor-based testing, and advanced materials characterization, with mentorship in fundamental catalysis and sustainable materials research. What You'll Do
- Assist with synthesis and fabrication of nanofiber-based and supported catalysts using established laboratory protocols
- Conduct catalyst testing using flow-bed reactors and high-pressure autoclave reactor systems for CO₂ conversion reactions
- Perform basic catalyst characterization and product analysis (GC-MS, FTIR)
- Support data collection, analysis, and interpretation related to catalytic performance and stability
- Maintain accurate laboratory records and adhere to safe laboratory practices
- Collaborate with graduate students, postdocs, and faculty within a multidisciplinary research environment What We're Looking For
- Must be enrolled full-time in a degree-granting program
- Minimum cumulative GPA of 3.2
- Coursework in chemistry or a closely related discipline
- Prior experience or demonstrated interest in catalyst synthesis and materials characterization
- Ability and willingness to learn fundamental concepts in heterogeneous catalysis
- Experience searching, reading, and interpreting peer-reviewed scientific literature
- Familiarity with Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for data organization and reporting
- Strong problem-solving skills, attention to detail, and commitment to high-quality research Nice to Have
- Completion of CHM 3 (or equivalent advanced chemistry coursework) at LIU
- Previous hands-on laboratory experience with catalysis, materials science, or chemical engineering research Compensation & Benefits
- Salary: $17 per hour
- Hours per Week: 11 hours (flexible scheduling to accommodate academic commitments)
- Opportunity for conference presentations and co-authorship on peer-reviewed publications depending on performance and involvement
- Mentoring environment designed to prepare students for graduate school, industry, or research careers
- Safe, clean, and well-documented laboratory practices; work both independently and collaboratively within a multidisciplinary team