Jones Group

Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Georgia Tech

Kristina Golub

Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Managing Director for UNCAGE-ME EFRC
Office: Bunger Henry 418
Email: kgolub@gatech.edu

Favorite Molecule? 5-hydroxytryptamine
Future travel destinations? I love to travel and experience new cultures. I plan to visit Iceland in 2017 and Machu Picchu in 2018.

Educational Background

Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, Texas A&M University, 2012
B.S. Chemical Engineering, Georgia Tech, 2007

Project

Metal-organic framework synthesis and characterization for furfural hydrogenation in flow reactor

To meet growing energy needs, sustainable and nonpolluting energy sources are needed to supply growing transportation fuel needs. On an energy basis, lignocellulose is the fourth largest energy source in the world, behind oil, coal, and natural gas, respectively. Furfural, produced from 5-carbon sugars in lignocellulosic biomass, is a promising substrate that can be upgraded via hydrogenation or hydrogenolysis into furfuryl alcohol, tetrohydrofurfuryl alcohol, 1,5-pentanediol, and others to be used as a fuel additive. Kristina is working on the synthesis and characterization of mixed-metal MOF precursors to catalyze the hydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of furfural into these valuable downstream products.

Publications

  1. Golub, K.W., Smith, A.D., Hollister, E.B., Gentry, T.J., Holtzapple, M.T., 2011. Investigation of intermittent air exposure on four-stage and one-stage anaerobic semi-continuous mixed-acid fermentations. Bioresource Technology, DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.02.011.
  2. Golub, K.W., Forrest, A.K., Mercy, K.L., Holtzapple, M.T., 2011. Propagated fixed-bed mixed-acid fermentation: Part I: Effect of volatile solid loading rate and agitation at high pH. Bioresource Technology, DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2011.08.135.
  3. Golub, K.W., Golub, S.R., Meysing, D.M., Holtzapple, M.T. 2012. Propagated fixed-bed mixed-acid fermentation: Effect of volatile solid loading rate and agitation at near-neutral pH. Bioresour. Tech., DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.08.094.
  4. Golub, K.W., Forrest, A.K., Wales, M.E., Hammett A.M., Wilkinson, H.W., Holtzapple, M.T. 2012. Comparison of three screening methods to select mixed-microbial inoculum for mixed-acid fermentations. Bioresource Technology, DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2012.10.010.
  5. Cope, L.J., Hammett, A.J.M., Kolomiets, E.A., Forrest, A.K., Golub, K.W., Hollister, E.B., Dewitt, T.J., Gentry, T.J., Holtzapple, M.T., Wilkinson, H.H., 2014. Evaluating the performance of carboxylate platform fermentations across diverse inocula originating as sediments from extreme environments. Bioresource Technology, DOI:10.1016/j.biortech.2013.12.105.