E&EM graduate Elvin Yuzugullu started working with SENTECH, Inc. in September 2005. SENTECH is an energy consulting company based in Bethesda, MD, specializing in clean energy technologies and providing technical, analytical, management, and outreach services. Elvin received her Doctor of Science (D.Sc.) degree from GW’s E&EM Program in May 2005. For her doctoral research, Elvin focused on hydrogen energy issues, investigating diverse stakeholders and their decision making process related to hydrogen production.
SENTECH has offered Elvin the chance to work on issues closely related to her doctoral research and of various topics of interest to her. One of the projects she currently works on involves providing assistance in the development of a model to analyze hydrogen production infrastructure options. The model will provide the techno-economic assessment of various hydrogen production options throughout different timeframes, serving as a tool to select the least-cost pathway.
Another part of her work involves providing support to the Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies (HFCIT) Program of the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE). Elvin’s involvement in the HFCIT Program allows her to work closely with high-level managers in the program and be engaged in the latest technological and policy developments relating to hydrogen.
Laura Verduzco, a Ph.D. candidate at the Environmental and Energy
Management Program accepted a position at Sentech, Inc. in August 2005. Sentech, Inc. supports several organizations in developing energy efficient and environmentally friendly projects on a wide spectrum of energy related areas. Laura is stationed at the Office of Hydrogen at the Department of Energy where she supports managerial activities as well as the hydrogen storage and analysis areas.
Laura successfully defended her dissertation proposal in October 2005. The focus of her dissertation is the development of a computer based model that analyzes environmental and financial costs related to small and medium hydrogen refueling units capable of producing electricity and heat for a home and hydrogen to refuel an automobile.