Dr. Kirsten Van Fossen, Postdoctoral Research Fellow

she/her/hers

Dr. Kirsten Van Fossen brings a diverse set of experiences in energy, transportation and food systems from startups, federal government, and academic research. Prior to joining, Kirsten gained 5+ years of experience working in startups, the most recent being a FoodTech SaaS company on a mission to improve the lives of food system workers. Kirsten earned her PhD in 2018, having employed qualitative research methods to study the subject of business model innovation in the context of early stage ventures.

Her government experience comes from her time on projects involving emerging technologies such as alternative aviation fuels, autonomous vehicles, and drones at the Volpe National Transportation Systems Center. Dr. Kirsten Van Fossen is an engineer by background, with expertise in systems design, business models, and innovation management from her PhD at University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing. She also has experience with electrochemistry from her undergraduate research and studies in environmental engineering at Harvard University.

Daniel Sekyere, PhD student

I’m Daniel, I am passionate about finding efficient and economical ways to produce energy and chemicals.

Isotope labeling has paved the way for the understanding of metabolic pathways, drug discovery and elucidating chemical transformations. However, the current process for producing these isotopes is complex and time consuming, making the isotopes expensive.

I seek to understand the mechanisms for electrochemical separation of isotopes to enable the commercialization of this process and provide a simple and cheap route to produce isotopes.

Outside the lab, I like to work out, play either soccer or ping pong.

Emilly Dorneles, PhD student

she/her/hers

Hi, I’m Emilly! I am a second-year Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Northeastern University. I’m originally from Brazil, where I earned my B.Ed. in Chemistry and built my research background in biotechnology, aquaculture, and the development of electrochemical sensors.

In Barecka’s Lab, my research focuses on designing energy-efficient, low-cost anode catalyst materials for industrial applications such as water splitting and CO₂ electroreduction.

Outside of the lab, I enjoy reading, traveling, and cooking.

Recent Awards & Achievements

• ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit Student Program Scholarship, 2025
• Best Poster Award, Material Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting, 2024

Erin Heeschen, PhD student

she/her/hers

Hello!  My name is Erin Heeschen and I’m from the little haunted town of Gettysburg, PA.  While my undergraduate research specializes in quantum dots, I decided to try something new in graduate school and entered the field of electrochemistry with a focus on CO₂ electrolysis.  

For my thesis at Barecka Lab, I aim to increase the lifespan of gas diffusion layers and help bridge the gap between benchtop and industrial-scale CO₂ capture/conversion.  

When I’m not furrowing my brow in the lab, you can find me exploring the city, trying out a new board game at local cafes, or testing how well my chemistry skills transfer to the culinary arts.

Recent Awards & Achievements

• Oral presentation, Material Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting, 2024
• Published in HardwareX, 2024
• Poster presentation, Material Research Society (MRS) Fall Meeting, 2023
• Second place award, NU Research Showcase Poster Presentation Competition, 2023
• Best Elevator Pitch, NU College of Engineering ChE Elevator Pitch Competition, 2023

Leah Harnisch-Weidauer, PhD student

she/her/hers

Hi I am Leah, I joined the lab in 2025. I’m from Connecticut, and I earned my bachelor’s in chemical engineering from WPI. I am currently a first-year PhD student in chemical engineering.

At the Barecka Lab, I focus my research on the effect of magnetic fields on various electrochemical reactions.

Outside of school I love skiing, hiking, live music, and traveling. 

Max Moran, PhD student

My name is Max Moran and I joined the lab in 2024. I worked on biomass fuel/material production research in my undergraduate and, after working for a couple of years, I decided to come back and continue research in the energy sector.

My current research in the lab is focused on electrochemical isotope separation and developing flow reactor systems.

Outside the lab, I enjoy going to trivia nights, watching sports, and trying to brew/bake.

Recent Awards & Achievements

• PITCH mentor, ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit Student Program, 2025

Nich Nearyrat Phalkun (Nichy), PhD student

I am from Cambodia, and I am currently a Chemistry PhD student here at Northeastern. I got my bachelor’s degree from Skidmore College in Chemistry and Math.

My previous research experience was in inorganic chemistry, and now at the Barecka lab, I focus my study on the isotopic effect in electrochemical CO₂ reduction.

Outside of the lab, I like to cook, eat, and explore the area around me!

Recent Awards & Achievements

• Published in Nature Chemical Engineering News & Views, 2025

William Cannon, PhD student

Hey! My name is Will Cannon, and I come from the small town of Stowe, Vermont. I am a graduate student in the Chemistry and Chemical Biology PhD program.

My research focuses on the development of catalyst materials for the capture and utilization of carbon dioxide.

Outside of the lab, you can find me biking, rollerblading, or playing board games.

Recent Awards & Achievements

• Student PITCHES Finalist, ARPA-E Energy Innovation Summit, 2025

Dhwani Bhatt

I am a 3^rd year Chemical Engineering undergraduate student at Northeastern with a deep passion for waste remediation and environmental research.

I am currently working on utilizing UV-Vis spectroscopy to analyze the plating mechanism of a special anodic catalyst for electrochemical carbon capture. My other experiences include prior research in fuel cells and critical metal electroextraction from mining wastewater.

My hobbies include sailing and hiking!