Graduate Student Profiles

Bangran will be comparing the constant flux proxy — extraterrestrial 3He  — with other geochemical proxies in ocean floor sediments to reconstruct past sediment mass accumulation rates. Bangran is excited about this project because it spans periods when Earth's climate was warmer or colder than the present, which gives insights into how the Earth's climate system may evolve in the future.

Office Location: ERC B235

Area of Specialization: Extraction of Rare Earth Elements from Coal Combustion Residues

Nafisa Tasnim is a Ph.D. researcher in Mechanical Engineering at Lehigh University, specializing in heat transfer, computational modeling, and sustainable energy systems. She earned her B.Sc. in Mechanical Engineering from the Islamic University of Technology (IUT), where her thesis focused on optimizing vortex generators for enhanced heat transfer in compact heat exchangers. Her research spans computational fluid dynamics (CFD), battery modeling, and rare earth element (REE) extraction. She is currently contributing to a $2.5 million DOE-funded project on recovering critical minerals from utility waste streams, advancing resource sustainability. Her work on CFD modeling, battery simulations, and machine learning applications in energy systems has been published in leading journals and conferences. Professionally, she has worked as an Assistant Mechanical Engineer at Doreen Power Generations and Systems LTD., overseeing power plant commissioning, fuel analysis, and mechanical integration. She also applied her engineering expertise in AI-driven hydroponic systems as a Sales Analyst at Gardyn. Beyond research, Nafisa is a Bangabandhu Innovation Grant 2023 recipient and 1st Runner-Up at the Aam Bazar Pioneros 3.0 Business Competition, showcasing her entrepreneurial mindset. She is also a Red Belt in Goju Ryu Karate, reflecting her discipline and perseverance. Committed to engineering excellence and interdisciplinary innovation, Nafisa strives to develop cutting-edge solutions in energy sustainability and resource efficiency.