Anish Sukumar

Anish Sukumar is a graduate student in chemical engineering focused on improving the sustainability of steel production by advancing low-emission methods for iron extraction. His research focuses on acidic electrowinning, a process that enables the selective recovery of metals from waste streams through electrodeposition. Through a combination of electrochemical testing and continuum-scale modeling, Anish investigates how thermodynamics, reaction kinetics, and species transport influence deposition efficiency and selectivity. His work integrates spatially resolved concentration profiles and mechanistic modeling to understand and overcome challenges such as hydrogen co-evolution and the presence of interferent species. As a MathWorks Fellow, Anish will use MATLAB to develop numerical and analytical models of nucleation and growth dynamics, optimize system parameters, and simulate competing electrochemical reactions. These models hold the promise to support the design of scalable, energy-efficient recovery systems compatible with renewable energy inputs. Anish’s research could inform new strategies for low-carbon metal refining and contribute to a more circular and sustainable industrial economy.