Sarma V. Pisupati is Professor of Energy and Mineral Engineering, and Director of Center for Critical Minerals at Penn State. He also codirects Coal Science and Technology Program of the EMS Energy Institute. He earned B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Osmania University and IIT Kharagpur, respectively and a Ph.D. degree from The Pennsylvania State University. He has been studying and teaching the issues related to the energy and environment for the past 35 years. He has worked in industry for five years before joining The Pennsylvania State University.

Prof. Sarma’s main areas of scientific research are chemical kinetics, mass and heat transfer in combustion of solid fuels; computational fluid dynamic modeling of combustion systems for emission reduction; extraction of geothermal energy integrated with CO2 sequestration, advanced power generation methods; oxy-fuel combustion; chemical looping combustion; slagging and fouling in gasification; coal and biomass co gasification and extraction of critical and rare earth elements from secondary sources. He was Principal Investigator (PI) or co-PI on 65 externally funded scientific research projects and was involved in 15 other projects with specific responsibilities. He coauthored over 225 research publications and has one US patent.

Sarma is very actively involved in professional societies. He is a Fellow of American Chemical Society. His service to professional societies includes: Co-organizer and/or Co-chair or Moderator of 25 Scientific and teaching related Symposia for American Chemical Society, ASME International Fluidized Bed Combustion Conferences, Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conferences and American Society of Engineering Education, Associate Editor, ASME Journal of Energy Resources and Technology, Energy Research Journal; International Journal of Oil, Gas and Coal Technology; News Letter Editor, Secretary/Treasurer, Division Chair of the Energy Conversion and Conservation Division, American Society for Engineering Education; Conference Chair of 17th ASME International Conference on Fluidized Bed Combustion; Treasurer, Petroleum Chemistry Division of the American Chemical Society; Program Chair, Fuel Chemistry Division, American Chemical Society; Member Steering Committee of the 16th International Conference on Fluidized Bed Combustion

Sarma was inaugural Chair of Energy Engineering Program. In recognition of his contributions, he received numerous awards. To name a few–United Phosphorous CHEMCON Distinguished Speaker Award from Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers; four Best Paper Awards from Energy Conversion and Conservation Division of American Society of Engineering Education; George W. Atherton Award for Excellence in Undergraduate Education (University’s highest award in teaching); e-Education Faculty Fellowship in recognition of contributions to e-education; Marion and Montgomery Mitchel Award for Innovative Teaching; Matthew J. and Anne C. Wilson Award for Excellence in Teaching; Innovative Incentive Award; Outstanding Technical Paper Award, Thirteenth Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference and Outstanding Service Award from the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.