Doctorate at Cardiff University, United Kingdom
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🎓 Educational Background
Gabriela F. Ferreira has a strong academic foundation in chemical engineering, beginning with her Ph.D. degree from the University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Brazil, where she conducted innovative research on microalgae oil production for biodiesel and sugar industry integration. Her doctoral work, supervised by Prof. Leonardo V. Fregolente, combined chemical engineering with environmental sustainability.
She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Chemical Engineering from UNICAMP and completed her undergraduate thesis under the guidance of Prof. Rubens Maciel Filho, focusing on the simulation of sugarcane bagasse delignification processes.
Gabriela also undertook an international exchange program at the University of Manchester (UK) as part of the Science Without Borders program, where she contributed to developing catalysts for improved p-xylene selectivity under Prof. Arthur Garforth’s supervision.
🧪 Professional Experience
Currently, Gabriela serves as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at Cardiff University (UK) under the prestigious Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship. Her research focuses on biofuels production through microalgae biomass pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading, advancing sustainable energy solutions.
Prior to this, she worked as a Research and Development Specialist at LNBR/CNPEM (Brazil), specializing in Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) and Techno-Economic Analysis (TEA) of hydrocarbon production routes. Gabriela also gained valuable teaching experience through a Teaching Internship at UNICAMP, instructing students in Laboratory Chemical Engineering III.
🌍 Research Contributions
Gabriela has made significant contributions to chemical engineering, including synthesizing heterogeneous catalysts for producing monoglycerides and biodiesel during her visiting Ph.D. stint at Cardiff University. She also developed protocols for biomass-derived carbon materials during her internship at LNNano/CNPEM, working on carbon black, activated carbon, and biofertilizers. Her undergraduate research focused on the degradation of sucralose using advanced oxidation processes.
🏆 Awards & Scholarships
Gabriela’s work has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards and scholarships. She was awarded the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral Fellowship in 2023 by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Her earlier accolades include a Small Project Grant from the Global Challenges Research Fund (GCRF) at Cardiff University in 2019 and being a finalist at the Three Minute Thesis (3MT) Competition hosted in Beijing, China, in 2018. She was also a recipient of the Direct Doctorate Scholarship from CNPq, Brazil.
Publications Top Noted📚
A Comparison of Monoglyceride Production from Microalgae Lipids and Rapeseed Oil Catalyzed by Metal Oxides
Authors: Ferreira, G.F., Ríos Pinto, L.F., Filho, R.M., Hayward, J.S., Bartley, J.K.
Journal: ChemSusChem
Year: 2024
Optimal Growth and Culture Conditions for Algae in Bioreactors
Authors: Ferreira, G.F., Estevam, B.R., Beatriz, F.P., Ríos Pinto, L.F.
Journal: Algal Bioreactors: Science, Engineering and Technology of Upstream Processes: Volume 1
Year: 2024
Sustainable Catalysts for Biodiesel Production: The Potential of CaO Supported on Sugarcane Bagasse Biochar
Authors: Melo, V.M.E., Ferreira, G.F., Fregolente, L.V.
Journal: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews
Year: 2024
Nutrient Optimization Strategy to Increase the Carbohydrate Content of Chlorella vulgaris and Evaluation of Hydrolysis and Fermentation Performance
Authors: de Carvalho Silvello, M.A., Gasparotto, G.A., Ferreira, G.F., Fregolente, L.V., Goldbeck, R.
Journal: Bioenergy Research
Year: 2023
From Enzyme to Cell-Factory: Economic and Environmental Assessment of Biobased Pathways to Unlock the Potential of Long-Haul Transportation Biofuels
Authors: Chagas, M.F., Ferreira, G.F., Gomes, L.C.M., Junqueira, T.L., Morais, E.R.
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal
Year: 2023