Michael Chen

I am a postdoctoral associate who joined Professor Kang's group in January 2020. I previously received a PhD in Environmental Chemistry from MIT in 2019, and I combine that expertise with Prof. Kang's expertise in fractured rock hydrogeology to understand coupled groundwater flow and geochemical reaction, with a current focus on how flow and geochemistry shape Carbon Sequestration via Carbon Mineralization. My projects include microfluidic and computational study of inertial flow with bimolecular reaction, development of a simple first-order model of precipitation during carbon mineralization, and study of the impacts of inertial and convective flows on mineral dissolution. My general research interest is in understanding how microscale flow and geochemical processes influence the evolution of soils and waters. Through the work we do, I hope to make it possible for us to address issues of groundwater contamination and engineer the subsurface to address climate change through carbon sequestration.

Outside of research, I enjoy spending time with my wife and daughter in the beautiful Minnesota outdoors (even in the winter), reading, and playing video games. Some favorite media includes, This is How you Lose the Time War by Amal El-Mohtar and Max Gladstone, Transistor by Supergiant Games, and the Ancillary Series by Anne Leckie. I also enjoy cooking a variety of cuisines and cocktail making, and find both a great way to decompress after a day of research.

Michael's Google Scholar Site