Daniel Garcia Rojas, PhD
Dr Rojas is an analytical chemist with extensive experience in analytical instrumentation, including ICP-OES, HPLC, GC-MS, ICP-MS, UV-Vis, NIR, XRF, auto-titrators, and rheology instruments. Daniel holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Rice University and has authored several research articles. In his current role as Senior Analytical Chemist & Project Lead at Visionary Fiber Technologies, he leads multiple projects focused on removing contaminants and extract high-value components.
He also manages the analytical group responsible for validating and developing analytical methodologies, purchasing new analytical instrument, training chemists, and troubleshooting equipment. Daniel’s previous roles include various positions as an Analytical Chemist at organizations such as Entegris, Brown University, Rice University, and ITESM.
Leslie Wood, MSc
Leslie Wood graduated with a Master of Science degree from Texas State University where her graduate thesis involved the synthesis, purification, and characterization of novel N-doping conductive polymers.
She spent nearly ten years post-graduation providing materials chemistry support for SBIR/STTR funded research and development with an emphasis on nanomaterial synthesis, characterization, and formulation for use in a variety of contexts including but not limited to: additive manufacturing, photonic sintering, sensors (electrochemical & optical), antennas/waveguides, obscurants, and thin films.
She now serves as a senior scientist at VFT where she participates in Fiber Reactor chemical processing and commercial development.
Peter Eckert, PhD
Peter did his doctoral research in physical chemistry at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, and a post-doctoral appointment at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in biophysical chemistry before joining the team at VFT. He has published peer-reviewed research in a range of scientific topics including ultrafast molecular dynamics, analytical instrumentation development, and atmospheric chemistry. In his off-time Peter enjoys reading non-fiction and salsa dancing.
Wade Gossett
Wade currently leads the application development engineering team at VFT to scale processes from R&D through commercial implementation.
He has 10 years of experience in process technology research, production engineering, and project management. He obtained his bachelors degree in Chemical and Biological Engineering from the University of Alabama.
Asif Rony, PhD
Dr. Asif H. Rony currently serves as VFT’s R&D Chemical Engineer, leading the scaleup and optimization of fiber reactor fluidic technologies. With specialized knowledge in reaction kinetics, energy integration, and renewable process development, he is a valuable addition to VFT’s research and development team.
He earned his Ph.D. from the University of Wyoming, where he developed a groundbreaking catalytic solar biomass energy integration process, demonstrating his commitment to sustainable energy development. His postdoctoral assignment at the Idaho National Laboratory honed his expertise in upstream biomass preprocessing to meet the mission of the Department of Energy (DOE).