Profile
I am a highly motivated Chemical Process Engineering (BSc) and Nanoscience (MSc) graduate with 8 years of experience in industry and academia delivering high impact outputs in R&D projects within the Petrochemical and Pharmaceutical industries. I have experience in a wide range of characterisation techniques and laboratory methods including AFM, DLS and HPLC with a broad multidisciplinary background. In addition, I have practice in emulsions and nano-systems with good understanding of self-assembly and bottom-up techniques. I have experience in project management and possess good team leader skills. I am fluent in English and Spanish.
Career Summary
AMBYER, Mexico. (http://ambyerlerma.com)
Research Chemist,
May 2014- Nov 2014
• Support research, synthesis and development of additives and novel emulsions and nanoparticles to improve the quality of waste engine oils.
• Design and evaluation of processes to improve current products used as lubricants and drilling muds additives.
• Research and co-ordinate experiments to progress towards the recycling and conversion of waste engine oils into valuable products.
• Support the development of technologies to recover waste oils.
• Monitoring and trouble-shooting of chemical process plants designed to upgrade heavy crude oil and to recover waste oil.
• Generation and interpretation of results to decide further steps of experimentation.
• Support evaluation and improvement of existing means of testing for quality control.
• Support the design and development of chemical process plants by using simulation tools (Aspen Hysys).
PDVSA-Intevep, Venezuela. (http://www.pdvsa.com)
Research Engineer, 2010-2012
Research Technician, 2005-2010
• Supported the development of new additives and improvement of technologies to enhance product’s quality and increase production yields.
• Provided technical assistance in processes at pilot and laboratory scales including operation, troubleshooting and monitoring.
• Delivered compositional analysis and study of physical and chemical properties of oils and catalysts
• Used emulsions and dispersed systems knowledge to produce nano-sized catalysts from water-in.oil emulsions.
• Supported the study of oil blend formulation, compatibility and stability of crude oils to produce synthetic crude oil.
• Implemented research for metal recovery from heavy oil residuals
• Ensured the fulfilment of plant and site safety regulations.
• Carried out hazard and operability study (HAZOP) and incident investigations.
• Used SAP software to manage logistics and procurement of materials and equipment.
• Supported the application of certified methods and characterisation techniques.
Education & Qualifications
Nanoscience (MSc) (Merit) University of Nottingham, UK 2013
Multidisciplinary training RAE Pharmacy ranked N° 1 UK (for research) delivered by four Schools Chemistry ranked N° 2 UK “”
Physics ranked N° 2 UK “” Engineering ranked N° 5 UK “”
Engineering (BSc) IUT Dr. Federico Rivero Palacio, Venezuela 2011
Chemical Process Engineer
Associate IUT Dr. Federico Rivero Palacio, Venezuela 2004
Chemical Process / Technology and design
POSTGRADUATE ACCOMPLISHMENTS
• Completed successfully a research project and dissertation titled “In vitro study into the effect of surfactants as absorption enhancers on model cell membranes.” at the School of Pharmacy
• Managed and planned projects and assignments with regular reports and presentations
• Attended modules include Nanostructure fabrication; Entrepreneurship; Advanced Materials Characterisation; Polysaccharide and Drug Delivery Biotechnology.
METHODS AND TECHNIQUES
Highly skilled
• Atomic force microscopy (AFM)
• Dynamic light scattering (DLS)
• High pressure liquid chromatography/ mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS)
• Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS).
• Laser diffraction –Malvern
• Fluorescence and optical microscopy
• Microsoft office
Skilled
• Transmission electron microscopy (TEM)
• X-Ray diffraction (XRD)
• X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS)
Nanoparticles tracking analysis (NTA-Nanosigh)
ACHIEVEMENTS
• Contributed to the design and development of a new approach in the recovery of waste engine oil leading to the endorsement of the technology for future patent applications.
• Designed and implemented a methodology to optimise the production of emulsions in the synthesis of nanomaterials. The method succeeded to establish the procedure for synthesis of catalysts to be used in upgrading processes for heavy and extra heavy crude oils.
• Formulation of a synthetic product to improve transport of heavy crude oils. Findings diminished the use of expensive additives resulting in costs reduction and increasing investment in the technology.
• Research to prove the viability of nanomaterials applied as cracking catalysts. This resulted in the creation of research branches that served as basis for further investigations.
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
2011 Extra heavy crude oil into transportable upgraded crude: New technology overview. World Heavy Oil Congress. Canada.
2010 Structural analysis of asphaltenes from Orinoco Petroleum Belt subjected to hydroconversion operating conditions. Petroleum’s Chemistry Congress. Venezuela.
2006 Synthesis of bimetallic nanoparticles (Ni-Cu) by chemical reduction using water-in-oil emulsions (w/o) as nanoreactors. Effects of metal concentration on particles size. XII Microscopy Venezuelan Congress. Venezuela.
