MIT Chemical Engineering Graduate | Sustainability & Environment

Clean energy, sustainability, and data-driven problem solving.

I am a recent MIT Chemical Engineering graduate with a concentration in sustainability and environment, focused on clean technology and data-driven problem solving. Through research and internships, I have worked across direct air capture, lithium recovery, hydrogen production, industrial energy efficiency, and sustainability consulting.

Lucy Kanias

About

I am open to full-time opportunities on the East or West Coast across energy, sustainability, modelling, data analytics, consulting, strategy, and R&D. I am especially interested in roles that allow me to apply technical analysis to practical climate, energy, and technology challenges while continuing to broaden my experience across analytical, technical, and client-facing work.

Experience

Center for International Studies Fellowship

Cambridge, MA | Sep 2025 – Dec 2025

Sustainability and Innovation Ecosystems Consultant

  • Developed sustainability indicators to measure the success of innovation initiatives within the REAP programme.

Ucaneo

Berlin, Germany | Jun 2025 – Sep 2025

Engineering Intern

  • Conducted solvent screening for a direct air capture process, improving CO₂ absorption rate by 10%.
  • Evaluated scalable solvent candidates for compatibility with absorption and regeneration pathways.

Humboldt University Graeber Lab for Energy Research

Berlin, Germany | May 2024 – Aug 2024

Researcher

  • Synthesised hydrogel formulations for water harvesting, improving swelling ratios by 100%.
  • Generated experimental findings incorporated into a PhD proposal on hydrogel-based water harvesting.

MIT Rohsenow Kendall Heat Transfer Lab

Cambridge, MA | Jan 2023 – Aug 2024

Researcher

  • Conducted lithium extraction experiments from salt-lake brines using nanofiltration and electrodialysis.
  • Achieved 99.5% Mg rejection and high-purity Li recovery through membrane-based separation experiments.
  • Published as 3rd author in Advanced Functional Materials and presented at the Materials Research Society Conference in Boston.
View Publication

Projects & Skills

Techno-Economic Analysis for Green Hydrogen Production

Python, data analysis, systems design

Carbon Sequestration in the Charles River

MATLAB, Excel, environmental data analysis, technical writing

Cloud-Albedo Feedback and Surface Temperature Dynamics

Python, climate modelling

Feasibility of EV Adoption in the EU

Regression analysis, data aggregation, policy communication

Redox Flow Battery Malfunction Analysis

Electrochemical principles, transport analysis, system diagnostics

Preliminary Design of PET Recycling Process

Aspen Plus, P&IDs, techno-economic analysis

Leadership

Alpha Chi Omega

President | Jan 2025 – Jan 2026

  • Managed a 15-member executive board for a 120-member chapter, improving chapter retention by 15%.
  • Introduced Walk a Mile in Her Shoes as a new chapter philanthropy event, overseeing 300 attendees.

Equal Education

Instructor | Feb 2023 – Present

  • Mentor and teach 100+ students applying to competitive UK/US universities.

Contact

Open to full-time opportunities in energy, sustainability, modelling, data analytics, consulting, strategy, and R&D.

lucyk@mit.edu · linkedin.com/in/lucykanias