Chief Science Officer
Co-Founder
Claire is a geochemist with expertise in basalt chemical weathering, aqueous geochemistry, and secondary mineral formation. She earned both an M.S. and a Ph.D. from Northwestern University, where her field-based research focused on basalt weathering in both subsurface and surficial settings in Iceland. She is currently a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University developing novel carbon injection methods to optimize the efficiency of mineralization at scale.
Chief Executive Officer
Co-Founder
Corey's background spans the private and public sectors, with a focus on creating economic transformation through innovation and climate action. He's designed and led large-scale climate initiatives at the World Bank and the United Nations Environment Progamme. He is a graduate of Yale University.
Scientific Advisor
Dave is a geophysicist and Professor at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University. He is the world's leading expert on carbon storage in basalt, and has been researching the topic for over 20 years. He has led many multi-national collaborative research projects on carbon management for the U.S. DOE and EPA, and has been involved with numerous scientific drilling programs. He contributes his world-class expertise and unparalleled experience with integrated, large-scale carbon storage projects to Cella, with a specific focus on novel injection methods.
Scientific Advisor
Eric is a geochemist and an international leader in carbon capture and storage technology. Eric was one of the original founders of the CarbFix project in Iceland, and served as co-director from 2006 to 2020. He has held positions at University College London, CNRS France, and the University of Iceland. Eric has published over 250 scientific articles, and is the top cited scientist in the world on the topic of carbon storage in basalt. Eric provides Cella with world-class geochemical expertise and decades of experience designing and operating successful mineralization projects.
Scientific Advisor
Lydia is a Senior Lecturer at the Nairobi Technical University of Kenya in the Department of Geosciences and an associate at the Institute of Climate Change and Adaptation. She has over 15 years of experience researching hydrology, climate variability, surface and groundwater dynamics, remote sensing and GIS, geochemistry, and pollution and health in the Rift Valley. Previously, she held a position as a Senior Lecturer at the University of Nairobi where she researched carbon dioxide removal technologies and the potential of Kenyan rift basalts for mineral carbon storage. She brings her vast experience on the hydrology and geochemistry of the Kenyan rift to Cella.
Scientific Advisor
Pete is an engineer with over 20 years of experience researching carbon storage in basalt. He holds a BS and an MS in Nuclear Engineering and a PhD in Environmental Engineering. Pete pioneered research on carbon storage in basalt during his time at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he led the first ever field demonstration of pure CO2 storage in basalt. Having spearheaded efforts for the Wallula Basalt Pilot Project, Pete brings his extensive experience carrying out successful field injections of carbon dioxide into basalt formations to Cella.
Research Collaborator
George Okoko holds a BS in Geology from the University of Nairobi where, under the supervision of Dr. Olaka, he completed his thesis titled “Can East African rift basalts sequester CO2? Case study of the Kenya rift”. This pioneering research was the first ever publication on carbon storage potential of Kenyan basalts. George has six years of experience in geological field research, data analysis, literature reviews, geochemistry lab work and logistics. He is currently a masters student at University of Toledo researching anthropogenic climate change from a geochemical perspective.
cel·la, noun, /ˈselə/ "a safe chamber underground used for storage"