Katie Michel joined the Biomass Analytical Team (BAT) in 2019 with 12 years of prior industrial experience as an analytical chemist. Her background in analytical chemistry originates from variable technical laboratory settings. Her expertise in method development, data analysis and quality control contribute to NREL’s biomass compositional analysis research. She started at NREL working on the development of a new laboratory analytical procedure for quantifying cellulosic glucan in starch containing samples. Katie has since expanded her role to become a point of contact for the analytical lab in NREL’s Integrated Biorefinery Research Facility and has taken on the responsibility of maintaining equipment within the laboratory, including high-performance liquid chromatography. Currently, she is working on streamlining the BAT sample analysis queue and data management systems. Katie is also collaborating with industrial partners to develop analyst techniques that enable biofuels beyond the NREL campus. She has participated in multiple successful collaborations, which resulted in novel methods, public standards, and increased productivity for the biofuels community.

Education

B.S., Chemistry, Western Washington University

Professional Experience

Researcher II, NREL (2019–present)

Chromatography Supervisor – General Chemistry Department Manager, SGS North America, Inc. (2015–2019)

Chemist, California Department of Public Health, Genetic Disease Laboratory (2011–2014)

Research Associate II, Myrexis, Inc. (2007–2011)

Featured Work

Direct Determination of Cellulosic Glucan Content in Starch-Containing Samples, Cellulose (2021)

Determination of Cellulosic Glucan Content in Starch Containing Feedstocks – Laboratory Analytical Procedure, NREL Technical Report (2021)