Program
The 2026 Guidebook will appear here when available.
Historical content from the workshop can be found on YouTube via the LabRulez platform:
Keynote Speakers 2026
Prof. Hilal Ezgi Toraman,
Assistant Professor, Penn State University
Title of Keynote Lecture: Multidimensional gas chromatography for plastic waste pyrolysis
Hilal Ezgi Toraman leads an interdisciplinary research program at Penn State focused on sustainable reaction engineering and catalysis for the valorization of non-traditional carbon feedstocks, particularly plastic waste. Her group integrates advanced pyrolysis experimentation, GC×GC-based analytics, and kinetic modeling to develop and optimize scalable chemical recycling technologies. She leads multi-institutional projects on mixed plastic pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading, where her group contributes intrinsic kinetic studies, GC×GC method development, and data management and analysis infrastructure to support process design and evaluation. Toraman has received both national and international recognition, including the C&EN Talented 12, AIChE CRE Pioneers in Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, and ACS Energy & Fuels Rising Star. She has held leadership roles as Director of AIChE's Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division and currently serves as president of the Pittsburgh-Cleveland Catalysis Society. Her honors include the Virginia S. and Philip L. Walker Jr. Faculty Fellowship and the Wilson Fellowship. Before joining the Penn State faculty, Toraman was a postdoctoral researcher with the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Delaware Energy Institute at the University of Delaware. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Türkiye (Turkey), and her Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium.
Assistant Professor, Penn State University
Title of Keynote Lecture: Multidimensional gas chromatography for plastic waste pyrolysis
Hilal Ezgi Toraman leads an interdisciplinary research program at Penn State focused on sustainable reaction engineering and catalysis for the valorization of non-traditional carbon feedstocks, particularly plastic waste. Her group integrates advanced pyrolysis experimentation, GC×GC-based analytics, and kinetic modeling to develop and optimize scalable chemical recycling technologies. She leads multi-institutional projects on mixed plastic pyrolysis and catalytic upgrading, where her group contributes intrinsic kinetic studies, GC×GC method development, and data management and analysis infrastructure to support process design and evaluation. Toraman has received both national and international recognition, including the C&EN Talented 12, AIChE CRE Pioneers in Catalysis and Reaction Engineering, and ACS Energy & Fuels Rising Star. She has held leadership roles as Director of AIChE's Catalysis and Reaction Engineering Division and currently serves as president of the Pittsburgh-Cleveland Catalysis Society. Her honors include the Virginia S. and Philip L. Walker Jr. Faculty Fellowship and the Wilson Fellowship. Before joining the Penn State faculty, Toraman was a postdoctoral researcher with the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and Delaware Energy Institute at the University of Delaware. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering from Middle East Technical University, Türkiye (Turkey), and her Ph.D. degree in Chemical Engineering from Ghent University, Belgium.
Dr. Peilin Yang
R&D Fellow, Core R&D Analytical Science, Dow Chemical
Title of Keynote Lecture: Multidimensional Chromatography for Chemical Analysis - from Small Molecules to Synthetic Polymers
Peilin Yang is a R&D Fellow at The Dow Chemical Company. She joined Dow in 2007 after earning a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Currently, she leads multiple research efforts at Dow to advance measurement science and material characterization capabilities aimed at developing safer and sustainable materials. Her recent research focuses on developing practical analytical solutions using multidimensional chromatography (GCxGC and LCxLC), coupled with mass spectrometry and other detectors, to address various industrial challenges including small-molecule impurities and complex composition analysis of large synthetic polymers.
R&D Fellow, Core R&D Analytical Science, Dow Chemical
Title of Keynote Lecture: Multidimensional Chromatography for Chemical Analysis - from Small Molecules to Synthetic Polymers
Peilin Yang is a R&D Fellow at The Dow Chemical Company. She joined Dow in 2007 after earning a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Michigan. Currently, she leads multiple research efforts at Dow to advance measurement science and material characterization capabilities aimed at developing safer and sustainable materials. Her recent research focuses on developing practical analytical solutions using multidimensional chromatography (GCxGC and LCxLC), coupled with mass spectrometry and other detectors, to address various industrial challenges including small-molecule impurities and complex composition analysis of large synthetic polymers.
Dr. Haleigh Boswell
Research Chemist, Chevron Technical Center
Title of Keynote Lecture: The GCxGC Effect: Transforming Industries One Molecule at a Time
Haleigh Boswell obtained her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Waterloo. She is a research chemist at Chevron with 6 years of experience in the energy sector. She specializes in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) with various detectors (FID, SCD, and TOFMS), driving technological innovation to enhance laboratory capabilities and providing technical support to refinery and Chevron internal/external partners. Passionate about mentoring, she volunteers with the UC Berkeley Global Access Program, advising students on graduate school and industry careers, and actively participates in outreach events to inspire future scientists.
Research Chemist, Chevron Technical Center
Title of Keynote Lecture: The GCxGC Effect: Transforming Industries One Molecule at a Time
Haleigh Boswell obtained her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Waterloo. She is a research chemist at Chevron with 6 years of experience in the energy sector. She specializes in comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography (GC×GC) with various detectors (FID, SCD, and TOFMS), driving technological innovation to enhance laboratory capabilities and providing technical support to refinery and Chevron internal/external partners. Passionate about mentoring, she volunteers with the UC Berkeley Global Access Program, advising students on graduate school and industry careers, and actively participates in outreach events to inspire future scientists.
