Mariefel Olarte

Senior Research Chemical Engineer at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Speaker

Dr. Mariefel V. Olarte joined PNNL in 2011 after completing her graduate studies from the Georgia Institute of Technology with a doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering. She has a MS degree in Paper Science and Engineering and recently, in Analytics. Her expertise lies in the thermocatalytic conversion of biomass into biofuels, focusing on developing catalysts, process development and pretreatment technologies to convert pyrolysis and hydrothermal liquefaction-derived liquids into transportation fuel blendstocks, such as diesel, sustainable aviation fuel and marine fuels. She has also worked on catalytic hydrothermal gasification, oxidative lignin depolymerization and commissioning a demonstration hydrotreater (20L) and distillation systems. Currently, she also works on expanding the application of AI/ML in catalysis and chemical processes. Mariefel has served as principal investigator, project manager and key contributor on multiple projects funded by the U.S. Department of Energy’s Bioenergy Technologies Office and the U.S. Department of State. She serves as a mentor for the DOE Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship and Community College Internship programs and conducts outreach as a PNNL STEM Ambassador. She serves as the 2026 chair-elect of the American Chemical Society Division of Energy and Fuels and as an officer in ASTM International D32 committee.