CMLA PARTICIPANTS

Caden Bogus

Caden Bogus is a Permitting and Regulatory Affairs Intern at Rare Element Resources and an interdisciplinary M.S. student at the University of Wyoming focused on critical mineral development and domestic supply-chain resilience. His work spans project development, critical minerals policy, project finance, stakeholder engagement, and applied research on rare earth element risk management and industrial policy.

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Bridgette Burwell

Brigette is an associate at SAFE’s Center for Critical Minerals Strategy in Washington, D.C., where she manages industry partnerships and supports the center’s work on critical mineral policy. A Seattle native, she earned a BA in Political Science from Gonzaga University and an MSc in Energy Policy and Finance from the University of St Andrews, where her dissertation examined U.S. rare earth supply chain policy gaps and implications for national security. Before joining SAFE, she spent three years with the Pacific Northwest Economic Region, managing the mining working group and advancing regional mining initiatives, which motivated her interest in examining critical mineral supply chain chokepoints. She is committed to nonpartisan policy that strengthens national security by analyzing mineral needs for energy and defense.

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Kelly Cohen

Dr. Kelly Cohen is a Chemical Engineer in the Applied Materials Division at Argonne National Laboratory, where she develops electrochemical and thermochemical approaches for critical materials recovery and processing. Her work at Argonne includes contributions to HERMES, a multi-laboratory DOE initiative focused on the science-based characterization and valorization of unconventional critical mineral feedstocks, with involvement in methodology integration, use case development, and tonnage analysis. Her research also includes lithium metal production using novel electrolysis technologies, including roomtemperature electrodeposition, membrane development and spray-coating methods for electrochemical systems, and process development for lithium recovery from scrap. She supports additional efforts in rare earth metallization through metallothermic reduction, non-aqueous iron electrodeposition, and exploratory electrodialysis-based separations. She has also contributed to advanced methane utilization routes for critical materials recovery from domestic and unconventional feedstocks, including bauxite residue. She earned her Ph.D. from Louisiana State University, where her research focused on methane valorization via the non-catalytic direct partial oxidation of methane to methanol in a wall-coated microtube reactor. Her work integrated reaction engineering with materials development and characterization using GC/MS, TGA/DSC, XRD, XAS, SEM/EDS, FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and ICP-OES. Kelly is a member of The Minerals, Metals and Materials Society (TMS) and holds a leadership role in the Light Metals Division. 

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Jacob Cordell

Dr. Jacob Cordell is a technoeconomic and supply chain analyst at the National Laboratory of the Rockies focused on the production of materials and finished technologies for energy infrastructure. He obtained a B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering and a B.S. in German from the Pennsylvania State University in 2017 before studying photovoltaic materials and module design as a visiting scientist at the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems in Freiburg, Germany. He returned to the U.S. to complete a Ph.D. in Materials Science at the Colorado School of Mines in 2022 followed by a post-doctoral research position at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Throughout his studies, Jacob developed background in inorganic materials growth, physics-based modeling, and characterization. Since starting as a researcher at NLR, he has focused on understanding the critical materials from which energy technologies are manufactured, how costs of recovery compare across processing techniques and from where critical materials are procured. 

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Alathea Davies

Alathea “Ali” Davies is a Research Scientist at the University of Wyoming School of Computing. Her PhD, which she obtained from the University of Wyoming Chemistry department in 2025, was on computational materials science, covering topics from desalination, electronic interactions, heat transfer, and material stability with tools including first-principles simulations, molecular dynamics, and machine learning. As a research scientist, she leverages her computational skills in data science, simulations, and artificial intelligence/machine learning (AI/ML) to support interdisciplinary research across campus, including some collaborations with the School of Energy Resources on critical minerals related work. Her computational and chemical expertise, along with a BS in chemical engineering, have enabled her to contribute not only to fundamental research on critical mineral applications but also industry partnerships focused on designing and optimizing separation processes.

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Shannon Ellis

Shannon Ellis is a graduate student in geology at the University of Georgia, where she studies rare earth elements in kaolin-rich mine materials from central-eastern Georgia. Her research examines mine tailings, processing streams, and overburden to better understand whether these materials could serve as unconventional sources of critical minerals. She has also completed internships with the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History and the U.S. Geological Survey in Reston, Virginia, which helped strengthen her interest in mineralogy, geologic research, and public science. Shannon is interested in connecting mineral characterization with practical approaches to extraction. She hopes her work can contribute to stronger domestic critical mineral supply chains and further collaboration among academia, industry, and government. 

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Laurianne Estrada

Laurianne Estrada is a Ph.D. candidate in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Notre Dame, where she develops sustainable separation technologies for critical mineral recovery. Under the guidance of Dr. William Phillip, her doctoral research focuses on engineering advanced membrane materials for rare earth element separations to address the environmental impacts associated with conventional extraction and processing. Supported by the Materials Engineering to Realize Innovative Technologies for Sustainability (MERITS) Fellowship, she combines materials engineering, separation science, and quantitative data analysis to address complex resource recovery challenges. Beyond her research, Laurianne is passionate about science communication and fostering connections between scientific innovation, industry, and public stakeholders. She hopes to collaborate with leaders across academia, industry, and policy to advance a secure, sustainable, and responsible domestic critical mineral supply chain.

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Ian Feole

Ian K. Feole, a Senior Geological Engineer at the EERC, develops geophysical models of the subsurface, performs regional geophysical characterization, performs petrophysical analyses of geophysical data, and interfaces with a diverse team of scientists and engineers to assess project uncertainties in oil and gas development, critical mineral characterization in coal, and geologic CO2 storage. Feole holds B.S. and M.S. degrees in Geological Engineering and a B.B.A. degree in Operations and Supply Chain Management from the University of North Dakota. Mr. Feole’s principal areas of interest and expertise include subsurface geophysical modeling, petrophysical analysis, and regional geological characterization supporting critical mineral development, in-situ extraction of critical minerals.

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Bronte Heerdink

Bronte Heerdink is a Ph.D. student in Geosciences at Virginia Tech specializing in sedimentology, stratigraphy, and paleoceanography. Her research investigates Pliocene Arctic Ocean contourite deposits to reconstruct past ocean circulation, sediment provenance, and climate variability using grain-size analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and physical properties datasets from scientific ocean drilling . Bronte earned her B.A. and M.S. in Geology from Texas A&M University, where her master's research focused on reservoir characterization and geologic carbon storage potential in the Frio Formation. She has industry experience in carbon services, subsurface characterization, and geological interpretation. Her research interests include marine geology, sedimentary depositional systems, energy resources, and applying geoscience to understand Earth's changing systems. 

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Hunter Kennedy

Hunter Kennedy is a Postdoctoral Fellow in Environmental Ethnography at the Colorado School of Mines. He received his PhD in Anthropology from the University of Chicago in 2026, where his dissertation focused on extraction and governance in the historic boomtown of Page, AZ. As part of this project, he conducted qualitative research with energy industry professionals, including power plant operators formerly employed in the coal industry. He has also conducted research in rural wastewater treatment plants, at fish hatcheries, and on ecological restoration efforts after damming. His interest in critical minerals includes regulation, policy, and sustainability.

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Bailey Lake

Bailey Lake is a Ph.D. candidate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Florida State University and conducts research within the Center for Rare Earths, Critical Minerals, and Industrial Byproducts at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory. Her research focuses on improving critical mineral processing by combining chemical and physical separation techniques for more efficient and selective extraction. She is currently conducting research at Oak Ridge National Laboratory through the U.S. Department of Energy’s Science Graduate Student Research program. Bailey earned her B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Tampa where her interest in critical mineral separation began with synthesizing novel ligands for selective rare-earth element extraction. Her interests center on developing more efficient and sustainable critical mineral separation processes that support domestic supply chain resilience and expand the use of industrial byproducts and recycled materials as valuable mineral resources.

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India Luxton

India Luxton, PhD, is a Postdoctoral Fellow at Colorado School of Mines, where she is helping establish a new Center for Ethnography. Her research centers on qualitative and community-engaged methods, with expertise in environmental sociology, public health, and policymaking. She has worked closely with communities affected by energy production and aims to bring community-centered perspectives on equity, environmental justice, and social impacts into research and policy discussions on critical minerals and just energy transitions. India earned her PhD and MA in Sociology from Colorado State University and previously served as a postdoctoral research fellow at Syracuse University.

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Molly Morgan

Molly Morgan is a postdoctoral fellow in the Department of Mining Engineering at the Colorado School of Mines, where she works to improve copper recovery from active heap leach operations and strengthen domestic critical mineral supply. She holds a Ph.D. in Geology from the Colorado School of Mines and a B.S. in Geology from the University of the South. Her research combines isotope geochemistry, hydrometallurgy, and mine-water treatment to understand how copper and other metals move through mining systems and how more of those metals can be responsibly recovered. Her work also focuses on Good Samaritan hardrock mine remediation, including how policy can support critical mineral recovery from legacy mine waste while advancing cleanup goals. Across her research and policy work, she is interested in practical approaches that connect mineral recovery, mine remediation, and responsible resource development.

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Caroline Ruppert

Caroline Ruppert is an Earth, Resource, Science, and Engineering PhD candidate at Colorado School of Mines in the Mining Engineering Department. Caroline’s PhD work focuses on characterizing the mineralogy and critical mineral deportment of mine wastes for reprocessing and assessing the financial and social acceptance of re-starting mining activities at legacy mining districts. Caroline obtained a bachelor’s degree in geology from Smith College in Massachusetts with a focus on igneous petrology and mineralogy. While at Smith College, Caroline conducted a variety of laboratory research and field research including isotope chromatography work at the Carnegie Science lab in DC. 

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Chandler Sachs

Chandler Sachs is a PhD candidate at the University of Michigan’s School for Environment and Sustainability (SEAS) and a National Defense Science and Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellow with the Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR). His work explores frontier methods to track and assess mineral extraction, supply chains, and industrial policy interventions. He previously served as a visiting graduate researcher at the University of Cambridge’s Institute for Manufacturing (IfM), developing novel methods to track supply chains at scale. Prior to the University of Michigan, he worked for the RAND Corporation, researching defense and national security policy, critical infrastructure, and emerging technologies. He holds an MPhil from the University of Cambridge and a BS from Cornell University, where he was a Meinig Scholar.

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Karen Spaleta

Dr. Karen Spaleta is a geologist at the U.S. Geological Survey Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center. Her expertise focuses on using geochemical analysis methods in support of evaluating critical mineral potential, specifically using X-ray spectroscopy tools. Her current focus is on characterizing mine wastes and geological materials from commodity mineral processing for critical mineral assessments. Prior to joining the USGS, Karen worked at the University of Alaska Fairbanks specializing in elemental and isotopic analysis methods of X-ray and mass spectrometry. Karen has a B.S. in physics from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, an M.S. in physics from Rutgers University, and a Ph.D. in geosciences from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.   

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John Szczap

John Szczap is a Postdoctoral Researcher in the Applied Materials Division at Argonne National Laboratory in Lemont, Illinois. His work centers on building more secure, sustainable domestic supply chains for critical materials through innovative extraction and resource recovery strategies. John earned his Ph.D. from Michigan Technological University, where his research focused on battery recycling safety. He has also contributed to U.S. Department of Energy projects on the synergistic extraction of battery materials with mine tailings, as well as research on coal mining safety supported by the Alpha Foundation. During grad school, he interned at MP Materials, where he focused on rare earth mineral flotation. At Argonne, John is part of the Minerals to Materials Supply Chain Research Facility (METALLIC), where he is developing methods to reprocess coal mine tailings as feedstock for domestic graphite production. He is also a contributor to ReCell, where he investigates critical material recovery from consumer electronic waste.

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James Vislosky

James is an early-career geologist based in Fairbanks, Alaska, specializing in economic geology and mineral exploration. He holds a B.S. in Geology from the University of Wyoming (2024), and is a graduate student at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, where his research will focus on the structural controls on mineralization of an orogenic gold deposit. His field experience spans some of the industry's most demanding environments, from helicopter-supported exploration in Alaska's Arctic to exploration projects across the western United States. He is currently supporting exploration strategy and resource modeling as a Geologic Mapping Assistant with Alaska Earth Sciences, characterizing copper porphyry formations in remote Alaskan terrain. Beyond fieldwork, he co-founded a mineral prospecting LLC in Wyoming and has built strong science communication skills through roles as an Arctic tour guide and planetarium presenter. He holds certifications in MSHA Part 48, Wilderness First Responder, and CPR/AED, reflecting his commitment to safety leadership in remote operations. His long-term research goal is to investigate the structural and physicochemical controls on ore deposition to improve genetic models and exploration strategies for critical mineral resources.

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Terri Zach

Terri Zach is a Physical Scientist at the U.S. Geological Survey’s Geology, Energy, and Minerals Science Center where she applies geospatial techniques and modeling to analyze the distribution, grade, and tonnage of critical minerals. Her work contributes to comprehensive critical mineral assessments, which seek to enhance our understanding of domestic resources. Terri’s academic background includes extensive experience in geologic mapping, with map production forming an integral part of her M.S. in Geological Sciences from the University of Kentucky and B.S. in Geology from William & Mary.