Dr. Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez is a Research Program Manager at the UK Center for Applied Energy Research (CAER) and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at the UK Department of Chemistry. Originally from Mexico, Dr. Santillan-Jimenez joined UK first as an undergraduate research intern and then as a graduate student performing his doctoral research at UK CAER and at the University of Alicante (Spain). After obtaining his Ph.D. in 2008, he worked as a postdoctoral fellow at Utrecht University (The Netherlands) prior to retuning to UK. His current research focuses on the application of heterogeneous catalysis to the production of renewable fuels and chemicals – with emphasis on the upgrading of biomass-derived fats, oils and greases (FOG) to drop-in hydrocarbon fuels – while his synergistic activities include a number of K-20 initiatives designed to enhance and broaden STEM education. His personal interests include things ranging from art and finance to traveling and weightlifting.