Dr. Olivia Hawrot

Olivia is nearing completion of her PhD in Chemical Engineering from Heriot-Watt university titled ‘The ambient carbonation of lime for carbon dioxide removal technologies.’ Throughout this PhD she partnered with Origen Carbon Solutions to test lime carbonation solutions. Since then, Olivia has been employed full time by Origen Carbon Solutions as an R&D scientist aiming to advance methods to contact lime with air via scalable technologies.

Olivia Hawrot completed her MSc in Environmental Consultancy from Newcastle University in 2019 with a Distinction. Her final project focused on the potential of urban soils to be engineered to capture carbon via the addition of silicate minerals, the goal of this project was to advise a local council (Gateshead, UK) on methods to increase the carbon capture potential of newly proposed woodland (in partnership with the Woodland Trust). This project was completed via the analysis of chemical parameters of previously engineered soils and the new proposed woodland site as way of comparison, this allowed Olivia to become familiar with several different laboratory analysis techniques related to quantitative and qualitative carbon content of samples. Aqueous geochemistry modules in Olivia’s masters has allowed her to become confident with solubility calculation and modelling software such as PHREEQC. Olivia is also confident with mapping software such as ArcGIS.

Olivia’s undergraduate project focused on air-sea gas exchange and in particular how surfactant molecules can affect the rate of this process. Oceanography modules have equipped Olivia with the knowledge of standard ocean sampling techniques and the understanding of large-scale oceanic processes; Olivia also became familiar with large scale oceanic modelling.

Her main research interests are Carbon capture technology, Carbon Negative Energy, Aqueous Geochemistry.