Ever Velasquez
Chief Technology Officer and Co-founder, ChemFinity Technologies
Ever joins Breakthrough Energy’s Innovator Fellows program from ChemFinity Technologies in New York, New York. His area of expertise is in chemical engineering, with a focus on the development of porous materials. At ChemFinity Technologies, Ever focuses on large-scale synthesis, manufacturing, and production of new membrane materials for water purification.
Desalination –the process of removing salts, minerals, and contaminants from salt water –is an energy-intensive process that increases our dependence on fossil fuels and, in turn, increases our carbon emissions. ChemFinity’s materials technology uses specialized, highly-selective adsorbents and membranes to avoid energy-intensive water treatment processes, reduce brine waste volumes and toxicity, and achieve resource recovery. Through the Fellows program, ChemFinity hopes to develop a fully scaled membrane and sorbent solution, mitigate technological risks in their processes, and receive valuable business and entrepreneurial mentorship.
Ever grew up in rural Southwest Florida, and was first exposed to science in his high school chemistry class. In college, he became passionate about research and development for sustainable energy-related materials. Ever earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering at Florida State University and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemical Engineering at the University of California, Berkeley. His research focused on the synthesis and characterization of porous materials for energy efficient separations and storage.
Q&A
Who has had the greatest impact on your career path?
My high school chemistry teacher, Mr. Seemuth, was the first person to really expose me to science and engineering. He would tell the class stories about problem-solving and achievements in his career that really resonated with me. Him being a chemical engineer then inspired me to pursue it as a major in college which has now led to me finishing myPhDin it as well.
What do you like to do in your free time?
In my free time, I love spending time outdoors with my dog, Mya. She’s a border collie mix who loves going out on walks and parks. We spend a lot of time together to try to learn new tricks and skills since she’s extremely intelligent.
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