Aaron Bal

This summer, thanks to the Great Lake Bioenergy Research Center, I had the fantastic opportunity to work in the Van Lehn lab with my mentor Changsu Kim at the University of Wisconsin–Madison. My project was to work on separating lignin monomers using a green solvent. My mentor's previous work on the subject focused on using machine learning to find ideal green solvent mixtures to test for separation. I then used these mixtures to see how they would behave, putting them into a molecular dynamics simulation and observing how the monomers separated. I learned a lot about computational modeling and dived into the world of molecular dynamics. 

The program was an excellent experience and helped build my computation chemistry portfolio. I had previous experience with DFT and QM simulation, but adding MD gave me a new perspective on how I can approach research questions.

The summer in Madison was also a fantastic experience. There was so much to do; my fellow interns and I were never bored. We went to the farmers market several times, explored the local zoo, and did a cookout at picnic point. I loved biking around the city, especially the arboretum. Outside Madison, Devil’s Lake, Milwaukee, and the Dells were all fun highlights. 

I’d like to thank the GLBRC for this incredible summer and the opportuning to learn more about the bioenergy world. I definitely plan on looking for similar projects when I apply for graduate school this year!