Thomas Alan Kwan

Contact:  
thomas.kwan@yale.edu
Thomas Alan Kwan
9 Hillhouse Ave
Mason Lab RM 316
New Haven, CT  06511

Thomas Alan Kwan is an NSF Graduate Research Fellow that develops new technologies using supercritical fluids for the sustainable production of biodiesel and natural products.  He is also a Fellow with the Yale School of Engineering and Applied Science where he is involved at the cutting edge of maker spaces in higher education and active, experiential learning curriculum development.  In April 2012 he was awarded the Intel Environmental Innovation and Sustainability Award for designing an industrial, reusable storm drain filter from recycled materials.  While earning his B.S. at the University of California, Riverside, Thomas also served as an Engineer Technician for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and worked with local communities to reduce exposure to diesel exhaust, led a joint training initiative with the Center for Disease Control to train environmental public health practitioners, and reviewed dredging permits in Southern California.  Prior to his work in green engineering, Thomas was a tour manager and sound engineer working out of Hollywood, CA.  He has traveled to all 50 United States, is passionate about sustainable design, environmental justice, and is well known for his enduring commitment to a strong cup of coffee.

The Mission of The Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering at Yale is to advance sustainability by catalyzing the effectiveness of the Green Chemistry and Green Engineering community.

Green Chemistry and Green Engineering represent the fundamental building blocks of sustainability. Working in these disciplines, chemists and engineers are creating the scientific and technological breakthroughs that will be crucial to the future success of the human economy.

The Center for Green Chemistry & Green Engineering at Yale works to stimulate and ac­celerate these advances.

Guided By Four Core Operating Principles…

  • Insist on scientific and technical excellence and rigor.
  • Focus on generating solutions rather than characterizing problems.
  • Work with a diverse group of stakeholders.
  • Share information and perspectives broadly.

We Seek To Accomplish Four Key Objectives…

  • Advance the science.
  • Prepare the next generation.
  • Catalyze Implementation.
  • Raise awareness.

The Focus Areas for the Center for Green Chemistry and Green Engineering Include:

Research The Yale Center supports and advances research in Green Chemistry and Green Engineering, a critical component to building the community, designing and discovering innovative solutions, and achieving a sustainable future. The Center serves as a catalyst to both Yale and the greater Green Chemistry and Engineering communities for discipline-specific and cross-disciplinary research collaborations focused on key areas of GC&GE within science, technology, and policy for sustainability.

Policy & Outreach The Center engages in policy, communication, and outreach initiatives that raise awareness of - and support for - GC&E. In this dialogue the Center engages with a wide network of stakeholders, including NGOs, industry, academia, and government, as well as local communities and the general public.

Education A robust educational program is an essential element of the Center. Center activities are focused on educating undergraduate and graduate students in the principles and practice of GC&E. The Center also serves the wider academic community by providing opportunities for faculty training and by developing and disseminating GC&E curriculum materials.

International Collaborations GC&E are rapidly spreading through both industrialized nations and the emerging economies. In all regions, the Center engages with the network of scientists, engineers, policy-makers, business people, and public health and environmental experts focused on sustainability science on behalf of the greater good.

Industrial Collaborations GC&E can only provide meaningful impact on the challenges of global sustainability when implemented on a large scale. For this reason, collaboration with industry is a key part of the Yale Center’s work. Direct engagement creates a dialogue that informs industry of the latest research breakthroughs in the field of sustainable science and technology. Likewise, such engagement informs academic researchers on industry’s most important concerns. This dialogue facilitates a direct line for implementation of these innovations.