microalgae: cultivation for energy from solar energy
microorganism to cleanup contaminant
creating valued products from wastes
Automation and environmental sensing:
embedded systems such as Arduino, EPS8266, Raspberry Pi
monitoring remotely environmental parameters such as temperature, humidity, water quality
control clients and stored data for future research
Developing people and teamwork:
coaching team members to collaborate in shared goals
improving fact-first on technical communication
team learning via case study and reflection
Working experience
06-2017 - Present: Freelancer
Simulated the microalgae growth and the productivity by Python script. The program used Excel-liked files as the inputs and for the output and the optional generating graph
Deployed Linux computer to collect environmental data such as temperature directly or via an Arduino board
Built weather station, stored data in SQL database and displayed the data on the web
10/2016-05/2017: Excecutive Trainee
Esquel Garment Vietnam-Hoa Binh Co., Ltd., Hoa Binh, Vietnam
Led production maintenance team for daily operations including 40 workers, 12 staffs
Developed a macro-enabled Excel file to check machine availability based on the production loading
Coached direct reports on communication, problem solving and decision making
9/2015 - 9/2016: Postdoctoral Research Associate
Biodesign Swette Center for Environmental Biotechnolog (BSCEB), Phoenix, AZ, United States
Improved carbon dioxide sequestration by microalgae by conditioning alkalinity growth environment, stable pH and delivering CO2 through hollow-fiber membrane
Developed a turbiostat system to automatically measured and controlled microalgae biomass
Coordinated research activity and laboratory management of ~7-member team
2010 - 2015: Graduate Research Associate
BSCEB, Phoenix, AZ, United States
Delivered milestones in U.S. Department of Energy (DoE) grant:” Managing the Microbial Ecology of a Cyanobacteria-Based Photosynthetic Factory Direct!” 2012-2014
Designed, optimized and operated small photobioreactors with pH-Stat function to study carbon, electron partitioning under different light intensity by microalgae
Mentored 2 undergrads, 2 visiting scholars and various laboratory tours
Collected input and prepared documents of Clean Development Mechanism (carbon mitigation credit) projects in wastewater and hydropower utilizing spreadsheet
Prepared 2 reports on hydropower projects, 3 reports for wastewater projected for senior executives
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. (2018). Low-cost optical sensor to automatically monitor and control biomass concentration in microalgal cultivation. Algal Research , 32, 101-106. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2018.03.013
Zhou, Y., Nguyen, B. T., Zhou, C., Straka, L., Lai, Y. S., Xia, S., & Rittmann, B. E. (2017). The distribution of phosphorus and its transformations during batch growth of Synechocystis. Water research, 122, 355-362. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2017.06.017
Zhou, Y.,Nguyen, B. T., Lai, Y. S., Zhou, C., Xia, S., & Rittmann, B. E. (2016). Using flow cytometry to evaluate thermal extraction of EPS from Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Algal Research , 20, 276-281. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2016.10.024
Zhou, Y., Xia, S., Zhang, J., Nguyen, B. T., & Zhang, Z. (2017). Insight into the influences of pH value on Pb (II) removal by the biopolymer extracted from activated sludge. Chemical Engineering Journal, 308, 1098-1104. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cej.2016.09.141
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. (2016). Effects of inorganic carbon and pH on growth kinetics of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Algal Research,19, 363-369. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.algal.2016.03.011
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. (2016). Electron partitioning in soluble organic products by wild-type and modified Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803. Biomass and Bioenergy, 90, 237-242. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biombioe.2016.04.016
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. (2015). Predicting dissolved inorganic carbon in photoautotrophic microalgae culture via the nitrogen source. Environmental science & technology, 49(16), 9826-9831. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.est.5b01727
Presentation
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. Managing alkalinity, pH, and inorganic carbon to support high-rate microalgae cultivation. 2016 IWA Leading Edge Conference on Water and Wastewater Technologies, Spain. (poster)
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. Improving photoautotrophic growth by maintaining a fixed growth pH and a sufficient inorganic carbon, Pacifichem 2015, Hawaii, U.S. (poster)
Nguyen, B. T., & Rittmann, B. E. Using a pH-stat to understand how the N source affects the concentration of inorganic carbon in microalgae culture publication description ACS 249th National Meeting and Exposition (oral presentation)
Honors and Awards
Certificate of Merit (2015): Division of Environmental Chemistry- American Chemical Society for the quality and relevance to advancement of environmental process
Service Award (2014) by Vietnam Education Foundation Fellows Association (VEFFA)
Certificate of Appreciation (2012, 2013) in recognition of valuation contributions to the Vietnam Education Foundation annual conference
Vietnam Education Foundation fellowship (2010-2012)
