— Our Team
Meet the
Crawford Group
Principal Investigator
James Crawford
Assistant Professor
Chemical & Biological Engineering Department, Montana State University
Postdoctoral Researcher
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (2022 – 2023)
Ph.D., Chemical Engineering
Colorado School of Mines (2017 – 2022)
B.S., Chemical Engineering
Montana State University (2012 – 2016)
Dr. James Crawford is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical & Biological Engineering at Montana State University (MSU). He is a faculty collaborator in the Energy Research Institute, the Thermal Biology Institute, and the Materials Science Program. LinkedIn
Graduate Students
Rio Moore
4th Year Ph.D. Student
Chemical Engineering
Project: Controlled synthesis of cationic metal-zeolite catalysts via solid-state ion exchange.
About: Rio received a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from MSU in 2018 and is working on a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. He is an avid outdoorsman and has a passion for working on real world climate problems revolving around carbon dioxide. LinkedIn
Mandiaya (Mandi) Bugri
3rd Year Ph.D. Student
Materials Science
Project: Metal-organic framework photo-reactive capture.
About: Mandi received his B.S in Mechanical Engineering from the University for Development Studies (UDS) in Ghana in 2020 and is working towards his Ph.D. in Materials Science via the Chemical & Biological Engineering Department. Mandi is passionate about resources management and climate change prevention initiatives/research. In his leisure he loves to bask in nature, play the bass guitar and basketball. LinkedIn
Thomson McCarthy
2nd Year Ph.D. Student
Chemical Engineering
Project: Computational methods to aid in the design of biomimetic catalysts.
About: Thomson received his B.S. in Applied Mathematics from MSU in 2025 prior to his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering. His research goals are to help make out planet cleaner by reducing the energy and effort required to do what nature has always done. Outside of his studies, he loves snow skiing, waterskiing, and mountain biking. LinkedIn
Undergraduate Students
Hannah O’Connell
Project: Nickel-zeolite catalyst synthesis and characterization for urea hydrolysis.
About: Hannah is a chemical engineering major in the honors college at MSU. Her favorite outdoor pastimes are hiking, biking, beekeeping, and hunting. Her appreciation for nature has enhanced her desire to protect the environment. She has won funding to support her research from the Undergraduate Scholars Program and the MONT Empower Scholars program and is currently the president of the MSU AIChE Chapter.
Anna Gates
Project: Oxidative decarboxylation over iron zeolites
About: Anna is studying Biological and Chemical Engineering through the Honors College at MSU. Besides science, she loves running, biking, fishing, and hunting in the great outdoors. It is her ultimate goal to contribute to climate remediation and future symbiosis of nature and humanity. She has received funding for her research from the Undergraduate Scholars Program in 2025 and has joined the Eco-Start program as an intern in 2025. She will start her SULI internship in the summer of 2026. LinkedIn
Leysa Kurtyka
Project: Selective oxidation reactions over metal-organic frameworks
About: Leysa is a Conservation Biology & Ecology major with a projected graduation of May 2027. She hopes to apply insights from biological systems to inspire greener chemical and industrial processes. She received funding for her research from the National Science Foundation Eco-Start program in 2026. In her free time, she enjoys backpacking, crafting, and skiing. LinkedIn
Willow Riggin
Project: Technoeconomic analysis of copper zeolite catalyst synthesis
About: Willow is studying Chemical Engineering at MSU with a projected graduation of May 2027. She is a member of the Spirit of the West Marching Band. Her hobbies include spending time with family and friends, being outside, gaming, reading, listening to music, and eating hotdogs. LinkedIn
Visiting Researchers
Iclal (Sarah) Salman
Project: Establishing reproducible research practices for the comparison of bioinpired catalysts with urease.
About: Iclal (Sarah) obtained her Bioengineering degree from Montana State University in 2026. Sarah joins us from Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. LinkedIn
Former Undergraduate Researchers
| Name | Years in the Crawford Group | Current Position |
| Max Sterbis | 2024-2026 | MSU ChemE B.S. |
| Imre Karaman | 2025-2026 | Chemical Engineering M.S., Carnegie Mellon |
| Dominic Weber | 2025 | MSU ChemE B.S. |
| Lydia Morgan | 2024 | New England College of Optometry |
| Brent North | 2023-2024 | Biochemistry Undergrad, MSU |
| Grant Baldridge | 2023 | Los Alamos National Laboratory |