Team
Alex (PhD Chemistry, Caltech; BS, UC-Berkeley) is an expert in marine carbon who was recognized with a National Science Foundation CAREER award. He has shared his work with President Obama and as an invited panelist for the National Academies. He is deeply involved in marine carbon removal research in both his academic and now his business roles. As a member of a mountain rescue team during graduate school, Alex learned the value of leadership, resilience, and community, lesson that he brings to his role as an entrepreneur. The next 20 years will determine if we can manage atmospheric CO2 and keep global temperatures below dangerous levels. Alex can think of no higher calling than developing climate technology to meet this challenge. Alex is on leave from his faculty duties at the University of Washington to advance the carbon-dioxide-removal technology developed with co-founder Julian Sachs at their company Banyu Carbon Inc. Alex loves to run, hike, and garden with his family.
Julian (PhD, MIT; BS, MIT) is a marine organic chemist and climate scientist. His 115 scientific publications have been cited >8,000 times. He’s been obsessed with weather and climate since childhood when his family evacuated Martha’s Vineyard in advance of Hurricane Belle in 1976, and the blizzard of 1978 closed his New Jersey school for a week. Majoring in Earth, Atmospheric, and Planetary Science in college, earning a PhD in Chemical Oceanography with a dissertation on past climate, then researching and teaching climate science for the last 20+ years fueled his passion to understand the earth system. No longer satisfied with studying the global warming threat, Julian is motivated to help avert it. Toward that end Julian is on leave from his faculty position at the University of Washington to advance Banyu Carbon’s carbon removal technology. Outside Banyu, Julian loves to do anything on a bike (inclines & obstacles preferred), snowboard, toss frisbees to his dog, and spend time with his wife and two teenagers.
Michael Velez is a seasoned Product Design Leader with extensive experience in bringing concepts to production. At Banyu Carbon he is leveraging his experience with designing for scale and manufacturability to the development of our photoreactor systems.
Michael holds both an MSE and BSE in Mechanical Engineering from Carnegie Mellon University, with a minor in Industrialization and Entrepreneurship. His career spans industries including automotive, consumer electronics, and energy, with success at companies in various stages of maturity. Passionate about environmental sustainability, he is excited to make a positive impact with Banyu Carbon.
Outside of work, you can find Mike outside; snowboarding, biking, playing soccer, or surfing.
Austin grew up in Hartford, Connecticut and obtained a B.S. in chemistry at the University of Rochester. He then pursued a Ph.D. at the University of California Los Angeles, where he specialized in the synthesis and photophysics of molecular chromophores. He’s passionate about finding molecular level solutions to real world problems. Outside of the lab, he loves to cook and learn about food science.
Matthew grew up in the Seattle area and studied chemistry at the University of Puget Sound before receiving his M.S. and Ph.D. in oceanography from the Chemical Oceanography program at Oregon State University. Following his doctorate, Matthew conducted a postdoctoral fellowship at the University of Washington School of Oceanography with Dr. Sachs and has worked with him as a research scientist since 2017 to produce detailed climate records spanning the Common Era. Matthew is excited to bring his broad background in ocean chemistry, climate science, and creative problem-solving to bear at Banyu, and join his efforts to the growing cadre of scientists making the jump to doing something about our onrushing climate challenges.
Michelle brings experience working as an R&D engineer and chemist in a fast- paced startup environment. She has worked on optimizing scale-up processes of surfactant technology, developing new synthesis methods, and product development. She holds a BSc in Materials Chemistry as well as a Master of Arts in Teaching Chemistry from Brown University. At Banyu Carbon, she seeks to utilize her interdisciplinary training in design, chemistry, and business to optimize the carbon capture technology process from concept to market. Originally from Miami, Michelle loves the sun and learning languages.
Sadie is a recent graduate from the University of Washington. She holds a degree in Sociology and a minor in Data Science. Sadie has a background in data analysis and visualization, and communication. With a unique blend of education and experience, Sadie is committed to using her skills to make a positive impact and contribute to meaningful change. In her free time, she enjoys gardening and exploring the city with her friends.