Anya Dickinson-Cove

University of California, Los Angeles, PhD

Garbageman’s Invitational (GMI) Scholar 2024

Selective Recovery of Critical Metals from Solid Waste Leachates via Membrane Separation

My current project focuses on developing materials and processes which can be used to selectively recovery critical metals and minerals, such as cobalt, nickel, and lithium, from complex wastes such as e-waste, mine tailings, and coal ash. The complex chemical matrices of these materials has historically prevented the recovery of these valuable metals and minerals in an economic and environmentally safe manner. However, recent advancements in the synthesis of mixed matrix membranes has created the possibility to selectively target these metals for recovery in a sustainable manner.

Biography

Anya Dickinson-Cove graduated from California Polytechnic State University with a B.S. in Environmental Engineering in 2020 and received her M.S. in Civil Engineering from the University of California in 2022. She is currently a Ph.D. student at the University of California, Los Angeles in the department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and anticipates graduation in 2026. She began her research career as an undergraduate research assistant in the Water Energy Student Training Team (WESTT), studying resource recovery from biosolids. After she completed her undergraduate degree, she worked with the Cal Poly WESTT team and MicroBio Engineering where she managed labs and research teams studying algae- based resource recovery and wastewater treatment systems. This research sparked her interest in the field of resource recovery, which eventually led her to her current studies at UCLA, where she focuses on developing materials and processes for selective recovery of critical minerals from various waste sources.