Our Story

Kalin Baca is a chemical engineer and entrepreneur focused on commercializing advanced separation technologies for sustainable refrigerant recovery. She earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the University of Kansas, where her research centered on ionic liquids and extractive distillation for separating azeotropic refrigerant mixtures. Her work resulted in 9 publications and over 40 technical talks and presentations.

Kalin also holds an MBA, as well as MS and BS degrees in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Mexico. Prior to founding Icorium, she worked at Sandia National Laboratories, where she contributed to an R&D 100 Award–winning team. She is a Lean Six Sigma Green Belt and has led Icorium from academic research through pilot validation and early commercialization. She’s a committed advocate for diversity in STEM and entrepreneurship.

Mark Shiflett is a Distinguished Foundation Professor in the School of Engineering at the University of Kansas and a recognized leader in industrial chemical separations. His research focuses on developing environmentally responsible, energy-efficient processes for the chemical industry, with particular expertise in refrigerants and alternative working fluids.

Dr. Shiflett spent 28 years at DuPont as a Technical Fellow before joining KU. He is an inventor on 50 U.S. patents and has authored more than 170+ peer-reviewed publications. His work has been recognized with multiple industry honors, including the DuPont Bolton Carothers Award, the ACS Hero of Chemistry Award, and the AIChE Industrial Research Award for contributions to non-ozone-depleting refrigerants.

Abby Harders is a chemical engineer specialized in advanced separation processes spanning extractive distillation, membrane-based separations, and pressure-swing adsorption of refrigerants. She earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering with honors from the University of Kansas, where her research focused on advanced membrane technologies for separating complex HFC mixtures. Her work resulted in 11 publications, 1 patent, and over 30 technical talks and presentations. She graduated summa cum laude from Bethel College with degrees in Chemistry and Mathematics.

At Icorium, Abby leads R&D efforts focused on the identification and design of novel separation materials, process development and scale-up, and the integration of advanced separation technologies into scalable platforms. Her work supports the transition from pilot-scale validation to commercial deployment, bridging fundamental materials and property development with real-world industrial implementation.

Karoline Brito is a chemical engineer with over 20 years of experience in modeling, simulation, optimization, and process intensification of industrial chemical systems. She earned her M.S. and Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the Federal University of Campina Grande (UFCG), Brazil, with research focused on advanced separation processes.

Dr. Brito has published more than 30 peer-reviewed journal articles and previously served as an Associate Professor at UFCG. She also served as a Principal Consultant at Legasys, where she led advanced modeling and simulation initiatives for major industrial clients, including Braskem, Clariant, ArcelorMittal, CSN, and Oxiteno, supporting process optimization, energy efficiency improvements, and decarbonization strategies. She was awarded a Fulbright Visiting Scholar fellowship at Columbia University, conducting research on machine learning-based thermodynamic property estimation. At Icorium, Karoline focuses on the development and validation of modeling and simulation frameworks used to support the scale-up of the company’s proprietary technology.

Luke Wallisch is a mechanical engineer focused on experimental measurements, system design, and separation platform development. He earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Kansas in 2024.

Before joining Icorium, Luke worked as an undergraduate researcher at KU’s Institute for Sustainable Engineering, contributing to Project EARTH and research on membrane-based refrigerant gas separation. At Icorium, he supports mechanical design, system integration, and scale-up of commercial reclamation systems.

Chloe is a chemical engineer focused on sustainable process design and advanced materials for separation technologies. She earned her BS in Chemical Engineering, graduating summa cum laude in 2024 from California State Polytechnic University, Pomona, with a minor in Materials Science and Engineering.

Her undergraduate research at the University of Kansas through the NSF Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program focused on developing composite hollow-fiber membranes for hydrofluorocarbon (HFC) refrigerant separation, resulting in a 2025 publication in Science Advances. At Icorium, she contributes to process modeling and simulation, experimental validation, and scale-up for next-generation refrigerant recycling systems.

Irene Xu is an R&D Engineering Intern supporting membrane-based refrigerant separation research at Icorium. She is pursuing a degree in Chemical Engineering at the University of Kansas and is a class of 2026 SELF Fellow.

Prior to joining Icorium, Irene worked as an undergraduate researcher at KU’s Institute for Sustainable Engineering on Project EARTH. She contributes to experimental research, data analysis, and lab-scale validation efforts. She also serves as Community Relations Coordinator for The Big Event at KU.