As a federal project manager, NETL’s Krista Hill is especially adept at handling multiple assignments as she focuses on the development of innovative decarbonization projects to address climate change.

She refined and polished those multitasking skills early in her career.

While completing graduate-level research in chemistry at the University of Oregon, Hill launched a tutoring business to help students in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) courses, co-managed a construction company and even helped a friend start two food cart ventures.

"I was always juggling several projects, which was great experience for project management," Hill explained.

Growing up in West Virginia, Hill was impressed by the natural beauty of the state and enjoyed its outdoor recreation opportunities, which piqued an early interest in the environment. She was also exposed to strong role models, sparking a desire to excel in the classroom.

“My dad worked at Snowshoe Mountain Resort (near Elkins, West Virginia), and I spent a lot of time on the mountain. I was a snowboarding instructor during high school and college on my weekends and breaks. It’s a beautiful place, and, yes, I still hit the slopes when I find the time. Elkins was a great place to grow up,” Hill said.

“I also had great teachers and always had an interest in numbers and science. It runs in my family. My grandmother worked as a chemist at DuPont in Charleston, and there are science professors in my family,” Hill added.

As a member of NETL’s Carbon Capture Team, Hill manages a portfolio of transformational direct air capture (DAC) and point source carbon capture projects to reduce the cost of capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) and develop technologies to meet the nation’s decarbonization goals, which call for net-zero carbon emissions in the power sector by 2035 and the broader economy by 2050.

One of these projects, advanced by SRI International and other industry partners with NETL oversight, leverages an advanced mixed-salt process (MSP) for use as a unique carbon capture solvent with enhanced efficiency. Hill is using her background in chemistry and project management skills to advance the technology to capture CO2 from the flue gas streams of natural gas-fired power plants and industrial flue gas streams with varying CO2 concentrations.

The flexibility of the technology is significant. “Industrial flue gas sources could include power plants, as well as factories that produce iron and steel, cement and lime, chemicals, or pulp and paper,” Hill said.

Hill completed her undergraduate studies at West Virginia Wesleyan College in Buckhannon before relocating to the West Coast. She returned to West Virginia to be closer to family. Coming home and joining NETL have proven to be excellent decisions.

“I taught general chemistry and labs for general and organic chemistry. I was a tutor for chemistry, physics and math for over 10 years. As a project manager at NETL, I’m surprised how often I use those basic principles from general chemistry,” she said.

Carbon management is an interdisciplinary issue, and NETL embraces that approach. “Carbon capture project teams are typically comprised of many researchers and industry experts, including chemical engineers, computational chemists, mechanical engineers, systems engineers, geologists, environmental scientists and many other disciplines. By interfacing regularly, we broaden the conversation to solve problems and realize efficient outcomes,” Hill said.

As a member of NETL’s Carbon Capture Team, Hill is advancing projects with game-changing potential. “Carbon management is important because it’s a necessary part of our future energy mix and will help achieve our climate goals and avoid the worst consequences from climate change. We need more engineering, development and investment to reach the scale of deployment that is necessary, and NETL is helping to develop technologies that will have a positive impact,” she said.

NETL is a U.S. Department of Energy national laboratory that drives innovation and delivers technological solutions for an environmentally sustainable and prosperous energy future. By leveraging its world-class talent and research facilities, NETL is ensuring affordable, abundant and reliable energy that drives a robust economy and national security, while developing technologies to manage carbon across the full life cycle, enabling environmental sustainability for all Americans.