This is a printer-friendly version of an article from Zip06.com.

Codruta Loebick: Innovation Is Occurring in North Haven

As the global climate crisis worsens, researchers are continually developing various methods to mitigate its effects by way of new technologies. One of those researchers is North Haven resident Codruta Loebick, who is investigating new ways to help the planet’s environment on a global scale.

Codruta is a part of the research team at North Haven-based Precision Combustion, Inc. (PCI), a clean energy technology company which is developing and manufacturing components and systems under the banner of clean energy.

“Not a lot of people in North Haven realize what we do,” she says. “Our job here is to innovate.”

Codruta’s role at PCI is as the research manager for advanced nanomaterial, which serves as the foundation for designing larger materials for specific energy efficiency purposes. A project which Codruta and her research team are currently working on is designing materials to trace and control contaminants in NASA’s International Space Station satellite. She and her team are also developing nanomaterial with the capability of filtering various pathogens, including COVID-19. A new material to support these projects is called the “metal organic framework.”

“This material is akin to a sponge that is able to selectively absorb carbon dioxide. It absorbs carbon dioxide, and then clean air comes out on the other side,” says Codruta.

While PCI’s work may go hand in hand with Connecticut’s ambitious clean energy initiatives, they’ve also been touted by the state’s Department of Economic and Community Development. Codruta says that “a lot of what Precision Combustion does is more on the global scale.”

“Most of our carbon capture research has been done with financial support from the [United States] Department of Energy.”

Since 2017, PCI has developed technologies which were able to remove toxic flue gas emitted from power plants, along with other kinds of carbon capture mechanisms.

“Both of these technologies have been developed by us with support from the Department of Energy, but...we've always had a lot of support from Connecticut,” says Codruta.

Codruta adds that support from the state and federal government in the form of legislation is where the acceleration of these technologies begins and is critical for economical carbon capture methods to hopefully become the norm in the future.

“The main goal is to be able to do carbon capture with the least cost possible,” she says. “The goal of researchers right now is to find ideal materials that would allow us to capture carbon, whether it's directly from air or we're doing marine carbon capture or we’re doing it in flue gas. You want to minimize its impact in terms of cost and energy.”

Aside from her work at PCI, Codruta sits on the board of directors of the non-profit Foundation 4 Orphans, which seeks to uplift at-risk youth in the Global South through education initiatives. A “big proponent of education,” Codruta saw an opportunity with the foundation to help further the educational and career goals of other people, including those who are experiencing dire economic circumstances.

Codruta’s first experience working with at-risk youth came in her native Romania when she worked with members of its Roma population. She then became friends with Wayne Lavender, the executive director of Foundation 4 Orphans, who informed Codruta about conditions for youth he witnessed in Sub-Saharan Africa and Iraq. Now, Foundation 4 Orphans has collaborated with the non-profit Zoe Empowers to implement a three-year educational model to teach a variety of skills to children based on their interests.

“The goal of this program is to take this very vulnerable youth and make them self-sufficient,” says Codruta.

Rather than “institutionalize” its targeted age group of elder teens, the program is taken directly to communities in Africa and the Middle East, where they not only receive an education in the areas of farming and engineering, but also in what they are capable of achieving as people.

“We make sure that these children know what the rights are, especially, especially the girls,” she says. “It's been a fantastic success so far. We're very excited to be a part of this program.”