Becoming Great: A Journey of Contagious Curiosity

“That I believe started this love affair with learning and curiosity and this excitement of being in the midst of other curious people,” said Great. “And while my family didn’t fully understand it, they supported me throughout primary school, high school, and college.”

Their support culminated on April 15, 2025, when Great Umenweke successfully defended his dissertation at the University of Kentucky titled, “Catalytic Deoxygenation of Oleaginous Biomass to Renewable Diesel and Sustainable Aviation Fuel via Decarboxylation / Decarbonylation.” After almost 10 years of chemical science and engineering research in Nigeria, France, and Kentucky, Great reached an incredible milestone in his professional career. That excited, curious young boy had now become Dr. Great Umenweke.

Great’s work at UK’s Center for Applied Energy Research focuses on the synthesis, design, characterization, and testing of catalysts—materials that enhance chemical reactions. Using these catalysts, Great and his colleagues upgrade renewable feedstocks like biomass—including oleaginous and lignocellulosic biomass—into drop-in transportation fuels and high-value chemicals. Recently, their work has also focused on converting waste feedstocks – such as degraded, heavily contaminated used cooking oil from waste streams—into essential fuels like renewable diesel and sustainable aviation fuel.

A voracious reader, Great was introduced to catalysis as an undergraduate in Nigeria, inspired by the work of Enrique Iglesia, who at the time was a distinguished Professor at the University of California-Berkley. Great found Dr. Iglesia’s research journey and contributions to catalysis so captivating that without any prior connection, Great spontaneously sent an email to Iglesia from over 7,300 miles away. It was a moment driven purely by curiosity.

“It was this disorganized email from a random undergraduate in West Africa,” said Great. “But [Dr. Iglesia] was a significant inspiration to me, and his example motivated me, so I just emailed him sharing how deeply inspired I was by his research journey and the impact of his work. I truly didn’t expect a response.”

Iglesia responded briefly and kindly. But for Great, this small act of kindness became a confirmation of purpose. It reinforced that Academia was indeed his safe place.

“That kind response was all I needed to stay motivated,” said Great. “I was fortunate to meet Dr. Iglesia years later at the 2023 American Chemical Society conference in San Francisco. While he may not have remembered the email or known who I was, it didn’t diminish the moment. Having the opportunity to thank him in person was incredibly meaningful.”

During his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering at the Federal University of Technology Owerri in Nigeria, Great interned close to home in Lagos, setting the stage for his “trash to treasure” catalysis work. Starting with biodiesel research and working on oil extraction from non-edible plants. After his undergraduate studies, he continued briefly assisting at the University of Abuja’s Faculty of Engineering. For a year, he interned as an inspection engineer working at both onshore and offshore platforms in Portharcourt, Nigeria. Through each experience, his curiosity pushed him to always ask more and give more. But he needed his safe space – in academia, and just like Iglesia years before, Mark Crocker’s work sparked Great’s curiosity.

“I started looking into articles related to biofuels and catalysis and a name I kept coming across was Professor Mark Crocker. His work on renewable fuels was fascinating,” Great said. “Then looking into where he was located, at UK CAER, in addition to the pioneering work of Dr. Burt Davis in Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis, I felt like this could be the place for me.”

Great reached out to Crocker, who in 2019 was pursuing retirement. Unfettered, Great then approached Eduardo Santillan-Jimenez, who had taken over leadership of the Sustainable & Alternative Fuels Group at UK CAER following Crocker. Immediately, Great knew UK CAER was a perfect fit for him. His new happy place in academia.

“Dr. Eduardo was kind enough to give me a chance, to join the group,” said Great. “I’m really grateful for that opportunity.”

During Great’s interview, Santillan-Jimenez noticed the curiosity and focus that defined Great’s approach to both work and life.

Great was accepted to UK as a graduate student and crossed the Atlantic Ocean, landing in Lexington. Even through the COVID-19 pandemic, Great cherished his time in the laboratories at CAER. He built close relationships with his new mentors, Santillan-Jimenez and Robert Pace. He was impressed with the culture of the center, where asking questions is encouraged, and making mistakes is part of the process.

“Such amazing researchers are here, and they give you confidence to try to new things,” said Great. “Dr. Eduardo and Dr. Robby give me peace of mind, and their support motivates me to work harder. We make mistakes, but we learn from them, and we lean on each other when things don’t go according to plan. There’s a strong sense of trust and autonomy here, which is truly empowering. Indeed, UK CAER is a place where you can be curious.”

That curiosity has helped Great to contribute to the UK CAER Sustainable & Alternative Fuels group as a graduate research assistant, resulting in several scholarly works such as publications, book, provisional patents and awards/recognitions.

The success of the group would not be possible without the excellent research contributions of several undergraduate chemistry and chemical engineering students (including international students), many of whom Great had the opportunity to mentor over the years. His curiosity proved to be contagious.

“I tell our students to try new things and ask questions”, says Great. “We are there to guide them when needed, and I try to pass on the same approach that was taught to me. That’s how we build something special.”

Great has also earned a tremendous number of personal accolades, culminating this summer in being selected as a 2025 CAS Future Leader. A prestigious program for early-career researchers, where Great will join a group of 35 exceptional Ph.D. students and postdoctoral scholars from around the world to learn leadership skills and connect with other chemistry innovators. He also received a 2022 American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Exchange Award, Kokes award from the North American Catalysis Society, and earned the exceptional Young Talent label at the 18th International Congress on Catalysis in 2023, among other accolades. Much of this comes, according to Great, from a willingness to fail.