Lara Kassab

Undergraduate Researcher

Current position

Lara has graduated with an Associates degree in Chemical Engineering from Ventura College. She has been admitted to the Chemical Engineering undergraduate program at UC Santa Barbara, starting in Fall 2025.

Background

I was born and raised in Homs, Syria. My family and I moved to California about five years ago. I am a first-generation student. I majored in Chemistry and then changed to Chemical Engineering. Currently, I go to Ventura College, and after that, I will be transferring to a four-year university. In my free time, I enjoy singing, cooking, and watching movies.

Current Research

I am working with Hanna Porter on developing new chemistries for sodium ion battery (NIB) cathodes, mainly focusing on weberites, which are sodium metal fluoride-based structures. Throughout the process, I will be synthesizing NIB cathodes and then analyzing them using experimental techniques such as X-ray diffraction (XRD), solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques.

Education

2022-Present – A.S. in Engineering & Associate for Transfer in Chemical Engineering, Ventura College.
2019-2022 – Ventura High School.

Honors & Awards

2022 – Faculty Choice Award from Ventura High School.