Pavlo Rudenko

Pavlo Rudenko is Research Aide at Argonne National Laboratory.
 
As a graduate student, Pasha has worked to develop a business based on his research on lubricants. He is working to use nanotechnology to develop more efficient and environmentally friendly additives for lubricants. He started TriboTeX earlier this year to further develop and begin producing his bio-based lubricant that can reduce friction and increase machinery efficiency.
 
This work is important because of the huge amount of energy lost to friction. In cars, for instance, one third of an engine’s mechanical energy is lost. If that energy could be recovered, it would provide more energy than all of the oil that the U.S. currently imports. If lubrication can be improved, then, it will dramatically reduce fuel consumption and costs.
 
Originally from the Ukraine, Pasha came to the U.S. to attend graduate school. Last year, he was one of only 80 students nationwide selected to participate in Singularity University, a privately funded university that offers a 10-week summer program for graduate students. The program brings together specialists in academia, business and government with the aim of harnessing technology to address critical global challenges. He was also involved in WSU’s Invention to Venture workshop, which was held earlier this year in Pullman. The workshop, sponsored by the National Collegiate Inventors and Innovators Alliance, aims to help participants learn how to turn an idea into a new business.
 
Read WSU student entrepreneur is semifinalist in Clean Tech Open, Grad student is WSU representative to Singularity University, Grad student encourages others to learn to be entrepreneurs, and International student perspective: Life and higher education in Ukraine. Read his LinkedIn profile.