Silmara Furtado da Silva

Silmara Furtado da Silva is a chemical engineer and PhD candidate at PUC Rio, researching catalytic
conversion of bioethanol into olefins. She holds an M.Sc. from UFRJ in Chemical and Biochemical
Process Technology. Her work integrates process simulation (Aspen Hysys), techno-economic analysis,
and sustainability assessments to advance low-carbon circular technologies. She contributed to three
Petrobras R&D projects on diesel/biodiesel blends, stability testing, and bioethanol-based olefins.
Silmara is committed to STEM education and mentorship: she taught chemistry for underrepresented
students, tutored Hispanic engineering students at LatinHire, and coordinated a Green Chemistry
mentorship program at UFRJ. From 2019 to 2024, she chaired the ACS UFRJ Student Chapter (first
ACS chapter in Brazil focused on Green Chemistry). She is a co-author of the three-volume book
series Catalyzing the Circular Economy. Her awards include seven ACS recognitions, first place at
LatinXinChE 2023, and two second-place awards at LatinXChem (2023, 2024).