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Allison Ray, Ph.D. (She/Her/Hers)

Research Excellence Officer for Science and Technology, Senior Scientist – Idaho National Laboratory

Research Areas:
Renewable Energy; Bioenergy

Biography:

Allison Ray is the Research Excellence officer for Science & Technology. Ray serves as the Office of Science (SC) coordinator and chairs the SC Council at INL, ensuring integration of the laboratory’s SC strategy through Laboratory-Directed Research and Development, business development, and early career outreach to promote a vibrant research culture. She also leads INL’s Research Culture Initiative to amplify science and strengthen research excellence. Ray was appointed by Deputy Laboratory Director for Science and Technology and Chief Research Officer Marianne Walck to assist with various laboratory and corporate initiatives for improving research outcomes, and in executing the laboratory director’s strategy to continuously improve the quality, impact and relevance of INL research.  



Prior to this appointment, Ray led the Feedstock Variability Task as part of the Feedstock Conversion Interface Consortium funded through the Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office. In this role, she provided technical vision and leadership and managed a multidisciplinary team of scientists and engineers across six national laboratories in multiscale characterization of lignocellulosic biomass to explore compositional and structural attributes that impact the quality and conversion to fuel intermediates. Allison graduated with a doctorate in environmental microbiology from Idaho State University. Her dissertation focused on microbially mediated transformation of metallic contaminants for bioremediation of metals and radionuclides in subsurface environments. She also received her master’s and bachelor’s degrees in biological engineering from Purdue University. 

Digital Profiles:
Education:

Ph.D., Biology - Idaho State University

M.S., Agricultural and Biological Engineering - Purdue University

B.S., Agricultural and Biological Engineering - Purdue University


Publications:

​Bose, E.;  Leal, J. H.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Zeng, Y.;  Li, C.;  Ray, A. E.;  Semelsberger, T. A.; Donohoe, B. S., Impacts of biological heating and degradation during bale storage on the surface properties of corn stover. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (37), 13973-13983. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.0c03356

Yan, J.;  Oyedeji, O.;  Leal, J. H.;  Donohoe, B. S.;  Semelsberger, T. A.;  Li, C.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Webb, E.;  Bose, E. A.;  Zeng, Y.;  Williams, C. L.;  Schaller, K. D.;  Sun, N.;  Ray, A. E.*; Tanjore, D.*, Characterizing Variability in Lignocellulosic Biomass: A Review. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (22), 8059-8085. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06263

Santos, A. C. F. d.;  Ximenes, E.;  Thompson, D.;  Ray, A. E.;  Szeto, R.;  Erk, K.;  Dien, B. S.; Ladisch, M. R., Effect of using a nitrogen atmosphere on enzyme hydrolysis at high corn stover loadings in an agitated reactor. Biotechnol Progress. 2020; 36:e3059. DOI:  10.1002/btpr.3059.

Ray, A. E.*;  Williams, C. L.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Li, C.;  Sale, K. L.;  Emerson, R. M.;  Klinger, J.;  Oksen, E.;  Narani, A.;  Yan, J.;  Beavers, C. M.;  Tanjore, D.;  Yunes, M.;  Bose, E.;  Leal, J. H.;  Bowen, J. L.;  Wolfrum, E. J.;  Resch, M. G.;  Semelsberger, T. A.; Donohoe, B. S.*, Multiscale Characterization of Lignocellulosic Biomass Variability and Its Implications to Preprocessing and Conversion: a Case Study for Corn Stover. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (8), 3218-3230. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06763

Nagle, N. J.;  Donohoe, B. S.;  Wolfrum, E. J.;  Kuhn, E. M.;  Haas, T. J.;  Ray, A. E.;  Wendt, L. M.;  Delwiche, M. E.;  Weiss, N. D.; Radtke, C. W., Chemical and structural changes in corn stover after ensiling: influence on bioconversion Manuscript. Frontiers in Bioengineering and Biotechnology 2020, 8, 508.

Li, C.*;  Kerner, P.;  Williams, C. L.;  Hoover, A. N.; Ray, A. E.*, Characterization and Localization of Dynamic Cell Wall Structure and Inorganic Species Variability in Harvested and Stored Corn Stover Fractions as Functions of Biological Degradation. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (18), 6924-6934. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06977

Leal, J. H.;  Torres, E. L.;  Rouse, W. T.;  Moore, C. M.;  Sutton, A. D.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Li, C.;  Resch, M. G.;  Donohoe, B. S.;  Ray, A. E.; Semelsberger, T. A., Impacts of Inorganic Material (Total Ash) on Surface Energy, Wettability, and Cohesion of Corn Stover. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (4), 2061-2072. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06759

Groenewold, G. S.*;  Hodges, B.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Li, C.;  Zarzana, C. A.;  Rigg, K.; Ray, A. E.*, Signatures of Biologically Driven Hemicellulose Modification Quantified by Analytical Pyrolysis Coupled with Multidimensional Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (4), 1989-1997. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06524

Das, L.;  Li, W.;  Dodge, L. A.;  Stevens, J. C.;  Williams, D. W.;  Hu, H.;  Li, C.;  Ray, A. E.; Shi, J., Comparative Evaluation of Industrial Hemp Cultivars: Agronomical Practices, Feedstock Characterization, and Potential for Biofuels and Bioproducts. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2020, 8 (16), 6200-6210. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.9b06145

Hess, J. R.*;  Ray, A. E.*; Rials, T. G.*, Editorial: Advancements in Biomass Feedstock Preprocessing: Conversion Ready Feedstocks. Frontiers in Energy Research 2019, 7 (140). DOI:  10.3389/fenrg.2019.00140

Thompson, V. T.;  Ray, A. E.;  Hoover, A.;  Emerson, R.;  Hartley, D.;  Lacey, J. A.;  Yancey, N. A.; Thompson, D. N., Assessment of municipal solid waste for valorization into biofuels. Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 2019. DOI:  10.1002/ep.13290

Narani, A.;  Konda, N. V. S. N. M.;  Chen, C.-S.;  Tachea, F.;  Coffman, P.;  Gardner, J.;  Li, C.;  Ray, A. E.;  Hartley, D. S.;  Simmons, B.;  Pray, T. R.; Tanjore, D., Simultaneous application of predictive model and least cost formulation can substantially benefit biorefineries outside Corn Belt in United States: A case study in Florida. Bioresource Technology 2019, 271, 218-227. DOI:  https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2018.09.103

Hoover, A.;  Emerson, R.;  Williams, C. L.;  Ramirez-Corredores, M.;  Ray, A.;  Schaller, K.;  Hernandez, S.;  Li, C.; Walton, M., Grading Herbaceous Biomass for Biorefineries: a Case Study Based on Chemical Composition and Biochemical Conversion. BioEnergy Research 2019, 12 (4), 977-991. DOI:  10.1007/s12155-019-10028-3

Hoover, A.;  Emerson, R.;  Hansen, J.;  Hartley, D.; Ray, A.E., Drought Impacts on Bioenergy Supply System Risk and Biomass Composition. In Drought (Aridity), IntechOpen: 2019. DOI:  10.5772/intechopen.85295

Wendt, L. M.;  Murphy, J. A.;  Smith, W. A.;  Robb, T.;  Reed, D. W.;  Ray, A. E.;  Liang, L.;  He, Q.;  Sun, N.; Hoover, A. N., Compatibility of high-moisture storage for biochemical conversion of corn stover: storage performance at laboratory and field scales. Frontiers in bioengineering and biotechnology 2018, 6, 30.

Ray, A. E.;  Connon, S. A.;  Neal, A. L.;  Fujita, Y.;  Cummings, D. E.;  Ingram, J. C.; Magnuson, T. S., Metal transformation by a novel pelosinus isolate from a subsurface environment. Frontiers in microbiology 2018, 9, 1689.

Ou, L.;  Luo, G.;  Ray, A.;  Li, C.;  Hu, H.;  Kelley, S.; Park, S., Understanding the Impacts of Biomass Blending on the Uncertainty of Hydrolyzed Sugar Yield from a Stochastic Perspective. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2018, 6 (8), 10851-10860. DOI:  10.1021/acssuschemeng.8b02150

Hoover, A.;  Emerson, R.;  Ray, A.;  Stevens, D.;  Morgan, S.;  Cortez, M.;  Kallenbach, R.;  Sousek, M.;  Farris, R.; Daubaras, D., Impact of drought on chemical composition and sugar yields from dilute-acid pretreatment and enzymatic hydrolysis of miscanthus, a tall fescue mixture, and switchgrass. Frontiers in Energy Research 2018, 6, 54.

Essien, D.;  Marshall, M. N.;  Richard, T. L.; Ray, A. E., Wet corn stover storage: correlating fiber reactivity with storage acids over a wide moisture range. Frontiers in Energy Research 2018, 6, 108.

Das, L.;  Liu, E.;  Saeed, A.;  Williams, D. W.;  Hu, H.;  Li, C.;  Ray, A. E.; Shi, J., Industrial hemp as a potential bioenergy crop in comparison with kenaf, switchgrass and biomass sorghum. Bioresource technology 2017, 244, 641-649.

Wolfrum, E. J.;  Nagle, N. J.;  Ness, R. M.;  Peterson, D. J.;  Ray, A. E.; Stevens, D. M., The effect of biomass densification on structural sugar release and yield in biofuel feedstock and feedstock blends. BioEnergy Research 2017, 10 (2), 478-487.

Ray, A. E.;  Li, C.;  Thompson, V. S.;  Daubaras, D. L.;  Nagle, N.; Hartley, D. S., Biomass blending and densification: impacts on feedstock supply and biochemical conversion performance. In Biomass Volume Estimation and Valorization for Energy, InTechOpen: London, UK, 2017.

Narani, A.;  Coffman, P.;  Gardner, J.;  Li, C.;  Ray, A. E.;  Hartley, D. S.;  Stettler, A.;  Konda, N. M.;  Simmons, B.; Pray, T. R., Predictive modeling to de-risk bio-based manufacturing by adapting to variability in lignocellulosic biomass supply. Bioresource technology 2017, 243, 676-685.

Crawford, N. C.;  Ray, A. E.;  Yancey, N. A.; Nagle, N., Evaluating the pelletization of “pure" and blended lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks. Fuel Processing Technology 2015, 140, 46-56.

Emerson, R.;  Hoover, A.;  Ray, A. E.;  Lacey, J.;  Cortez, M.;  Payne, C.;  Karlen, D.;  Birrell, S.;  Laird, D.; Kallenbach, R., Drought effects on composition and yield for corn stover, mixed grasses, and Miscanthus as bioenergy feedstocks. Biofuels 2014, 5 (3), 275-291.

Brown, S. D.;  Utturkar, S. M.;  Magnuson, T. S.;  Ray, A. E.;  Poole, F. L.;  Lancaster, W. A.;  Thorgersen, M. P.;  Adams, M. W.; Elias, D. A., Complete genome sequence of Pelosinus sp. strain UFO1 assembled using single-molecule real-time DNA sequencing technology. Genome Announc. 2014, 2 (5), e00881-14.

Abodeely, J. M.;  Coleman, A. M.;  Stevens, D. M.;  Ray, A. E.;  Cafferty, K. G.; Newby, D. T., Assessment of algal farm designs using a dynamic modular approach. Algal Research 2014, 5, 264-273.

Ray, A. E.;  Hoover, A. N.;  Nagle, N.;  Chen, X.; Gresham, G. L., Effect of pelleting on the recalcitrance and bioconversion of dilute-acid pretreated corn stover under low-and high-solids conditions. Biofuels 2013, 4 (3), 271-284.

Searcy, E. M.;  Blackwelder, D. B.;  Delwiche, M. E.;  Ray, A. E.; Kenney, K. L., Impact of screening on behavior during storage and cost of ground small-diameter pine trees: a case study. Forest products journal 2011, 61 (7), 570-578.

Ray, A. E.;  Bargar, J. R.;  Sivaswamy, V.;  Dohnalkova, A. C.;  Fujita, Y.;  Peyton, B. M.; Magnuson, T. S., Evidence for multiple modes of uranium immobilization by an anaerobic bacterium. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta 2011, 75 (10), 2684-2695.

Ray, A. E.;  Connon, S. A.;  Sheridan, P. P.;  Gilbreath, J.;  Shields, M.;  Newby, D. T.;  Fujita, Y.; Magnuson, T. S., Intragenomic heterogeneity of the 16S rRNA gene in strain UFO1 caused by a 100-bp insertion in helix 6. FEMS microbiology ecology 2010, 72 (3), 343-353.

Inman, D.;  Nagle, N.;  Jacobson, J.;  Searcy, E.; Ray, A. E., Feedstock handling and processing effects on biochemical conversion to biofuels. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 2010, 4 (5), 562-573.

Ray, A.E.;  Connon, S.;  Neal, A.;  Sivaswamy, V.;  Peyton, B.;  Cummings, D.;  Fujita, Y.; Magnuson, T., Microbial transformation of AQDS, Fe (III), Cr (VI), and U (VI) by a novel Clostridiales, Strain UFO1. Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta Supplement 2005, 69, A454.

Hofman, G. L.;  Meyer, M. K.; Ray, A. E. In DESIGN OF HIGH DENSITY GAMMA-PHASE URANIUM ALLOYS FOR LEU DISPERSION FUEL APPLICATIONS, The 1998 International Reduced Enrichment for Test Reactor Conference, 1998; p 12. 

Presentations:

Invitations

Invited Speaker, FCIC Webinar Series, Unveiling Signatures of Feedst​ock Variability (2021).


Invited Speaker, Advanced Bioeconomy Leadership Conference, Feedstock Variability (2020).


Invited Panelist, IEA Bioenergy Task 36: Material and Energy valorization of waste in a Circular Economy (2020).


Invited Panelist and Reviewer for USDA NIFA Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Program Phase I and Phase II Proposals, Forests and Related Resources (April & August 2020).


Presentation

​Hofman G.L., Meyer M.K., Ray A.E. 1998. Design of high density gamma-phase uranium alloys for LEU dispersion fuel applications. Proceedings of the International Reduced Enrichment for Test Reactor Meeting, 18–23 October, Sao Paulo, Brazil.​

Version: 56.0
Created at 6/9/2015 10:35 AM by Brendi M. Heath
Last modified at 6/9/2021 4:11 PM by Michalene Etnyre