Raiven Ignacia Balderas, Ph.D.
Dr. Raiven Ignacia Balderas is a catalytic chemist specializing in biomass conversion, focused on turning sustainable feedstocks such as leftover cooking oil and other materials that would normally degrade in nature into valuable biofuels. As a recent PhD graduate and having had experience in a fast-pace start-up, she designs and applies heterogeneous catalysts to drive reactions that produce intermediates which are then upgraded into jet fuels. Her work sits at the intersection of chemistry, chemical engineering, statistics, and philosophy, reflecting a holistic approach to problem-solving. Through her research, she contributes directly to the development of renewable fuels that support the ambitious 2030 sustainable aviation fuel mandate, approaching the challenge with the same urgency and innovation as a space race for energy. Dr. Balderas earned her Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry from the Colorado School of Mines, where she specialized in the synthesis and characterization of catalysts for biomass conversion. Her doctoral research, now publicly available in her thesis, investigated the role of catalyst design in hydrodeoxygenation reactions critical for sustainable aviation fuels. She also holds a Magna Cum Laude B.S. in Chemistry from The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, with minors in Applied Mathematics and Statistics. Throughout her academic career, she gained extensive experience in research, teaching, and mentorship, contributing to a variety of projects spanning photocatalysis, metal oxides, and advanced materials design. Currently transitioning from academia to industry, Dr. Balderas applies her expertise to real-world solutions in clean energy and continues to push the boundaries of catalytic chemistry. Driven by a commitment to sustainability and the fundamentals of chemistry as the central science, she approaches her work as a living, breathing mad scientist dedicated to scalable, practical solutions. Her goal is not personal recognition; she aims to be sought after for her expertise, making an impact in the energy sector while inspiring innovation and collaboration along the way.
• PhD
• Colorado School of Mines - PhD, Applied Chemistry
• The University of Texas Rio Grande Valley - BS, Chemistry
• Featured in Women Researchers at the Forefront of Crystal Engineering by ACS Crystal Growth and Design
• Featured in Influential Women, Bryan, TX, 2026
• American Chemical Society
• ASTM
• Church volunteer work helping Guatemalan communities
• Sustainability work converting biomass to sustainable jet fuel
• Reigns & Brains Thereupeutics
• Rocky Mountain Summer Camp Teaching Dyslexia youth
What do you attribute your success to?
I've always been curious about the chemical world and was determined to make good change for our environment. I always looked up at the sky and wondered about the greats like Renee Descartes, Alan Watts, and Carl Jung - all of them had their PhDs, so my PhD is not just one thing, it's a little bit of everything, because chemistry is the central science. My ranch life really shaped my future and where I am right now - I found solace in books and nature, with horses and cows. Even though I struggled with social anxiety, academic probation, and imposter syndrome throughout my journey, I learned how to manage my emotions and kept getting back up. I had mentors who believed in me and advised me to skip the master's and go straight to my PhD. During COVID, instead of staying indoors, I learned to snowboard and rock climb, but I also knew I had to create and publish a literature review, so I published one titled '111 Faceted Metal Oxides: A Review on Synthetic Methods' which got me featured in an article entitled "Women Researchers at The Forefront of Crystal Engineering". My thesis on heterogeneous catalysts for biomass conversion got attention to get my career to where it is today. I enjoy nature which is the frequency of 430 Hz . Sustainable solutions rely on going back to the fundamentals, and I think it's important to break the stigma and spread kindness everywhere you go.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Skip the master's and go straight to your PhD. That's what my undergraduate research advisor told me, and that's what I did. I went to Colorado School of Mines, and I had no idea that it was such a great school. My PhD advisor was very hands-off, which I appreciated because it created such a cool work-life balance. Sometimes you just have to go back to the basics, you gotta go back to the fundamentals. There's a famous quote by Renee Descartes - Inventor of the Cartesian Plane that I carry with me: 'I think, therefore I am.' You can just fill in the blank and manifest it, and just stay positive, because two negatives make a positive.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would advise them to be curious and maintain integrity and passion despite the chaos. You always have to find order within the chaos, because life is but a test. Just keep on going, keep on writing in your notebook, and keep going back to the notes, back to the basics - the fundamentals. Go to tutoring, take advantage of the opportunities, but also don't let the opportunities burn you out. The challenges definitely exist as a byproduct of our environment (social media). But everyone knows what's right and what's wrong, and if you keep going wrong, you're gonna go down the wrong path. It's okay to divert, but you gotta stop and think, observe your surroundings, and turn the other direction towards infinite positivity. Just maintain integrity, curiosity, and find your joy.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
We're living in an energy crisis right now, and I think of it like the space race for energy. There's a mandate by 2030 for sustainable aviation fuel. We're living in a chaotic world where World War III is prevalent, oil prices are spiking, and it seems no one can find a common ground. The sustainability field is great but also very daunting. Sustainable solutions entails going back to the drawing board and asking the hard questions.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I've always stuck to the ethos, pathos, logos - the three main pillars of persuasion, the rhetorical triangle. It's about knowing right from wrong, and I don't want to put religion into this, but everyone knows what's right and what's wrong. If you keep going wrong, you're gonna go down the wrong path, and it's okay to divert, but you gotta stop and think, observe your surroundings, and actually stop over-thinking and stressing and turn the other direction. I maintain integrity and curiosity constantly. Check your ego, check your ego constantly. It's important to break the stigma and spread kindness everywhere you go, because we live in a chaotic world and you have to find the order within the chaos. I also believe in finding your joy and maintaining a work-life balance in anyway that you can.