Ashutosh Mittal

Ashutosh Mittal serves as a Research Scientist IV in the Chemistry department at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), where he is affiliated with the Renewable Resources and Enabling Sciences Center. He has progressed through NREL's research ranks since 2008, advancing from Research Scientist III to his current senior position in 2014.

Dr. Mittal holds both PhD and Master's degrees in Environmental Resource Engineering from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where his dissertation focused on hemicellulose extraction kinetics from hardwoods. Prior to NREL, he worked as a Staff Scientist at Logen Corporation (2007-2008).

His research program centers on advanced biomass conversion technologies with several key focus areas:

• Development of alternative pretreatment methods for biomass processing
• Base-catalyzed depolymerization techniques for lignin valorization
• Conversion pathways for xylose to furfural and other green chemicals
• Enzymatic hydrolysis optimization for sugar release
• Chemical kinetics and reaction mechanism studies
• Biomass structural characterization methods
• Advanced analytical chemistry applications

Dr. Mittal maintains a robust publication record with research output spanning from 2009 to the present, showing increased productivity since 2014. His 2025 publications reveal a strategic focus on sustainable aviation fuels, catalytic conversion processes, advanced characterization techniques, and solvent optimization for biomass conversion - demonstrating both fundamental and applied research approaches.

His scientific impact is evidenced by citations across multiple publications and recognition through media coverage, with his work being picked up by news outlets and referenced on professional social media platforms.

Dr. Mittal maintains extensive collaborative networks across the bioenergy research community, co-authoring with researchers from various institutions to advance biomass conversion technologies toward commercial applications.