Olumide Ogunmodimu

Olumide Ogunmodimu is an assistant professor in the Department of Energy and Mineral Engineering (EME) at Penn State University. He also holds co-funded faculty appointments with the Institute for Computational and Data Sciences (ICDS) and the Materials Research Institute (MRI). He earned a master’s degree in energy studies and a Ph.D. in chemical engineering from the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where his doctoral research focused on granular flow modeling in mineral processing.

Before joining Penn State, Ogunmodimu held postdoctoral research positions at the University of Cape Town and the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) at the University of Queensland, Australia. He also worked in the industry at Weir Minerals Australia, where he developed technical documentation for pumps, cyclones, and comminution equipment, supporting engineering design, equipment application, and process integration in mineral processing operations.

Ogunmodimu’s research spans the entire value chain of mineral processing, with a focus on comminution and classification, mechanical activation of minerals, filtration and separation, and bulk solids flow modeling. He combines rheological and electrochemical characterization of particulate systems with high-resolution experimental techniques such as Positron Emission Particle Tracking (PEPT) for granular flow visualization and model validation. He employs advanced computational tools, including the Discrete Element Method (DEM), Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), Finite Element Method (FEM), and Smoothed Particle Hydrodynamics (SPH), to simulate and optimize complex multiphase systems. His work integrates physical modeling with data science, particularly in creating machine learning-enabled digital twins for milling and classification units. These digital twins enhance real-time process monitoring and refinement of mineral liberation circuit performance, facilitating more efficient, predictive, and adaptive plant operation.

In the energy sector, Ogunmodimu explores sustainable applications of industrial waste. This involves repurposing metallurgical slags as cost-effective thermal energy storage (TES) materials in Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) systems and valorizing coal refuse for use in pozzolanic cement production, thereby contributing to reduced emissions and innovation in the circular economy. He is affiliated with the Energy Institute (EI) and the Alliance for Education, Science, Engineering and Design with Africa (AESEDA), supporting global knowledge exchange and capacity building in science and engineering.

Ogunmodimu collaborates with a global network of institutions, including MINTEK South Africa, Fraunhofer ITWM Germany, University of South Australia, the Julius Kruttschnitt Mineral Research Centre (JKMRC) at the University of Queensland, Australia, African University of Science and Technology (AUST) Nigeria, Moi University, Kenya, and Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), South Africa. Through the integration of computational modeling, nuclear imaging, machine learning, and sustainable materials engineering, Ogunmodimu’s research advances innovation at the intersection of mineral processing, energy systems, and data-driven industrial technologies.