Chemistry Department Faculty

Our research team addresses current challenges in heterogeneous catalysis for the synthesis of renewable fuels. While the establishment of phenomenological correlations between catalytic activity and reaction conditions has been the principal driving force for catalyst discovery, a design process more deeply rooted in an understanding of the molecular events occurring at the catalytic interface is desired. To this end, we develop and employ transient spectroscopies uniquely suited to probe interfacial chemical and charge-transfer dynamics. Using these techniques, we carry out spectroscopic case studies on carefully designed model systems to discover the molecular origins underlying catalytic reactivity and selectivity. We are particularly interested in the rich chemistry exhibited by electrified interfaces suitable for (photo-)catalytic water oxidation or carbon dioxide reduction.