Alexander Miller
Professor, Director of Graduate Studies
Kenan Laboratories A400919-962-4618
ajmm@email.unc.edu
Group Website
Curriculum Vitae
Research Interests
Energy Catalysis, Synthetic Organometallic Chemistry, Metal-Ligand Cooperation
Research Synopsis
Research in the Miller group revolves around transformations relevant to global energy concerns, including the storage of solar energy in chemical fuels, proton-coupled electron transfer reactions, and hydrocarbon transformations. Our approach starts with the design and synthesis of transition metal catalysts, then shifts to examining catalyst performance with a focus on understanding reaction mechanism in order to inform catalyst improvements. Our catalysts feature multifunctional ligands: beyond simply supporting the metal center, the ligands position additional functionality in the secondary coordination sphere of the metal and work in concert with the metal center to enhance key steps in catalytic cycles.
Professional Background
University of Chicago, BS, 2005; California Institute of Technology, PhD, 2011; Dreyfus Environmental Chemistry Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Washington, Seattle, 2011-2012; James Moeser Award for Distinguished Research, University Research Council, 2014; NSF CAREER Award, 2016; Sloan Research Fellowship, 2016;
Research Group
News & Publications
The Future Fuels and Breakthrough Batteries conference, hosted by UNC Chapel Hill’s Sustainable Energy Research Consortium (SERC), will take place on November 11-12, 2024, at the Friday Conference Center in Chapel Hill, NC. Session topics include Solar to Fuels, Electricity to Fuels, Ammonia and Bio-based Fuels, and Batteries.
The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is embarking on a groundbreaking project that aims to position the school and State of North Carolina as leaders in lithium-ion battery research and development.