FIRST Center Research Team
FIRST Org chartDirector: David J. Wesolowski a Distinguished R&D Staff member in ORNL’s Chemical Sciences Division (ORNL/CSD). He is an internationally-recognized expert in interfacial chemistry, fluid speciation, thermodynamics, and heterogeneous reaction rates and equilibria.
Thrust 1 Leader: Peter T. Cummings, the John R. Hall Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Vanderbilt University, leads Thrust 1 and coordinates the cross-cut efforts in computational modeling. He is an international expert in molecular modeling of fluids and fluid/solid interactions, and has a joint appointment as Principal Scientist of ORNL’s Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (ORNL/CNMS).
Thrust 2 Leader: Sheng Dai, a Distinguished Senior R&D Staff member in ORNL/CSD, leads Thrust 2 and directs cross-cutting efforts in materials synthesis. He is the Nanomaterials Chemistry Group Leader in the CSD, and co-leader of the ORNL/CNMS Catalysis focus area, and is an expert in synthesis of novel nanoporous materials and ionic liquids.
Thrust 3 Leader: Steven H. Overbury, a Distinguished R&D Staff member in ORNL/CSD, leads Thrust 3. He is the Surface Chemistry and Catalysis Group Leader in CSD, and co-leader of the ORNL/CNMS catalysis focus area. He has extensive experience in heterogenous catalysis and characterization of surface species.
ORNL Cross-Cut Team Coordinators:
Gilbert M. Brown: Electrochemistry
Peter T. Cummings: Molecular Modeling
Sheng Dai: Synthesis
Paul Fenter: X-ray Scattering
Edward Hagaman: NMR Spectroscopy
Sergei Kalinin: Scanning Probe Microscopy
Karren More: Electron Microscopy
Gernot Rother: Neutron Scattering
Robert W. Shaw: Photon Spectroscopy
ORNL's DOE/BES Chemical Sciences, Geosciences and Biosciences Program Manager: Phillip F. Britt, is ORNL's Chemical Sciences Division Director and a member of the FIRST Center Steering Committee.
Additional ORNL Staff: Lawrence M. Anovitz is an R&D Staff Member in CSD with expertise in materials synthesis and textural analysis using scattering methods. Nina Balke is an R&D Staff Member in ORNL/CNMS applying scanning probe approached to investigate electrode and catalyst materials. Gilbert M. Brown is a Senior R&D Staff member in CSD and an expert in electrocatalytic surface reactions. Ariel A. Chialvo is a Senior R&D Staff member in CSD with broad experience in theory and simulation of fluids and fluid-solid interfaces. Nancy J. Dudney is a Senior R&D Staff member in MSTD and a leading expert in battery science and technology. Edward W. Hagaman, is a Senior R&D Staff member in CSD, with expertise in NMR spectroscopy. De-en Jiang is an R&D Staff member in CSD and an expert in the application of first principles methods to fluid-solid interactions and ion liquids. Sergei Kalinin is a CNMS R&D Staff member developing advanced scanning probe methodologies and instrumentation. Paul R. Kent is an R&D Staff member in the Computational Science and Mathematics Division and CNMS, and is an expert in quantum mechanical simulation and high performance computing. Alexander I. Kolesnikov, is an R&D Staff member in the Neutron Scattering Sciences Division (NSSD) and an expert in inelastic scattering studies of fluids at interfaces.
Shannon Mahurin is an R&D Staff Member in CSD with expertise in materials synthesis and vibrational spectroscopies. Eugene Mamontov the BASIS spectrometer instrument scientist at SNS/HFIR and an expert in quasielastic neutron scattering studies. Karren More is a Senior R&D Staff member and Microscopy Group Leader in the Materials Science and Technology Division (MSTD). Gernot Rother is an R&D Associate in CSD and an expert in the application of elastic neutron scattering probes of interfacial textures and fluid properties. Robert W. Shaw is a Senior R&D Staff member in CSD and Leader of the Laser Spectroscopy and Chemical Microtechnology Group. Ray Unocic is an R&D staff member in MSTD developing environmental TEM imaging of electrified fluid-solid interfaces. Zili Wu is an R&D Associate in CSD and an expert in molecular-level surface reactions and catalysis.
Argonne National Laboratory: Paul A. Fenter, the Interfacial Processes Group Leader in ANL’s Chemical Sciences and Engineering Division, is internationally recognized for his application and development of synchrotron X-ray scattering approaches for understanding complex processes at solid-liquid interfaces, including geochemical/environmental processes and interfacial processes associated with energy storage. He will coordinate all of the Center’s X-ray scattering studies.
Drexel University: Yury Gogotsi, Trustee Chair Professor of Materials Science and Engineering, and Director of the Nanotechnology Institute at Drexel University, is an expert in the development of carbide-derived nanotextured carbons for supercapacitors, gas storage and other applications. Kevin L. Shuford, Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Drexel University, is an expert in modeling and simulation of condensed phase dynamics including ion transport, energy transfer, and laser/ matter interactions.
Georgia State University: Gangli Wang is Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry studying ion transport in nanoporous media.
Northwestern University: Franz Geiger, the Dow Chemical Co. Professor of Chemistry at Northwestern University, is an expert in non-linear optical spectroscopic studies of interfacial phenomena.
Pennsylvania State University: Adri Van Duin is Associate Professor of Mechanical and Nuclear Engineering and developer of the ReaxFF Force Field.
Suffolk University: Edgar Karapetian , is a Research Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
University of Virginia: Matthew Neurock, Joint Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Virginia, is an expert in modeling the atomic/molecular phenomena that govern catalytic reactions.
FIRST Center students and postdoctoral fellow and research associates:
Jennifer Achtyl – Northwestern University
Leslie Adamczyk - ORNL
Glen Alliger - ORNL
Daniela M. Anjos – ORNL
Leo Banuelos – ORNL
Yu Cai - University of Virginia
Suresh Chathoth – ORNL
Guang Feng – Vanderbilt University
Pasquale Fulvio – ORNL
Panchapakesan Ganesh – ORNL
Jianchang Guo – ORNL
Kee Sung Han ORNL
Song Li - Vanderbilt University
John McDonough – Drexel University
Vadym Mochalin – Drexel University
Volker Presser – Drexel University
Michael Rouha – Vanderbilt University
Matthew Wander - Drexel University
Hua Zhou - Argonne National Lab