Baron G. Peters

Baron G. Peters is the William H. and Janet G. Lycan Professor of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering and Faculty Affiliate in Chemistry at the University of Illinois. His research focuses on reaction rate theory, catalysis, and nucleation/growth mechanisms, with applications in crystal engineering, polymer upcycling, and ice growth inhibition. He holds a PhD from UC Berkeley (2004) and dual BS degrees in Chemical Engineering and Mathematics from the University of Missouri (1999).

• Affiliations: School of Chemical Sciences, Department of Chemistry
• Key Research Areas: Rare event simulations, transition path sampling, crystal nucleation theory, and heterogeneous catalysis on amorphous supports

Recent work includes developing microkinetic models for polymer upcycling, studying antifreeze protein mechanisms, and advancing methods for predicting catalyst site heterogeneity. His group has pioneered importance learning techniques and population balance models in catalytic systems.

Notable awards include the AIChE Separation Division Award (2021) and induction into the Chemical Engineering Academy of Distinguished Alumni (2024). Collaborations span academia and industry, with notable projects on nanocrystal synthesis and pharmaceutical crystallization.