Ludmilla Steier

Ludmilla Steier serves as Associate Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Oxford and Goodenough Tutorial Fellow at St Catherine's College. Her research centers on designing atomically defined photo- and electrocatalysts for solar-driven fuel production, with emphasis on interface engineering and stability optimization for CO₂ conversion and water splitting applications.

Education:

• BSc/MSc in Chemistry, University of Siegen (Germany)
• PhD in Chemistry, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL, Switzerland, 2016)

Research Focus: Steier's group pioneers atomic-scale catalyst design using atomic layer deposition (ALD) to control interfaces in oxide perovskites and metal oxides. Current projects investigate dopant-activity relationships in photocatalysts, copper oxidation state effects in CO₂ reduction, and earth-abundant electrocatalysts for water electrolysis. Her work bridges fundamental semiconductor physics with practical solar fuel production, targeting green hydrogen and carbon-neutral hydrocarbons from waste streams.

Publication Trends: Recent articles (2021-2025) demonstrate consistent focus on defect engineering in semiconductors, ALD-modified electrocatalysts for CO₂ reduction, and water oxidation kinetics. Key themes include interface control for stability enhancement, machine learning for material design, and roadmap analyses for sustainable photovoltaics, reflecting her dual commitment to fundamental mechanisms and scalable energy solutions.

Awards:

• 2023 Materials Chemistry Early Career Prize (Royal Society of Chemistry) for defect chemistry contributions in semiconducting materials

Grants & Leadership: Steier leads the Steier group with funding from UKRI (ERC Starting Grant), SCG Chemicals, Royal Society, John Fell Fund, and University of Oxford. Her ERC grant supports atomic-scale catalyst design, while industrial partnerships drive applied CO₂ conversion research. She mentors graduate students in materials synthesis and photoelectrochemical characterization.

Laboratory: The Steier group operates within Oxford's Department of Chemistry, specializing in ALD reactor development, in situ spectroscopy, and photoelectrochemical testing for solar fuel catalysts, with strong links to the university's sustainable energy initiatives.