Matthew Kanan

Matthew Kanan is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Stanford University, teaching core courses including CHEM 31E: Chemical Foundations and 21st Century Problems (Autumn) and CHEM 121: Understanding the Natural and Unnatural World through Chemistry (Spring). He actively mentors students through year-round independent studies (CHEM 90, CHEM 190) and research programs (MATSCI 300, CHEM 301, CHEM 200).

His research pioneers sustainable solutions for carbon management, focusing on electrochemical CO₂ reduction, catalyst development for reverse water-gas shift reactions, and novel carbon capture technologies. Key innovations include carbonate-promoted carboxylation processes, membrane-free electrochemical systems for acid-base production, and metamaterial reactor designs for energy-efficient thermochemical conversion. His work bridges fundamental electrochemistry with scalable engineering for carbon-neutral chemical synthesis.

Recent publications (2023-2025) demonstrate a cohesive research trajectory toward industrial-scale CO₂ utilization, with emphasis on energy efficiency, catalyst durability, and impurity tolerance. Dominant themes include electrochemical engineering for concentrated product streams, computational modeling of catalyst microenvironments, and thermal processes for mineral-based carbon removal. This integrated approach targets practical implementation in sustainable fuel and chemical production.

Professor Kanan supervises undergraduate research (CHEM 190), directed instruction (CHEM 90), and Ph.D. candidates across chemistry and materials science. His research group likely secures substantial funding for projects addressing critical challenges in carbon conversion, though specific grants aren't detailed in the source material. Collaborative work spans electrochemical engineering, materials design, and process optimization for decarbonization.