Reshma Rao

Reshma Rao is a Lecturer and Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellow at Imperial College London's Department of Materials, within the Faculty of Natural Sciences. Her research focuses on understanding electrochemical reactivity at solid-gas and solid-liquid interfaces using operando spectroscopic techniques, with applications in developing low-cost, stable catalysts for renewable energy systems.

Education:

• MEng in Mechanical Engineering, University of Southampton (2014)
• PhD in Materials Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology (2019)

Research Interests:

Her work emphasizes catalytic mechanisms for energy conversion, particularly in water splitting and oxygen evolution reactions. She investigates material interfaces, electrolyte effects, and nanostructuring to enhance catalytic performance while reducing costs. Key topics include iridium oxide electrocatalysts, perovskite oxides, and cooperative effects in cobalt-based systems.

Affiliations:

• Centre for Processable Electronics
• Durrant Group (Department of Chemistry)
• Materials Chemistry Group

Scientific Awards:

• Royal Academy of Engineering Research Fellowship

Grants & Advising:

Her postdoctoral research at Imperial College London was conducted under Prof. James Durrant and Dr. Ifan Stephens, focusing on photoelectrochemical water splitting. She has contributed to projects analyzing catalyst stability, surface chemistry, and reaction kinetics.

Labs & Teams:

Active in the Durrant Group and Materials Chemistry teams, collaborating on interdisciplinary projects involving spectroelectrochemistry and renewable energy materials.