Robert Raja

Professor Robert Raja is a Professor of Materials Chemistry and Catalysis at the University of Southampton, serving as Deputy Head of School (Research and Enterprise). He co-founded ViridiCO2, a spin-out company from his lab. His research focuses on sustainable catalytic materials for chemical, pharmaceutical, and environmental applications, including carbon capture and CO2 utilization. Key achievements include developing hybrid catalysts for CO2 conversion into recyclable plastics and licensing technologies to industries. He holds a Royal Society grant and has 50+ international patents. Awards include the Royal Society of Chemistry’s 2020 Emerging Technologies Award and Barrer Award.

Teaching roles include coordinating CHEM1053 (Main Group and Transition Metals Chemistry) and the sustainable chemistry module (CHEM 3044). He supervised numerous PhD students and led the Inorganic Teaching program (2015–2020). His research has been funded by UKRI (EPSRC), Royal Society, EU Horizon 2020, and industry partners like Total and Honeywell.

Research highlights include predictive design platforms for catalysts, photonic fibre technologies for hydrogen generation, and decarbonization solutions. His work bridges academia and industry, emphasizing sustainable manufacturing and renewable fuels.