Aaron Marshall

Professor Aaron Marshall leads the Marshall Electrocatalysis and Electrochemical Engineering Research Group at the University of Canterbury's Department of Chemical and Process Engineering, where he has held a faculty position since 2009. He is also a Principal Investigator at the MacDiarmid Institute for Advanced Materials and Nanotechnology and co-founder of two cleantech startups.

Research Focus

His group pioneers electrochemical solutions for sustainable energy and materials, with core expertise in:

• Redox flow battery electrode design
• Anion exchange membrane electrolysis for green hydrogen
• Electrochemical CO₂ conversion to value-added chemicals
• Molten oxide electrolysis for zero-carbon metal production
• Synchrotron-based surface characterization

Recent work emphasizes catalyst development, reaction engineering, and industrial translation, particularly in partnership with German research institutions on next-generation electrolyser technology.

Academic Contributions

Professor Marshall maintains an extensive publication record with 190+ outputs, predominantly in high-impact electrochemistry and energy journals. Recent articles demonstrate:

• Consistent focus on practical electrocatalyst development
• Multiscale approaches from atomic-scale characterization to system engineering
• Strong emphasis on industrially viable green energy solutions

Honors & Recognition

• Breakthrough Innovator Finalist (2020)
• C-prize Winner for energy innovation (2019-2020)
• Kiwinet Emerging Innovator (2018)
• ExxonMobil Best Technical Thesis (2006)

Research Infrastructure

The laboratory operates New Zealand's most advanced electrochemistry facility, featuring specialized equipment for:

• High-temperature molten oxide experimentation
• In situ spectroscopic analysis
• Flow battery testing
• Gas diffusion electrode fabrication

Current projects benefit from NZ$10M+ in governmental and international funding, supporting doctoral candidates and postdoctoral researchers across multiple energy transition initiatives.