Alberto Roldan Martinez

Dr. Alberto Roldan Martinez is a Senior Lecturer in Catalytic & Computational Chemistry at Cardiff University's School of Chemistry, affiliated with the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI). He holds a PhD (Cum laude) from the University Rovira i Virgili and has held research positions at University College London before joining Cardiff in 2015. His research focuses on optimizing catalytic processes through computational methods, including micro-kinetic modeling and ab initio simulations, to address challenges in clean energy, CO2 utilization, and material design. Key areas include hydrogen production via ammonia cracking, biomass conversion, and catalyst resilience against sintering. His work combines multi-scale modeling to bridge simulation and experimental outcomes, reducing development costs and accelerating material innovation.

Education:

• MSc in Experimental Chemistry (2007), University of Barcelona
• PhD in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry (2010), University Rovira i Virgili (Best Thesis Award)

Research Interests:

Dr. Roldan's research integrates computational chemistry with catalysis to address global energy challenges. Key themes include:

• Clean hydrogen and ammonia generation via catalytic ammonia decomposition
• Design of sintering-resistant catalysts using atomic-level control
• CO₂ capture and conversion into valuable chemicals
• Biomass valorization through optimized heterogeneous catalysis

Publications:

His recent work spans over 100 peer-reviewed articles, with contributions to journals such as Small, Journal of Catalysis, and ACS Catalysis. Key topics include micro-kinetic modeling of catalytic systems, computational studies of transition metal surfaces, and the development of novel catalysts for green energy applications.

Awards:

• 2023 IChemE Global Award for Sustainability (NIC 3 E team)
• 2011 Best PhD Thesis Award in Computational Chemistry

Grants and Collaborations:

He leads the Catalysis Theme at Cardiff's Net Zero Innovation Institute and collaborates internationally on projects funded by UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) and industry partners. His group actively participates in software development for catalytic modeling, including tools for micro-kinetic simulations and irregular particle analysis.

Lab and Team:

The Roldan Group operates within the Cardiff Catalysis Institute, emphasizing interdisciplinary approaches. Current projects involve students and researchers in computational studies of catalytic systems and experimental validation of theoretical predictions.