Allegra L. Liberman-Martin

Allegra L. Liberman-Martin is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Chapman University. She holds a B.A. in Chemistry from Scripps College (2010) and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from UC Berkeley (2015), followed by postdoctoral work at Caltech with Prof. Robert H. Grubbs. Her research focuses on organometallic chemistry, catalyst design for sustainable processes, and polymer photonic crystals. She transitioned to Chapman in 2018 and was honored with the Cottrell Scholar Award (2023) and Valerie Scudder Award (2023). She advises students like Ben Janda (2022 award recipient) and leads a research group with a dedicated website.

• Education: B.A., Scripps College (2010); Ph.D., UC Berkeley (2015)
• Postdoctoral: Caltech (2016–2018), focusing on polymer photonic crystals

Her research integrates Lewis acid-catalyzed reactions for hydrocarbon functionalization and sustainable catalyst development. She also explores photonic crystal materials for advanced applications. Awards highlight her contributions to teaching, research, and service. Grants include ACS Petroleum Research Fund support and Chapman’s institutional funding.

• Awards: Extensive recognition from academic and professional societies, including ACS Divisional honors and sustainability-focused grants

She maintains active collaborations with industry and academia, advancing both fundamental chemistry and applied materials science.