Burcu Gurkan

Burcu Gurkan is the Kent H. Smith Professor II in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at Case Western Reserve University's Case School of Engineering. Her research focuses on electrochemical processes, ionic liquids, deep eutectic solvents, and materials for energy storage and CO2 capture. She teaches courses in electrochemical energy storage, thermodynamics, and reaction engineering.

Her research has three pillars: solvation and transport in complex fluids; electrode-electrolyte interfaces; and material synthesis and fabrication. Key areas include developing experimental approaches to understand ionic liquid properties and applying them to electrochemical processes, separations, and sensors.

Recent publications emphasize electrochemical interfaces, CO2 capture/conversion, and electrolyte design for energy storage. Trends show strong focus on sustainable chemistry and renewable energy solutions, with work featured in Nature Communications and ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering.