Evgeny Pidko

Prof. Dr. Evgeny Pidko is a Full Professor and Chair of Inorganic Systems Engineering at the Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Applied Sciences, Delft University of Technology (TU Delft), the Netherlands. He leads the Inorganic Systems Engineering (ISE) research group, focusing on theory-guided catalyst development and operando modeling in catalysis. He previously served as an Assistant Professor at Eindhoven University of Technology (2011–2017) before joining TU Delft as an Associate Professor in 2017 and being promoted to Full Professor in 2020.

• B.Sc./M.Sc.: Chemistry, Higher Chemical College of the Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow
• Ph.D.: Computational Chemistry and Catalysis, Eindhoven University of Technology (2008), under Prof. Rutger van Santen

His research integrates computational chemistry, theoretical modeling, and experimental approaches to unravel reaction mechanisms in complex chemical systems. Key areas include heterogeneous and homogeneous catalysis, inorganic functional materials, and sustainable chemical technologies. He emphasizes operando modeling to bridge theory and experiment, aiming to develop general-purpose strategies for catalyst design. His work spans CO2 hydrogenation, methane conversion, biomass upgrading, and plastic waste valorization.

The recent publications reflect a strong trend toward data- and theory-driven catalyst design, molecular-level understanding of catalytic deactivation, and integration of computational screening with experimental workflows. His group actively explores non-critical metal catalysts (e.g., Mn, Fe, Co) to replace precious metals, supporting greener industrial processes. Projects like the ERC-funded DeLiCAT highlight his focus on the 'life and death' of catalysts, aiming to delay deactivation and improve efficiency.

• NWO-VENI Grant (2010)
• ERC Consolidator Grant (2016)

Pidko plays an active role in the scientific community, serving on the advisory boards of ChemCatChem and Catalysis Science & Technology, and on the editorial boards of Kinetics and Catalysis and Mendeleev Communications. He advises on national science policy through roles in NWO committees and the Nationaal Platform Plastics Recycling. He supervises research students and contributes to MSc education in Heterogeneous Catalysis and Inorganic Materials. His lab, the EPiCs-Group, collaborates widely and maintains a strong focus on computational-experimental synergy.