Horia Metiu

Horia Metiu is a Distinguished Professor in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB). He joined UCSB in 1976 after postdoctoral research at MIT and the University of Chicago. His academic career spans over four decades, with expertise in theoretical and computational chemistry, catalysis, and energy-related research. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from MIT (1974) and an M.S. in Chemical Engineering from the Polytechnic Institute of Bucharest.

Metiu’s research focuses on quantum mechanical computations and experimental studies of catalytic systems, particularly involving molten salts and metals for methane activation and CO₂-free hydrogen production. Collaborations include work with Professors Buratto, Gordon, and McFarland. He has authored textbooks on physical chemistry and served as Associate Editor of the Journal of Chemical Physics (1999–2012).

His accolades include the Sloan Fellowship (1978), Camille & Henry Dreyfus Award (1979), and the American Chemical Society’s Division of Physical Chemistry Award (2015). His research explores catalytic pathways for energy conversion, with emphasis on renewable and green chemistry solutions.

Metiu’s grants and advising contributions are integral to his role, though specific grants are not detailed here. He is affiliated with UCSB’s College of Letters and Science and has mentored numerous researchers in catalysis and computational chemistry.