Joseph DuChene

Joseph DuChene is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, with affiliations in the Materials Science and Engineering Interdisciplinary Graduate Program. He leads the DuChene Research Group, which is based in the Physical Sciences Building, focusing on the development of advanced nanocatalysts for sustainable chemical processes.

His research centers on harnessing renewable energy to drive catalytic reactions under ambient conditions, with a strong emphasis on electrocatalysis and photoelectrochemistry. The lab specializes in shape-controlled synthesis of nanomaterials, in operando spectroscopic studies, and designing catalysts for CO2 reduction, water splitting, and nitrate-to-ammonia conversion. These efforts aim to establish structure-function relationships in catalytic systems by probing interfacial electronic structures and reaction mechanisms in real time.

The research integrates multidisciplinary approaches from materials chemistry, physical chemistry, and spectroscopy, with applications in sustainable fuel production, environmental remediation, and green industrial synthesis.

Dr. DuChene's group has been recognized through competitive fellowships and awards granted to its members, supported by funding from agencies such as the National Science Foundation. His students have received the NSF GRFP, PPG Fellowship, and Donald Kuhn Fellowship, reflecting the group’s excellence in research and training.

• NSF GRFP (awarded to Neumiah Massenat)
• PPG Fellowship (Will Phillips)
• Donald Kuhn Fellowship (Ben Adams)
• People's Choice Poster Prize at ResearchFest 2023 (Nicholas Baker)

He actively mentors graduate students and welcomes new members into his research team. His lab collaborates across disciplines, particularly in materials science and energy conversion, and maintains state-of-the-art facilities for nanomaterial synthesis and in situ characterization. The group’s long-term vision is to close anthropogenic nutrient cycles by transforming pollutants into valuable industrial feedstocks using solar-driven catalysis.