Louise Berben

Louise Berben is a Professor at the University of California Davis, where she leads the Berben Lab (3465 Chemistry Annex). Her research focuses on inorganic synthesis and electrochemical catalysis for environmental applications, particularly CO2 reduction and hydrogen evolution.

• Research expertise: Small molecule activation, redox chemistry, and noninnocent ligand design
• Key affiliations: UC Center for Direct Conversion of Captured CO₂ into Fuel and Chemicals
• Contact: laberben@ucdavis.edu

Research Trends: Recent work emphasizes molecular mechanisms for CO₂ reduction, multi-electron transfer processes, and advanced ligand engineering to optimize catalytic efficiency. Her group investigates how coordination environments, proton shuttles, and redox-active ligands influence reaction selectivity and kinetics.

Scientific Awards:

• France Berkeley Fund Award (2018)
• Chancellor's Fellow, UC Davis (2015)
• Kavli Fellow (2015)
• Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (2014)
• CAREER Award, National Science Foundation (2011)
• Alfred P. Sloan Foundation Fellow (2012)

Labs & Collaborations: As lead principal investigator for a UC-wide research project on CO₂ conversion, her lab bridges inorganic chemistry and energy storage applications through collaborative teams.