Madelyn Ball

Madelyn Ball is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Materials Science (ChEMS) at Michigan State University (MSU), part of the College of Engineering. Her research focuses on heterogeneous catalysis, particularly designing nanoparticle materials for sustainable chemical production through CO2 and natural gas conversion. She employs operando spectroscopic techniques and precise catalyst synthesis methods to study active site structures under reactive conditions.

Education: Ball earned her Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Wisconsin-Madison (2019) and a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of New Hampshire (2014).

Research Interests: Her work emphasizes sustainable energy solutions, including CO2 methanation, non-oxidative methane coupling, and selective hydrogenation reactions. She investigates catalyst design principles, support effects, and nanostructured materials to enhance catalytic performance and durability. Recent studies highlight gadolinium-doped nickel catalysts, bimetallic alloys, and dual-functional catalytic membranes.

Recent Contributions: Her publications (2020–2025) address catalyst stability under CO2 hydrogenation, operando characterization of nanoparticle behavior, and structure-activity relationships. Notable work includes cover articles on catalytic membrane development and invited talks at conferences such as the ACS Spring Meeting.

Labs/Teams: She leads the Catalyst Design Lab at MSU, which develops catalytic systems for sustainable fuel and chemical production. The lab collaborates on projects involving advanced characterization techniques and industrial-scale catalyst applications.