Michael Tsapatsis

Michael Tsapatsis is the 36th Bloomberg Distinguished Professor at Johns Hopkins University in the Whiting School of Engineering. He leads cutting-edge research in sustainable chemical engineering with focus on energy-efficient materials and processes.

Education:

• Engineering Diploma (1988), University of Patras, Greece
• M.S. (1991), California Institute of Technology
• Ph.D. (1994), California Institute of Technology
• Postdoctoral Fellow, California Institute of Technology (1993-1994)

Professor Tsapatsis pioneers hierarchical porous materials design for molecular separation and catalysis. His work integrates reaction engineering, mathematical modeling, and materials science to develop ultra-thin zeolite nanosheets and metal-organic frameworks that enable unprecedented selectivity in separation membranes and catalytic processes. The research group focuses on industrial scalability of these materials for cleaner chemical production.

His publication trajectory reveals consistent innovation in nanomaterials for sustainable engineering, with landmark papers in Science and Nature demonstrating breakthroughs in membrane technology and catalytic conversion. These works establish foundational principles for molecular-sieving materials that balance selectivity, flux, and industrial viability.

Major Honors:

• Alpha Chi Sigma Award for Chemical Engineering Research (AIChE)
• Breck Award (International Zeolite Association)
• Charles M.A. Stine Award (AIChE)
• David and Lucile Packard Foundation Fellowship
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award
• Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award
• North American Membrane Society Fellowship
• Fellow, American Association for the Advancement of Science (2011)
• Member, National Academy of Engineering (2015)

He directs a highly collaborative research program with extensive industrial partnerships and multiple patents. Current initiatives include the "Greener Skies Ahead" sustainable jet fuel project with the University of Alabama and Oak Ridge National Laboratory, and the DARPA-funded "Cornucopia" program developing air-to-food conversion technology with Johns Hopkins APL. His group trains students in molecular sieve membrane synthesis while advancing process intensification for decarbonization.

The Tsapatsis Research Group operates at the forefront of materials-driven chemical engineering, translating fundamental discoveries in nucleation control and crystal growth into scalable separation and catalytic technologies for industrial applications.