Nathan S. Lewis

Nathan S. Lewis is the George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech). He has been a faculty member at Caltech since 1988, starting as an Associate Professor, becoming a full Professor in 1991, and being appointed to the Argyros Professorship in 2002. His academic journey includes a B.S. and M.S. from Caltech (1977) and a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1981).

Professor Lewis's research spans several cutting-edge areas in chemistry and energy science:

• Semiconductor Photoelectrochemistry
• Electronic Olfaction (Electronic Nose technology)
• Scanning Tunneling Microscopy
• Chemistry Animation Project

His work in photoelectrochemistry focuses on developing systems to harness sunlight for generating chemical fuels, particularly through water splitting to produce hydrogen. This research aims to create efficient photoelectrochemical cells with nanostructured arrays of anodes and cathodes, various catalysts, and conductive membranes for ion exchange. His group also develops electronic noses using arrays of chemically sensitive conducting polymer films capable of detecting and quantifying a wide variety of chemical analytes.

Professor Lewis teaches undergraduate courses including General Chemistry (Ch 1 ab) and specialized courses on Semiconductor Photoelectrochemistry (Ch/ChE 140 ab).

His recent publications (2022-2024) demonstrate a strong focus on renewable energy systems, photoelectrochemical water splitting, and materials science for energy applications. The research trends show increasing emphasis on practical implementation of renewable energy systems, hydrogen production and storage, and development of advanced catalysts for energy conversion processes.

Professor Lewis leads an active research group at Caltech, mentoring students and postdoctoral researchers in interdisciplinary projects that bridge chemistry, materials science, and energy engineering. His laboratory focuses on both fundamental science and practical applications of photoelectrochemical systems and chemical sensing technologies.