Phillip Milner

Phillip Milner is an Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology at Cornell University's College of Arts and Sciences. His research bridges organic, inorganic, and materials chemistry with emphasis on reaction mechanisms and novel material design for synthetic applications.

Education:

• Postdoc, University of California, Berkeley
• PhD, Massachusetts Institute of Technology
• BA, Hamilton College

Professor Milner's research focuses on designing materials that enable new synthetic transformations and revolutionize reaction methodologies. His work particularly explores metal-organic frameworks for organic synthesis and electrochemistry to achieve controlled redox processes otherwise unattainable. He applies principles of physical organic chemistry to develop porous materials that overcome synthesis barriers for applications in chemical separations, gas storage, organic electronics, and catalysis.

His research has been featured extensively for climate change solutions including carbon capture technologies and methane mitigation. Professor Milner has received the Scialog award specifically for advancing methane mitigation technologies, with additional recognition through SPROUT Awards and New Frontier Grants.

As an educator, he teaches CHEM 3600 (Honors Organic Chemistry II), CHEM 4610 (Introduction to Organic Chemistry Research), and CHEM 6690 (Modern Catalytic Reactions in Organic Synthesis). He has received advising and teaching awards from Arts and Sciences faculty.

The Milner Group employs extended framework materials to design heterogeneous reagents and catalysts for pharmaceutical synthesis, develop chemical separation techniques for industry applications, and create redox-active materials for electrocatalysis and energy storage. The laboratory actively recruits undergraduate and graduate students to tackle challenges at the intersection of human health, energy sustainability, and environmental protection.