Samantha Johnson

Dr. Samantha Johnson is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the Colorado School of Mines. She previously served as staff at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) from 2019, following a postdoctoral fellowship in the Center for Molecular Electrocatalysis there. Her research focuses on solvation effects in catalytic systems, ammonia oxidation, and hydrogen storage solutions. She holds a B.S. in Chemical Engineering from the University of Colorado, Boulder (2011), and a Ph.D. in Materials Science from Caltech (2017), where she was supported by the NSF Graduate Fellowship and Resnick Fellowship.

Her work integrates computational methods (e.g., DFT) with experimental approaches to study molecular behavior in solvents, particularly in energy-related applications like flow batteries and catalytic systems. Recent studies emphasize the role of molecular surroundings in reaction mechanisms, including ion transport in electrolytes and ligand interactions in metal complexes.

Key research trends across her articles include advancing ammonia oxidation pathways, optimizing solvation structures for energy storage, and elucidating hydrogen atom abstraction mechanisms in transition metal systems. She has contributed to innovations in porous liquids, electrolyte design, and catalyst immobilization strategies.

• Awards: National Science Foundation Graduate Fellow (2017), Resnick Fellow (2017).

Dr. Johnson’s lab (Johnson Group) investigates interdisciplinary challenges at the interface of materials science and electrochemistry, with a focus on sustainable energy solutions. No formal advising or grant details are listed in the provided texts.