Stefan Bernhard

Stefan Bernhard is a Professor of Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University's Mellon College of Science. He holds a Ph.D. in Chemistry from Université de Fribourg, Switzerland (1996). His research focuses on renewable energy, particularly photocatalytic systems for hydrogen evolution and CO₂ conversion, leveraging transition metal complexes and high-throughput experimentation. His lab develops automated reactors using Raspberry Pi, 3D printing, and machine vision to streamline data collection for AI-driven science.

Key research areas include energy conversion via light-to-electrochemical processes, optoelectronic materials, and chiral luminophores. He pioneered cost-effective hydrogen-sensitive films and has advanced understanding of structure-property relationships in transition metal complexes. Notable awards include the Scott Energy Center Fellowship (2019) and NSF CAREER Award (2005).

The Bernhard Lab emphasizes automation and high-throughput methods, with projects spanning photocatalytic reaction screening, nanomaterials synthesis, and circularly polarized luminescence. Their work bridges synthetic chemistry with data science, enabling scalable solutions for sustainable energy challenges.