Svitlana Pylypenko

Svitlana Pylypenko is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at Colorado School of Mines. Her research focuses on surfaces and interfaces of functional materials for energy applications, particularly catalysts, polymers, semiconductors, and metals. She leads the Pylypenko Research Group, which emphasizes understanding surface composition-structure relationships to design cost-effective materials for alternative energy. She holds a PhD from the University of New Mexico and postdoctoral experience at the University of New Mexico and Colorado School of Mines.

Education:

• BS and MS: National Technical University of Ukraine “Kyiv Polytechnic Institute”
• PhD: University of New Mexico, Chemistry
• Postdoctoral Study: University of New Mexico (Chemical & Nuclear Engineering) and Colorado School of Mines (Materials & Metallurgical Engineering)

Research Interests:

Her work integrates advanced characterization techniques (e.g., XPS, SEM, ToF-SIMS) to study material surfaces and interfaces. Key areas include electrocatalyst durability, PEM electrolyzers, and scalable fabrication of low-cost electrodes. Recent projects address hydrogen production efficiency, PEM fuel cell degradation mechanisms, and novel catalyst supports.

Awards:

• AVS Fellow of the Society (2023)
• Associate Editor, Materials Today Chemistry (2025)
• AVS Graduate Research Award (2021)
• AVS Applied Surface Science Division Student Award (2019)

Advising & Grants:

She advises multiple PhD students and postdocs, with notable advisees including Genevieve, Jayson Foster, and Matthew Coats. Her group has received funding for projects like NSF Partnerships for Innovation to accelerate hydrogen fuel cell commercialization. Collaborations involve industry partners like Forge Nano.

Labs/Teams:

Led the Pylypenko Research Group, equipped with advanced microscopy/spectroscopy facilities. Active in organizing conferences (e.g., AVS Focus Topics) and educational initiatives (AVS-AIP workshops).