معرفی
Dr. Ward van der Stam is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis at Utrecht University's Faculty of Science. His research focuses on developing advanced electrocatalysts for CO2 conversion, particularly through the synthesis and characterization of colloidal metal nanoparticles with controlled size, shape, and composition. He is actively involved in teaching electrochemistry courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels.
His research interests span electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, spectroscopy, and CO2 conversion technologies. Dr. van der Stam's work emphasizes the development of colloidal metal nanoparticles for CO2 reduction reactions (CO2RR), with particular focus on understanding reaction mechanisms through in-situ diffraction and spectroscopy measurements under true reaction conditions. His group investigates how to direct C-C coupling to efficiently produce longer hydrocarbon chains (C>2) from CO2, addressing critical challenges in sustainable energy conversion.
Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on multiscale in-situ characterization of electrocatalyst stability, facet-dependent restructuring of copper electrodes, and halide-guided active site engineering for selective CO2 conversion. His work bridges fundamental understanding of reaction mechanisms with practical applications for sustainable energy technologies, with significant contributions to both electrochemical CO2 reduction and advanced characterization methodologies.
Dr. van der Stam is developing educational material for the new BSc course 'Electrochemistry' and the MSc course 'Advanced Electrochemistry,' and is involved in teaching multiple chemistry courses including Bachelor thesis projects, Master research chemistry modules, and Nanomaterials. His research group benefits from collaborations across Utrecht University and with international partners in the field of sustainable catalysis and energy conversion.
