Zachary Schiffer

Zachary Schiffer is an Assistant Professor of Applied Physics at the Harvard John A. Paulson School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS). He leads the Schiffer Electrochemical Engineering Lab, focusing on sustainable chemical, energy, and manufacturing processes through electrochemical, photochemical, and thermochemical systems. His research emphasizes leveraging renewable electricity for scalable, low-temperature reactors and sustainable chemical pathways.

Dr. Schiffer joined SEAS in January 2024 and was recognized as one of Forbes’ 30 Under 30 in 2023. He collaborates with a multidisciplinary team of graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, including Taobo Wang, Clare Yijia Xie, Virginia Canestraight, Linh Le, and Dana Gephart. His lab prioritizes inclusive dialogue, reproducibility, and translational research for industrial applications.

Education and Background: While his own academic background is not detailed in the provided texts, his lab members include students from top institutions such as Caltech, Yale, and Imperial College London, reflecting the lab’s emphasis on interdisciplinary expertise.

Research Interests: The lab explores sustainable chemical processes, combining experimental and theoretical approaches. Key areas include electrocatalysis for energy storage, reactor design for multi-driving-force systems (voltage, heat, light), and techno-economic analysis for industrial scalability. The team works on applications like CO₂ electrolysis, ammonia transformations, and decarbonizing chemical industries.

Advising and Grants: Schiffer mentors students across Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, and Chemical Biology. His team members hold prestigious fellowships such as the Hertz Foundation and NSF GRFP. The lab actively seeks collaborations and welcomes students from diverse fields, including computer science and mechanical engineering.

Labs and Teams: The Schiffer Lab operates within SEAS, emphasizing interdisciplinary innovation. It hosts graduate students, postdocs (e.g., Devan Solanki, Seungwoo Choi), and a faculty coordinator (Meg Reardon). Research projects aim to bridge academic discoveries with industrial implementation through scalable reactor designs and sustainable practices.