Chris Paolucci
About
Chris is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering. He completed his B.S. and Ph.D in Chemical Engineering at the University of Notre Dame.
The Paolucci group focuses on computer simulations of chemical reactions at interfaces. Research areas include computational catalysis (understanding how current catalysts accelerate chemical reactions at the molecular level, and predicting the performance of potential new ones), and modeling of material synthesis and deactivation for both catalysts and other solid materials. The group uses existing quantum and classical simulation methods and also develops new hybrid methods that bridge micro and macroscopic length scales through the use of techniques such as machine learning and Monte Carlo simulation. In addition, we work closely with experimental colleagues to validate models and test predictions.
Education
B.S. Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame (2012)
Ph.D. Chemical Engineering, University of Notre Dame (2017)
Postdoc: Stanford University (2017-2018)
Research Interests
Selected Publications
Awards
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CAREER Award: It’s a Dirty Job, but Some Catalyst Has Got to Do It
Read NowTo make a better catalyst, Paolucci is using quantum physics, chemical engineering knowhow and computing power to decode chemical reactions down to the atom.