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Dr Nicholas Francois Dummer
(he/him)
BSc (Hons) PhD(Cardiff) AFHEA
Teams and roles for Nicholas Francois Dummer
Max Planck - Cardiff Centre FUNCAT Research Fellow
Overview
My research interests are focused on applying novel and creative fundamental approaches in chemistry and material science to current and emerging global challenges. I am keen to foster new collaborative intra- and inter-departmental partnerships in areas of common interest by connecting underlying themes across scientific fields. The application of catalysis to emerging issues in sustainability and waste valorisation inspires my research and how the structure of catalysts can give rise to unique catalytic and electron transfer properties to the abatement of pollutants for example.
I have published over 90 articles in journals such as Nature Chemistry, ACS Catalysis, Green Chemistry, Chemistry of Materials and Angewandte Chemie Int. Ed., on research on bio-mass valorisation, selective methane oxidation, sustainable chemistry and nano-technology.
Biography
I am interested in the application of catalysis to emerging issues in fuel and energy, sustainability and waste valorisation. Particularly how the structure of heterogeneous catalysts can give rise to unique catalytic and electron transfer properties. My research background in physical chemistry includes materials science and catalyst design applied to the conversion of methane to methanol, valorisation of bio-mass sourced glycerol and carbon dioxide hydrogenation. Presently, I am the local coordinator of the Max Planck Centre in Cardiff University on the fundamentals of heterogeneous catalysis (FUNCAT).
I hold a PhD in chemistry, which was awarded by Cardiff University and focused on enantioselective hydrogenation at the gas – solid interface under the supervision of Prof. Graham Hutchings CBE FRS in 2005. I then completed post-doctoral positions in the Cardiff Catalysis Institute and from here I joined Prof. Wataru Ueda’s laboratory in Hokkaido University, Japan (2012-2013) as a Assistant Professor. I then was awarded a two-year Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellowship at the University of Wollongong, Australia (2013-2015).
Contact Details
Research themes
Specialisms
- Sustainability
- heterogeneous catalysis
- Photocatalysis
- Synthesis, Characterisation and Application of Supported Metal Catalysts
- Inorganic chemistry