Abstract

Dr Reisner heads a research group working at the interface of materials, chemical synthesis and chemical biology. Applying principles from the traditional field of Biological Inorganic Chemistry to Renewable Energy research, the group designs artificial photosynthetic systems to produce a so-called solar fuel – a sustainable fuel derived from solar energy and an effectively inexhaustible raw material.

This is a very exciting and very relevant field. The UK needs to produce 30% of its electricity from renewable sources by 2020 to meet government targets. Progress in solar energy conversion could play a key role in achieving this target.

Dr Reisner is a University Lecturer in Materials, Energy and Sustainability at the Department of Chemistry.a member of the Algal Bioenergy Consortium and a fellow of St John’s. He has done extensive research for the Universities of Manchester, Oxford and Vienna, and MIT . His research themes include energy storage, sustainable reaction engineering, bioenergy, materials and smart systems and device design.