Please join Yale Chemistry for an inorganic chemistry seminar with Dr. Michael Reynolds, Senior Principal Scientist at Shell Catalysts and Technologies.
Abstract: World population growth coupled with an increasing global energy demand are the driving forces behind the current Energy Transition. Crude oil, natural gas and coal have dominated the energy landscape since the industrial revolution, yet they remain finite resources with a high carbon content that causes governments to question the future sustainability of these fuels. A mixture of energy products will be necessary to satisfy the global energy requirements for developed and developing nations, alike. Alternative sources of energy continue to be explored, including geothermal, solar, wind, and carbon-neutral molecular energy carriers. Two of the latter options are hydrogen and biomass molecules that are appealing feedstocks since they can be transformed into recognizable fuels while maintaining a low carbon footprint. Sourcing of feedstocks, upgrading them to products, and long-term storage of these molecules are challenges that must be addressed for successful commercialization. This presentation will discuss how hydrogen and biofuels are produced and how the aforementioned challenges are being managed.
Bio: Michael A. Reynolds is a Principal Science Fellow for Shell Catalysts and Technologies in Houston, where he works on Energy Transition projects including hydrogen liquefaction, catalysts for biofuels production, and conventional oil refining. He is a graduate of Michigan State University (B.S., Chemistry), Iowa State University (Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry), and was a postdoc at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He is also an Adjunct Professor of Chemical Engineering at Rice University, where he mentors students and participates as a member of dissertation committees. He was awarded the ACS Partners for Progress and Prosperity Award (2022), the AIChE Catalysis and Reactor Engineering Practice Award (2025), and the Joe W. Hightower Award of the ACS-GHS Section (2025). He is passionate about mentoring and educating the public on the commercialization of industrial chemistry and engineering, including how it affects our daily lives. For more information on Dr. Reynolds’ research: Michael A. Reynolds - Google Scholar
Hosted by Prof. Jim Mayer.