Professor Mavrikakis joined the Department earlier this term and will be with us until the end of November. During his visit, he is engaging in collaborative research and recently delivered the Linnett Lecture on 15 October, titled ‘Reaction-Driven Formation of Novel Active Sites on Catalytic Surfaces’, where he shared insights from his pioneering work on catalysts.

A leading computational chemist specialising in surface science, Professor Mavrikakis and his research group investigate transition metals and apply their findings to the design of new catalysts and semiconductors. His lecture explored how the surface structure of catalysts evolves during reactant adsorption, with implications for catalyst stability, efficiency, and productivity. These insights provide valuable guidance for the development of next-generation catalysts with enhanced performance and durability.

The John Wilfrid Linnett Visiting Professorship of Chemistry was established in memory of Professor John Wilfrid Linnett, who served as Professor of Physical Chemistry in our Department from 1965, and later as Vice-Chancellor of the University (1973–1975). Professor Linnett made substantial contributions to theoretical chemistry, most notably through the development of the Linnett double-quartet theory.