Weinberg College welcomes Assistant Professor Bryan Hunter to the Department of Chemistry!
Hunter recently offered insight into his background, research, and what inspired him to pursue his area of study.
Where are you from? Where did you study?
I grew up in Los Angeles, then moved to CT for my undergraduate degree at Yale. After Yale, I moved back to California to obtain my Ph.D. at Caltech. Then, it was back to the East Coast for a Fellowship at Harvard. Now I’ve settled somewhere in between!
What inspired you to pursue your area of study?
Everything we do has a foundation in sustainability and renewable energy. I was excited to learn that chemists are at the forefront of the research that will help power the globe in the future. We’ve expanded our focus, but we remain committed to helping the environment and finding new solutions to complex problems.
Please describe your research.
We are primarily inorganic chemists, so we synthesize molecules and materials based on the transition metals. These materials have the potential to catalyze (speed up) important reactions and use less energy than current processes. Some of our work is fundamental: how do we design and make new phases of materials? Often, we are asking how materials work so that we can design new materials that are even more active.
What are you working on right now that excites you the most?
We have some new materials that haven’t been made before… Stay tuned!
How do you enjoy spending your free time?
I’m a big theatre fan. I like to see shows and go to concerts.
What is most fulfilling to you about teaching?
I love seeing students realize the bigger picture about what they’re learning. Often in general chemistry, the topics and equations seem random and unconnected. But when they all come together to answer a complex question or idea, that’s amazingly exciting.
What accomplishments would you like to share?
My Ph.D. thesis won the Nobel Laureate Signature Award from the American Chemical Society. The prize is a plaque featuring engraved signatures of all the chemistry Nobel Laureates. It’s the coolest award I’ve ever received!
Why did you decide to come to Northwestern?
I think that the chemistry department at Northwestern is one of the best in the country, and the inorganic division is out of this world! I’m excited to be a part of the next age of inorganic here at Northwestern.