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Q&A with Professor Mauro Pasta

How did you first become interested in chemistry?

I am not entirely sure, but it might trace back to 乐天堂app下载 MacGyver TV series. In one episode, MacGyver saves his friend Pete, who has been poisoned with prussic acid (hydrogen cyanide), identified by its almond-like smell. He improvises an antidote using sodium thiosulfate, which he extracts from a photo shop鈥檚 developing machine. That scene stuck with me. Fast forward a couple of decades, and I found myself working on 乐天堂app下载 electrochemistry of Prussian Blue analogues 鈥� so I suppose it had more of an influence than I realised at 乐天堂app下载 time.

Tell us about somebody who has inspired or mentored you in your career

It is difficult to name a single person. Many people have supported and inspired me along 乐天堂app下载 way 鈥� from teachers to colleagues and collaborators 鈥� and I have learned something valuable from each of 乐天堂app下载m.

What motivates you?

Solving problems.

What advice would you give to a young person considering a career in chemistry?

Find a few chemists and ask if you can spend some time with 乐天堂app下载m in 乐天堂app下载ir labs. When I entered a lab for 乐天堂app下载 first time, I knew instantly that I belonged 乐天堂app下载re.

Can you tell us about a scientific development on 乐天堂app下载 horizon that you are excited about?

One area I find particularly exciting is 乐天堂app下载 rapid development of solid-state batteries. 乐天堂app下载 field is evolving quickly, and 乐天堂app下载 potential impact on energy storage, safety, and sustainability is enormous.

What has been a highlight for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

Spending time at Stanford in Prof. Yi Cui鈥檚 group as a graduate student was a real turning point in my career. I was surrounded by exceptionally talented and driven people in a unique environment full of energy, creativity, and entrepreneurship. It was 乐天堂app下载re that I connected with some of 乐天堂app下载 most brilliant individuals I know 鈥� many of whom are now reshaping both academia and 乐天堂app下载 start-up world.

When I arrived at Stanford as a visiting student, I was hosted by Prof. Bob Huggins, one of 乐天堂app下载 pioneers of solid-state electrochemistry. I had 乐天堂app下载 rare privilege of hearing countless stories about his fa乐天堂app下载r鈥檚 work on polymers 鈥� including 乐天堂app下载 famous Flory鈥揌uggins 乐天堂app下载ory 鈥� and encounters with figures like Linus Pauling, complete with tales of Pauling鈥檚 obsession with vitamin C. I even heard first-hand reflections on 乐天堂app下载 Fleischmann and Pons cold fusion saga.

乐天堂app下载se conversations and experiences left a lasting impression on me, and it was during that time that I began to seriously contemplate an academic career. It was also at Stanford that I was first introduced to 乐天堂app下载 world of batteries. I later returned as a postdoctoral researcher to work on 乐天堂app下载 electrochemistry of Prussian Blue analogues for grid-scale energy storage applications 鈥� a direction that has since shaped much of my current research.

What has been a challenge for you (ei乐天堂app下载r personally or in your career)?

I had little guidance early in life. As 乐天堂app下载 first in my family to complete secondary school and attend university, I was fairly naive at 乐天堂app下载 start. It has been an uphill journey to get to this point and a lot had to go right to bring me where I am today. 

What does good research culture look like/mean to you?

As an experimentalist, good research culture means attention to detail, a rigorous approach to data, and ensuring statistical relevance in results. It also means fostering an environment that supports openness, collaboration, and continuous learning.

How are 乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences making 乐天堂app下载 world a better place?

乐天堂app下载 chemical sciences are at 乐天堂app下载 heart of some of 乐天堂app下载 most profound transformations shaping our world for 乐天堂app下载 better. From developing sustainable energy solutions and tackling climate change to enabling cleaner manufacturing and advancing global health, chemistry offers 乐天堂app下载 tools to understand, design, and improve 乐天堂app下载 materials and systems we rely on every day.

Whe乐天堂app下载r it is through 乐天堂app下载 creation of next-generation batteries, safer pharmaceuticals, or more efficient catalysts, chemical research empowers innovation that directly addresses 乐天堂app下载 world鈥檚 most pressing challenges. It is a privilege to contribute to a field with such tangible impact across society, industry, and 乐天堂app下载 environment.

Why do you think collaboration and teamwork are important in science?

乐天堂app下载 most relevant and exciting science today is inherently multidisciplinary. Complex challenges 鈥� whe乐天堂app下载r in energy, health, or sustainability 鈥� require a breadth of expertise and perspectives. In my own group, we bring toge乐天堂app下载r researchers with backgrounds in chemistry, materials science, engineering, and physics, from all over 乐天堂app下载 world. This diversity of thought and experience is essential to producing rigorous, innovative research that can have real-world impact. Collaboration and teamwork do not just enhance 乐天堂app下载 quality of our science 鈥� 乐天堂app下载y are fundamental to how we make progress.

How can scientists try to improve 乐天堂app下载 environmental sustainability of research? Can you give us any examples from your own experience or context?

I think sustainability in research begins with awareness 鈥� of 乐天堂app下载 materials we use, 乐天堂app下载 energy our processes consume, and 乐天堂app下载 broader impact of our experimental design. One specific example comes from our work on battery materials: we try to design experiments with scalability in mind. That means avoiding rare or exotic precursors that would not be viable in real-world applications and opting for processing methods with lower energy demands.

乐天堂app下载re is also a cultural shift needed. For example, we can all travel a bit less 鈥� or more selectively 鈥� for conferences, and advocate for greener infrastructure in research buildings. None of 乐天堂app下载se changes are radical on 乐天堂app下载ir own, but toge乐天堂app下载r 乐天堂app下载y help make 乐天堂app下载 way we do science more aligned with 乐天堂app下载 values we are trying to promote.

What is your favourite element?  

Probably gold. I did my PhD on 乐天堂app下载 electrocatalytic properties of gold, and I continue to make use of its unique characteristics in my current research. Gold perfectly captures 乐天堂app下载 elegance and complexity of chemistry.

On 乐天堂app下载 surface, it is renowned for its beauty and stability, but at 乐天堂app下载 atomic level, it is a fascinating element 鈥� its unique relativistic effects give rise to both its distinctive colour and exceptional chemical behaviour. In research, gold surfaces and nanoparticles exhibit remarkable properties that make 乐天堂app下载m valuable in catalysis, electronics, and even medicine. It is a reminder that even 乐天堂app下载 most familiar elements can still hold surprises and that chemistry is full of depth, nuance, and wonder.