Physical Sciences Division
A computational chemist by training with experience in correlated methods and tran-sition metal chemistry, Vanda has expanded her research portfolio to include con-densed systems relevant to materials and carbon capture, sequestration, and conversion. The focus of her recent work is the structure, vibrational spectroscopy, and structure/activity correlations in a diverse ensemble of systems that commonly include carbon dioxide. These studies have enabled an intimate knowledge of carbon dioxide chemistry that is transferrable to other research problems, including the following:
- Catalytic activity of metal clusters on various oxide supports
- Catalyst design for transmetalation reactions
- Mechanistic studies for secondary methane recovery
- Studies of CO/CO2 sorption mechanism on oxides
- Solvent transformation for post-combustion carbon dioxide separation
- Mechanistic studies for metal organic framework nucleation and growth
- Solvatochromic effects in surface-supported chromophores
She works closely with experimental groups and provide insights regarding mechanistic details, as well as guide synthesis of novel catalytic systems.