Steven Chu, Director, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, has been the formative influence in establishing Helios. Steve is the director of the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, and professor of Physics and Cellular and Molecular Biology of the University of California, Berkeley. Steve’s research in atomic physics, quantum electronics, polymer and biophysics include tests of fundamental theories in physics, the development of methods to laser cool and trap atoms, atom interferometry, and the manipulation and study of polymers and biological systems at the single molecule level. He has received numerous awards, including co-recipient of the 1997 Nobel Prize in Physics. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences, the American Philosophical Society, the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, the Academia Sinica, the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Korean Academy of Science and Engineering. In recent years, he has spoken widely to political and scientific leaders and the public on the need of applying emergent technologies to solve world-wide energy concerns.
Paul Alivisatos, Co-Leader of The Helios Project, is the Associate Director for Physical Sciences and director of the Materials Sciences Division at Berkeley Lab. An authority on artificial nanostructure synthesis and inventor of the quantum dot technology, Paul is the UC Berkeley Chancellor's Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science and a co-founder of several companies, including Quantum Dot and Nanosys. Recipient of many awards, Paul is also a member of the National Academy of Science. In Helios, he will use nanotechnology in the efficient capture of sunlight and its conversion to electricity to drive economical fuel production processes.
Jay Keasling, Co-Leader of The Helios Project, is the Director of the Physical Biosciences Division at Berkeley Lab, and a groundbreaking researcher in the new scientific field of synthetic biology. He is a UC Berkeley professor of Chemical and Bioengineering, and founder of Amyris Biotechnologies, a company that was honored as a Technology Pioneer for 2006 by the World Economic Forum. Jay has succeeded in using synthetic biology to develop a yeast-based production scheme for precursors of the antimalarial drug artemisinin in work funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. In Helios, Jay heads the biology program, incorporating a range of approaches to increasing the efficacy and economy of plants and cellulose-degrading microbes to make solar-based fuels.
Other Participants
David Chandler is the Bruce Mahan Professor of Physical Chemistry at UC Berkeley and a member of Chemical Sciences Division and participant in the Materials Sciences and Physical Biosciences Divisions of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL). A theoretician, his expertise is in the areas of statistical mechanics and quantum mechanics, applying these disciplines to understand structure and dynamics in complex systems. Many years ago, David and his collaborators carried out seminal computer simulation studies of electron transfer processes, and more recently he and his students created the method of transition path sampling. In the Helios Program, he plans to develop and tune those techniques for the study of pathways for catalysis and self-assembly. He will also provide leadership for the Helios Theory Discipline. David is the author of over 200 scientific publications. He is a member of the National Academy of Sciences and the recipient of numerous other honors from learned societies and universities.
David Dornfeld, the Will C. Hall Family Professor of Engineering at UC Berkeley and a member of the Engineering Division at LBL, is a specialist in complex manufacturing processes and systems, such as those needed to fabricate the systems contemplated as part of this proposal. The feasibility of scale up, manufacturing and related systems, including prototype testing, will be a critical issue in determining the practicality and ultimate impact of Helios energy technology and set the stage for commercialization of the developed technology. Professor Dornfeld leads the Process Engineering/Manufacturing discipline for Helios and will impact all project areas. David received the Japan Society of Precision Engineering (JSPE) Takagi Award in 2005 and Society of Manufacturing Engineers (SME) Frederick W. Taylor Research Medal in 2004 for his research on precision manufacturing.
Graham Fleming is the Deputy Laboratory Director at LBNL and the Melvin Calvin Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley. He is an expert in ultrafast spectroscopy, the primary processes of photosynthesis, condensed phase dynamics, and photophysics. He will contribute to Helios projects involving light harvesting and its regulation and photoinduced electron transfer. Graham is a Fellow of the Royal Society and a member of the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
Heinz Frei is a Senior Scientist in the Physical Biosciences Division of LBNL. His expertise is broadly in vibrational spectroscopy and laser photochemistry in solids. Focusing on visible light-induced chemistry in nanoporous solids, he has established the field of charge transfer-induced hydrocarbon oxidation in zeolites and developed nanosecond FT-infrared spectroscopy as a mechanistic tool. In Helios, he will be responsible for the Integrated Systems Project where he brings photochemical and spectroscopic tools to the research effort on integrated solar to fuel assemblies, and build on his recent development of inorganic polynuclear photocatalysts in nanoporous silicas for carbon dioxide reduction and water oxidation. Heinz’ recognitions include the Werner-Prize of the Swiss Chemical Society and numerous invited and plenary lectures at conferences on time-resolved vibrational spectroscopy, photochemistry in zeolites and matrices, oxidation catalysis, and carbon dioxide activation. He is currently a Division Deputy and a member of the Department of Energy’s Laboratory Working Group.
Phillip Geissler, LBNL Physical Bioscience and Asst. Prof, UC Berkeley Chemistry Department, is a theoretical chemist who specializes in the statistical mechanics of soft, disordered materials. For Helios projects that involve solution-phase chemistry, membrane physics, and molecular assembly, he will perform calculations to reveal microscopic mechanisms and guide the development of experimental systems. Phill will participate extensively in designing adaptive systems to regulate and repair light-harvesting molecules and in interfacing biological components with inorganic materials. He is a fellow of the David and Lucile Packard Foundation and of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation.
Jay T. Groves is a member of the LBNL Physical Biosciences Division and Department of Chemistry, UC Berkeley. He has focused his research extensively on the interface between organic/ living materials and inorganic materials. In the Helios effort his group will play a significant role in seeking to establish charge transport coupling between photosynthetic bacteria and conducting surfaces. They also expect to contribute materials expertise in the ethanol separation from water subproject with respect to mesoporous silica materials, which will be derivitized with organic peptoids for this application. For his work in these areas, Jay was recognized by the Langmuir Lecture (2005), NSF CAREER (2005), Beckman Young Investigator's Award (2004), MIT TR100 (2003), Searle Scholar's Award (2002), and Burroughs Wellcome Career Award (2000).
Nathan Lewis is George L. Argyros Professor of Chemistry at the California Institute of Technology. He also serves as the Principal Investigator of the Beckman Institute Molecular Materials Resource Center at Caltech. Among his awards is the National Fresenius Award for outstanding chemist under 35 years of age, the ACS Award in Pure Chemistry, the Orton Memorial Lecture award, and the Princeton Environmental Award. Nate has published over 200 papers in Helios-relevant areas of research such as light-induced electron transfer reactions, surface chemistry and photochemistry of semiconductor/liquid interfaces, and novel uses of conducting organic polymers and polymer/conductor composites. In the Helios Project he will design and lead the program in photoelectrochemical systems and oversee the crosscutting knowledge-base development areas.
Arun Majumdar is the Almy & Agnes Maynard Professor in Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering at UC Berkeley and a member of Materials Science Division at LBL. His expertise is broadly in the areas of charge, energy, and fluidic transport in low-dimensional nanostructures as well as thermodynamics of molecular recognition. Dr. Majumdar will be responsible for the discipline of “Separations” in the Helios program, which will investigate low-cost and energy-efficient approaches to purifying fuel from a mixture. While helping in the planning and execution of the Helios project at LBNL, he will also develop partnerships and collaborations with outside private and government institutions. A member of the National Academy of Engineering, Dr. Majumdar is the Director of Berkeley Nanosciences and Nanoengineering Institute, an advisor on nanotechnology to the President’s Council of Advisors on Science & Technology (PCAST), and a member of the Council of Materials Science and Engineering at the Department of Energy.
Tasios Melis is Professor of Enzymology at UC Berkeley and Faculty Biologist at the LBNL’s Environmental Energy Technologies Division (EETD). His expertise is broadly based in the fields of photobiology, molecular biophysics and bioenergy. He has contributed with pioneering efforts in photosynthesis and biofuels research, notably hydrogen and bio-oils. Has authored over 200 peer-refereed original papers, review articles and book chapters. He has received fellowship awards from the Swedish Natural Science Research Council, British Science and Engineering Research Council, and Japanese Ministry of Education, Science and Technology, among others. He has received Research Achievement Awards from the DaimlerChrysler Corporation and the DOE EERE Hydrogen Program. In the context of “Helios”, Tasios will direct the Oleomics (Fuel-producing plants) Project in its entirety. He will help define and coordinate the work to be performed under the various subtopics so as to maintain integration of effort, focus and productivity.
John Newman is Professor of Chemical Engineering at UC Berkeley and staff member of the EETD at LBNL. An author of over 300 papers in relevant areas such as electrochemical and photoelectrochemical processes and photovoltaics, he is also the author of a well-known and authoritative text in electrochemistry. His focus has been on mathematical analysis of paths to efficient and economical methods for electrochemical energy conversion and storage. He will apply his knowledge and expertise as leader of the Helios photochemistry thrust area and researcher therein. John holds 21 patents and has received numerous awards including the Onsager Professorship at the Norwegian University of Science and Technology in Trondheim in 2002. He is a member of the National Academy of Engineering
Krishna K. Niyogi, LBNL Physical Biosciences staff member and Associate Professor in the UC Berkeley Department of Plants and Microbial Biology, brings expertise in the use of molecular genetic, genomic, biochemical, and physiological approaches to study the regulation of natural photosynthesis and its protection from photo-oxidative damage. He will contribute to projects aimed at production of lipid-based fuels in microalgae and plants, development of transferable regulation of light harvesting, coupling of cyanobacteria to conducting surfaces, and bioengineering of inorganic nanostructures. He has received the Charles Albert Shull Award from the American Society of Plant Biologists (2005), the Melvin Calvin Award from the International Society of Photosynthesis Research (2001), a Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers (1998-2003), and a Searle Scholar Award (1998-2002).
Daniel G. Nocera is the W. M. Keck Professor of Energy at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He studies renewable energy at the molecular level with emphasis of solar-driven water splitting. The overall reactions require the coupling of multielectron processes to protons and are energetically uphill, thus requiring a light input. Nocera has made contributions to each of these areas of science. Most examples of multielectron photoreactions have originated from his research group in the past decade. Nocera and his graduate student Alan Heyduk described the first molecule to produce hydrogen photocatalytically from homogeneous solutions of hydrohalic acid. He recently developed a catalyst for the production of oxygen from water. Nocera’s research in energy conversion has been featured on the nationally broadcast television programs, ABC Nightline and PBS NOVA in the US and Explora in Europe. In 2005, he was awarded the Italgas Prize for his fundamental contributions to the development of renewable energy at the molecular level.
Chris Somerville is Director, Carnegie Institution and Professor, Stanford University. His expertise is in plant molecular genetics, cell biology and biochemistry, with particular emphasis on lipid biochemistry and polysaccharide biochemistry. Chris’ contribution to the Helios project will be as a member of the advisory committee. Additionally, he will be a participant in research projects within the areas focusing on synthetic biological approaches and integrated systems. Awards and honors include: Genetics Society, Mendel Medal (2004); Biochemical Society, Hopkins Medal (2004); Kuhmo Award (2001); U.S. National Academy of Sciences (1996); ASPB Gibbs Medal (1993); Humbolt Senior Research Award (1992); Fellow of Royal Society London (1991); Schull Award (1987)
T. Don Tilley is Professor of Chemistry at UC Berkeley, and Group Leader for the Catalysis and Chemical Transformations program within the Chemical Sciences Division of LBNL. His research group focuses on various projects in the general areas of transition metal and materials chemistry, and catalysis. His recognitions include the ACS Award in Organometallic Chemistry and the Wacker Silicon Award. He served as Chair of the ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry in 2003. He will participate in HELIOS activities associated with the development of new catalysts and nanostructured materials for applications in the conversion of solar energy to chemical fuels, and will lead the Helios discipline area in Catalysis.
Peidong Yang is a member of the MSD, LBL and Associate Professor of Chemistry, UC Berkeley. Research in his group has been focused on one-dimensional semiconductor nanostructures and their applications in nanophotonics, energy conversion and nanofluidics. Within the Helios program, the Yang group will carry out research in porous nanostructure design and synthesis, proton transport, solar energy harvesting and water splitting with nanostructured materials. His research efforts will span several areas within the Helios program, including photo-voltaics, catalysis, photoelectrochemistry and separation. Yang is the recipient of Alfred P. Sloan research fellowship, the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Young Investigator Award, MRS Young Investigator Award, Julius Springer Prize for Applied Physics, and ACS Pure Chemistry Award.
Elaine A Chandler, Program Development and Project Management, LBNL Materials Sciences. Before joining LBNL in late 2004, Elaine worked at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory as a theoretical physicist in Defense Technologies. She led many unclassified focused basic science projects involving researchers from several disciplines. These projects included the multi-scale modeling Dynamics of Metals Group, which grew to be the nexus for researchers worldwide; the LLNL component of the DOE NNSA Dynamic Materials experimental science campaign; and the LLNL component of the ASC Materials and Physics program. Her total oversight was in excess of $40M annually in 2004. During the last decade she worked with NNSA personnel to develop an effective approach to applying milestone-based management to focused basic research. She brings this experience and the sensitivity developed by working for years in multi-disciplinary groups, to Helios Project development. Elaine served at DOE headquarters as a member of the Science Advisory Panel of Vic Reis, Assistant Sec of Defense Programs in 1997. She currently is Chair of the University of Illinois Physics Advisory Board, and a member of the DOE NNSA ASC Predictive Science and Technology Panel.