image: courtesy Forbes.com
Alum Joaquin Resasco (Ph.D. '17, ChemE) has been named one of "Forbes 30 Under 30 in Science" for 2020! Resasco has been reconginzed for his work aimed around shifting the decades-old paradigm of using petroleum for chemical energy into one that uses water and the atmosphere as stock for commodities, powered by renewable energy. To that end, he’s focused on designing catalysts that can be used for the sustainable production of essential chemicals and polymers.
Alexis Bell, Dow Professor of Sustainable Chemistry and Resasco's graduate advisor at UC Berkeley, said of the announcement, "I am delighted to see Joaquin Resasco's accomplishments and prospects for future success acknowledged by Forbes magazine. He truly deserves this recognition. When he was a graduate student in my group, I greatly enjoyed working with him and, in particular, our animated discussions of how electrolyte composition affects the electrochemical reduction of CO2."
Forbes said of its "30 Under 30" announcement, "A wake-up call to cynics who think they have seen it all. The young, creative and bold minds on this year’s 30 Under 30 list are proof positive that the future will be new, exciting and profoundly different. These entrepreneurs are teaching viruses to fight cancer, developing technology to help astronauts breathe on Mars and creating strings of hit songs that fuel our daily playlists. And that’s just a few. Harnessing our expert community, robust reporting, vigorous vetting and the wisdom of the world’s top investors and entrepreneurs, we evaluated more than 15,000 nominees. The final product: 600 revolutionaries in 20 industries changing the course—and the face—of business and society."
About Joaquin Resasco
Resasco attended the University of Oklahoma for his B.S. in Chemical Engineering. As an undergraduate he developed interest in a range of research topics including polymer self assembly, fluid dynamics, and solid state electronics. He also attended the NSF Research Experience for Undergraudates program at the University of Wisconsin and the University of California, Berkeley.
For his graduate studies, he moved to Berkeley and worked in the Joint Center for Artificial Photosynthesis under the guidance of Professor Alexis Bell. After obtaining his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering, he joined the lab of Professor Phillip Christopher at UC Santa Barbara where he currently is a postdoctoral fellow.