Nicolai Lehnert

Nicolai Lehnert is a Professor of Chemistry and Biophysics at the Department of Chemistry, University of Michigan. He studied Chemistry at the Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany, and obtained his Diploma in Chemistry in 1995. He then moved to the Johannes Gutenberg-University Mainz, Germany, were he received his Ph.D. in 1999 working on model systems for nitrogenase under supervision of Priv.-Doz. Dr. F. Tuczek and Prof. Dr. P. Gütlich. He then joined the group of Prof. Dr. E. I. Solomon at Stanford University, USA for postdoctoral research from 1999 to 2001. In November 2001, he started as a Habilitand (senior research assistant, includes the conduction of independent research) at the Institute of Inorganic Chemistry, Christian-Albrechts-University Kiel, Germany. After completion of his Habilitation (qualification for permanent faculty positions at German Universities) in 2006 he accepted a faculty position at the University of Michigan, where he started in September 2006 as an Assistant Professor. He received a number of awards, including a JSPS Invitation Fellowship (2008), an NSF CAREER Award (2009), a 3M Non-Tenured Faculty Award (2011), the prestigious John Dewey Teaching Award (2016), the Harold R. Johnson Diversity Service Award (2018) and the Carol Hollenshead Inspire Award for Excellence in Promoting Equity & Social Change (2021) from the University of Michigan. From 2007–2011 he was the Dow-Corning Assistant Professor of Chemistry. In 2012 he was promoted to Associate Professor with tenure, and in 2016 to the rank of Professor. His work is focused on the coordination chemistry of nitric oxide and its derivatives as it pertains to biological systems, especially NO sensing and detoxification. More recently he has also developed research programs in biocatalysis (artificial metalloenzymes) and electrocatalysis, the latter being focused on immobilization of molecular catalysts on electrode surfaces to drive energy-related reactions (especially proton reduction), and nitrate reduction for waste water remediation and sustainability. A particular expertise of his group is the application of physical and theoretical methods to coordination compounds and corresponding catalysts. Lehnert has published more than 190 scientific papers in renowned journals and presented more than 140 invited conference and departmental seminar presentations.

KEYWORDS: sustainability, catalysis and electrocatalysis, nitrogen cycle, nitrate reduction