Samira Siahrostami is a Swiss‑Iranian chemical engineer and academic researcher specializing in catalysis and electrochemical energy conversion. She holds a professorship in the Department of Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in Switzerland, where she leads the Laboratory of Catalysis and Materials Science (LCS).
Research focus
Siahrostami’s work concentrates on the design and mechanistic understanding of catalytic materials for key electrochemical reactions, including the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), carbon dioxide reduction reaction (CO₂RR), and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Her methodology integrates density‑functional theory (DFT) calculations, microkinetic modeling, and operando spectroscopic techniques to elucidate reaction pathways and guide the synthesis of efficient, scalable catalysts.
Education and career
- Ph.D. in chemical engineering, École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL).
- Postdoctoral research positions in the United States, including at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT).
- Joined EPFL as a tenure‑track faculty member, subsequently promoted to full professor (date of promotion not specified in publicly available sources).
Funding and recognition
Siahrostami has been awarded European Research Council (ERC) grants to support her research program. She has also received funding from the Swiss National Science Foundation and other national and international agencies.
Publications and impact
She has authored numerous peer‑reviewed articles in high‑impact journals such as Nature Catalysis, Journal of the American Chemical Society, and Energy & Environmental Science. Her publications are widely cited for advancing the theoretical framework of electrocatalysis and for demonstrating experimentally validated catalyst designs.
Professional service
Siahrostami serves on editorial boards of several scientific journals and participates in international conference committees related to catalysis and energy research.
Note: Specific dates of appointment, promotion, and detailed biographical data are not uniformly documented in publicly accessible encyclopedic sources.