Prof Katherine Holt
Professor of Physical Chemistry
Dept of Chemistry
Faculty of Maths & Physical Sciences
- Joined UCL
- 1st Nov 2004
Research summary
My research is focused on different aspects of electrochemical and interfacial science. I have active projects in electrocatalysis (reduction of carbon dioxide, hydrogen generation); properties and characterisation of electrolytes (using in situ IR spectroelectrochemistry); properties and applications of carbon electrodes (diamond, carbon nanomaterials) and electrosynthesis.
Teaching summary
I am currently Vice-Dean Education for the MAPS faculty.
I held the role of Director of Studies / Chair of the Teaching Committee for 4 years from 2014-18. Prior to that I was Teaching Coordinator for the Physical Chemistry Section for 3 years. I am a Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy.
I lecture on Electron Transfer (Electrochemistry) in the Year 3 Advanced Physical Chemistry module (CHEM0037) and Statistical Mechanics in the Year 2 Physical Chemistry module (CHEM0019).
I am module organiser for CHEM0025/6 Instrumental 1 Labs (Year 3) and also demonstrate and assess the Electrochemistry practical for those modules.
I teach data analysis/errors to Year 1 students on the Chemical Skills module (CHEM0006).
Education
- University College London
- Other Postgraduate qualification (including professional), ATQ04 - Recognised by the HEA as a Senior Fellow | 2017
- University of Oxford
- Doctorate, Doctor of Philosophy | 2003
- University of Oxford
- Other higher degree, Master of Chemistry (Honours) | 1999
Biography
My undergraduate MChem degree (1999) is from the University of Oxford. I stayed at Oxford to study for my DPhil (awarded 2003) under the supervision of Prof John S Foord on the topic of boron-doped diamond electrodes. I then spent 2 years as a postdoctoral fellow in the group of Prof Allen Bard at the University of Texas at Austin. I returned to the UK in 2004 to take up a Ramsay Fellowship at UCL, which was followed by a 5 year EPSRC Advanced Research Fellowship. I've been at UCL ever since being promoted to Reader and then Professor in 2018.