Michael Sachs

Bio

Michael is a physical chemist developing advanced catalysts for the sunlight-driven production of sustainable fuels, with a particular focus on visible-light-active materials. Leveraging time-resolved techniques, he tracks the movement of charges in real time and at an atomic scale to build a comprehensive picture of a catalyst’s function.

Complemented by extensive computational modelling, the resulting electronic and structural dynamics provide insights into how charges separate, move, and ultimately drive desired chemical transformations. By identifying reactive intermediates and monitoring their temporal evolution, his work informs the rational design of next-generation catalytic systems. Michael’s research bridges Chemistry, Physics, and Data Science.

Current Role at Stanford

In his role as a Research Associate at Stanford University and SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory, Michael investigates the photoinduced electronic and structural dynamics of transition metal complexes, with an emphasis on the reorganization of the solvent environment following photoexcitation. He is responsible for designing and conducting ultrafast x-ray experiments at free-electron laser facilities, along with comprehensive data analysis and modelling of the acquired data.

Honors & Awards

• EPSRC Doctoral Prize Fellowship, Engineering & Physical Sciences Research Council (2019 - 2020)
• Energy Sector PhD Thesis Award, Royal Society of Chemistry (2020)
• Imperial College President’s PhD scholarship, Imperial College London (2015 - 2019)

Education & Certifications

• Ph.D., Imperial College London, Chemistry (2020)
• M.Sc., University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Molecular Science (2015)
• B.Sc., University of Erlangen-Nuremberg, Molecular Science (2013)