# Agnes Thorarinsdottir Environmental Fellow: 2020-2022 PhD, Chemistry, Northwestern University Current Position: Assistant Professor of Chemistry, University of Rochester ![agnes-thumb.jpg](/sites/g/files/omnuum10846/files/styles/hwp_4_5__480x600/public/agnes-thumb.jpg?itok=6e0sjjlA) email *Agnes Thorarinsdottir is an inorganic chemist studying the physical and chemical properties of metal catalysts that facilitate the conversion of solar energy to chemical fuels under environmentally benign conditions.* Agnes earned a BS in Chemistry from the University of Iceland in 2015 and a PhD in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2019. Her doctoral work focused on manipulating the electronic structure of transition metal-based molecular compounds to design bioresponsive magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents and to elucidate design principles for molecule-based magnets with high operating temperatures. While at Northwestern she served as the president of the Northwestern's Chemistry Honor Society Phi Lambda Upsilon and the vice-president of the student-led safety organization Research Safety Student Initiative, which she co-founded. As an Environmental Fellow, Agnes will work with Professor Daniel Nocera from the Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology. Their work will focus on developing new sustainable catalysts for the solar-driven splitting of natural water into oxygen and hydrogen, and using spectroscopic techniques to study their electronic structures in operando conditions. ## Faculty Host [Daniel G. Nocera](/people/daniel-g-nocera), Chemistry and Chemical Biology - ## Alphabetical by Last Name [P-T](/alphabetical-last-name/p-t) - ## Fellows Status [Former](/fellows-status/former) - ## Role [Fellows](/role/fellows)