The transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles relies on the development, design, and optimization of new chemistries for electrochemical energy storage and conversion.
The Marbella Lab in the Department of Chemical Engineering at Columbia University is interested in understanding why certain materials fail and why others lead to improved performance in lithium and beyond lithium ion batteries. By addressing the fundamental mechanisms underpinning function, we can devise strategies to tune material performance in applications such as grid storage and electrified transportation that reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Our research is highly collaborative, both within and outside of the group, where diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) is deeply valued. To learn more about initiatives in the Marbella lab to improve DEI at the undergraduate and high school levels, please see our outreach page.
Interested in joining us? Check out the openings in our lab!
Group News
Sept 2022 - Richard defends his PhD thesis! Congratulations!
May 2022 - Naiara is selected as a winner of the EAS Undergraduate Student Research Award & Emily is selected to participate in the Camp 2030 Summit hosted by UNITE 2030! Congratulations to both! Emily also received the Intel SWE Scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year.
Sept 2021 - Congratulations to Bret for passing his qualifying exam!
Jun 2021 - Our group was awarded NSF funding through the Solid State and Materials Chemistry program to study degradation in K ion batteries!
Mar 2021 - Drew, Julia, and Sapna were all awarded NSF GRFP awards! In addition, Drew has also been awarded the DoD NDSEG fellowship! Congratulations!
Feb 2021 - Our group has been awarded a NSF CAREER Award to support our work on interphase chemistry in Li metal batteries! Congratulations to the team!
Dec 2020 - Congratulations to Drew for passing his qualifying exam and welcome to new PhD students Robert and Bret!
Sept 2020 - Julia has passed her qualifying exam! Congratulations Julia!
July 2020 - Columbia University is awarded a NSF MRI Award for a DNP NMR system, led by Lauren, that will serve Columbia, Barnard, and the greater NYC area!
May 2020 - Richard has passed his second year proposal defense and Mateo is awarded the Francis B. F. Rhodes Award in Materials Science and Engineering! Congratulations!
Apr 2020 - Richard is named a DoD NDSEG graduate fellow! Congratulations!
Oct 2019 - Welcome to new PhD students Julia and Drew!
Sept 2019 - Congratulations to Richard for passing his first year qualifying exam!
Aug 2019 - Dr. Amrita Sarkar joins the lab as a postdoctoral researcher—welcome!
July 2019 - We welcome high school students Issaka and Jessica to the lab for 6 weeks over the summer as part of the Engineering the Next Generation Program!
June 2019 - The Marbella Group has been awarded a RISE Award from Columbia to develop in situ LED-NMR together with the McDermott Group! Sapna wins a J&J Scholar Award to do undergraduate research over the summer!