Steve Farrell
Goldhaber Fellow, National Synchrotron Light Source II
Brookhaven National Laboratory
National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 743, Room C09E
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
Steve is a Goldhaber Fellow in the NSLS-II Spectroscopy Program, studying structure-activity relationships in nanoscale 2D heterogeneous catalysts in collaboration with the Catalysis: Reactivity & Structure Group. This work primarily probes catalyst structure in situ during conversion of methane to C1 oxygenate products using synchrotron X-ray spectroscopy and scattering techniques.
Expertise | Education | Appointments | Publications | Awards | Video
Expertise
- 2D Materials
- Nanoscale Synthesis
- Heterogeneous Catalysis
- High-Pressure In Situ X-ray Characterization
Education
Ph.D., New York University, Brooklyn, NY (Materials Chemistry), 2023
B.S./M.S., Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA (Chemical Engineering), 2014
Professional Appointments
Goldhaber Fellow NSLS-II, Spectroscopy Program, Aug 2024 - Present
Research Associate NSLS-II, Spectroscopy Program, Dec 2023 - Present
Graduate Research Assistant, New York University, Tandon School of Engineering, Sep 2018 - Nov 2023
Process Development Engineer, Johnson Matthey, Clean Air Division, Nov 2015 - Aug 2018
Process Engineer, Johnson Matthey, Process Technology Division, Sep 2014 - Nov 2015
Selected Publications
- Farrell SL, Khwaja M, Paredes IJ, et al (2024) Elucidating Local Structure and Positional Effect of Dopants in Colloidal Transition Metal Dichalcogenide Nanosheets for Catalytic Hydrogenolysis. The Journal of Physical Chemistry C. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jpcc.3c07408
Awards & Recognition
2024 Goldhaber Distinguished Fellowship
2021 DOE Office of Science Graduate Student Research (SCGSR) Program Award
Featured Video
What Makes a Catalyst Tick
October 14, 2025
Steve Farrell, a scientist at Brookhaven Lab, explains how X-ray absorption spectroscopy at NSLS-II shines X-rays into cobalt to uncover its role in improving catalysis at the atomic level. In this installment of NSLS-II Science Shorts, learn how synchrotron science can analyze catalyst structures to improve molybdenum disulfide, a catalyst with many important applications, like refining crude oil.
Brookhaven National Laboratory
National Synchrotron Light Source II
Bldg. 743, Room C09E
P.O. Box 5000
Upton, NY 11973-5000
