Kristin Persson

Professor of Materials Science and Engineering; Director of the Molecular Foundry; Director of the Materials Project

Kristin Persson is a materials scientist whose research focuses on data-driven materials design and understanding. She develops methods that incorporate machine-learning, experimental information and computational databases to predict material properties, understand and predict synthesis and characterization to accelerate innovation. Persson has pioneered the data-driven design of materials for batteries, photovoltaics, and catalysis, and more recently has advanced fundamental understanding of interfacial solid-liquid and solid-solid reactivity using machine-learning, reaction networks and kinetics in model amorphous interfaces.  Her research has enabled the Materials Project, a global open-access resource for materials data, analysis and machine learning. 

She is the Daniel M. Tellep Distinguished Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at UC Berkeley. She is a member of the US National Academy of Engineering, and the Royal Swedish Academy of Science, class of Chemistry. She mentors students in computational materials science, chemistry and sustainable energy.