The Wasielewski Group
Certified December, 2024
The Wasielewski group is tackling fundamental challenges in Solar Energy Science and Quantum Information Science. We work at the interface of physical and organic chemistry to explore topics such as coherent dynamics of multi-spin qubit systems, mechanisms of photodriven charge and energy transfer, and solar-to-chemical fuel production.
As a chemistry lab, we recognize that the chemicals and resources we use to maintain productivity can sometimes harm the environment and require large amounts of energy during their production and disposal. Joining the Green Labs program has allowed us to discuss how we can make smarter, more efficient choices to reduce our environmental footprint without compromising the quality of our research. Through this process, we’ve realized that safe lab practices often align with sustainable practices, and both are important to our group.
A key priority in our sustainability efforts is the efficient use of daily resources like nitrogen, water, and energy. For instance, we’ve added “Shut the Sash” reminders to our fume hoods, which are among the lab’s largest energy consumers. We’ve discussed ways to reduce hazardous waste, such as maintaining a chemical inventory, participating in NU’s eCycling program, and substituting safer solvents when possible. We’ve also created a best practices guide tailored to our work, which is shared with new group members to instill a culture of sustainability from the outset.
