PNNL

Robert (Greg) Felsted joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory in 2023 as a postdoctorate research associate on the Geochemistry Team C in the Physical Sciences Division. He received a BS in chemistry from Brigham Young University in 2017, and an MS and PhD in materials chemistry from the University of Washington in 2018 and 2023, where his research focused on the synthesis, design, and application of rare earth fluoride materials for solid-state laser refrigeration.

Felsted’s current research is focused on the use of ultrafast nonlinear spectroscopy infrared spectroscopy to study femtosecond timescale dynamics of geochemical processes under extreme conditions, such as high pH solutions with near-saturation salinity. His long term research goals are focused on elucidating the interplay of solvent-particle interactions, thermodynamics, and kinetics of geochemical materials at the molecular level under extreme conditions to better understand the formation of complex materials through measuring and modeling the energetics and dynamics of the individual mechanistic steps during chemical reactions. Felsted’s current projects are focused on the use of 2-D infrared spectroscopy to probe the dynamics of various ions in aqueous solutions which are relevant to Department of Energy programs in contaminant control and waste processing.

Felsted currently serves as the chair and representative for the Interfacial Dynamics in Radioactive Environments and Materials (IDREAM) Early Career Network, where he works on assisting early career scientists in developing skills, expertise, and experience in furthering scientific progress.

• Energetics and dynamics of nanoscale materials at ultrafast timescales
• Interfacial spectroscopy, chemistry, and catalysis of geochemical materials
• Nonlinear ultrafast spectroscopy, especially 2-D infrared vibrational spectroscopy

• PhD in materials chemistry, University of Washington
• MS in materials chemistry, University of Washington
• BS in chemistry, Brigham Young University