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My project is centered around the electrocatalytic upgrading of biomass-derived model compounds, with a focus on engineering heterogeneous electrocatalysts. The specific aim of my thesis is to characterize the role of an applied electrical potential on a catalytic surface reaction mechanism, identify descriptors that influence the selectivity and activity of these reactions, and finally design/synthesize an optimized electrocatalyst based on these descriptors. The overall goal is to increase the carbon efficiency of bioproduct/biofuel production by pairing an electrocatalytic upgrading process with conventional methods of biomass conversion (thermochemical, biochemical, etc).