Prof. Mahdi Abu-Omar

Dr. Mahdi Abu-Omar is a professor specializing in inorganic and organometallic chemistry, with a focus on energy, catalysis, and green chemistry. He earned his Bachelor's degree from Hampden-Sydney College and his Ph.D. from Iowa State University in 1996, followed by a postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology with Professor Harry Gray. He has held academic positions at Purdue University and the University of California, Los Angeles, and is the founder of Spiro Renewable Energy, a company providing sustainable and cost-effective alternatives to petrochemicals. His research focuses on designing catalysts and chemical reactions to produce renewable and recyclable materials. His work has contributed to developing methods for converting lignin into phenols and quinones for use in bioplastics. He also studies chemical recycling of plastics and polyurethane into high-value materials. He received the American Chemical Society’s Award for Affordable Green Chemistry in 2022 and was elected Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) in 2012.