LLE: Synthesizing Sustainable Systems: Electrochemical Approaches to Greener Chemical Production

The chemical industry is one of the biggest contributors to climate change, with a two-fold dependence on fossil fuels, both as starting materials and as an energy source for chemical reactions. The Baker group aims to reduce this reliance by developing electrochemical reactions that use renewable building blocks, thus increasing process sustainability and enabling new reactivity. Our efforts focus on two complementary feedstocks: carbon dioxide and biomass. Using CO₂ as a carbon source both decreases reliance on fossil-derived feedstocks and converts greenhouse gas emissions into valuable chemicals. In this area, we are advancing electrochemical carboxylation methods that transform simple organic substrates into carboxylic acids and derivatives for pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, fuels, and materials. Additionally, we are developing electrochemical pathways to convert biomass-based feedstock, such as carbohydrates and fatty acids, into useful products including polymer precursors and collectors for mineral flotation. Looking outside of the chemical reactions themselves, we are also improving the
sustainability of the broader electrochemical system, namely, the electrodes and electrolyte. Together, this work points toward new strategies for carbon-neutral and carbon-negative chemical
manufacturing.

Speaker Bio

Dr. Rachel Baker is the inaugural Robins Family Assistant Professor of Engineering Chemistry at Queen’s University, where she began her appointment in 2023, with a cross-appointment to the Department of Chemistry. She completed her BASc in Engineering Chemistry at Queen’s, her PhD with Dr. Mark Lautens at the University of Toronto, and a postdoctoral fellowship with Dr. Karthish Manthiram at Caltech. Rachel’s research group develops carbon-neutral and carbon-negative chemical processes by integrating electrochemical reaction optimization with catalyst and reactor design, aiming to reduce the chemical industry’s fossil fuel dependence and carbon footprint. She has published 12 papers in high impact peer-reviewed journals including Nature and the Journal of the American Chemical Society, has 11 patents and patent applications and has secured over $1 million in funding. Her early impact on the scientific community has earned her a place on the 2025 Forbes 30 Under 30 list for Science, 2024 Kingston Young Professionals 40 Under 40, and the 2024 John Charles Polanyi Prize in Chemistry. Rachel has supervised 23 HQP, of which several have won awards while under her guidance, such as the NSERC Canada Graduate Scholarship – Master’s award, and the Women in Engineering Undergraduate Summer Research Award, underscoring her passion for leading the next generation of scientists and engineers