Stacey Bent

Stacey Bent is a distinguished professor and academic leader at Stanford University with an extensive career in chemical engineering, materials science, and sustainable energy research. Here are key details about her background and accomplishments:

Academic Positions

Stacey Bent currently holds several prominent roles at Stanford University:

• Professor of Chemical Engineering
• Professor of Energy Science and Engineering in the Stanford Doerr School of Sustainability
• Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs (since 2019, stepping down in early 2025)
• Courtesy appointments in Chemistry, Materials Science and Engineering, and Electrical Engineering

She is also the Jagdeep and Roshni Singh Professor in the School of Engineering and the Bert and Candace Forbes University Fellow in Undergraduate Education.12

Education and Early Career

• B.S. in Chemical Engineering from UC Berkeley (1987)
• Ph.D. in Chemistry from Stanford University (1992)
• Postdoctoral fellow at AT&T Bell Laboratories
• Assistant Professor of Chemistry at New York University (1994-1998)
• Joined Stanford University faculty in 1998124

Research Focus

Professor Bent's research centers on:

• Surface and interfacial chemistry
• Materials synthesis
• Applications in sustainable energy, semiconductor processing, and nanotechnology
• Specific areas include nanoelectronics, solar cells, solar fuels, batteries, and catalysts2

Honors and Awards

Stacey Bent has received numerous prestigious awards and recognitions:

• Elected to the National Academy of Engineering (2020)
• Fellow of the American Chemical Society and American Vacuum Society
• ACS Award in Surface Chemistry (2018)
• SRC Technical Excellence Award (2020)
• ALD Innovator Award (2021)
• Braskem Award for Excellence in Materials Engineering and Science (AIChE, 2021)13

Leadership and Service

Beyond her research, Professor Bent has made significant contributions to Stanford University's academic community:

• Served as Director of the TomKat Center for Sustainable Energy for 10 years
• Co-Director of the Center on Nanostructuring for Efficient Energy Conversion
• Senior Fellow in the Precourt Institute for Energy
• Affiliated Faculty Member of the Woods Institute for the Environment2

As Vice Provost for Graduate Education and Postdoctoral Affairs, she has led initiatives to address graduate education costs, enhance financial support for students and postdocs, and improve diversity in academia.5