Regina García-Méndez completed her bachelor’s in chemical engineering from UVG in Guatemala with a Summa Cum Laude honorary title, followed by a master’s in materials science and engineering from Michigan State University. She then earned her PhD in Materials Science and Engineering from the University of Michigan followed by a post-doctoral research fellowship at Cornell University. During this time, she delved deep into the intricacies of materials and interphase design for highly reversible, long-duration, cost-effective Al batteries and their role in shaping the future of energy solutions.
García-Méndez embarked on a new chapter in her academic career at Johns Hopkins University in September 2023. Her research program is focused on the cutting-edge realms of advanced materials characterization, materials chemistry, and materials processing science. She aims to understand materials’ behavior through multi-scale characterization to address energy and environmental-related challenges and develop scalable energy storage and electrocatalysis technologies for producing renewable fuels.
Her approach is inherently multi-disciplinary, drawing inspiration from materials science, chemical engineering, mechanical engineering, and chemistry. She specializes in synthesizing and functionalizing inorganic materials in the solid state. Her research leverages various characterization tools to unravel the mysteries of materials at multiple scales, including advanced X-ray and neutron scattering, electron and scanning probe microscopy, and molecular and chemical analysis techniques.
Beyond the laboratory, García-Méndez’s vision extends to training the next generation of engineers and scientists equipped to tackle the global challenge of low-carbon energy technology solutions. Her research group at Johns Hopkins University is dedicated to pushing the boundaries of knowledge and nurturing a new wave of innovators who will play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable and cleaner energy future for our planet.
García-Méndez received a Fulbright fellowship for her master’s studies, a Society of Hispanic Professional Engineers community engagement award for her outreach contributions at the University of Michigan, and a Cornell Energy Systems Institute post-doctoral fellowship. She is currently the chair of the Early Career Researcher Board with the Oxford Open Energy Journal.