Carlo Santoro got his B.S. (2006) and M.S. (2008) in Environmental Engineering at the Politecnico di Milano (Italy) working on transport phenomena in Direct Methanol Fuel Cells. He earned his PhD in 2013 in Environmental Engineering at the University of Connecticut (USA) working on novel materials for Microbial Fuel Cells. After his PhD, he moved to the University of New Mexico (USA) in the Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering working on: i) bacteria attachment of different surfaces and biofilm formation; ii) enzymes for the reduction of oxygen and for biosensing; iii) synthesis of carbonaceous materials as support for catalysis. In 2014, he moved to the Nanyang Technological University (Singapore) and he developed a biosensor capable of detecting VOCs. In 2015, he moved back to the University of New Mexico (USA) at the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering where he did work on platinum-free catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) along the entire pH spectra and integration of supercapacitors and bioelectrochemical systems. In 2016, he was promoted as Research Assistant Professor. In 2017, he became Associate Professor at UWE Bristol (UK). In 2020, he joined the Department of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science (University of Manchester) in 2020 where he was a Lecturer. In 2021, he joined the Department of Materials Science at the University of Milano-Bicocca as tenure track Assistant Professor. In 2024, he was promoted as Associate Professor.

During his Post Doctoral Research period, he has been PI of a project “The development of air-breathing cathodes for BioElectrochemical Sanitation Technology (BEST) systems” sponsored by the J. Craig Venter Institute (2015-2016). He has been co-PI of: i) “BioElectrochemical Treatment System (BETS) to remove contaminants of emerging concern” sponsored by the USAMRMC (2015-2017), ii) “Efficient Microbial Bio-electrochemical Systems” sponsored by the Bill & Melinda Gate (2015-2017), iii) “Biofilm evolution in microbial fuel cells fed Yeo Valley wastewater” sponsored by the National Biofilm Innovation Center (2019). 

He is currently Principal Investigator of: 

1) a project sponsored by the Cariplo Foundation: "Transformation of plastic waste in Electrocatalysts, Supported by exhausted gases recovery Layout" (TESLA) (2023-2025), 

2) a bilateral project Italy-Israel funded by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation (MAECI) "Development of Ultra-active platinum-free electrocatalysts for water electrolysis: Breaking the glass ceiling and fulfilling the potential of alkaline water electrolysis and AEMFCs" (WE-CAT) (2023-2024), 

3) PNRR Agreement ENEA -Bicocca (2023-2025).

Project completed as PI

Program for young researchers “Rita Levi Montalcini” Italian Ministry of University and Research (MIUR): "Pyrolysis processes for valorizing waste biomass and plastic through transformation into platinum-free catalysts for oxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution" (2021-2023); 

He is author of more than 125 peer-reviewed manuscripts (H-index=51, Scholar)

He presented over 110 contributions oral and poster presentations. 

He served as Vice-Chair of Division 2 for the International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE) (terms 2021-2022). He is serving as Chair Elect of Division 2 of ISE (terms 2023-204). 

His work is dedicated to electrocatalysis and bioelectrocatalysis for various electrochemical and bioelectrochemical reactions.

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS

ECS - Electrochemical Society 

ACS - American Chemical Society 

ISE – International Society of Electrochemistry

BES – Bioelectrochemical Society

ISMET – International Society for Microbial Electrochemical Technologies 

SCI – Societa’ Italiana di Chimica (Italian Society of Chemistry) – Electrochemistry Division

EFCE – European Federation of Chemical Engineering - Electrochemical Engineering 

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCES

01-2024 / currently – Associate Professor - UNIVERSITY OF MILANO-BICOCCA (UNIMIB)- Department of Materials Science

01-2021 / 01-2024 – Tenure Track Assistant Professor - UNIVERSITY OF MILANO-BICOCCA (UNIMIB)- Department of Materials Science

03-2020 / 01-2021 – Lecturer - UNIVERSITY OF MANCHESTER (UMAN) - School of Chemical Engineering and Analytical Science

10-2017 / 01-2020 - Associate Professor - University of the West of England Bristol (UWE Bristol)

03-2016 / 09-2017 - Research Assistant Professor - UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO (UNM) - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering - UNM Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM)

02-2015 / 02-2016 - Post Doctoral Fellow - UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO (UNM) - Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering- UNM Center for Micro-Engineered Materials (CMEM) 

08-2014 / 12-2014 - Post Doctoral Fellow - NANYANG TECHNOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY (NTU) - Singapore Centre on Environmental Life Sciences Engineering (SCELSE)

08-2013 / 07-2014 - Post Doctoral Fellow - UNIVERSITY OF NEW MEXICO (UNM) - Department of Chemical and Nuclear Engineering - UNM Center for Emerging Energy Technologies (CEET)

08-2009 / 08-2013 - Doctorate Research - UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT (UCONN) - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering - Center for Clean Energy Engineering (C2E2)

09-2006 / 12-2008 – Master of Science - POLITECNICO DI MILANO - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

09-2002 / 07-2006 – Bachelor of Science - POLITECNICO DI MILANO - Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering

INSTITUTIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Energy Cluster Regione Lombardia

Directive Council: Representative for the University of Milano-Bicocca              03-2023 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

Committee for the Orientation Materials Science Degree                                10-2022 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

National Doctoral Program in Scientific, Technological and Social Methods Enabling Circular Economy led by the University of Padua

Member of the Doctoral Council                                                                    07-2022 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

Departmental Communication Committee                                                        02-2022 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

Departmental Research Quality Assurance Committee                                       01-2022 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):

Member of the Chemistry and Chemical Technologies Degree Council          10-2021 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):

Member of the Material Science Degree Council                               01-2021 / Currently

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):

Member of the Department Council                                                     01-2021 / Currently

TERMINATED:

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

Departmental Quota University Fund Committee (FAQD) 2023                                     2023

University of Milano-Bicocca (Department of Materials Science):                                                        

Committee for the organization of the 25th Anniversary Event                           07-2022 / 12-2023

The University of Manchester

Member of the Department Council                                                                    03-2020 / 01-2021

The University of The West of England

Member of the Department Council                                                                10-2017 / 01-2020

The University of The West of England

Deputy Director of the Bristol BioEnergy Center (BBiC)                                    10-2017 / 01-2020