Evangelos Miliordos, PhD
Short Bio
Dr. Miliordos completed his undergraduate and graduate studies at the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens in Greece. He earned his Ph.D. in spring 2010, studying the electronic structure of first-row transition-metal oxides, before moving to the United States for postdoctoral research.
From 2010 to 2012, he worked at Michigan State University under the supervision of Professor Katharine Hunt, focusing on weak molecular interactions. He then joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, where he studied microsolvation processes under the supervision of Dr. Sotiris Xantheas from 2012 to 2015. His final postdoctoral appointment was with Professor Dionysios Vlachos at the Catalysis Center for Energy Innovation, hosted by the University of Delaware, from 2015 to 2016.
Dr. Miliordos joined Auburn University as an assistant professor in 2016 and was promoted to associate professor in 2021. His research group focuses on two primary areas: molecules and materials with diffuse electrons, and molecular catalysts for challenging chemical processes.
He has authored more than 100 peer-reviewed publications and has received several honors, including the National Science Foundation CAREER Award, the OpenEye Outstanding Junior Faculty Award in Computational Chemistry from the American Chemical Society and Auburn University’s Dean’s Research Award. He also held the James E. Land Endowed Professorship at Auburn University.
Education
PhD National and Kapodistrian University of Athens 2010
Post-doctoral researcher Michigan State University 2010-2012
Post-doctoral researcher Pacific Northwest National Laboratory 2012-2015
Post-doctoral researcher University of Delaware 2015-2016
Innovation
Our research uses high-level quantum-chemical calculations to investigate the structural and chemical properties of molecular systems and materials through their electronic structures. Specific areas of interest include:
- Molecular systems and materials with diffuse electrons
- Molecular catalysis, including:
- Methane-to-methanol conversion
- Carbon dioxide capture and utilization
- Water splitting
- Activation of carbon–fluorine bonds
- Metal-coordination complexes involving f-block elements
- Chemical education, particularly the development of simple models for describing chemical bonding
Our group has published more than 100 peer-reviewed articles in physical chemistry, catalysis, chemical education and materials science journals. A complete list of publications is available in the curriculum vitae.
Engagement
Dr. Miliordos is co-director of the Center for Multiscale Modeling of Materials and Molecules. The center provides faculty members and graduate and undergraduate students with opportunities to engage with computational scientists across disciplines, including chemistry, physics, chemical engineering, materials engineering, biophysics and biochemistry.
The center hosts monthly seminars and an annual symposium, giving students opportunities to present their research to interdisciplinary audiences and receive feedback from scientists outside their immediate fields.
Dr. Miliordos also leads a module in the COSAM Summer Science Institute, where high school students are introduced to quantum-chemical calculations.
Both initiatives are currently supported by the National Science Foundation through its Research Experiences for Undergraduates program.
