Rate My Professor Michael Bennington

Michael Bennington serves as a Research Assistant in the Division of Sciences at the University of Otago, based in the Department of Chemistry, Dunedin. He is listed in the department's contact information under Research Fellows and Teaching Fellows. His research expertise encompasses electrocatalysis, inorganic chemistry, photocatalysis, and surface attachment of catalysts. Much of his recent work involves developing immobilized molecular catalysts for heterogeneous electrochemical processes, specifically the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and CO2 reduction (CO2RR), contributing to efforts in green hydrogen production.

Bennington's trajectory at the University of Otago started in 2012 as an honours student in Professor Sally Brooker's Brooker's Bunch group, renowned for transition metal and macrocyclic chemistry. He presented his honours project at a student symposium and later returned for a one-year research MSc. Transitioning to his current role as Research Assistant, he has co-authored numerous peer-reviewed papers demonstrating his contributions. Notable publications include: 'Dizinc lactide polymerization catalysts: hyperactivity by control of ligand conformation and metallic cooperativity' (Angewandte Chemie International Edition, 2016); 'Macrocyclic Dizinc(II) Alkyl and Alkoxide Complexes: Reversible CO2 Uptake and Polymerization Catalysis Testing' (Inorganic Chemistry, 2015); 'Tuneable reversible redox of cobalt (iii) carbazole complexes' (Dalton Transactions, 2017); 'Electroactive metal complexes covalently attached to conductive PEDOT films: a spectroelectrochemical study' (ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2020); and 'Influence of Carbon Support on the Pyrolysis of Cobalt Phthalocyanine for the Efficient Electroreduction of CO2' (ACS Catalysis, 2022).

In addition to research, Bennington is deeply engaged with the He Honoka Hauwai – German-NZ Green Hydrogen Centre, serving as the contact for its Green Hydrogen Seminar Series. He was part of the planning committee for the Inaugural New Zealand Hydrogen Symposium and has participated in public outreach, including demonstrations at HWR Hydrogen events with hydrogen fuel cell trucks. He also provides technical support for undergraduate laboratories and Open Synthesis Network projects in the department.