Chris Pollock

Chris Pollock
Staff Scientist - PIPOXS
607-255-3617
cjp227@cornell.edu
Education / Experience:
2018 - Present:Staff Scientist, CHESS, Cornell University
2014 - 2018: NIH Postodctoral Fellow, Department of Chemistry, Penn State University
2011 - 2014: Dr. rer. nat. in Inorganic Chemistry, Max-Planck-Institut für Chemische Energiekonversion, Mülheim an der Ruhr, Germany / Ruhr-Universität Bochum, Bochum, Germany
2009 - 2011:  MS in Chemistry, Cornell University
2005 - 2009:  BS in Chemistry, Clemson University

Dr. Chris Pollock leads the PIPOXS Beamline (ID2A) which specializes in the x-ray spectroscopic study of chemical catalysts and functional materials, with a special focus on in situ and opernado systems.  His research interests focus on understanding the geometric and valence electronic structure of reaction intermediates in chemically complex samples, and on developing instrumentation and x-ray methods for probing these systems.  He also organizes and hosts the annual High Energy X-ray Techniques (HEXT) School, where new users are introduced to x-ray methods and proposal writing.

Research Interests:
  • Method development and applications of x-ray absorption spectroscopy, x-ray emission spectroscopy, and related two-dimensional techniques (HERFD and RIXS)
  • Translating x-ray spectroscopic methods to the time domain, particularly for the study of (bio)inorganic catalysis
  • X-ray spectroscopic imaging of materials 
Selected Recent Publications:
  1. Qihao Li, Zixiao Shi, Colin R Bundschu, Christopher J Pollock, Andrés Molina Villarino, Mihail R Krumov, Rui Zeng, David A Muller, Héctor D Abruña, "Unveiling the sensitivity and significance of the Ni oxidation state for alkaline hydrogen oxidation electrocatalysis" Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci., 2026, 123, e2534305123. (https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2534305123)
  2. Trevor A Tyson, Sizhan Liu, Sandun Amarasinghe, Kefeng Wang, Stella Chariton, Vitali Prakapenka, Tieyan Chang, Yu-Sheng Chen, Zhenxian Liu, Christopher J Pollock, Sang-Wook Cheong, AM Milinda Abeykoon, "Critical structural parameter determining magnetic phases in the F⁡e2⁢M⁢o3⁢O8 altermagnet system" Phys. Rev. B., 2026, 113, 174112. (https://doi.org/10.1103/dqg4-6l7n)
  3. Clorice R Reinhardt, Juliet A Lee, Lauren Hendricks, Tierani Green, Lily Kunczynski, August Jaunzarins Roberts, Naomi Miller, Noga Rafalin, Heather J Kulik, Christopher J Pollock,* Rachel N Austin, "No bridge between us: EXAFS and computations confirm two distant iron ions comprise the active site of alkane monooxygenase (AlkB)" J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2025, 147, 2432. (https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.4c12633)
  4. Olivia McCubbin Stepanic, Christopher J Pollock, Kara A Zielinski, William Foschi, Derek B Rice, Lois Pollack, Serena DeBeer, "Implementation of simultaneous ultraviolet/visible and x-ray absorption spectroscopy with microfluidics" Rev. Sci. Instrum., 2025, 96, 015107. (https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0218572)
  5. Chun Yuen Kwok, Subhadip Mallick, Christopher J Pollock, Arturo Gutierrez, Marm Dixit, Jason R Croy, Mahalingam Balasubramanian, "Redox Mechanisms and Migration Tendencies in Earth-Abundant 0.7Li2MnO3·0.3LiFeO2 Cathodes: Coupling Spin-Resolved X-ray Absorption Near Edge and X-ray Absorption Fine Structure Spectroscopies" Chem. Mater., 2024, 36, 300. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.chemmater.3c02111)
  6. Christopher J Pollock* and Louise M Debefve, "Resonant Excitation Unlocks Chemical Selectivity of Platinum Lβ Valence-to-Core X-ray Emission Spectra" Inorg. Chem., 2023, 62, 13681. (https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c01930)
  7. Yao Yang, Sheena Louisia, Sunmoon Yu, Jianbo Jin, Inwhan Roh, Chubai Chen, Maria V Fonseca Guzman, Julian Feijóo, Peng-Cheng Chen, Hongsen Wang, Christopher J Pollock, Xin Huang, Yu-Tsun Shao, Cheng Wang, David A Muller, Héctor D Abruña, Peidong Yang,  "Operando studies reveal active Cu nanograins for CO2 electroreduction" Nature, 2023, 614, 262. (https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-022-05540-0)
Relevant Links:

PIPOXS Beamline
Full publications list (Google Scholar)