Andrea Sartorel is full professor at the department of chemical sciences, university of Padova, Since september 2024. He has published ca 90 papers on peer-reviewed journals (average IF 7.7, h-index 40).
I was born on 20/08/1974, I am married and have two kids. Science and chemistry have
been part of my life since I was a child, and this passion grew and accompanied me
through the mandatory schooling and the scientific high school. Studying chemistry at the
university of Padova was the obvious choice. After graduation cum laude (1999) and after
the PhD in the group of Prof. Scorrano (2003), by considering and evaluating familiar
reasons I moved to the industrial world for almost three years (2003-2005), where I spent
several periods abroad and learned how to manage projects, give priorities, take decisions.
However, I realized that I was missing my dream of doing basic research and of teaching, my biggest
working ambition. Then, I had no doubt in leaving the rich and well-paid position in the industry, when I had the opportunity to re-embrace to the academic world. This was the bravest, most appropriate, and fruitful decision in my life. I was first hired as a young researcher at the CNR (2006-2008), then as an assistant (2008-2006) and associate professor (2016-current) at the University of Padova, while in May 2024 I won the selection process for a full professor position.
My research interests have been initially addressed towards activation of oxygen in biomimetic oxidation catalysis, in particular for C-H hydroxylation, epoxidation of alkenes, and oxidative cleavage of aromatic diols. Since 2008, I entered the fascinating field of artificial photosynthesis and of solar fuels, with a major breakthrough being the discovery of a new family of water oxidation catalysts, based on polyoxometalate species (JACS 2008, 130, 5006). This report allowed me to be part of an Italian consortium on artificial photosynthesis, participating to several Italian projects and – above all – meeting and discussing science with eminent scientists, that induced my passion for light activated reactivity. The curiosity prompted me to investigate catalytic routines for small molecule activation such as proton and carbon dioxide reduction.
As an organic chemist, I adopted a mechanistically oriented approach to dissect the fundamental catalytic steps of small molecule activation, by employing instruments from the arsenal of organic chemistry such as Hammett correlations, specific and general acid/base catalysis and kinetic isotope effects, reaction kinetics, intermediate characterization, thermochemical cycles. Along this journey, I realized the enormous potential of molecular organic photoelectrochemistry to rationally design selective processes, thus moving from small to large molecule activation.
I proposed this vision in a research project as a PI aimed at rethinking the oxidative and reductive processes of artificial photosynthesis, by considering selective photooxygenation and carbon dioxide fixation, that was funded with 400 K€ by Fondazione Cassa di Risparmio di Padova e Rovigo, in the call Ricerca Scientifica di Eccellenza 2018. Thanks to this project and to my talented PhD and master students I developed photoelectrochemical systems for C-H activation and photochemical/electrochemical carboxylation of organic scaffolds with CO2.

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