Leadership
Ian V. Lightcap
Research and Facilities Program Director
Office: 146 Stepan Chemistry Hall
Email: ilightca@nd.edu | Office Phone: 574-631-1493 | Cell Phone: 574-229-2936
Ian Lightcap joined the Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (ND Energy) in May 2012 as Senior Scientist and in February 2016 was promoted to Research and Facilities Program Director. In addition to conducting his own research and helping to grow the research in energy at Notre Dame, Ian is responsible for the development and management of ND Energy’s Materials Characterization Facility. The facility is designed to assist Notre Dame faculty and associated researchers in general materials characterization, photovoltaic and electrocatalyst characterization, and crystallographic characterization, while engaging all levels of students and teachers in sustainable energy education.
Karl Cronberger
Electron Microprobe Technician
Office: 105 McCourtney Hall
Email: kcronber@nd.edu | Office Phone: 574-631-9553 | Cell Phone: 248-797-7085
Karl Cronberger is a Ph.D. graduate from the University of Notre Dame. Currently, he operates and maintains the Electron Microprobe (EMP) in the Materials Characterization Facility at ND Energy. The EMP is a specialized electron microscope used for chemical analysis with a resolution of up to 1 micron. It is commonly used to characterize a variety of materials in various fields of studies such as the geology of the Earth, Moon, and meteorites; nuclear forensics, and fuel systems; industrial applications in metallurgy, and battery production; and some biological and environmental applications as well. Karl’s Ph.D. work at the University of Notre Dame revolved around Lunar Petrology and the origin of the Moon.
Anna Matzner
Laboratory Specialist
Office: 147 Stepan Chemistry Hall
Email: amatzner@nd.edu | Phone: 574-631-1848
Anna Matzner joined the Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (ND Energy) in 2019 as a Laboratory Specialist for the Materials Characterization Facility (MCF). Anna studied chemistry at the University of Louisville where she gained valuable research experience in electrochemical and single crystal X-Ray analysis. Upon graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry in 2014, she worked as an analytical chemist, pursuing opportunities in quality control in the beverage, flavor and fragrance industries. She also gained unique experiences working in the power generation industry, performing metallurgical analysis of power plant components, as well as coal analysis.
Peter C. Burns
Director, Center for Sustainable Energy at Notre Dame (ND Energy)
Henry J. Massman Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering and Earth Sciences and Concurrent Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Office: 301 Stinson-Remick Hall of Engineering
Email: pburns@nd.edu | Phone: 574-631-7852
Peter C. Burns joined the faculty at the University of Notre Dame in 1997 and became the Director of ND Energy in 2014. He has focused most of his research over the past decade on the solid-state chemistry, mineralogy, and environmental chemistry of uranium, as well as the transuranic elements neptunium and plutonium.