Dr. Sonja Francis

Associate Professor

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Biography

Sonja Francis graduated with First Class Honours from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, earning a B.Sc. in Chemistry Management in 2007. She later obtained her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Alberta in 2013, where she worked under the guidance of Prof. Steven Bergens, focusing her research on the development of alkaline alcohol fuel-cell catalysts. After completing her doctorate, Dr. Francis became a Postdoctoral Scholar at the California Institute of Technology, supervised by Prof. Nate Lewis, where she studied catalyst discovery for electrochemical carbon dioxide reduction to produce value-added products. Currently, Dr. Francis serves as the Director of the General Chemistry Teaching Laboratories and is a Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at Princeton University, actively contributing to both teaching and research in her field.

Research Interests

Experience

Director, General Chemistry Teaching Laboratories

2015-01-01 — Present

Princeton University • Princeton, NJ

Oversees the General Chemistry Teaching Laboratories while facilitating a rich learning environment for undergraduate students.

Senior Lecturer

2015-01-01 — Present

Princeton University • Princeton, NJ

Delivers lectures and conducts lab sessions in General Chemistry courses.

Postdoctoral Scholar

2013-01-01 — 2015-01-01

California Institute of Technology • Pasadena, CA

Conducted research on catalyst discovery for electrochemical applications under the supervision of Prof. Nate Lewis.

Requirements for Princeton University

Doctorate Program
Requirements
GPA Requirement
Required:3
GRE General
TOEFL
Speaking
Required:27
IELTS
Speaking
Required:8
Prerequisites
Bachelor's degree in engineering or science Strong background in mathematics, materials, physics, or related engineering
Application Checklist
  • Academic Statement of Purpose
  • Personal Statement
  • Resume/CV
  • Three Letters of Recommendation
  • Transcripts
  • Application Fee
Specialization Notes

GRE scores are not accepted. Ph.D. is the primary degree; students are not required to hold an M.S.E. prior to admission.