Max Robotics — Global Service Robot Directory + US Certification

About

Ben M. Alston is a pioneering researcher at the intersection of autonomous chemistry, supramolecular science, and materials discovery. His work focuses on harnessing robotic systems and computational methods to dramatically accelerate the pace of chemical research, spanning areas including organic cage synthesis, porous liquids, crystal engineering, and solid-state chemistry. Alston's most celebrated contribution is his involvement in developing a mobile robotic chemist capable of conducting experiments autonomously — a landmark 2020 paper that has amassed over 1,400 citations and signaled a transformative shift in how chemical discovery is conducted. Building on this vision, his research has demonstrated how robotic high-throughput screening fused with computational prediction can systematically explore vast synthetic landscapes, leading to the discovery of novel organic cages, catenanes, and multi-component cage pots through elegant social self-sorting strategies. His work on accelerated discovery of porous liquids and computationally targeted crystal polymorph screening — including uncovering a hidden porous form of trimesic acid — further illustrates his talent for combining prediction with experimental automation. More recently, Alston has advanced modular, multi-robot laboratory integration for solid-state workflows. Collectively, his research, with thousands of citations, is reshaping the future of autonomous scientific discovery.