Caitlin E. Shields

Papers

Total Citations

167

H-Index

About

Dr. Caitlin E. Shields is a leading researcher at the intersection of synthetic chemistry and robotics, pioneering the development of autonomous laboratories for accelerated chemical discovery. Her most-cited work, "Autonomous mobile robots for exploratory synthetic chemistry" (2024, 167 citations), introduces a groundbreaking framework where mobile robots autonomously navigate lab environments to perform and optimize synthetic reactions. This work addresses a critical bottleneck in chemistry—the need for automated measurements paired with robust decision-making—by moving beyond bespoke, single-purpose automation toward flexible, generalizable robotic systems. Dr. Shields’ contributions are reshaping how exploratory chemistry is conducted, enabling high-throughput experimentation and data-driven reaction optimization. Her research has significant implications for materials science, drug discovery, and sustainable chemical manufacturing. By demonstrating that autonomous mobile robots can reliably execute complex synthetic workflows, she has opened new avenues for laboratories to operate with unprecedented efficiency and reproducibility. Dr. Shields’ work is widely recognized as a foundational step toward fully autonomous chemical synthesis, earning her a reputation as a visionary in the field of digital chemistry and laboratory automation.