Gareth Parkinson is a professor at the Institute of Applied Physics at the TU Wien. His group investigates the properties of solid surfaces using a combination of atomic-scale imaging and spectroscopic measurements to determine how the structure correlates to chemical reactivity. In particular, his group investigates so-called “single-atom” catalysts, which represent the ultimate in the efficient usage of precious metals. The research is based on the surface science approach, where model systems based on single crystals are studied in a highly controlled ultrahigh vacuum environment. Once processes are understood in a vacuum, the lessons are tested in more realistic environments.