Peter Lehman, PhD

Peter Lehman is the Founding Director of the Schatz Center and a professor emeritus of Environmental Resources Engineering at Cal Poly Humboldt.

Peter received a BS in chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a PhD in physical chemistry from the University of Chicago. He then served as a National Institutes of Health postdoctoral fellow at the University of California, Berkeley, where he conducted research on the aerochemistry of photochemical air pollution.

Before coming to Humboldt, Peter was a member of the faculties of Sacramento State University; California State University, Northridge; and Deep Springs College. While at Humboldt, Peter has served as chair of the Environmental Resources Engineering Department, co-chair of the International Development Technology master’s program, and the founding faculty advisor of the Campus Center for Appropriate Technology.

Peter’s work at the Schatz Center was initially focused on hydrogen and fuel cell technology, as he led the efforts to develop the first fuel cell vehicle licensed in the U.S., the first solar powered hydrogen fueling station, and the licensing of fuel cell intellectual property to four U.S. corporations.

Currently, he is involved in the Center’s microgrid deployment efforts and energy planning and development work with local Native American tribes.