Efficient and practical conversion of CO2 into useful chemicals and hydrocarbon fuels remains a challenge due to the linear O=C=O structure and strong double bonds. Efficiently removing the oxygen atoms and replacing them with hydrogen requires bending CO2 into a more activated form for subsequent reactions. My research focuses on designing molecular metal catalysts with reactive ligands (molecules or ions that bind to metals) that assist the metal in CO2 activation and electrochemical conversion.