Bayesian statistics in catalysis: a perspective

Both uncertainty quantification (UQ) and Bayesian inference (BI) have been recently adopted by multiple research groups in the catalysis field. It is noted that the parallel fields of chemical kinetics and combustion have been employing UQ and BI for longer, but not much longer. This perspective will highlight UQ and BI from the point of view of the catalysis community. The next step in the progression of UQ followed by BI is Bayesian Design of Experiments (BDoE). BDoE has existed for a long time in the statistics literature. Within catalysis, this tool has been demonstrated once yet has not been picked up as a trend. A grand combined science and engineering project for BDoE is posited. It will guide experiments of catalyzed CO₂ hydrogenation in a flow reactor.