This document describes research on nitrogen-doped vertical graphene (N-VG) as a metal-free electrocatalyst for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). N-VG was synthesized by a simple ammonia treatment of vertical graphene (VG). Characterization shows the nitrogen doping introduces defects but maintains the VG morphology. Electrochemical tests reveal the N-VG has enhanced HER performance over VG, with an overpotential of 290 mV at 10 mA/cm2 and a Tafel slope of 121 mV/decade. Density functional theory calculations provide insight into how nitrogen doping can optimize the electronic structure and introduce new active sites to improve the HER activity of N-VG.