(7gk) Modeling of Light-Driven Heterogeneous Catalysis and Other Excited-State Processes at the Nanoscale

The ever-increasing drive to use solar power to generate renewable electricity and fuel has resulted in a boom in studies on photo-driven processes in light-harvesting materials. These include photo-induced chemical reactions and charge carrier generation and transport in semiconductors, metals, and their interfaces. The need for better models and therefore understanding of reactions and processes involving electronically-excited states is essential to further drive this research forward. The goal of my future research is therefore to use state-of-the-art computational tools in fields where understanding of light-matter interactions and excited-state physics at the atomic-scale delivers unparalleled design principles to accelerate fabrication of useful solar-driven technologies and applications. My research team’s areas of expertise will include (i) visible light-driven photocatalysis with emphasis on free-radical polymerization, (ii) nanoscale photovoltaics, and (iii) charge carrier transport across novel nanoscale junctions.

Teaching Interests:

I believe I am most qualified to teach quantum mechanics, solid-state physics and chemistry, chemical thermodynamics and kinetics, and theoretical and computational materials science and chemistry (with emphasis on first-principles atomistic modeling).