Howard Katz

Howard Katz is a Professor of Materials Science and Engineering at the Whiting School of Engineering, Johns Hopkins University, with a joint appointment in the Department of Chemistry at the Krieger School of Arts and Sciences. He is a pioneer in organic electronics and photonics, specializing in organic/hybrid materials, molecular recognition, and energy conversion technologies.

Education:

• Bachelor of Science (ScB) in Chemistry and Humanities & Science from MIT (1978)
• PhD in Organic Chemistry from UCLA (1982)

Research interests focus on organic semiconductors, photonic polymers, chemical/biomarker sensing, and thermoelectric materials. Key innovations include rigid electron donor subunits (e.g., benzodithiophene) and early work on organic field-effect transistors (OFETs) for chemical detection. Current projects address sensors for cancer detection, high-conductivity polymers, and dielectric heterostructures.

Publications span advancements in polymer doping, sensor stability, and thermoelectric composites. Notable contributions include the first OFET-based chemical sensor and high-conductivity doped polymers.

• 57 U.S. patents
• Two R&D 100 Awards
• Member of the National Academy of Inventors (2017)

Advisory roles include editorial boards for Journal of Materials Research and ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces, and leadership in the Materials Research Society. His lab explores bio-inspired materials and hybrid organic-inorganic systems.