Mark LonerganView profile
Professor
Mark Lonergan is a Professor of Physical & Materials Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Oregon's College of Arts and Sciences. He has been at the University of Oregon since 1996, conducting research at the intersection of chemistry, materials science, and device physics. His work focuses on electrical and electrochemical phenomena in solid-state materials and at interfaces, with particular emphasis on applications in solar photovoltaics. Dr. Lonergan received his B.S. from the University of Oregon in 1990, followed by a Ph.D. from Northwestern University in 1994 working with Duward F. Shriver and Mark A. Ratner. He completed postdoctoral research at the California Institute of Technology from 1994-96 under Nathan S. Lewis. His research program integrates synthesis, physical measurement, numerical simulation, and rational design to understand electrical phenomena in solid-state systems. Lonergan's group investigates interfacial electron transfer processes critical to energy devices including solar cells, batteries, and fuel cells. Current projects examine charge transfer at semiconductor interfaces, defect characterization in photovoltaic materials, dynamics of photoexcitations, and charge carrier transport in novel conductors. The group employs diverse techniques including electrical and electrochemical methods, organic and polymer chemistry, and surface analytical tools. Analysis of Lonergan's recent publications reveals a consistent focus on photovoltaic materials and interfaces, with particular attention to charge selectivity, defect states, and interfacial layers in solar cells. His work spans fundamental semiconductor physics to applied materials development, with strong emphasis on measurement techniques that reveal underlying physical mechanisms in energy conversion devices. NSF Predoctoral Fellow, 1990-93 A. A. Noyes Postdoctoral Fellow, 1995 ACS/Proctor and Gamble Graduate Award in Physical Chemistry, 1995 Dreyfus New Faculty Award, 1996 NSF CAREER Award, 1997 Beckman Young Investigator Award, 1998 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, 2001 University of Oregon Tykeson Teaching Award, 2016 Lonergan has mentored numerous graduate students, undergraduates, and postdoctoral fellows through his research group. His work has been supported by multiple funding agencies including the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, Bay Area Photovoltaic Consortium, Air Force Research Laboratory, Beckman Foundation, and Dreyfus Foundation. These grants have enabled his group to pursue fundamental studies that guide the design of new materials for energy applications. The Lonergan research group operates within the University of Oregon's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry and the Materials Science Institute. The team brings together researchers with diverse backgrounds ranging from synthetic organic chemistry to applied physics, creating an interdisciplinary environment for studying electroactive materials and interfaces.
