Find Academic Supervisors

• Photosynthesis
• Biophysics
• Structural Biology
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Athina Zouni serves as an Associate Professor at the Institute of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences within the Faculty of Life Sciences at Humboldt University of Berlin. Her research program, centered on the Biophysics of Photosynthesis Group, investigates the structural and functional properties of photosynthetic protein complexes, particularly Photosystem I and II, to unravel the mechanisms of light-driven water oxidation and energy conversion. Her work integrates state-of-the-art structural biology methodologies such as serial femtosecond X-ray crystallography, cryo-electron microscopy, and small-angle scattering to capture dynamic processes in photosynthesis at atomic resolution. Key research themes include the elucidation of water and proton channels in photosystem II, the characterization of intermediates in the oxygen-evolving cycle, and the engineering of biohybrid systems for solar fuel production and bioelectrochemical applications. Dr. Zouni's laboratory actively develops photobioelectrodes by integrating photosynthetic complexes with nanomaterials for enhanced photocurrent generation and CO 2 reduction. Her group collaborates internationally to advance fundamental understanding of photosynthesis while pioneering applications in renewable energy technologies through innovative protein-electrode interfaces and artificial photosynthetic systems.

Andrei PetoukhovView profile

Associate Professor

• Self-organization of colloids
• Nanomaterials science
• Synchrotron X-ray techniques
• +4 more

Dr. Andrei V. Petukhov is an Associate Professor at the Van 't Hoff Laboratory for Physical and Colloid Chemistry within Utrecht University's Debye Institute for Nanomaterials Science . He holds a part-time associate professor position at Eindhoven University of Technology since 2016. As a leading expert in synchrotron-based X-ray techniques , he serves as Editor-in-Chief of MDPI journal Materials ' Advanced Nanomaterials section and chairs the beamtime allocation panel at ESRF. Founded and chairs International Advisory Council at Immanuel Kant Baltic Federal University (until 2022 resignation) Developed XFEL pump-probe methodology for studying extreme irradiation conditions Created microradian SAXS setups for nanoscale structural analysis His research focuses on colloidal self-organization across multiple length scales, using both nonspherical colloids and external field manipulations . Key themes include: Entropic patchiness in crowded suspensions Magnetic field control of anisotropic colloids Confinement effects in droplet-based assembly Phase transitions in colloidal crystals His group performs in situ X-ray scattering experiments at prestigious facilities like ID10 beamline and BM-26 DUBBLE , with notable methodological contributions to: X-ray cross-correlation analysis Coherent diffraction imaging Advanced colloidal crystallography

Uwe BovensiepenView profile

Professor

• Ultrafast Phenomena
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Electron Dynamics
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Uwe Bovensiepen is a Professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen's Faculty of Physics, where he leads the research group on Ultrafast Phenomena in Solids and at Interfaces . His research investigates microscopic interaction mechanisms between charge, lattice, and spin degrees of freedom in condensed matter, with emphasis on energy transfer and transport in nanostructures. Key areas include femtosecond electron dynamics, magnetization processes, and laser-driven phenomena, often studied using advanced techniques like time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy and X-ray absorption. Research interests span ultrafast dynamics in correlated materials, heterostructures, and surfaces, with focus on: Femtosecond spin currents and magnetization dynamics Element-specific analysis via ultrafast X-ray spectroscopy Hot electron relaxation in metallic nanostructures Laser-induced phase transitions and solvation dynamics His recent publications demonstrate strong trends in ultrafast spectroscopy of quantum materials (e.g., NiO, FePt, TaS 2 ), development of table-top X-ray sources, and spatiotemporal electron transport. Work frequently involves collaborations with facilities like the European XFEL and employs methods ranging from MeV electron diffraction to nonlinear magneto-optics. Prof. Bovensiepen advises a large cohort of doctoral and master's students, with current projects funded by the German Research Foundation (DFG) through collaborative initiatives like SPP 1840 Quantum Dynamics in Tailored Intense Fields and CRC 1242 Non-Equilibrium Dynamics of Condensed Matter . Laboratories under his supervision include dedicated setups for time-resolved photoelectron spectroscopy, high-power laser systems, and ultrafast electron diffraction.

Klaus Sokolowski-TintenView profile

Professor

• Ultrafast X-ray Diffraction
• Structural Dynamics
• Laser-Induced Phase Transitions
• +3 more

Klaus Sokolowski-Tinten is a Professor at the University of Duisburg-Essen, affiliated with the Collaborative Research Centre 1242. His work spans ultrafast x-ray diffraction, structural dynamics, and laser-induced phase transitions in nanomaterials. Current projects: C01 Structural dynamics in impulsively excited nanostructures and C05 Exploring particle-induced excitations in the time domain Key institutions: University of Duisburg-Essen Research Interests : Klaus investigates ultrafast structural changes in materials using femtosecond x-ray and electron diffraction. His focus includes laser-driven phase transitions, atomic-scale relaxations, and energy flow between electrons and lattices in metals and semiconductors. Recent Publications : His recent articles explore nanoscale phase decomposition, atomic dynamics during melting, and structural pathways in polycrystalline films. Techniques involve time-resolved diffraction and photon correlation spectroscopy to study materials under extreme excitation. Labs & Teams : He is part of the Collaborative Research Centre 1242 (University of Duisburg-Essen), contributing to projects C01 and C05, which examine structural and particle-induced excitations in nanomaterials using ultrafast x-ray and ion-based methodologies.

• Synthetic Biology
• Biomaterials
• Microfluidics
• +4 more

Dr. Michael Heymann is a Director and Deputy Director at the Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems, University of Stuttgart, with a focus on Intelligent Biointegrative Systems. His work bridges synthetic biology, microfluidics, and structural biology through innovative experimental platforms. Current affiliations: University of Stuttgart (Institute of Biomaterials and Biomolecular Systems) Research interests: Synthetic biology, cell-free systems, microfluidic device engineering, time-resolved structural analysis, and artificial cell design. Dr. Heymann's recent publications highlight advancements in cell-free transcription/translation systems for self-replicating synthetic genomes, 3D-printed microfluidic devices for X-ray studies, and membrane-deforming protocells using Min protein oscillations. His work integrates hardware (e.g., low-cost fluorescence readers) with biochemical innovations (e.g., Cas13a RNA detection). Key trends in his research include ultracompact microfluidics for XFEL experiments, freeze-thaw vesicle engineering , and reaction-diffusion systems for artificial cell division. Collaborations span institutions in Germany and international XFEL facilities. Dr. Heymann leads projects in biomolecular self-organization and structural dynamics, though no specific awards or student mentorship details are publicly listed in the provided data.

Hermann DürrView profile

Professor

• Ultrafast Spectroscopy
• Condensed Matter Physics
• Magnetism
• +5 more

Hermann Dürr is a Professor in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University, Sweden, affiliated with the FREIA facility. His research employs ultrashort (10 -15 sec) laser, x-ray, and electron spectroscopies to probe condensed matter systems, with emphasis on speed limits for magnetic/electronic switching in information technology materials. His primary research interests include: Ultrafast non-equilibrium and metastable states in condensed matter All-optical magnetic switching in ferrimagnets Insulator-metal transitions in correlated electron systems Ultrafast charge separation in photovoltaics Femtosecond soft x-ray and EUV spectroscopy techniques Relativistic electron pulses for structural dynamics Analysis of his 2024-2025 publications reveals dominant themes in ultrafast magnetism, particularly element-specific dynamics in FePt and Co/Pd systems using free electron lasers. Key methodologies include circularly polarized x-rays, spin-resolved spectroscopy, and nanoscale imaging of magnetic domain manipulation, with strong focus on non-thermal metastable states relevant to next-generation information storage. Professor Dürr maintains active collaborations with external research groups and industry partners to access advanced materials. His work is conducted through Uppsala University's FREIA facility, leveraging high-harmonic generation sources and free electron laser infrastructure for cutting-edge ultrafast experiments across condensed matter physics.

Volodymyr BonView profile

Lecturer

• Metal-Organic Frameworks
• Covalent Organic Frameworks
• Gas Storage
• +5 more

Dr. Volodymyr Bon is a researcher and lecturer specializing in porous materials, particularly Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) and Covalent Organic Frameworks (COFs). Affiliated with Prof. Stefan Kaskel's research group, he focuses on gas storage, separation, and in situ characterization of structural dynamics in flexible frameworks. His research encompasses synthesis and crystal engineering of MOFs/COFs, advanced X-ray diffraction methods (single crystal, powder, variable temperature), and development of time-resolved synchrotron techniques to monitor guest-induced switching and adsorption kinetics. This work targets energy-efficient applications in gas separation and storage, leveraging instrumentation for real-time analysis under chemical and electromagnetic stimuli. Dr. Bon co-supervises master's and PhD theses and teaches General and Inorganic Chemistry. He secures substantial funding through active BMBF projects 'TIMESWITCH' and 'TOMOPORE' (2022-2025), building on prior ERC grants (AMPLIPORE) and DFG collaborations. His scholarly output includes book chapters in flagship publications and patents for adsorption chamber design, reflecting translational impact. Collaborations span international consortia and synchrotron facilities, emphasizing methodological innovation in nanoporous materials science.

• Materials Science
• Mechanical Engineering
• Metallic Materials
• +3 more

Nicolas Ranc is a Professor at Arts et Métiers ParisTech, where he has been a faculty member since September 2006. He is affiliated with the PIMM Laboratory (Laboratory of Processes and Engineering in Mechanics and Materials) and leads research within the CoMet team (Behavior and Microstructure of Metals). His work bridges mechanical engineering and materials science with a focus on experimental characterization of metallic materials. Professor Ranc's educational background includes: PhD in Mechanical Engineering (2004) with thesis "Etude des champs de température et de déformation dans les matériaux métalliques sollicités à grande vitesse de déformation" (Study of temperature and deformation fields in metallic materials under high strain rate loading) Habilitation à Diriger des Recherches (2014) with thesis "Contribution à l'étude du comportement thermomécanique des matériaux solides et des structures" (Contribution to the study of thermomechanical behavior of solid materials and structures) Professor Ranc's research focuses on the mechanical behavior of metallic materials, particularly studying thermal effects associated with mechanical solicitations. His work includes developing thermal measurement techniques using visible and infrared pyrometry, investigating metallic materials under dynamic loading conditions, and studying deformation and fracture mechanisms in metals. Specific areas of interest include the Portevin Le Chatelier effect, high-cycle and very high-cycle fatigue phenomena, and ultrasonic fatigue testing. His research combines advanced experimental techniques with theoretical analysis to understand material behavior at multiple scales, with publications showing a consistent focus on fatigue mechanisms and thermal measurement methodologies. Professor Ranc has successfully supervised numerous PhD students to completion, with two currently working under his supervision. His research is supported by competitive grants including an ANR project (GIGADEF) and an ERC Consolidator grant (FastMat). These projects enable cutting-edge research in advanced fatigue testing methodologies and material characterization, with emphasis on ultrasonic fatigue testing and synchrotron-based characterization techniques. As part of the PIMM Laboratory, Professor Ranc has access to state-of-the-art experimental facilities including thermal imaging systems, ultrasonic fatigue testing equipment, and collaborations with synchrotron radiation facilities for in situ characterization. His research group provides students with opportunities to work with advanced experimental techniques and participate in international collaborations focused on understanding material behavior under extreme loading conditions.

Olivier CastelnauView profile

Professor

• Mechanical behavior of polycrystals
• Microstructure analysis
• X-ray and neutron diffraction
• +7 more

Olivier Castelnau is a Research Director at the PIMM laboratory (Laboratoire Procédés et Ingénierie en Mécanique et Matériaux) at Arts et Métiers, where he has been working since 2010. He holds a PhD in Mechanics from Joseph Fourier University (1996) and completed his Habilitation to Supervise Research at the University of Paris 13 in 2006. Throughout his career, he has maintained strong connections with both materials science and geophysics communities, serving as Director of the Île-de-France Federation of Mechanics since 2019 and as a member of the PRC3 Program Committee at the SOLEIL synchrotron since 2016. Castelnau's research focuses on the mechanical behavior of polycrystals, with particular emphasis on the relationship between microstructure and mechanical properties at the micrometric scale. His work bridges experimental and theoretical approaches, utilizing advanced X-ray and neutron diffraction techniques alongside sophisticated micromechanical modeling. He has developed specialized methods for Laue microdiffraction at sub-micrometric scales and has made significant contributions to mean-field homogenization approaches, particularly self-consistent schemes extended to nonlinear behaviors. His publication record shows consistent high-impact output across materials science and geophysics, with recent work spanning from fundamental micromechanics to applications in laser processing and Earth sciences. The 15 most recent publications demonstrate expertise in ceramic materials, fatigue analysis, laser shock processing, and geophysical materials, reflecting the interdisciplinary nature of his research. CNRS Bronze Medal (section 9, 1999) Castelnau currently leads multiple significant research projects including ERC FASTMAT on very high cycle fatigue, ANR-DFG HoTMiX on nanostructured oxides at high temperatures, and ANR ForgeLaser on laser shock mechanics. His work has established important connections between micromechanical modeling and geophysical applications, particularly in understanding Earth's mantle rheology. As leader of the CoMet research team, he oversees a program that integrates advanced experimental characterization with computational modeling to address fundamental questions in materials behavior across multiple scales.

• Micromechanics
• Material behavior
• Fatigue analysis
• +5 more

Véronique Favier is a University Professor at Arts et Métiers Institute of Technology, where she currently serves as Deputy Director General since September 2022. She conducts her research at the PIMM laboratory (a joint research unit of ENSAM, CNRS and Cnam), leading the CoMet research team focused on the behavior and microstructure of metals. Her institutional affiliations include membership on the CETIM Board of Directors, the Doctoral School SMAER at Sorbonne University, and HESAM University's Doctoral College Council. Professor Favier's research spans micromechanics, material behavior under various loading conditions, fatigue analysis (particularly very high cycle fatigue), semisolid processing of metals, and laser-based material processing techniques. Her work bridges fundamental material science with practical engineering applications, with significant contributions to understanding deformation mechanisms, microstructure-property relationships, and advanced manufacturing processes for metallic materials. Analysis of her recent publications reveals a strong focus on ultrasonic fatigue characterization, laser processing technologies, and microstructural analysis of metallic materials. Her work increasingly incorporates advanced characterization techniques like time-resolved X-ray diffraction and explores applications in additive manufacturing and nuclear engineering contexts. Professor Favier has published 53 articles in international peer-reviewed journals with an h-index of 26 and 4011 citations (excluding self-citations) as of November 2023 according to Scopus. She has authored significant book chapters including in the Encyclopedia of Sciences (2022) and Comprehensive Materials Processing (2014). As Deputy Director General, Professor Favier coordinates the Evolutive Learning Factory project across Arts et Métiers' 8 campuses and leads the France 2030 JENII project on immersive digital teaching twins. Her research has been supported through major initiatives including the European ERC 'FastMat' project (2017-2022), the Additive Factory Hub platform, and the Transfuge project on mechanical transmission systems development. At the PIMM laboratory, Professor Favier leads the CoMet research team which works closely with other teams including DISCO Laser (Laser Processes) and P&C (Polymers & Composites), utilizing extensive experimental platforms for materials characterization and processing. Her work maintains strong connections with industrial partners through CETIM and the Transfuge project, ensuring practical relevance of research findings.

Hélène SeilerView profile

Professor

• Ultrafast Nanoscience
• Coherent Multi-Dimensional Spectroscopy
• Electronic Disorder in Nanomaterials
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Hélène Seiler serves as a W1-W2 Tenure Track Professor at Freie Universität Berlin's Department of Physics and Principal Investigator for Project B11 within the TRR 227 Collaborative Research Center. She leads the Ultrafast Dynamics in Nanomaterials research group focusing on experimental studies of electronic excitations in nanoscale systems using coherent multi-dimensional electronic spectroscopy with 10-30 femtosecond resolution. Her research spans 2D materials (TMDCs, heterostructures) Nanotubes and quantum dots Molecules on 2D material platforms Photonic structures and metasurfaces Spintronic heterostructures with emphasis on identifying electronic disorder sources through microscopic energy dissipation channels. Current major projects include SFB 1772 on molecular heterostructures and the OPTIMAL research unit for optical control of quantum materials. Recent publications (2021-2025) reveal strong focus on ultrafast lattice dynamics in 2D materials, exciton-polaron interactions in perovskites, and quantum dynamics in nanocrystals. Her group develops specialized tools including a visible/near-IR coherent two-dimensional spectrometer with 15-fs pulses and angle-resolved spectroscopy for polariton imaging. Scientific leadership includes: Principal Investigator in TRR 227 'Ultrafast Spin Dynamics' Member of SFB 1772 on 2D material heterostructures Participant in OPTIMAL research unit Organizer of iRTG Joint Winter School She actively mentors doctoral researchers and teaches courses including 'Ultrafast Nanoscience' and 'Festkörperphysik' (Solid State Physics), with current team members including Trideep Kawde, Matteo Russo, and Pavel Trofimov. Her laboratory features custom-built instrumentation optimized for heterogeneous nanomaterials with micron-scale sample areas.

Athina ZouniView profile

Professor

• Structural Biology
• Biophysics
• Photosynthesis
• +5 more

Prof. Dr. Athina Zouni is a Professor at Humboldt University of Berlin's Department of Biology, affiliated with UniSysCat (Unifying Systems in Catalysis) as a Group Leader for Research Units B and C. Her laboratory focuses on cutting-edge structural biology techniques to decipher photosynthetic mechanisms. Research Interests: Zouni's work integrates biochemistry, biophysics, and materials science to study: Structural dynamics of photosystem II using femtosecond X-ray crystallography Water oxidation mechanisms and oxygen evolution in photosynthesis Development of photobiohybrid electrodes for solar energy conversion Protein complex assembly using cryo-EM and spectroscopy Scientific Output: Her research consistently addresses fundamental questions in photosynthesis through high-impact publications. Recent work reveals atomic-level details of water-splitting in photosystem II, light-harvesting mechanisms, and protein dynamics during catalytic transitions. She frequently publishes in premier journals including Nature , Science , and PNAS . Infrastructure: Leads a specialized lab with capabilities in advanced structural biology (X-ray lasers, cryo-EM) and photoelectrochemistry. The group maintains collaborative access to international XFEL facilities for time-resolved studies.

Christian KumpfView profile

Professor

• Electron Microscopy
• X-ray Diffraction
• Surface Science
• +5 more

Christian Kumpf is a Professor at RWTH Aachen University (Department of Experimentalphysik IV A) and Group Leader/Professor at Forschungszentrum Jülich (Peter Grünberg Institut, PGI-3). He obtained his education at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (Diplom Physik), University of Rostock (Dr. rer. nat.), and Julius-Maximilians-Universität Würzburg (Dr. habil.), with postdoctoral training at Forskningscenter Risø. His research specializes in surface science and nanoscale characterization, with key interests in: Electron and X-ray diffraction techniques Aberration-corrected spectromicroscopy Epitaxial growth of 2D materials (graphene, bismuthene, h-BN) Molecular adsorption and interface structures Quantum materials characterization Real-time surface imaging Recent publications (2019-2025) focus on quantum materials interfaces, epitaxial growth mechanisms of 2D materials, molecular adsorption studies, and advanced characterization techniques. His work consistently appears in high-impact journals including Nature Communications, Physical Review Letters, and Advanced Materials. He leads the Diffraction Methods and Electron Microscopy Group at Forschungszentrum Jülich, operating specialized instrumentation including an aberration-corrected spectroscopic low energy electron microscope for surface studies.