Abraham Wolcott

Abraham Wolcott is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry at San José State University (SJSU), leading the Surface Science Center Laboratory. He holds a BS in Chemistry (UC Santa Cruz, 2003) and a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry (UC Santa Cruz, 2009), with postdoctoral research at UT Austin (2009–2011), and Columbia University/MIT (2011–2014).

His research focuses on materials science, bionanotechnology, and photoelectrochemistry, with particular emphasis on studying surfaces of bulk and nanoscale materials and their interactions with biological systems. Techniques include DRIFTS, Raman spectroscopy, XPS, and synchrotron-based methods like X-ray absorption spectroscopy. Collaborations include Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Lightsource and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory’s Molecular Foundry.

Prof. Wolcott has mentored 40 researchers, with 66% from underrepresented groups or economically disadvantaged backgrounds. He integrates virtual reality tools into physical chemistry education, supported by $40K in SJSU/CSU grants. His lab’s work spans nanodiamond functionalization, surface chemistry, and educational technology innovation.