Alyssa-Jennifer Avestro

Dr. Alyssa-Jennifer Avestro holds the position of Royal Society Dorothy Hodgkin Fellow and Honorary Lecturer in Molecular Materials Chemistry at the University of York's Department of Chemistry. Previously, she was an Assistant Professor of Research and Royal Commission for the Exhibition of 1851 Research Fellow at Durham University. Her research focuses on multi-dimensionally conjugated supramolecular materials, particularly π-electronic geometries in organic molecules for optoelectronics, semiconductors, and energy storage systems. She leads the Avestro Group, supported by grants from the Royal Society, Global Challenges Research Fund, and EPSRC.

Education: BS in Materials Chemistry (UC Berkeley, 2010), PhD in Chemistry (Northwestern University, 2015) under Nobel Laureate Fraser Stoddart. Awards include the SciFinder Future Leaders Award (2017) and L’Oréal–UNESCO Highly Commend Award (2017).

Her research integrates organic synthesis, spectroscopy, and computational modeling to develop materials for energy devices. Collaborations span institutions in Malaysia, China, and India. The Avestro Group also explores semiconductor applications and organic photovoltaics, with lab activities including 3D-printed conductive gels and molecular clip assemblies.

Awards highlight contributions to energy research and women in STEM. Vacancies exist for PhD students, postdocs, and visiting researchers, requiring organic synthesis experience. Contact via alyssa-jennifer.avestro@york.ac.uk for opportunities.