Christopher Barner-Kowollik

Christopher Barner-Kowollik is a Distinguished Professor and Deputy Vice Chancellor (Research) at Queensland University of Technology (QUT), holding a professorship in Materials Science and Engineering within the School of Chemistry & Physics. His research focuses on macromolecular photochemistry, light-driven 3D printing, and soft matter materials. He leads the Macroarc Soft Matter Materials Laboratory, a global leader in photochemical macromolecular research, and oversees over 20 PhD students and postdoctoral researchers.

Education & Career: PhD in Chemistry (Göttingen University, Germany). Previously led the Centre for Advanced Macromolecular Design at the University of New South Wales (2000–2008) and served as Head of School at Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT, Germany, 2008–2017). Established QUT’s Soft Matter Materials Lab in 2017.

Research Interests: Pioneering precision photochemical transformations using multi-color light, light-driven 3D printing methodologies, and action-plot analysis of photochemical reactivity. Key areas include dynamic covalent chemistry, light-responsive polymers, and advanced soft matter materials.

Publications & Impact: Over 780 peer-reviewed articles (46,000+ citations). Notable works include studies on photoswitchable polymers, visible-light reactive nanoparticles, and multi-wavelength 3D printing.

Awards & Fellowships: Centenary Prize (Royal Society of Chemistry, 2023), Fellow of the Australian Academy of Science, Helmholtz Association’s Erwin Schrödinger Award, and multiple national/international medals. Editor-in-Chief of Polymer Chemistry (2013–2020).

Grants & Funding: Secured >$50M in funding from ARC, Helmholtz, German Research Council, and industry partnerships. Leads projects on photoresists for 3D lithography, advanced polymer inks, and light-induced macromolecular design.

Labs & Collaborations: Coordinates the Macroarc Lab, fostering international collaborations in polymer science and materials engineering. Active in regulatory policy for plastic recycling and sustainable materials.