Michael H. Bartl

Michael H. Bartl is Research Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Utah and Director of the Berkeley Emerging Technologies Research (BETR) Center at the University of California, Berkeley. He concurrently serves as Deputy Director of the MUSE Energy Frontier Research Center, maintaining dual affiliations that bridge materials chemistry, energy science, and emerging technology development.

Education & Training

• Diploma, Graz University of Technology, Austria, 2000
• Dr. rer. nat. (Ph.D.), Inorganic Chemistry, Karl-Franzens-University Graz, Austria, 2002
• Max-Kade Postdoctoral Fellow, University of California, Santa Barbara, 2002–2004
• Postdoctoral Associate, California NanoSystems Institute, UCSB, 2004–2005

Research Interests

Dr. Bartl’s research centers on the design, synthesis, and characterization of functional nanostructured materials for next-generation energy and information technologies. His group integrates chemistry, physics, and biology to create photonic crystals, mesoporous oxides, and colloidal nanocrystals with tailored optical, electronic, and mechanical properties. Key themes include:

• Energy-relevant nanomaterials for storage, conversion, and transport
• Photonic and magnonic crystals for optical and spin-wave information processing
• Bio-inspired structural coloration and biomimetic templating
• Nanoconfined liquids and phase transitions under extreme confinement

Across more than 40 peer-reviewed publications, his work reveals a trajectory from fundamental studies of nanoconfined fluids and low-temperature nanocrystal synthesis to applied investigations of photonic devices and energy materials. A strong emphasis on structure–property relationships—often revealed through advanced microscopy and spectroscopy—underpins every project.

Honors & Awards

• DuPont Young Professor Grant Award (2007–2011)
• Emerging Investigator, Royal Society of Chemistry (2010)
• Brilliant 10 (“America’s Young Science Geniuses”), Popular Science Magazine (2010)
• JFK 50 Years Legacy Gallery Inductee (2011)
• Scialog Fellow, Research Corporation for Science Advancement (2013)
• Visiting Professor, Technical University of Munich (2013–2014)

Leadership & Editorial Roles

• Director, Berkeley Emerging Technologies Research (BETR) Center, UC Berkeley
• Deputy Director, MUSE Energy Frontier Research Center, University of Utah
• Scientific Co-founder, Navillum Nanotechnologies
• Deputy Editor, Scripta Materialia (2014–2019)

Dr. Bartl’s multi-institutional leadership fosters cross-disciplinary collaborations that span synthetic chemistry, advanced characterization, and device prototyping, positioning his teams at the forefront of energy-efficient photonic and electronic materials.