Michael J. Therien

Michael J. Therien is the William R. Kenan, Jr. Distinguished Professor of Chemistry at Duke University's Trinity College of Arts & Sciences. His research focuses on synthesizing compounds, supramolecular assemblies, and nanoscale materials with unique electronic properties. Key areas include photophysics, spectroscopy, and energy conversion, leveraging advanced transient optical and electrochemical methods.

Education:

• Ph.D., University of California, San Diego (1987)
• B.S., University of St. Andrews, United Kingdom (1982)

Research Interests: His work spans physical inorganic chemistry, bioinorganic systems, and nanomaterials. Notable projects include de novo protein design for energy transduction, chiral spin filtering in molecular systems, and polymer-wrapped carbon nanotube superstructures for optoelectronic applications.

Awards:

• 2024 Fulbright Distinguished Scholar
• 2022 R. B. Woodward Career Award
• 2020 Guggenheim Fellowship
• Multiple NSF and Department of Energy grants

Grants & Labs: Current grants include $1M Keck Foundation funding for nature-inspired catalysts and NIH-supported nanotechnology research. The Therien Lab hosts graduate students, postdocs, and undergraduates in interdisciplinary projects.