Michael Wolf

Michael Wolf is a Professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of British Columbia (UBC), part of the Faculty of Science. His research focuses on discovering new materials with electronic or photonic applications, including stimuli-responsive fluorescent dyes, photocatalytic systems, and nanocomposites. He holds academic positions since at least 2003, with notable awards such as the Killam Research Award (2003) and Rio Tinto Alcan Award (2016).

Education:

• B.Sc., Dalhousie University (1989)
• Ph.D., Massachusetts Institute of Technology (1994), supervised by M.S. Wrighton
• NSERC Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Texas at Austin (1995), mentored by M.A. Fox

Research Interests:

His work emphasizes tunable bridged chromophores, stimuli-responsive fluorescent dyes, and photocatalytic materials. Key projects include developing anti-counterfeiting agents, emissive dyes for biological imaging, and light-modulated materials. His lab explores applications in FLIM/STORM microscopy, photopolymerization, and energy-efficient materials.

Publications:

Recent work spans sulfur-bridged chromophores, platinum metallacycles, and CO₂ reduction catalysts. Themes include electronic coupling control, photoinduced charge separation, and nanomaterials for environmental catalysis.

Awards & Honors:

• Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada (2015)
• Award for Pure or Applied Inorganic Chemistry (2004)

Labs & Collaborations:

Wolf’s lab collaborates on photocatalysis (e.g., with Prof. B.O. Patrick) and nanomaterials (e.g., with Prof. MacLachlan). Projects include surface-assisted reduction catalysts for methane oxidation and photoredox systems.