Milan Kivala

Professor Milan Kivala is a W3-Professor for Organic Chemistry at the Institute of Organic Chemistry, Ruprecht-Karls-Universität Heidelberg. He leads an active research group focused on synthetic carbon allotropes and N-heteropolycycles as functional materials, with significant involvement in SFB 953 and SFB 1249 collaborative research centers.

His educational background includes:

• M.Sc. degree (2003) from the Institute of Chemical Technology in Prague
• Ph.D. (2008) under Prof. François Diederich at ETH Zurich
• Postdoctoral work at ETH Zurich
• Postdoctoral fellowship (2009) at Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research with Prof. Klaus Müllen
• Habilitation (2016) at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg under Prof. Rik R. Tykwinski
• Interim Chair at Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (2017)
• W3-Professor at Heidelberg University (since October 2018)

Professor Kivala's research program centers on functional π-electron systems and materials science, with a focus on creating unprecedented molecular entities that assemble into functional devices through organic synthesis. His work spans nanographenes, heteroatom-doped carbon structures, π-expanded systems, and molecular electronics. His group has made significant contributions to understanding molecular self-assembly, charge transfer phenomena, and the electronic properties of novel carbon-based materials.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a strong emphasis on N-heterotriangulenes, nanographenes, and π-expanded systems with applications in molecular electronics, energy storage, and optoelectronics. His work bridges fundamental organic synthesis with materials science applications, demonstrating expertise in creating complex molecular architectures with precisely tailored electronic properties.

• Multiple publications in Angewandte Chemie including Very Important Papers and Hot Papers
• Research featured in Journal of the American Chemical Society, Chemical Science, and other high-impact journals
• Special issue contributions to Organic Letters on π-Conjugated Molecules and Materials

Professor Kivala actively mentors postdoctoral researchers, PhD students, master's students, and bachelor's students. His teaching responsibilities include specialized courses on synthetic carbon allotropes (SS 2025), mechanisms of synthetically important reactions (OC III) for chemistry students, and chemistry for medical and dental students (WS 2024/25). His research group participates in collaborative projects with multiple institutions and maintains an active social calendar including regular group excursions to foster a collaborative research environment.