Richard Hildner

Richard Hildner is an Associate Professor at the University of Groningen's Faculty of Science and Engineering, leading the Optical Spectroscopy of Functional Nanosystems group at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials. His research focuses on optical and electronic properties of functional nanosystems, including conjugated polymers and supramolecular structures, using advanced spectroscopic techniques like single-molecule microscopy and ultrafast spectroscopy. He has held positions at the University of Bayreuth (Germany) and the Institute of Photonic Sciences (ICFO, Spain), and earned a PhD in Experimental Physics from the University of Bayreuth (2007).

His work explores energy transport, light propagation, and quantum coherence in nanomaterials, with applications in nanophotonics and energy conversion. Notable achievements include developing quantum coherence spectroscopy for single molecules and optimizing energy transport in supramolecular architectures. He has been recognized with the Michael D. Sturge Prize and Teacher of the Year in the Nanoscience Master programme.

Research interests include: optical spectroscopy of functional nanosystems, exciton dynamics, polymer self-assembly, and nanostructure design. His teaching roles include courses on nanophotonics, laser physics, and materials characterization.