Silvia Mittler

Prof. Silvia Mittler is a retired Professor of Physics & Astronomy at the University of Western Ontario, with cross-appointments in multiple departments including Electrical and Computer Engineering, Chemical and Biochemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Medical Biophysics. Her research focuses on nanoparticle optics, surface functionalization, and plasmonics with applications in biomedical engineering and materials science. She held a Tier I Canada Research Chair from 2004–2011 and received an Honorary Professorship from RheinMain University of Applied Sciences (2018).

Education:

• Diploma in Physics (1986), Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz.
• PhD in Biophysics (1989), Max-Planck Institute for Polymer Research, Mainz.
• Habilitation in Physical Chemistry (2000), Johannes Gutenberg University, Mainz.

Research Interests: Silvia Mittler’s work spans organo metallic chemical vapor deposition (OMCVD), evanescent wave analytical tools, and gold nanoparticle clusters. Her lab develops functionalized surfaces for optical sensors, investigates plasmonic phenomena, and explores applications in biomedical imaging and diagnostics. Key areas include collagen alignment, antibacterial coatings, and plasmon-enhanced solar cells.

Scientific Awards:

• Award of Appreciation from Sciencetech Inc. (2010)
• Honorary Professorship in Engineering (2018)

Advising & Grants: Prof. Mittler advised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. She led projects on waveguide evanescent field microscopy (WEFF/WEFS) and collaborated with institutions like the Schulich School of Medicine & Dentistry and industry partners such as Sciencetech Inc. Her lab, the Laboratory for Photonics of Surfaces and Interfaces, pioneered techniques for nanoscale functionalization and plasmonic sensing.