Stephen Urquhart

Stephen Urquhart is a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Saskatchewan and an associate member of the Department of Physics. He leads research in X-ray spectroscopy and microscopy, focusing on nanomaterials, surface science, and synchrotron-based techniques. His work integrates experimental and computational methods to study molecular structure and aggregation in organic systems, with applications in semiconductor devices and nanotechnology.

Research activities include development of the Spectromicroscopy beamline at the Canadian Light Source, advancing cryogenic X-ray microscopy for liquid and solid-state samples. He actively collaborates on projects involving graphene-based microfluidics, strain effects in semiconductors, and molecular orientation in nanocrystalline materials. Urquhart also serves as president of the Association of Professional Chemists of Saskatchewan (APCS).

• Key research areas: X-ray microscopy, NEXAFS spectroscopy, synchrotron radiation, molecular conformation, semiconductor characterization, and nanostructure imaging.
• Developed cryogenic scanning transmission X-ray microscopes and graphene-enabled liquid analysis tools.
• Prominent contributions to understanding chain-length effects in alkanes and π-π interactions in organic nanomaterials.

Publications

Over 75 peer-reviewed articles, with recent work focusing on soft X-ray spectroptychography, cryogenic microscopy, and NEXAFS studies of organic glasses and polymers.

Labs & Teams

Lead researcher in the Spectromicroscopy beamline (CLS), coordinating interdisciplinary projects in materials science and nanotechnology.