William Kaden

William Kaden is an Associate Professor and Graduate Program Director in the Department of Physics at the University of Central Florida. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from SUNY Oswego and Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Utah, followed by an Alexander von Humboldt postdoctoral fellowship at the Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society.

His research focuses on fundamental studies of model catalytic systems using ultrahigh-vacuum surface-science techniques. Key areas include exploring support effects (thickness, structure, electronic properties) and factors from liquid-based catalyst preparation that alter physical/chemical properties. Future work involves infrared reflection-absorption studies and synchrotron collaborations.

Dr. Kaden's publications emphasize materials science, catalysis, and surface characterization, with trends toward epitaxial growth, thin-film properties, and computational studies of reaction mechanisms.

Awards include the Alexander von Humboldt Fellowship for postdoctoral research.

He directs graduate programs and leads the Kaden Research Group, utilizing UHV systems with photoemission, ion scattering, electron diffraction, mass spectroscopy, and scanning probe techniques.