Mogens Brøndsted Nielsen is a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, University of Copenhagen, where he has been employed since 2004. He currently serves as Deputy Head of Department for Research (since 2022) and previously held leadership roles including Head of the Organic Chemistry Section (2012-2021) and Head of the Center for Exploitation of Solar Energy (2013-2018). His academic career spans multiple prestigious institutions including ETH Zürich (postdoc), University of Southern Denmark, and UCLA (visiting PhD student). Dr. Nielsen earned his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) in 1994, followed by a Cand. Scient. in Chemistry and Physics in 1997. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at SDU in 1999 with a thesis on supramolecular compounds based on tetrathiafulvalene and ferrocene, supervised by Prof. Jan Becher. In 2018, he obtained his dr.scient. degree with a dissertation on Cross-Conjugation in Expanded pi-Systems. Nielsen's research program focuses on three interconnected areas: Synthetic organic chemistry with emphasis on acetylenic scaffolding and redox-active molecules for molecular electronics; Physical organic chemistry investigating cross-conjugation and pi-electron delocalization; and Supramolecular chemistry studying redox-controlled self-assembly and mechanically interlocked molecules. His work targets applications in advanced materials, photovoltaics, and conducting materials, with particular interest in dihydroazulene photoswitches, azulene chromophores, and tetrathiafulvalene derivatives. His group has pioneered research on expanded pi-systems and molecular switches for energy conversion applications. Analysis of his recent publications (2024-2025) reveals a strong focus on extended tetrathiafulvalene systems, graphyne structures, and molecular switches. His work consistently bridges synthetic chemistry with materials science applications, particularly in molecular electronics and photovoltaics. The research demonstrates sophisticated molecular design to control electronic properties through structural modifications of pi-conjugated systems. The Knud Lind Larsen Prize 2004 for contributions to supramolecular chemistry The Bjerrum Prize 2012 for contributions to supramolecular and organic chemistry Global Oregon Faculty Collaboration Fund award for Guest Professorship (2016) Liebig Guest Professorship at Justus-Liebig-Universität Giessen (2021-2023) Professor Nielsen leads the Molecular Engineering Group at the University of Copenhagen, which has received substantial funding from Danish research councils including the Independent Research Fund Denmark. His group maintains active international collaborations with research teams in the United States, Germany, and France. He has supervised numerous graduate students and postdoctoral researchers throughout his career, contributing significantly to the education of next-generation chemists in organic and supramolecular chemistry. The Molecular Engineering Group maintains state-of-the-art facilities for organic synthesis, spectroscopic characterization, and electrochemical analysis. The group actively collaborates with theoretical chemists and materials scientists to develop novel molecular architectures with tailored electronic properties. Current research directions include the development of molecular switches for information storage, chromophores for solar energy conversion, and novel pi-conjugated systems for molecular electronics applications.
