Organic Photochemistry and Opto-Electronics

I received my undergraduate degree from the Albert-Ludwigs-University in Freiburg (Germany). The city is home of the Fraunhofer Institut for Solar Energy Systems, where I first learned about photochemical sciences in general. 

An exchange fellowship from a German exchange organization funded two semesters of coursework at Bowling Green State University. During this occasion, I learned about the Center and the research opportunities it offers. I have been in the program for 4 years.

Light is fundamental to life on earth; to me as a researcher in the photochemical sciences, it is just as vital; I work with all kinds of light sources on a daily basis. One of my research projects uses polycyclic fused thiophenes as synthons for photoformation of new aromatic nuclei. Using ultraviolet (UV) light and a suitable dienophile, we can transform the five-membered heterocycle thiophene ring. Once we follow the reaction with a heating step, we obtain a six-membered benzene moiety as indicated below.