Serendipity Lights the Way

Abstract

Our research group seeks creative, synthetic solutions to problems at the interface of chemistry and material science. We develop new methods for the construction of stimuli-responsive molecules and materials. In this seminar, I will discuss our groups effort to design bio-orthogonal chemistry with spatial control for biomaterial applications. Additionally, a new class of negative photochromic molecules termed DASA, their incorporation into materials and subsequent effort to unlock their potential to convert light directly into mechanical work and control material properties will be discussed.

Biography

Javier Read de Alaniz joined the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at UC, Santa Barbara in 2009. He served as Associate Director of the California NanoSystems Institute from 2015-2023 and is currently the Director of BioPACIFIC MIP, a position he began in 2020. Born and raised in Las Vegas, New Mexico, Javier received his B.S. degree from Fort Lewis College (Durango, Colorado) in 1999, where he conducted undergraduate research under the direction of Professor William R. Bartlett. He obtained his Ph.D. under the supervision of Professor Tomislav Rovis at Colorado State University in 2006, focusing on asymmetric catalysis. After completing his Ph.D., Javier moved to California, where he worked in the area of total synthesis with Professor Larry E. Overman at the University of California, Irvine. During that time, he received the University of California President's Postdoctoral Fellowship.