Gordana Dukovic

  • Professor
  • Institute Fellow, RASEI
  • CHEMISTRY
  • RENEWABLE AND SUSTAINABLE ENERGY INSTITUTE (RASEI)
Gordana Dukovic Headshot
Address

Office: Ekeley Science M331
Lab: Ekeley Science M332 & M366
Lab Phone: 303-492-8957
Fax: 303-492-5894

Education

Ph.D.: Columbia University, 2006 
Postdoctoral Scholar: University of California, Berkeley and LBNL 2006-2009

Areas of Expertise

Nanotechnology/Materials, Physical Chemistry, Renewable Energy

Awards and Honors

  • 2024: National Brown Investigator Award, Brown Institute for Basic Sciences 
  • 2023: Guggenheim Fellow, John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation 
  • 2023: College Scholar Award, University of Colorado Boulder 
  • 2022: Finalist, Blavatnik National Award for Young Scientists 
  • 2017: Faculty Fellow, Research and Innovation Office, University of Colorado Boulder 
  • 2016: Fellow, Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) 
  • 2016: Visiting Professor, Claude Bernard University, Lyon, France 
  • 2015: Provost’s Faculty Achievement Award, University of Colorado Boulder 
  • 2014: Sloan Research Fellow 
  • 2013: Beckman Young Investigator 
  • 2013: Cottrell Scholar 
  • 2012: NSF CAREER Award 
  • 2012: Scialog Collaborative Innovation Award (with Sean Elliott, Boston University) 
  • 2012: Fellow, Materials Science and Engineering Program, University of Colorado Boulder 
  • 2011: ACS PRF Doctoral New Investigator Award 
  • 2010: Renewable and Sustainable Energy Institute (RASEI) Affiliate 
  • 2006: Hammet Award, for excellence in studies and research toward the PhD, Columbia University 
  • 2003: Jack Miller Award, for excellence in teaching, Columbia University 
  • 2002: Edith and Eugene Blout Scholarship, Columbia University

Our research is focused on fundamental problems in nanoscience and how they impact the application of nanoscale materials to solar energy harvesting. Our approach integrates the design and synthesis of novel nanomaterials with detailed electronic spectroscopy in order to reveal how such materials interact with light. The group welcomes a broad spectrum of scientists, with interests ranging from synthetic chemistry to femtosecond spectroscopy.

One of the defining themes in nanoscience is the control of physical properties of a material (such as its electronic structure) through solution-phase synthesis that produces nanostructures of well-defined composition, size, and shape. Our synthetic efforts are directed at creating complex nanomaterials that incorporate the properties necessary for solar energy applications, such as optimized light absorption and spatial separation of photoexcited charges.

Time-resolved electronic spectroscopy allows us to directly probe the behavior of excited electrons and holes created when a material absorbs sunlight. Events such as charge separation, transfer, recombination, and trapping determine the efficiency of solar energy harvesting. We are interested in mapping out the dynamics of such events to understand how to improve the design of next generation solar materials.

Undergraduate, graduate, and postdoctoral researchers interested in joining or learning more about the group are encouraged to contact Prof. Dukovic by email. Postdoctoral applicants should include a CV and a brief description of research skills and interests.