Prof. Loredana Protesescu
University of Groningen, Faculty of Science and Engineering,
Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials / Chemistry of nanomaterials
I am an Associate Professor specializing in the chemistry of nanomaterials, a role I have held since 2024, following my tenure as an Assistant Professor at the Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials, University of Groningen (2019–2024). My research bridges fundamental inorganic chemistry with applied nanoscale engineering, with the goal of unlocking new functionalities for advanced technologies. My work has led to over 60 publications, three patents, and collaborations with industry partners, including AiLimiQ, where I serve as a scientific advisor.
At the core of my work is the development of synthetic strategies—from molecular design to the engineering of complex ink systems—enabling scalable and functional nanomaterial applications. By integrating precision chemical design, structural control, and self-assembly principles, and by innovating in automated and high-throughput synthetic processes, we accelerate discovery and optimization.
My research is driven by a deep expertise in nanomaterial chemistry, where we pioneer innovations across two interconnected yet distinct directions: semiconductor nanocrystals and hard/superhard nanomaterials for extreme environments.
Together with my team, we design and synthesize semiconductor nanocrystals, spanning from conventional to unconventional systems (e.g., perovskites and antiperovskites), with optical and electronic properties tailored from the visible to the infrared. These materials enable breakthroughs in optoelectronics, energy conversion, sensing, and advanced imaging, where we achieve unprecedented control over their synthesis, structure, and surface chemistry.
Simultaneously, we develop hard and superhard nanomaterials, such as metal borides, engineered for extreme environments. These materials combine exceptional mechanical strength, thermal stability, and conductivity, making them ideal for high-temperature electronics, protective coatings, and high-stress applications.
By integrating automated high-throughput synthesis and precision chemical design, we accelerate the discovery and optimization of nanomaterials that are both scientifically innovative and industrially impactful. Our work pushes the boundaries of material science, creating solutions that redefine performance in energy, electronics, and beyond.
My research has been recognized with awards such as the Nanomaterials 2020 Young Investigator Award, Veni and Vidi NWO grants, OTP NWO grant (2024), MWO-M2 (2024), and an ERC Starting Grant (2025). I am also actively involved in the scientific community, serving as an Early Career Board member for Nano Letters (2022–2025) and as Chair of the Board (2023–2024). Since September 2024, I have been the Program Director of the Nanoscience Master’s program, fostering innovation and excellence in nanoscience research.
Research interests:
Chemical design for advanced functionalized nano-materials
My research interest is how to enable functional nanomaterials using chemical design to achieve properties considered impossible for the next generation of applications taking advantage of nanoscale.
I study novel colloidal nano-materials while developing synthetic strategies, and programming their structural particularities and their surface chemistry in relation to their properties and potential applications in energy, extreme environment, and bio-applications. The colloidal nanocrystals are specially designed and studied for their physical properties such as optical characteristics, conductivity, magnetism, ultra-high temperature ceramics, or bio-physics.
Education and professional experience:
2024- present
2019- 2024
2017-2018
2016-2017
January 2016
Associate professor (tenured, ius promovendi), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials
Assistant professor (tenure track), Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen, Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials
Postdoctoral Fellow at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, advisor: Prof. dr. dr. Mircea Dincă, (Swiss National Science Foundation Fellowship).
Postdoctoral Scholar, ETH Zurich/D-CHAB, Functional Inorganic Materials, Kovalenko Group, with Prof. dr. Maksym V. Kovalenko.
Doctoral degree, ETH Zurich/D-CHAB, Functional Inorganic Materials, with Prof. dr. Maksym V. Kovalenko. Thesis title: “Novel luminescence colloidal nanocrystals and studies on nanocrystal surface chemistry”
Awards:
2023 Chair of Early Career Board for Nano Letters
2021 Early Career Board member for Nano Letters (appointed for 3 years)
2020 Nanomaterials 2020 Young Investigator Award, MDPI, Basel.
2019 NWO VENI grant (250K euro). The Netherlands.
2018 ETH Medal (for top 5% PhD Theses), ETH Zürich, Switzerland.
2017 Best PhD Thesis Award in Materials Science, ETH Zürich, Switzerland.
2016 Swiss National Science Foundation Fellowship (early postdoc mobility).
2016 Best Poster Prize at MRS-2016 Conference (Symposium “Perovskite- Based Photovoltaics and Optoelectronic Devices”).
2014 SCNAT_SCS Travel Award.
Teaching experience:
2022-ongoing Coordination chemistry, bachelor (coordinator and lecturer)
2020-ongoing Engineered nanomaterials for industry, master (coordinator and lecturer)
2019-ongoing Structure at Macro, Meso and Nanoscale, master (coordinator and Lecturer)
Faculty of Science and Engineering, University of Groningen
Scientific and synergistic activities:
- Total of 54 publications in peer-reviewed journals (Science, JACS, Advanced Materials, ACS nano, Nanoletters, Chemical science, etc)
- Invited lectures and conference participation: >25 lectures (NanoGe-Spring meeting 2022, Amolf – 2022, University of Amsterdam 2022, Twente University, 2022, Nanoseries 2022, Brazil MRS – 2021, University of Uppsala, Sweden/2020, Physics@Veldhoven, the Netherlands/2020, Amolf/The Netherlands/2019, etc)
- 2 patents (with Avantama, Switzerland, 2016: Solid polymer composition, Luminescent crystals and manufacturing thereof 2017).
- 1 patent (RUG)
- Supervisor for 6 PhD students , more than 25 master and bachelor
- 3 graduated phd students.
- Chair of organization Symposium Chemistry of nanomaterials, NanoGe , spring 2021, 2022.
- Public lectures/experiments for primary schools Groningen (2020,2021), on Maturandentag (2012, 2013) and Tag der Offenen Labor (2012, 2013).
- Board of reviewers (2020-2021): Frontiers in Chemistry, Elsevier;
- Active reviewer for journals from ACS, Royal Society, Elsevier.
Membership of professional societies:
ACS (since 2013), MRS member (since 2015)
Professional service and management:
- Early Career Board member for Nano Letters (appointed for 3 years)
- Scientific executive boards (External, review committees, program committees)
- Program committee national meetings- Physics@Veldhoven (2022) – CHAINS (2022)
- Selection of executive boards (internal, Faculty board, institute, educational)
- Member of Board of Examiners (Nanoscience/Physics)-2023- present)
- Member of Program Committee (CH/CE)-2019-2023)
- Member of curriculum committee Master Advanced materials 2020
- PhD defense committees RUG, University of Amsterdam.
- Organizer PhD colloquium and Zernike Colloquium.
- Webinars organization for materials chemistry group (with participants from Zernike Institute of Advanced Materials),
Media:
It's okay to have kids https://ukrant.nl/magazine/its-okay-to-have-kids/?lang=en