WilsonLab (sans Rees, Hanzi, and Joaquin) c. Sept 2022, celebrating the newly-minted Dr. Imperiale. Yes, Francisco is always this excited—at least about coinage chalcogenide nanocrystals.
Mark uses spectroscopy to explore, understand, and develop excitonic materials for optoelectronic devices. He joined the faculty of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Toronto in 2016 and leads the team in the Wilson Lab.
Proudly hailing from Port Colborne, Ontario, he studied at Queen’s University, receiving a B.Sc. (2006, Engineering Physics), a B.A. (2008, History), and an M.Sc. (2008, Eng. Phys.) under the supervision of Prof. James Fraser. He then earned his Ph.D. (2012, Physics) at the University of Cambridge with Prof. Sir Richard Friend, before working as a postdoctoral associate in the Center for Excitonics at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, with Professors Moungi Bawendi (Chemistry) and Marc Baldo (Electrical Engineering).
When not doing science, Mark can usually be found cooking, canoe tripping, swing dancing, or arguing about politics…
Rees is a Ph.D. student who started in the lab during his specialist B.Sc. in chemical physics at the University of Toronto. He joined the lab in the summer of 2019 as a USRA to investigate the reported photon multiplication in ytterbium-doped perovskite films. Many photons later, he continues using single-nanocrystal spectroscopies to untangle the photophysical mysteries at the surface of colloidal quantum dots. Outside of the lab, Rees enjoys biking, singing karaoke, and pretending to know how to play piano.
Francisco comes from the charming city of Santiago, Chile. He completed his B.Sc. and M.Sc. degrees in chemistry at Concordia University in Montreal, where he worked to develop a heavy metal sensor technology using carbon dots (Prof. Rafik Naccache) and on the heterogeneous photocatalysis of organic reactions employing zinc oxide nanowires functionalized with carbon dots (Prof. Marek Majewski). His current research focuses on the synthesis of quantum dots and the investigation of their optical properties for applications in optoelectronic devices. Francisco calmly enjoys playing rugby and attending heavy metal festivals.
Maxine escaped from exile in Toronto’s suburbia to study at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, where she earned her B.Sc. (Chem. Honours; Bio) and M.Sc. (Chem., Prof. Mita Dasog). Like any good ADHD child (or supposed adult), Maxine has jumped around research fields, with notable experience in carbohydrate synthesis (Dr. Bruce T. Grindley), nanomaterial synthesis, and electrocatalysis. In the WilsonLab, Maxine joins our effort to spectroscopically investigate the energy transfer processes at play in hybrid triplet-fusion upconversion systems. When she is not accidentally swamping the detectors or frantically trying to submit a computational job to Niagara, Maxine can be found talking to her dog, talking to strangers’ dogs, and generally overthinking any potential human interaction.
Samihat is your average “third culture kid” who has called many places home—Dhaka, Kentucky, Minnesota, and finally settling into Toronto (the best one yet, of course). She graduated with a BA from Carleton College in Northfield, Minnesota and spent a summer as an undergrad in Prof. Pat Kambhampati’s lab at McGill University looking at the optical properties of CsPbBr3 nanocrystals. She is currently investigating exciton autoionization in nanocrystal sensitized films for solid-state upconversion. Outside of the lab she can be seen happily (but mostly sadly) supporting Chelsea FC.
Join the lab! Research positions are available for motivated students, both graduate and undergraduate.
General information for graduate students can be found on the Departmental Website, including the Online Application Form.
Wilsonlab Apr 2022: Album dropping soon
WilsonLab Aug 2021: Flowering
WilsonLab Nov 2020: Distant but undaunted
WilsonLab Feb 2020: Little did we know
WilsonLab 2019: The Summer of Basketball
WilsonLab 2018: Undergraduate strength!
WilsonLab 2017: Part Deux
WilsonLab 2016: The Originators
WilsonLab Alumni:
Dr. Minhal Hasham earned a bachelor’s degree in chemical physics, and then master’s & doctoral degrees in physical chemistry here at the University of Toronto. His Ph.D. thesis described his studies of the fundamental dynamics of emission and electron transfer within and between in semiconductor nanocrystals, including his pioneering demonstration of optical modulation of the ‘blinking’ of quantum dots, and exploration of the sequential/correlated mechanisms of triplet transfer exciton from nanocrystals to surface-anchored molecules. In his free time, Minhal enjoys playing rugby, biking, time-series forecasting, and live music. Since March 2023, Minhal continues his fundamental students of quantum-dot photophysics as a postdoctoral researcher in the Alivisatos Lab at the University of Chicago.
Forever a Pacific Northwest American at heart, Kelly graduated with her BS with Honors in Chemistry from Western Washington University, where she did computational work studying physical properties of photoswitches under Prof. Tim Kowalczyk in addition to work optimizing electrochemical dealloying techniques of bimetallic nanoparticles under UofT alum, Prof. David Rider. Kelly completed her M.Sc., beginning our studies into exploring (and achieving?) carrier-based energy transport architecures to enable low-threshold, solid-state triplet-fusion upconversion devices. Kelly grew up a musician and enjoys crafting musical arrangements in her down time, though you would more likely find her using PowerPoint to make original memes, joking with friends, or just struggling to use the metric system in everyday life.
Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Dr. Christian Imperiale received his B.Sc. in Biochemistry with a minor in Chemistry from the University of Ottawa. He has previously researched the synthesis and characterization of polymer materials for organic thin film transistors (Prof. Benoît Lessard), as well as the synthesis of thienoanthracene derivatives for functionalization as polymer pendant groups (Prof. Jaclyn Brusso). Christian’s thesis described his incisive spectroscopic investigations of some of the complex photophysical dynamics that can arise in triplet-fusion upconversion systems in solution. It included his groundbreaking demonstration of photopolymerization via NC-sensitized triplet-fusion upconversion (including the surprising realization that the chemical potential of photoexcited, ultrasmall dots might be significantly greater than we once thought!). (Imperiale et al, Chem. Sci (2021))
Christian is a lover of all sports, most notably soccer and hockey (like any good Italian-Canadian). When he’s not using spectroscopy to study the energy transfer processes underlying upconversion in molecular and nanomaterial frameworks, he can be found crying over his favourite soccer team not qualifying for the Champions League. Again.
Since October, 2022, Christian pursues spectroscopic studies of polaritonic systems in Prof. Kéna-Cohen’s Light-Matter Group at the Polytechnique de Montréal.
Dr. Philippe Green grew up near Montréal, Québec, where he also completed his B.Sc. at McGill University while working on assembling photonic metamaterials using viral templates under the supervision of Prof. Amy Blum. He then completed his Ph.D. here in Toronto, by making discoveries on the synthetic mechanism of PbS nanocrystals and refining our understanding of the structure of the atoms and ligands at the nanocrystal surface. Since October 2021, he continues his research into the surface structure of nanocrystals in his postdoctoral studies, working with Prof. Rafaella Buonsanti in the Laboratory for Nanochemistry at the EPFL. In the few moments during the day when he is not making very small rocks, Philippe enjoys playing hockey and watching the Montréal Canadiens.
David was raised in Ajax, Ontario and is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. He joined the lab in summer 2019 as an undergraduate summer research assistant working on determining the triplet energies of polyacene molecules and derivatives. He continues to explore Dexter-mediated energy transfer as part of CHM 499, our Departmental Introduction to Research in Chemistry. Outside of lab work, David enjoys playing chess and reading about history.
Reynolds grew up in Washington, DC and came to the University of Toronto to pursue an undergraduate degree in Chemistry. Now starting his fourth year in the Chemical Physics Specialist program, he joined the lab in summer 2018 as thermal deposition system commissioning assistant and looks forward to future research in thin-film upconversion devices. When not in the lab or in class, Reynolds enjoys playing basketball, listening to 90’s hip hop, and telling people that no, Reynolds is not his last name.
Pournima was raised in Bangalore, India and is currently pursuing an undergraduate degree in Chemistry at the University of Toronto. She joined the lab in Fall 2018 as a volunteer research assistant working on the synthesis of CdSe nanoplatelets and novel exciton-extracting organic ligands. Her previous research includes work on organic synthesis with Prof. Robert Batey, and palladium catalysis with Prof. Mark Lautens. Her hobbies include badminton, running, and being terrible at cooking.
Ziqi was born and raised in Shanghai, China and is pursuing an undergraduate degree in chemistry here in Toronto. She joined the lab in Fall 2018 as an honours thesis research assistant, and is working to understand the surface of the PbS nanocrystals that she is synthesizing via the PbCl (Cademartiri/Weidman) route. In her free time, Ziqi enjoys watching movies and reading novels.
Karen completed her B.Sc. in Chemistry and Math at the University of Toronto. Her main interest is in photochemistry, and she has experience both in nanostructured photocatalysts as well as atmospheric chemistry, though she is now beginning to work on exciton dynamics in her doctorate. Outside of formal studies in chemistry, she has worked with the University of Toronto Aerospace Team to build a three-litre satellite to study the effect of microgravity on C. albicans, and undertaken research at the NASA Astrobiology Institute at the University of Hawaii into the water content of asteroids and comets thought to have been involved in the formation of the solar system. In her spare time, Karen loves to play hockey, and is an avid whitewater canoeist/kayaker and rock climber.
Team member Philip (the non-French one) was born in Jasper, Alberta but grew up in Toronto. He enjoys all branches of chemistry and completed a Master’s in 2018 on the Synthesis of Lead Sulfide Quantum Dots and their Ligands for Photon Upconversion Applications after working with us as an undergraduate. As he stated at the time “When he was not on the computer in the office, he could be found on the computer at home!” Philip also led our outreach efforts with the Chemistry Olympiad, and makes a mean macaroon.
Titania joined the Wilson group in September 2017 after she obtained her BSc from the University of British Columbia, where she interned at the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), and took part in industrial research towards the development of water-based friction modifiers for train and rail systems. Here at UofT, she completed a M.Sc. thesis in 2018 on the use of Gold Nanoclusters as Upconversion Sensitizers via Triplet–Triplet Annihilation. Beyond some recreational label-making, when she is not engrossed by physics/chemistry and trying to understand quantum mechanics, she tends to take long, existential walks.