This year, we are doing a series of features on all the amazing people that make up UConn Chemistry, and who better to start with than our department head, Dr. Christian Brückner!
Academic background: MS at RWTH, Germany; Ph.D. at University of British Columbia, Vancouver, Canada; Postdoc at University of California at Berkeley
Current position: Dr. Brückner has been at UConn Storrs since 1998. He now serves as a professor and the Department Head, where he enjoys some of the challenges it brings (but not the realization that this doesn’t afford more hours to the day!)
Favorite things about UConn: He enjoys the relatively small size of the department allowing one to know and appreciate everyone.
Research specialties: Organic and inorganic chemistry
Research interests: The core of our work is the synthesis and study of synthetic models of one of the ‘pigments of life,’ the porphyrins. We primarily aim at their fundamental understanding, but also found uses for them as sensors or catalysts.
Recent publications:
Fun fact: Dr. Brückner aspires to become a better carpenter and enjoys his time in the woods with his 3 white German shepherds!
Advice to students: Aspire to acquire breadth of knowledge, but also depth – become a true expert in something!
Learn more about the Brückner Group: https://bruckner.research.uconn.edu/