Bern Kohler

Research Description:

Dr. Kohler investigates the photophysical and photochemical dynamics of excited electronic states in solution and in solid nanomaterials. Molecular excited states are prepared instantly with femtosecond laser pulses and interrogated as a function of time using electronic and vibrational spectroscopy. In analogy to microscopy, which provides access to miniscule spatial dimensions, femtosecond laser spectroscopy reveals the temporal evolution of the microscopic world. Current research projects seek to understand how DNA is damaged by UV radiation, and to develop photochemical approaches for harnessing energy from sunlight.