Mark W.B. Wilson

Alas & alack! They had a long-running swing dance night also, as well as hosting 'Pint of Science' nights...

But I canna' see 'em!
I wanna' see 'em!
See 'em glowy!

ACS Spring 2026 is just around the corner, and Qilei, Miguel, and I have the pleasure of organizing a joint symposium between PHYS, INOR, and ORGN on Mechanisms of Photoredox Catalysis. The abstract submission deadline is Sept. 29th, and we hope to see y'all there!

Check this out and come join us!
👀
The 2026 Gordon Research Conference on Unconventional Semiconductors is accepting applications. Limited to 200 spots, so please apply early!

When: July 26-31, 2026.
Where: University of Southern Maine.

Competition closes September 10th! Join the Department of Chemistry at UofT!

Prospects of Nanoscience with Nanocrystals: 2025 Edition Nanocrystals (NCs) of various compositions have made important contributions to science and technology, with their impact recognized by the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry for the discovery and synthesis of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs). Over four decades of research into NCs has led to numerous advancements in diverse fields, such as optoelectronics, catalysis, energy, medicine, and recently, quantum information and computing. The last 10 years since the predecessor perspective “Prospect of Nanoscience with Nanocrystals” was published in ACS Nano have seen NC research continuously evolve, yielding critical advances in fundamental understanding and practical applications. Mechanistic insights into NC formation have translated into precision control over NC size, shape, and composition. Emerging synthesis techniques have broadened the landscape of compounds obtainable in colloidal NC form. Sophistication in surface chemistry, jointly bolstered by theoretical models and experimental findings, has facilitated refined control over NC properties and represents a trusted gateway to enhanced NC stability and processability. The assembly of NCs into superlattices, along with two-dimensional (2D) photolithography and three-dimensional (3D) printing, has expanded their utility in creating materials with tailored properties. Applications of NCs are also flourishing, consolidating progress in fields targeted early on, such as optoelectronics and catalysis, and extending into areas ranging from quantum technology to phase-change memories. In this perspective, we review the extensive progress in research on NCs over the past decade and highlight key areas where future research may bring further breakthroughs.

This monumental effort, undertaken by many outstanding co-authors, including several invited speakers from the Nanax 2023 conference, which we co-organized, is now online.
Special kudos to Maria Ibáñez and her team.

pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/...

The Department of Chemistry in the Faculty of Arts & Science at the University of Toronto is inviting applications for two full-time tenure stream positions in Experimental Physical Chemistry. Competition closes September 10, 2025 - visit us to learn more!

Delightful---many thanks!

HI! I'm interested in this! (but not at the Fall ACS this year)
We're trying similar things here in Toronto, so I'd be keen to 'be directed' if you've e.g. already published your approach, or have a public-facing explanation or repo!

Dalhousie locks out profs, other faculty members over contract dispute | CBC News Dalhousie University professors, librarians and other teacher staff have hit the picket lines in Halifax following the school’s decision this week to lock out faculty association members after no coll...

Dalhousie locks out profs, other faculty members over contract dispute

Union represents nearly 1,000 professors, instructors, librarians and professional counsellors #Halifax #NovaScotia

www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...

Come work with @emorychannano.bsky.social and me!
#robotics #nanochemistry #machinelearning #UCNPs

Bravo! Best of luck to you and the institute on the next stage in your journeys!

As part of the Early Career Board of Nano Letters, I’ll be occasionally sharing papers I enjoyed reading.

This week, two single-nanocrystal studies caught my eye. One on flat PbSe nanocrystals of discrete thicknesses, and another on magic-sized CdSe clusters. #NanoLettBoardPick

Text detailing how MSU isn’t accepting grad applications for astronomy on their website

Sign of the times- Michigan State, one of the biggest astronomy programs in the USA, is not accepting ANY applications for its graduate program this year 😖

🔭🧪🎢

YouTube video by U2VEVO U2 - I Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (Official Music Video)

Heads-up: we'll be searching this Fall for a tenure-stream faculty member in Theoretical #QuantumOptics (#AMOPhysics #QuantumInformation)
at U of T Physics
@cqiqc-uoft.bsky.social

Official ad out next month – please alert potential strong candidates you may know!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=e3-5...

Quebec City–Windsor Corridor - Wikipedia

Forgive nit-picking, but it's easily 50% of Canadians (+ ~best local transit). (From: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quebec_...; my quick numbers from 2021 census give 54%.)
I love trains, but daily service to e.g. Churchill, MB, is hard to justify. Jazzed about YEG-YYC ultimately joining the party, though.

And it's not even consistent between versions/other office programs!

Join us at the EmergentNano symposium in Valencia this October!

@chemuoft.bsky.social

Pushing the limit of triplet–triplet annihilation photon upconversion towards the UVC range Triplet–triplet annihilation photon upconversion (TTA-UC) provides a milder alternative to traditional UVB/UVC photochemistry. However, suitable sensitizer-annihilator pairs are scarce, in particular…

New Hot article from @ckerzig.bsky.social, @gloriusfrank.bsky.social and colleagues:

'Pushing the limit of triplet–triplet annihilation photon upconversion towards the UVC range' 🔥

#OpenAccess 🔓

Poster celebrating pride month 2025.

🌈 Happy PRIDE Month! 🌈
We proudly celebrate and support our LGBTQ2IA+ students, alumni, faculty, and staff—not just in June, but every day. Chemistry is stronger when everyone belongs.
Let’s honor the incredible contributions of LGBTQ2IA+ chemists. #PrideMonth #InclusiveSTEM

Opinion | Universities and the government: Which needs the other more? From public health to high-tech innovation, universities are the workhorses of national progress.

Universities are not passive beneficiaries of government largesse. It is the federal government that depends on universities to conduct the research that keeps our nation healthy, safe and economically competitive.I discuss in the Washington Post.
www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/202...

We are looking for a postdoc to join our research group at York University in Toronto, Canada to study the atmospheric chemistry of PFAS #PFAS
www.cjygroup.com/opportunities

Gate at Harvard yard that says "ENTER TO GROW IN WISDOM"

Back side of the gate, that says "DEPART TO SERVE BETTER THY COUNTRY AND THY KIND"

My favourite gate when I was in grad school. Many people know the front side "Enter to grow in wisdom", fewer notice that the back also has an inscription:

“Nakedly authoritarian and retaliatory” — statement from Harvard’s @aaup.bsky.social chapter on the termination of Harvard’s SEVP certification.

Single-photon superabsorption in CsPbBr3 perovskite quantum dots - Nature Photonics Greatly enhanced light absorption is reported in large perovskite quantum dots by realizing a transition with a giant oscillator strength at the optical bandgap.

Our team has again demonstrated the uniqueness of perovskite QDs, now in the absorption of light (echoing the previously reported single-photon superradiance).
www.nature.com/articles/s41...

My ongoing request:

If your NSF or NIH grant was terminated--whether at Harvard or elsewhere--please report it here.

NSF: grant-watch.us/submit-nsf.h...

NIH: grant-watch.us/submit-nih.h...

Our trackers are actively used in lawsuits and are often the only record that terminations ever occurred.

Having been part of scientific research councils in Canada, the UK, the US, and Mexico, I consider the NSF to be hands down the most rigorous, fair, and impactful agency. It is now being dismantled, which is a catastrophy for global science. This is serious folks.

www.instagram.com/p/DJcHVW6tv6...