Prof. Dr. Frédéric Laquai

Chair of Physical Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Energy Materials

Photovoltaics · Photocatalysis · Photochemistry · Ultrafast spectroscopy · Excited state dynamics

Prof. Dr. Frédéric Laquai holds the Chair of Physical Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Energy Materials at LMU Munich and leads the SPECTRE group. His research interests include photovoltaics, photocatalysis, photochemistry, ultrafast spectroscopy and excited state dynamics.

Before joining LMU Munich, he was Associate Professor of Material Science and Engineering (2015–2021) and Full Professor of Applied Physics (2021–2025) at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST). Previously, he led a Max Planck Research Group at the Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research in Mainz (2008–2015) after a postdoctoral stay in Cambridge (UK).

Chair of Physical Chemistry and Spectroscopy of Energy Materials, LMU Munich
Full Professor of Applied Physics, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2021–2025
Associate Professor of Material Science and Engineering, King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST), 2015–2021
Max Planck Research Group Leader, Max Planck Institute for Polymer Research (MPIP), Mainz, 2008–2015
Postdoc, Cambridge (UK), 2006–2008
PhD in Physical Chemistry, University of Mainz, 2006
Master's degree in Chemistry, University of Marburg, 2003
Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, University of Oldenburg, 2000
Aircraft pilot licence PPL(A)-IR, SEP(L)

Highly Cited Researcher in Cross-Discipline, Clarivate, 2023 and 2024
KAUST Distinguished Teaching Award, King Abdullah University of Science & Technology (KAUST), 2022
Hoechst Dozentenpreis of the Aventis Foundation and the Chemical Industry Fund, 2014
Walter Kalkhof-Rose Memorial Prize, Academy of Sciences and Literature Mainz, 2010
1st place in the nationwide competition of young researchers "Jugend forscht" in Chemistry and special prize of the German Research Foundation (DFG) for the best interdisciplinary research project, 1999