Faculty Spotlight: Professor Justin Caram

Posted on July 25, 2023

Congratulations to Professor Justin Caram on his promotion to associate professor with tenure, effective July 1, 2023.

A physical chemist, Caram joined the chemistry faculty in July 2017 as an assistant professor. His group develops and studies novel photophysical materials using photon-resolved spectroscopic methods.

Caram holds an A.B. degree in chemistry from Harvard University, where he served as a research assistant in Professors Vinothan N. Manoharan and James G. Anderson’s groups. He then pursued his Ph.D. in chemistry at the University of Chicago under the guidance of Professor Gregory S. Engel. Following that, he conducted postdoctoral research at MIT with Professor Moungi G. Bawendi.

The Caram group’s research focuses on two main areas: quantum state preparation and spectroscopy, as well as molecular and supramolecular design for novel light emitters. For the first, Caram’s group explores methods to manipulate and probe quantum states by shaping input and output photon streams in materials. They focus on maintaining quantum coherence by tuning complex condensed phase and molecular environments, paving the way for potential advancements in quantum technology.

For the second part the group specializes in molecular and supramolecular design for novel light emitters. Their goal is to push the boundaries of organic and inorganic photophysics through innovative molecule/nanocrystal design. They explore systems with unusual or exceptional absorption and emission properties, such as those that emit beyond the bandgap of silicon or achieve strong superradiance.

Caram is an active member of the Center for Quantum Science and Engineering and a faculty fellow of Center for Diverse Leadership in science. He serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters. His awards include:

Penny Jennings, UCLA Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, penny@chem.ucla.edu.