Juliana Morbec

Biography

I was born and raised in Uberlândia, Brazil. I studied Physics and Mathematics at the Federal University of Uberlândia, Brazil, and earned my PhD in Physics from the São Carlos Institute of Physics at the University of São Paulo, Brazil. Afterwards, I spent nearly four years as an Assistant Professor of Physics at the Federal University of Alfenas, Brazil. I also held research positions at the University of California, Davis, USA, the University of Chicago, USA, and the University of Duisburg-Essen, Germany. In August 2019, I was appointed Lecturer in Physics in the School of Chemical and Physical Sciences at Keele University, England.

To learn more about my academic journey, please visit here (link to https://sites.google.com/view/morbec-research-group/people/dr-juliana-morbec).

Research and scholarship

My research focuses on the theoretical study and computational simulations of materials for technological applications. I employ first-principles quantum mechanical methods, including density-functional theory and many-body perturbation theory, to investigate the electronic, magnetic, optical, and transport properties of various systems, ranging from molecules to two-dimensional (2D) materials and surfaces. My goal is to achieve a deep understanding of properties, processes, and phenomena at the atomic level, enabling the prediction and design of materials for applications in spintronics, optoelectronics, sensors, catalysis, and energy conversion.

I work closely with experimentalists, combining efforts to explore novel materials and uncover new properties. My research interests include (i) 2D materials and van der Waals heterostructures for flexible and portable applications, (ii) hybrid organic/inorganic materials for optoelectronic applications, (iii) transition metal oxide and nitride semiconductors for solar water splitting, and (iv) nanomaterials for spintronics.

For further information, see Dr. Morbec's group webpage.

Teaching

Physics/Astrophysics

Year 1:

• PHY-10032 Applied Mathematics and Statistic
• PHY-20032 Mathematica Physics

Year 2:

• PHY-10021: Electricity and Magnetism
• PHY-20026: Maths

Chemistry

Year 3:

• CHE-30056: Advanced Physical and Inorganic Chemistry

Year 4:

• CHE-40048: Advanced Topics in Chemistry and Medicinal Chemistry