Prof.dr. Laurens Siebbeles

Laurens Siebbeles (1963) is head of the section Optoelectronic Materials in the Chemical Engineering Department at TU Delft, (3 PI's, 5 technicians, ~20 PhD students/postdocs). The section has a worldwide unique infrastructure with production of excitons/charges by laser or high-energy electron pulses, and detection by time-resolved optical, microwave or THz conductivity techniques.

He pairs experimental research with theory of charge/exciton dynamics in materials with potential (opto)electronic applications. Experimental and theoretical studies are carried out in collaboration with numerous academic groups worldwide and with industry, most notably Toyota Motor Europe in Brussels, Belgium. He publishes the results in international peer reviewed journals and via (invited) oral presentations at (international) conferences, universities or research institutes. Some results have been highlighted in other scientific journals, (inter)national newspapers and other popular media/websites.

The research of Siebbeles has been funded by the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO, FOM, STW), the European Union, the Deutsche Forschungs Gemeinschaft and Toyota Motor Europe. In 2004 he received a VICI grant from NWO; a prestigious grant of 1250 k€ for PI's who have demonstrated their ability to develop a new line of research and act as mentor for young researchers. The grant was complemented by 500 k€ from TU Delft and used to develop a femtosecond laser facility and picosecond pulsed high-energy electron accelerator.  In 2016 he was awarded an NWO-TOP grant of 800 k€, offering outstanding researchers the possibility to renew their research. He uses this grant to study excitons and charge carriers at high density, including the formation of electron-hole Cooper pairs (in collaboration with Vanmaekelbergh and Stoof from Utrecht).

On a regular basis Siebbeles is (co-)organizer of (inter)national conferences, serves on (inter)national recruitment committees, boards for awarding research grants, etc.

He has been teaching several courses for bachelor and master students at TU Delft, including classical mechanics, quantum mechanics/chemistry, spectroscopy and condensed matter physics.

Since 2016 he is director of the Graduate School (for PhD students) of the Faculty of Applied Sciences at TU Delft.

• TOP grant (2016) form the Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) of 800 kEuro, offering outstanding researchers the possibility to renew their research.
• VICI grant (2004) in the Innovational Incentives Scheme of The Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO); prestigious grant of 1250 kEuro for senior researchers that have demonstrated their ability to develop a new line of research and act as a mentor for young researchers.
• Young Chemist grant (2002, NWO); grant of 230 kEuro for excellent young chemists to initiate a new research line.
• Antoni van Leeuwenhoek professorship (2001); honorary early promotion to full professor awarded by TU Delft to excellent, promising young scientists.