ABOUT
Dr. Jason Azoulay is an Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry and Materials Science and Engineering. He is the Georgia Research Alliance Vasser-Woolley Distinguished Investigator in Optoelectronics and co-director of the Center for Organic Photonics and Electronics. Prior to joining GT, he was an Associate Professor of Polymer Science and Engineering at The University of Southern Mississippi. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of California Santa Barbara and performed post-doctoral studies at Sandia National Laboratories.
Prof. Azoulay’s research group unites strong synthetic foundations with physics, materials science, and engineering to synthesize and apply next-generation functional materials. Research efforts within the group encompass homogeneous catalysis applied to polymer synthesis; electronic, photonic, magnetic, and quantum materials; device fabrication and engineering; chemical sensing in complex aqueous environments for environmental monitoring; and the synthesis, application, and engineering of high-performance polymers across multiple technology platforms.
Azoulay has directed large interdisciplinary and center-level efforts in conjugated polymers, optoelectronics, and chemical sensing. He has also received numerous awards and honors, including the 2017 Nokia-Bell Labs Prize and Department of Energy Early Career Research Program Award.
Teaching Interests
Professor Azoulay’s teaching focuses on foundational and advanced materials science and engineering courses at both undergraduate and graduate levels. His instruction emphasizes the structure-property-processing relationships of polymers, composites, and soft materials. He is committed to fostering student engagement through laboratory experience and research integration, supporting the development of critical analytical skills and practical understanding in materials characterization and processing.
PUBLICATIONS & PATENTS
- A. J. Bushnell, T. A. Balandin, P. Mahalingam, C.-T. Liu, M. K. Bowman, and J. D. Azoulay “Solid-State Quantum Coherence from a High-Spin Donor-Acceptor Conjugated Polymer” Adv. Mater. 2025, 37, 2501884.
- A. R. Benasco,C.-T. Liu, B. Rax, G. Mariani, S.McClure, T. Bills, M. I. Vakil, S. N., J.H. Vella, J. D. Azoulay “Radiation Hardened Infrared Photodetectors Based on a Narrow Bandgap Conjugated Polymer Semiconductor” Adv. Elect. Mater. 2025, 2400918.
- S. Shen, M. Shiri, P. Mahalingavelar, C. Tang, T. Bills, A. J. Bushnell, T. A. Balandin, L. Mejía, H. Zhang, B. Xu, I. Franco, J. D. Azoulay, Kun Wang “Long-Range Resonant Transport Through Open-Shell Donor-Acceptor Macromolecules” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 24, 20310–20317.
EDUCATION & AWARDS
Ph.D. University of California Santa Barbara, 2010
RESEARCH INTERESTS
(i) Homogeneous catalysis applied to the synthesis of novel polymers: catalyst design, methodology development, kinetic and mechanistic studies, new functionality, controlled polymerizations, aromatic and high-performance polymers, post-polymerization modification, polymer recycling and upcycling.
(ii) Electronic, photonic, spin, magnetic, and quantum materials: synthesis, fundamental atomic and molecular level mechanisms, open-shell electronic structures, structure-function-property relationships, molecular and self-assembly, device fabrication and engineering, chemical and environmental sensing, infrared optoelectronics, strongly correlated materials, condensed matter physics, quantum phenomena.
(iii) Synthesis, application, and engineering of high-performance polymers across multiple advanced technology platforms (e.g., aerospace, soldier protection, emerging devices).
(iv) Multidisciplinary investigations that address large scale objectives in materials development.