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Department of Chemistry

Prof. Vas Stavros

Professor

Portrait of Vas Stavros

I received my BSc. and Ph.D. (with Helen Fielding) from King's College London (KCL). Following my Ph.D., I was a PDRA at the University of Oxford (with John Simons FRS and Mark Brouard), returning to KCL as a PDRA. I then moved to the University of California Berkeley on a Lawrence Berkeley Postdoctoral Fellowship (with Steve Leone). I returned to the UK in 2005 as a Royal Society University Research Fellow to begin my independent research at Warwick.

V dot Stavros at warwick dot ac dot uk

024761 51015

Office E0.11b

Stavros Group

Groups at Warwick

Our group are working on the following projects at the moment:

  • XXXX

My research focuses on the application of time-resolved mass and velocity map ion imaging spectroscopies in the gas-phase and transient absorption spectroscopy in the solution-phase towards understanding the photochemistry and photophysics in: biological molecules; UV filters; catalysts; photochemothery drugs; and diamond. My group also develops new experimental techniques to identify these mechanisms based on femtosecond lasers, molecular beam and transient absorption methodologies.

I teach on the undergraduate modules CH162 Introductions to Physical Chemistry and CH274 Electrons in Molecules and Solids. I am also the academic lead on the CH155 PChem laboratories as well as co-leading an ultrafast spectroscopy laboratory to UG finalists.

Representative (corresponding authored) publications:

  • An ultrafast shakedown reveals the energy landscape, relaxation dynamics and concentration of the N3VH defect in diamond, D.J.L. Coxon, M. Staniforth, B.G. Breeze, S.E. Greenough, J.P. Goss, M. Monti, J.L. Hughes, V.G. Stavros and M.E. Newton, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 2020, 11, 6677
  • Towards symmetry driven and nature inspired UV filter design M.D. Horbury, E.L. Holt, L.M.M. Mouterde, P. Balaguer, J. Cebrian, L. Blasco, F. Allais and V.G. Stavros, Nature. Comm. 2019, 10, 4748-4757
  • Wavepacket insights into the photoprotection mechanisms of the UV filter methyl anthranilate, N.d.N. Rodrigues, N.C. Cole-Filipiak, K.N. Blodgett, C. Abeysekera, T.S. Zwier and V.G. Stavros, Nature Comm. 2018, 9, 5188-5195
  • Unravelling the photoprotection properties of mycosporine amino acid motifs, J.M. Woolley, M. Staniforth, M.D. Horbury, G.W. Richings, M. Wills, V.G. Stavros, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2018, 9, 3043-3048
  • Ultrafast transient absorption spectroscopy of the sunscreen constituent ethylhexyl triazone, L.A. Baker, S. Clark, S. Habershon and V.G. Stavros, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2017, 8, 2113-2118
  • Ultrafast photoprotecting sunscreens in natural plants, L.A. Baker, M.D. Horbury, S.E. Greenough, F. Allais, P.S. Walsh, S. Habershon and V.G. Stavros, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2016, 7, 56-61
  • Probing the ultrafast energy dissipation mechanism of the sunscreen oxybenzone after UVA irradiation, L.A. Baker, M.D. Horbury, S.E. Greenough, P.M. Coultier, T.N.V. Karsili, G.M. Roberts, A.J. Orr- Ewing, M.N.R. Ashfold and V.G. Stavros, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2015, 6, 1363-1368
  • Torsional motion of the chromophore catechol following the absorption of UV light, J.D. Young, M. Staniforth, M.J. Paterson and V.G. Stavros, Phys. Rev. Lett. 2015, 114, 233001
  • Exploring quantum phenomena and vibrational control in sigma* mediated photochemistry, G.M. Roberts, D.J. Hadden, L.T. Bergendahl, A.M. Wenge, S.J. Harris, T.N.V. Karsili, M.N.R. Ashfold, M.J. Paterson and V.G. Stavros, Chem. Sci. 2013, 4, 993-1001
  • Unravelling ultrafast dynamics in photoexcited aniline, G.M. Roberts, C.A. Williams, J.D. Young, S. Ullrich, M.J. Paterson and V.G. Stavros, J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 12578-12589
  • Direct observation of hydrogen tunneling dynamics in photoexcited phenol, G.M. Roberts, A.S. Chatterley, J.D. Young and V.G. Stavros, J. Phys. Chem. Lett. 2012, 3, 348-352