Rate My Professor Ronald Grimm

The research of the Grimm group centers on quantifying and controlling the bulk and surface properties of solar energy conversion materials to understand what makes materials efficient at converting sunlight to electrical or chemical energy. Current projects encompass photoelectrochemistry, nontraditional light absorbers, interfaces between dissimilar materials, supramolecular assemblies in metal-organic frameworks, and properties of two-dimensional nanomaterials such as MXenes. Key publications include "Synergy between Defects, Photoexcited Electrons, and Supported Single Atom Catalysts for CO₂ Reduction" (ACS Catalysis, 2018), "Electronic Structure of 1D Lepidocrocite TiO₂ as Revealed by Optical Absorption and Photoelectron Spectroscopy" (The Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 2023), "Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene: silk fibroin composite films—engineering DC conductivity and properties in the THz range" (Graphene and 2D Materials, 2025), and "Highly Stable and Efficient All-inorganic Lead-free Perovskite Solar Cells with Native-oxide Passivation" (Nature Communications, 2019). In 2022, Grimm was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor. He received a President's Research Catalyst Grant in 2024 for collaborative research. Additionally, he heads the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department's graduate admissions process.