Susan Kauzlarich

Susan M. Kauzlarich is a Distinguished Professor of Chemistry in the Chemistry department at the University of California, Davis, where she joined the faculty in 1987. She received her B.S. in Chemistry from the College of William and Mary in 1980, Ph.D. in Chemistry from Michigan State University in 1985, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at Iowa State University from 1985 to 1987. Her research specializes in the synthesis and characterization of inorganic solid-state materials and nanomaterials for emerging technologies. Key areas include the discovery of magnetoresistance in magnetic Zintl phases, high zT thermoelectric performance in Zintl phases, size and surface control of group 14 nanoparticles such as silicon and germanium, core/shell group 14 nanoparticles, magnetically doped group 14 nanoparticles, and Fe/Au core/shell nanoparticles. Her interests lie at the interface of chemistry, physics, biochemistry, and engineering, with a focus on understanding structure-property relationships to design and synthesize new functional materials addressing technological and biological needs.

In her career, Kauzlarich served as Chair of the UC Davis Chemistry Department from 2013 to 2016, Faculty Assistant to the Dean of Mathematical and Physical Sciences from 2010 to 2013, and Visiting Scholar at Argonne National Laboratory from 1997 to 1998. She has made significant editorial contributions, including Editor of Chemistry of Materials from 2006 to 2021, Deputy Editor of Science Advances since 2022, Editor of the Handbook on the Physics and Chemistry of Rare Earths since 2023, and Associate Editor of Journal of Solid State Chemistry from 2000 to 2005. Her achievements are honored with the ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry (2022), Francis P. Garvan-John M. Olin Medal (2013), Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring (2009), Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (2009), Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2011), UC Davis Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Mentoring Undergraduate Research (2017), and others. Kauzlarich has delivered distinguished lectures such as the Boomer Lecture at the University of Alberta (2023) and the Anton Burg Lecturer at the University of Southern California (2021). She has authored over 250 peer-reviewed publications, including work recognized with the NASA Tech Brief Award for 'High Efficiency of Yb14MnSb11 For Thermoelectric Power Generation' (2006), with her research cited more than 21,000 times, profoundly impacting thermoelectrics, solar photovoltaics, and nanomaterials.

Professional Email: smkauzlarich@ucdavis.edu