He Zhao

Postdoctoral researcher
Utrecht University

Department

Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis, Chemistry

Contact information

Room
Vening Meinesz Building C, 2.08

Email address
h.zhao@uu.nl

Key expertises

Inorganic chemistry and catalysis, Photocatalysis, Spectroscopy

About me

I studied Materials Chemistry at Zhengzhou University (BSc., 2014, China) and Materials Physics and Chemistry at University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (MSE, 2017, China). I completed my PhD at the University of Oulu (Finland), where I researched the stability and photocatalytic reaction over bismuth halide perovskites with Assoc. Prof. Satu Ojala and Prof. Krisztian Kordas (PhD, 2024). I started my postdoc in the ICC group at the beginning of 2025.

About my research

In my research, I’m devoted to understanding charge carrier dynamics in bismuth halide perovskites using advanced spectroscopy techniques and exploring their potential applications in catalysis. My work focuses on tuning the magnitude (energy) and nature (direct or indirect) of their bandgap, as well as revealing charge carrier dynamics through transient absorption spectroscopy. The ultimate goal is to develop environmentally friendly halide perovskites for solar energy conversion.

Academic career

Postdoctoral Fellow

2025–present: Postdoctoral research fellow in the group of Inorganic Chemistry and Catalysis at Utrecht University, the Netherlands, under the supervision of Dr. Eline Hutter, Utrecht University, The Netherlands

PhD

2019-2024: Doctoral researcher in the group of Environmental and Chemical Engineering at University of Oulu, Finland, under the supervision of Assoc. Prof. Satu Ojala and Prof. Krisztian Kordas

MSE

2014-2017: Master’s degree in the Laboratory of Environmental Sciences and Technology at Xinjiang Technical Institute of Physics & Chemistry, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, China, under the supervision of Prof. Chuanyi Wang and Prof. Yingxuan Li

BSc

2010-2014: Bachelor’s degrees in Zhengzhou University, China, under the supervision of Prof. Jun Shi

Awards and scientific honors

PhD thesis in Environmental Engineering (Pass with distinction)

The Finnish Foundation for Technology Promotion (2023)

Oulu University Scholarship Foundation (2022)

Trave grant from University of Oulu (2022)

Tauno Tönning Foundation Grants (2021)

Best paper award (2019)