Education/Experience

• Postdoctoral, Air Force Research Laboratory, Wright-Patterson AFB (2004-2006)
• Ph.D. Materials Science and Engineering, ETH Zurich (2003)
• M. Sc. (Diploma) Chemistry, ETH Zurich (2000)
• B. Sc. (Pre-Diploma) Chemistry, University of Heidelberg (1997)

Honors/Awards

• Max Hey Medal (Mineralogical Society of UK and Ireland) 2013
• George Brown Lecturer (Mineralogical Society, at Euroclay 2011)
• Guest Professor, ETH Zurich (2011)
• National Science Foundation CAREER Award (2010)
• Giovanni Novelli Prize (14th Int. Clay Conf., Italian Clay Group, 2009)
• Hewlett-Packard Outstanding Junior Faculty Award (ACS, COMP Division, 2006)
• Graduate Fellow of the German National Academic Foundation (2001-2003)
• Undergraduate Fellow of the German National Academic Foundation (1995-2000)
• Silver Medal, International Chemistry Olympiad (1994)

Research Interests

• Computer simulation of inorganic-(bio)organic interfaces and biomineralization
• Development of force fields for the quantitative prediction of interfacial properties
• Hierarchical simulation of solar cells and conductive composite materials
• Structure-property relationships in nanocomposites

Recent Publications

10.   "Tailoring molecular specificity toward a crystals facet: a lesson from biorecognition toward Pt{111}" Ruan, L. Y.; Ramezani-Dakhel, H.; Chiu, C. Y.; Zhu, E. B.; Li, Y. J.; Heinz, H.; Huang, Y. Nano Letters 2013 (published online). PDF
9.   "Thermodynamically Consistent Force Fields and Molecular Models for the Assembly of Inorganic, Organic, and Biological Hybrid Nanostructures: The INTERFACE Force Field" Heinz, H.; Lin, T. Z.; Mishra, R. K.; Emami, F. S. Langmuir 2012 (published online). Invited Feature Article. PDF
8.   "Clay Minerals for Nanocomposites and Biotechnology: Surface Modification, Dynamics, and Responses to Stimuli" Heinz, H. Clay Miner. 2012, 47, 205-230. Invited script of George Brown Lecture. PDF
7.   "Chemistry of Aqueous Silica Nanoparticle Surfaces and the Mechanism of Selective Peptide Adsorption" Patwardhan, S. V.; Emami, F. S.; Berry, R. J.; Jones, S. E.; Naik, R. R.; Deschaume, O.; Heinz, H.; Perry, C. C. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2012, 134, 6244-6256. PDF
6.   "Influence of the Shape of Nanostructured Metal Surfaces on Adsorption of Single Peptides in Aqueous Solution" Feng, J.; Slocik, J. M.; Sarikaya, M.; Naik, R. R.; Farmer, B. L.; Heinz, H. Small 2012, 8, 1049-1059 (published online). PDF
5.   "Alkylammonium Chains on Layered Silicate Surfaces" Heinz, H. In "Rubber-Clay Nanocomposites: Science, Technology and Applications"; Galimberti, M., ed.; Wiley and Sons: Hoboken, NJ, 2011. ISBN 978-0-470-56210-9.
4.   "Control over Self-Assembly of Diblock Copolymers on Hexagonal and Square Templates for High Area Density Circuit Boards" Feng, J.; Cavicchi, K. A.; Heinz, H. ACS Nano 2011, 5, 9413-9420. PDF
3.   "Bending of Layered Silicates on the Nanometer Scale: Mechanism, Stored Energy, and Curvature Limits" Fu, Y. T.; Zartman, G. D.; Yoonessi, M.; Drummy, L. F.; Heinz, H. J. Phys. Chem. C 2011, 115, 22292-22300. PDF
2.   "Morphology of Sulfonated Polyarylenethioethersulfone Random Copolymer Series as Proton Exchange Fuel Cells Membranes by Small Angle Neutron Scattering" Yoonessi, M.; Heinz, H.; Bai, Z. W.; Dang, T. D. Polymer 2011, 5615-5621. PDF
1.   "Crystallographic Recognition Controls Peptide Binding for Bio-Based Nanomaterials" Coppage, R.; Slocik, J. M.; Briggs, B. D.; Frenkel, A. I.; Heinz, H.; Naik, R. R.; Knecht, M. R. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 12346-12349. PDF

Media Coverage

1. "Mimicking Mollusks" in Columbus Dispatch, January 29, 2011 PDF
2. 30 Press Releases related to Biomineralization (USA Today, NSF, Newsguide US, Ohio Supercomputing Center) in December 2010 - Click here to read more.