Robert Godin, University of British Columbia

Research

Photocatalysis Carbon nitrides Charge carrier dynamics CO2 utilization Interfacial charge transfers Material development Organic photocatalyst Photocatalytic water splitting

Latest papers

Direct coupling of lactate oxidation with butyryl-CoA formation via a canonical electron transfer flavoprotein in Fusobacterium nucleatum.
The Journal of biological chemistry · 2025
Transient Absorption Microscopy Explores the Effect of Pt Deposition on Charge Carrier Dynamics in Individual Carbon Nitride Particles.
ChemSusChem · 2025 · senior author
Transient Absorption Microscopy Maps Spatial Heterogeneity and Distinct Chemical Environments in Photocatalytic Carbon Nitride Particles.
Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) · 2025 · senior author

All 15 publications

Latest funding

Development of photocatalytic system based on dye-loaded light harvesting nanoparticles
NSERC · 2023 · Principal investigator
$25,000
Development of Organic Photocatalyst Materials to Broaden the Use of Sustainable Photocatalysis in Organic Syntheses
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$198,175
Advanced Photoluminescence Spectrometer to Establish Core Facilities in the Department of Chemistry and Support Its Pillars of Research
NSERC · 2022 · Principal investigator
$147,660

All 7 grants and awards

15 publications.

01

Direct coupling of lactate oxidation with butyryl-CoA formation via a canonical electron transfer flavoprotein in Fusobacterium nucleatum.

Do LTM, Godin R, Wolthers KR

The Journal of biological chemistry2025

DOI: 10.1016/j.jbc.2025.110796 PMID: 41067638

02

Transient Absorption Microscopy Explores the Effect of Pt Deposition on Charge Carrier Dynamics in Individual Carbon Nitride Particles.

Khasnabis S, Mesburis C, Godin R

ChemSusChem2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/cssc.202500203 PMID: 40244860

03

Transient Absorption Microscopy Maps Spatial Heterogeneity and Distinct Chemical Environments in Photocatalytic Carbon Nitride Particles.

Khasnabis S, Godin R

Small (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany)2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1002/smll.202406652 PMID: 39711254

04

Cobalt-Loaded Carbon Nitride Demonstrates Enhanced Photocatalytic Production of H2 from Lignocellulosic Biomass Components.

Beckedorf M, Holland J, Godin R

Artificial photosynthesis (Washington, D.C.)2025Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/aps.4c00007 PMID: 40200991

05

Surface properties of carbon nitride materials used in photocatalytic systems for energy and environmental applications.

Ohemeng PO, Godin R

Chemical communications (Cambridge, England)2024Senior author

DOI: 10.1039/d4cc03898c PMID: 39347587

06

Aminosilanized Interface Promotes Electrochemically Stable Carbon Nitride Films with Fewer Trap States on FTO for (Photo)electrochemical Systems.

Liu C, Busse S, Liu J, Godin R

ACS applied materials & interfaces2023Senior author

DOI: 10.1021/acsami.3c09284 PMID: 37774114

07

Soluble carbon nitride nanosheets as an alternate precursor for hard-templated morphological control.

Pankratz J, Mitchell E, Godin R

Nanoscale2022Senior author

DOI: 10.1039/d2nr04129d PMID: 36107015

08

Polymer Photoelectrodes for Solar Fuel Production: Progress and Challenges.

Thangamuthu M, Ruan Q, Ohemeng PO, Luo B, Jing D, Godin R, Tang J

Chemical reviews2022

DOI: 10.1021/acs.chemrev.1c00971 PMID: 35699661

09

Dynamics of photoconversion processes: the energetic cost of lifetime gain in photosynthetic and photovoltaic systems.

Godin R, Durrant JR

Chemical Society reviews2021First author

DOI: 10.1039/d1cs00577d PMID: 34786578

10

Efficient Hole Trapping in Carbon Dot/Oxygen-Modified Carbon Nitride Heterojunction Photocatalysts for Enhanced Methanol Production from CO2 under Neutral Conditions.

Wang Y, Godin R, Durrant JR, Tang J

Angewandte Chemie (International ed. in English)2021

DOI: 10.1002/anie.202105570 PMID: 34288316

Development of photocatalytic system based on dye-loaded light harvesting nanoparticles

Principal investigatorNSERC2023Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Godin, Robert RP

Keywords: Excited state dynamics; Light harvesting; Nanoparticle assembly; Photocatalysis; Sustainable energy conversion

$25,000

Development of Organic Photocatalyst Materials to Broaden the Use of Sustainable Photocatalysis in Organic Syntheses

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Alliance Grants

Principal investigators: Godin, Robert RP

Keywords: chemical synthesis; energy and atom efficiency; material science; organic semiconductors; photocatalysis; photophysics; reaction mechanism

$198,175

Advanced Photoluminescence Spectrometer to Establish Core Facilities in the Department of Chemistry and Support Its Pillars of Research

Principal investigatorNSERC2022Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Godin, Robert

$147,660

Differential Electrochemical Mass Spectrometry for Online Detection and Quantification of Gas Evolution in Energy Storage and Conversion Systems

Co-investigatorNSERC2021Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Liu, Jian

$100,231

Spectroscopy-led Development of Organic Photocatalysts for Sustainable Energy Production

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Launch Supplement

Principal investigators: Godin, Robert

$12,500

Urgent Upgrade of Atomic Layer Deposition with Plasma Capability to Accelerate Energy Storage, Energy Conversion and Gas Sensing Research

Co-investigatorNSERC2019Research Tools and Instruments

Principal investigators: Liu, Jian

$104,408

Spectroscopy-led Development of Organic Photocatalysts for Sustainable Energy Production

Principal investigatorNSERC2019Discovery Grants Program - Individual

Principal investigators: Godin, Robert

Keywords: solar fuels; charge carrier dynamics; organic photocatalyst; transient absoprtion spectroscopy/microscopy; photocatalytic water splitting; structure-activity relationships; carbon nitrides; material development; interfacial charge transfers; co2 utilization

$144,000

From CIHR, NSERC and SSHRC funding decisions: CIHR since 2008, NSERC since 1991 and SSHRC since 1998, including their latest published competition results.

Frequent collaborators

Jian Liu

School of Engineering

1 shared papers, latest 2023

Write to this professor

A short, specific email works best. This draft uses one of their recent papers; replace the parts in brackets with your own details before sending.

Applying for

Paper to mentionMention their NSERC grant from 2023

Subject: Prospective PhD student: Photocatalysis Dear Professor Godin, My name is [your name], and I am a [your current degree or role] at [your institution]. I am applying for a PhD position starting in [term and year]. I read your paper "Direct coupling of lactate oxidation with butyryl-CoA formation via a canonical electron transfer flavoprotein in Fusobacterium nucleatum." (2025), and it connects closely to my own work on [your research topic]. [One or two sentences on what you did and what you learned.] I also saw your NSERC-funded project "Development of photocatalytic system based on dye-loaded light harvesting nanoparticles" (2023), and I would be glad to contribute to work in that direction. Are you accepting new PhD students for [term and year]? I have attached my CV and transcripts, and I would be glad to talk at a time that suits you. Thank you for your time. Kind regards, [your name]