Degrees

Ph.D., University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, 2019
M.S., University of Michigan – Ann Arbor, 2016
B.A., Oberlin College, 2015

Teaching Interests

My main area of interest in research and teaching is organic chemistry, a vast and exciting subfield of chemistry that primarily discusses the synthesis and structure-function relationships of organic molecules. That said, my previous research and teaching experiences have covered a diversity of subdisciplines in STEM, including environmental studies, geochemistry, microbiology, and condensed matter physics. In teaching, I strive to draw connections between course content and topics of broad interest to make course material modern and relevant. 

Research Interests

We are interested in investigating electronic phenomena that arise at the intersection of organic chemistry, materials science, and crystallography with applications in next-generation technologies. Specifically, we utilize the unique control over molecular structure and symmetry imparted by organic synthesis to manipulate the distribution of electron density in crystalline solids. The interplay between molecular structure and electron density can be leveraged for information storage, to improve the efficiency of photovoltaics, and to control charge carrier spin states in spintronics. Our current research interests can be broadly divided into three areas: solid-state conformational inversion for information storage, defect structures in molecular crystals towards self-assembled photovoltaics, and control of electron and hole spin states by helical molecular assemblies.

The research involved in these projects entails the computational design and synthesis of organic molecules, the crystallization and crystal structure determination of the synthesized molecular candidates, and device fabrication and characterization of the electrical performance.

Awards and Honors

Arnold O. Beckman Postdoctoral Fellow (2020)

University of Michigan Award for Outstanding Research and Teaching (2019)

Eastman Summer Research Award (2018)

Selected Publications

“Polytypism, Anisotropic Transport, and Weyl Nodes in the van der Waals Material TaFeTe4.” Wiscons, R. A.; Cho, Y.; Han, S. J.; Dismukes, A. H.; Meirzadeh, E.; Berkelbach, T. C.; Nuckolls, C.; Roy, X. S., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 109-113.

“Chirality Amplified: Long, Discrete Helicene Nanoribbons.” Xiao, X.; Pedersen, S. K.; Aranda, D.; Yang, J.; Wiscons, R. A.; Pittelkow, M.; Steigerwald, M. L.; Santoro, F.; Schuster, N. J.; Nuckolls, C., J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2021, 143, 983-991.

“Utilizing plane group symmetry to favor noncentrosymmetry in three-dimensional crystals.” Wiscons, R. A.; Matzger, A. J., Can. J. Chem. 2019, 98, 327-331.

“Crystal Structure and Charge-transport Properties of F6TNAP-based Charge-transfer Cocrystals.” Desari, R. D.; Wang, X.; Wiscons, R. A.; Haneef, H. F.; Zhang, Y.; Ashokan, A.; Fonari, M. S.; Barlow, S.; Coropceanu, V.; Timofeeva, T. V.; Jurchescu, O. D.; Brédas, J.-L.; Matzger, A. J.; Marder, S. R., Adv. Mater. 2019, 29, 1904858.

“Quaternary charge-transfer solid solutions: tunability through stoichiometry.” Wiscons, R. A.; Coropceanu, V.; Matzger, A. J., Chem. Mater. 2019, 31, 6598-6604.

“Detonation performance of ten forms of 5,5’-Dinitro-2H,2H’-3,3’-bi-1,2,4-triazole (DNBT).” Wiscons, R.A.; Bellas, M. K.; Bennion, J. C.; Matzger, A. J., Cryst. Growth Des. 2018, 18, 1701-1707.

“Interrupted Carbonyl-Olefin Metathesis via Oxygen Atom Transfer.” Ludwig, J. R; Watson, R. B.; Nasrallah, D.; Wiscons, R. A.; Schindler, C. S., Science 2018, 361, 1363-1369.

“A Room Temperature Ferroelectric Cocrystal.” Wiscons, R. A.; Goud, N. R.; Damron, J. T.; Matzger, A. J., Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2018, 57, 9044-9047.

“Anion exchange in cationic frameworks: Structures of channel-forming triarylpyrylium tetrafluoroborate salts.” Wiscons, R. A.; Zeller, M.; Rowsell, J. L. C., Cryst. Growth Des. 2016, 16, 2201-2210.

“High surface area and Z ’ in a thermally stable 8-fold polycatenated hydrogen-bonded framework.” Zentner, C. A.; Lai, H. W. H.; Greenfield, J. T.; Wiscons, R. A.; Zeller, M.; Campana, C. F.; Talu, O.; FitzGerald, S. A.; Rowsell, J. L. C., Chem. Commun. 2015, 51, 11652-11645.