Nanoscale Horizons Emerging Investigator Series: Dr Wouter Van Gompel, Hasselt University, Belgium
Abstract
Our Emerging Investigator Series features exceptional work by early-career nanoscience and nanotechnology researchers. Read Wouter Van Gompel's Emerging Investigator Series article ‘Ultrafast charge transfer and coherent phonons in electroactive organic cation-templated low-dimensional perovskite analogues’ (https://doi.org/10.1039/D5NH00494B) and read more about him in the interview below.
Dr Wouter Van Gompel received his Master's degree in chemistry from Ghent University in 2015 and completed his PhD in chemistry at Hasselt University in 2019 under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Dirk Vanderzande, supported by a personal PhD Fellowship from the Research Foundation Flanders (FWO). Following his PhD, he continued his work on hybrid perovskites as a postdoctoral researcher at Hasselt University from 2019 to 2023. During this period, he conducted international research stays at EPFL, in the group of Prof. Mohammad Khaja Nazeeruddin, and at the University of Cambridge, in the group of Prof. Samuel Stranks. In 2023, he was appointed assistant professor (Tenure Track) in the Chemistry Department at Hasselt University, part of the joint imec-UHasselt ‘Institute for Materials Research’ (IUMAT).
He currently leads the Hybrid Materials Design (HyMaD) group and serves as (co)supervisor for nine PhD researchers. In 2025, he received the PRISM Prize (Junior category) from the Istituto di Struttura della Materia (CNR-ISM) in Italy for significant contributions to materials research over the past five years.
His research centres on hybrid materials chemistry and optoelectronics, with emphasis on low-dimensional hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs). He investigates how tailored organic cations integrate into inorganic frameworks to modulate energy-level alignment, excitonic behavior, and charge transport. He also develops organic interlayers to enhance the stability and efficiency of perovskite solar cells. His approach combines molecular design, synthesis, and advanced characterization to establish structure–property-performance relationships in hybrid semiconductors for applications such as solar cells, photodetectors, and light-emitting devices.
Read Wouter Van Gompel's Emerging Investigator Series article ‘Ultrafast charge transfer and coherent phonons in electroactive organic cation-templated low-dimensional perovskite analogues’ (https://doi.org/10.1039/D5NH00494B) and read more about him in the interview below.
NH: Your recent Nanoscale Horizons Communication describes ultrafast charge transfer and coherent phonons in electroactive organic cation-templated low-dimensional perovskite analogues. How has your research evolved from your first article to this most recent article and where do you see your research going in future?
WVG: My first article, published in the Journal of Physical Chemistry C, examined the composition and degradation behavior of mixed formamidinium–methylammonium lead iodide perovskites using Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy. Shortly thereafter, I became increasingly interested in low-dimensional hybrid organic–inorganic perovskites (HOIPs), particularly 2D and 1D systems that permit a much broader diversity of A-site organic cations. Over the years, this interest has evolved into the development of an extensive family of materials in which tailored organic cations are employed to tune optical and electronic properties while enhancing material stability. The most recent article extends this trajectory by investigating two hybrid metal halides incorporating a conjugated dibenzocarbazole-based cation and demonstrates how structural dimensionality and organic–inorganic interactions influence charge transfer processes and exciton–phonon coupling. These findings contribute to establishing design criteria for next-generation optoelectronic materials.
Despite substantial progress, key questions remain regarding how the organic and inorganic sublattices interact at the structural and electronic levels and how these interactions govern macroscopic properties. My long-term objective is to establish predictive control over these interactions to create hybrid materials engineered for targeted applications.
NH: How do you feel about Nanoscale Horizons as a place to publish research on this topic?
WVG: Nanoscale Horizons offers a strong platform for disseminating conceptually innovative work in nanoscale and materials science. Its emphasis on studies that articulate new design principles or reconsider established mechanisms ensures substantial visibility within both academic and industrial research communities. The journal's New Concepts section further encourages authors to situate their findings in a broader conceptual framework. Having served as an ‘Outstanding Reviewer’ in 2023, I have also experienced its rapid and constructive review process, which supports scientific rigor while enabling timely publication.
NH: What aspect of your work are you most excited about at the moment?
WVG: I am particularly interested in how tailored organic cations can extend and enhance the functional landscape of hybrid metal halides. These materials increasingly show potential in areas beyond conventional optoelectronics, including spintronics, neuromorphic and quantum-inspired computing, and catalysis. The possibility that carefully designed molecular components can unlock new physical regimes continues to motivate our work.
NH: In your opinion, what are the most important questions to be asked/answered in this field of research?
WVG: In my view, important open questions concern how the organic–inorganic interfacial organization and energy level alignment influence coupled optical, electronic, and even spin-related responses in hybrid metal halides. Establishing mechanistic relationships between these structural features and device-level performance remains essential for developing reliable and transferable design principles. Such understanding is needed to translate molecular and structural control into improved functionality across diverse applications.
NH: What do you find most challenging about your research?
WVG: Progress in this research area requires sustained collaboration across chemistry, physics, engineering, and computational modeling. Navigating this multidisciplinary landscape is challenging but essential, and a broad familiarity with these fields supports our ability to guide effective material synthesis and interpret results. Moreover, I am fortunate to work with an international network of collaborators whose complementary expertise strengthens our collective understanding of hybrid material behavior, while building on our group's core proficiency in the design, synthesis, and characterization of materials.
NH: In which upcoming conferences or events may our readers meet you?
WVG: I regularly participate in nanoGe conferences, including MATSUS and HOPV, and I also attend regional meetings. This year, I plan to join the upcoming “Next Generation PV Materials 2026” conference in Groningen, The Netherlands.
NH: How do you spend your spare time?
WVG: In my spare time, I enjoy reading both fiction and non-fiction and spending time with my family.
NH: Can you share one piece of career-related advice or wisdom with other early career scientists?
WVG: When you face setbacks or rejections, it helps to hold on to the curiosity and intrinsic motivation that make the work worthwhile, since staying engaged with the questions that interest you most is often what keeps you resilient.
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