Abstract:

Spectroscopy has the potential to reveal the structure and dynamics of complex materials, ranging from chromophores in solution to molecular aggregates, nanomaterials, and even quantum sensors. Yet, disentangling spectral signals and extracting an intuitive picture of how excitations form, move, and transform is one of the deepest and most persistent challenges of physical chemistry. In this talk, I will offer two vignettes on our work developing and applying approaches to predict and understand light-matter interactions can reveal the mechanisms of energy flow that set the stage for controlled energy harvesting and quantum sensing. In the molecular world, I will show how our recent advances in condensed phase spectroscopy enable us to decipher a long-standing puzzle in porphyrin photophysics: why and how do the Q bands involved in energy transfer in photosynthesis and artificial energy conversion split? In the world of quantum information, I will show how we can build intelligent algorithms that enable us to extract signals from quantum noise—signals that reveal structure and dynamics in the quantum world and which promise an exciting future for quantum sensing technology.

Bio:

Andres Montoya-Castillo obtained his BA in chemistry and literature with a minor in physics. He obtained his PhD in Chemical Physics from Columbia University, working with Prof. David Reichman, and then did his postdoc at Stanford University in the group of Prof. Thomas Markland. He started his independent career at the University of Colorado Boulder in 2021.

Andres's research centers on developing and applying methods to capture the dynamics of charge and energy transfer in complex condensed phase environments and conformational changes underlying protein folding in biophysical systems. He and his group have made contributions in fields ranging from biophysics to energy conversion and quantum information.

Andres received the DOE Early Career Award in 2023, the Marinus Smith mentoring award and a Packard Fellowship in 2024, was selected as a Faculty Fellow by the Research & Innovation office at the University of Colorado Boulder, a Kavli Fellow, and a Scialog Fellow in Quantum Matter & Information, and received the NSF CAREER in 2025.