Petra Rudolf

{{Infobox scientist

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| name = Petra Rudolf

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| birth_date = {{birth year and age|1957}}

| birth_place = Munich, West Germany
(now Germany)

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| citizenship = Germany, Italy

| nationality = Germany, Italy

| fields = Experimental solid state physics, surface science, nanoscience, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, organic thin films, molecular switches and motors

| workplaces = University of Groningen, Groningen, Netherlands

| patrons =

| education = PhD in Physics (1995), Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix

| alma_mater = University of Namur

| thesis_title = "Structural, vibrational and electronic properties of ultrathin C60 films on metallic substrates"

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| thesis_year = 1995

| doctoral_advisor = Roland Caudano

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| spouse = Valerio Cugia di Sant'Orsola

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| website = {{URL|https://www.rug.nl/staff/p.rudolf/}}

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Petra Rudolf (born 1957) is a German and Italian solid state physicist. As of 2003, Rudolf has been a professor at the Materials Science Centre (now Zernike Institute for Advanced Materials), University of Groningen, Netherlands.

Biography

Born in Munich, Rudolf moved to Italy to complete high school and to receive her MSc degree (magna cum laude) in physics at the Sapienza University of Rome, Italy.{{cite web |title=Curriculum Vitae of prof. dr. P. (Petra) Rudolf {{!}} How to find us {{!}} About us {{!}} University of Groningen |url=https://www.rug.nl/staff/p.rudolf/cv |website=www.rug.nl |date=4 December 2012 |access-date=17 March 2019}} Following, she worked at the National Surface Science Laboratory in Trieste for five years, interrupted two times to work on the newly discovered fullerenes at Bell Labs, USA. In 1995, she received her PhD (magna cum laude) in physics under the supervision of Roland Caudano at Facultés Universitaires Notre-Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium. After several research positions in Namur, she became professor in Experimental Solid State Physics at the University of Groningen in 2003.

In addition to her research, Rudolf also has been active in spreading knowledge{{cite web |title=Public Lectures on Gender, Science and Technology |url=https://www.uu.nl/en/events/public-lectures-on-gender-science-and-technology |website=Utrecht University |access-date=17 March 2019 |date=13 April 2015}}{{cite journal |last1=Rudolf |first1=P. |last2=de Graaf |first2=N. |last3=Koornstra |first3=R.-A. |last4=van Tijn |first4=P. |last5=Kool |first5=D. |title=Women in physics in the Netherlands: Progress and developments |journal=AIP Conference Proceedings |date=2015 |volume=1697 |issue=1 |pages=060033 |doi=10.1063/1.4937680 |bibcode=2015AIPC.1697f0033R |url= https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/27655281/273.pdf}} on how unconscious biases impact careers in science, and how to mitigate that influence through advocating positive action programs. Efforts by Rudolf have been pivotal in supporting the Rosalind Franklin Fellowship program at University of Groningen, which was installed by then Dean Douwe Wiersma in 2002 and recognized by the 2018 Diversity Award from The Netherlands Physics Association.{{cite news |title=NNV Diversity Prize 2018 awarded to Groningen {{!}} e-EPS |url=http://www.epsnews.eu/2019/02/nnv-diversity-prize-2018-awarded-to-groningen/ |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=www.epsnews.eu}}

Rudolf has been elected to offices in professional organizations. She was President of the Belgian Physical Society from 2000 to 2001 and President of the European Physical Society from 2019 to 2020.{{cite web |title=EPS Council 2018: Petra Rudolf is the next EPS President-elect |url=https://www.eps.org/blogpost/751263/300838/EPS-Council-2018-Petra-Rudolf-is-the-next-EPS-President-elect |website=www.eps.org |access-date=17 March 2019}}{{cite web |url=https://www.eps.org/blogpost/751263/349842/EPS-Council-2020-Luc-Berge-is-the-next-EPS-President-Elect |title=EPS Council 2020: Luc Bergé is the next EPS President-elect |website=www.eps.org |date=2020-06-09 |access-date=22 October 2023}} She is currently the chair of the EPS Equal Opportunities Committee.{{cite web |url=https://www.eps.org/blogpost/751263/493456/Award-ceremony-of-the-SPS-OPG-joint-annual-meeting-2023-EPS-Emmy-Noether-Distinction-2022-for-outstanding-physicists |title=Award ceremony of the SPS-ÖPG joint annual meeting 2023: EPS Emmy Noether Distinction 2022 for outstanding physicists |website=www.eps.org |date=2023-09-15 |access-date=22 October 2023}}

Research

Petra Rudolf's research focuses on surface physics of organic thin films, molecular motors, nanocomposites, as well as 2D materials, to gain a better understanding of the physical phenomena that they display and for potential technological innovations.{{cite web |title=Petra Rudolf – Google Scholar Citations |url=https://scholar.google.com/citations?hl=en&user=9dxIIuYAAAAJ&view_op=list_works&sortby=pubdate |website=scholar.google.com |access-date=1 April 2019}}

Rudolf's expertise has been on the application of various surface sensitive spectroscopic measurement techniques (x-ray and ultraviolet photoemission spectroscopy, electron energy loss spectroscopy, angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, inverse photoemission spectroscopy, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, as well as low energy- and time-resolved electron diffraction) to study the various materials systems.

While these techniques have been used by Rudolf and her group to study a wide variety of materials, Rudolf has always maintained a special interest in graphene-based materials and, more recently, also in 2D materials .{{cite journal |last1=Stathi |first1=P. |last2=Gournis |first2=D. |last3=Deligiannakis |first3=Y. |last4=Rudolf |first4=P. |title=Stabilization of Phenolic Radicals on Graphene Oxide: An XPS and EPR Study |journal=Langmuir |volume=31 |issue=38 |pages=10508–10516 |date=2015 |doi=10.1021/acs.langmuir.5b01248 |pmid=26280685 |s2cid=45029751 |url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/85551970/Stabilization_of_Phenolic_Radicals_on_Graphene_Oxide_An_XPS_and_EPR_Study.pdf }}{{cite journal |last1=Monazami |first1=E. |last2=Bignardi |first2=L. |last3=Rudolf |first3=P. |last4=Reinke |first4=P. |title=Strain Lattice Imprinting in Graphene by C60 Intercalation at the Graphene/Cu Interface |journal=Nano Letters |date=2015 |volume=15 |issue=11 |pages=7421–30 |doi=10.1021/acs.nanolett.5b02851 |pmid=26426671 |bibcode=2015NanoL..15.7421M |s2cid=206728360 |url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/85553117/Strain_Lattice_Imprinting_in_Graphene_by_C60_Intercalation_at_the_Graphene.pdf }}{{cite journal |last1=Tognolini |first1=S. |last2=Pagliara |first2=S. |last3=Bignardi |first3=L. |last4=Ponzoni |first4=S. |last5=Rudolf |first5=P. |last6=Parmigiani |first6=F. |title=Surface states resonances at the single-layer graphene/Cu(111) interface |journal=Surface Science |date=2016 |volume=643 |pages=210–213 |doi=10.1016/j.susc.2015.06.021 |bibcode=2016SurSc.643..210T |s2cid=93961093 |url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/65060289/1_s2.0_S003960281500179X_main.pdf }}{{cite journal |last1=Stamatis |first1=H. |last2=Rudolf |first2=P. |last3=Gournis |first3=D. |last4=Kouloumpis |first4=A. |last5=Patila |first5=M. |title=Laccase-Functionalized Graphene Oxide Assemblies as Efficient Nanobiocatalysts for Oxidation Reactions |journal=Sensors |date=2016 |volume=16 |issue=3 |pages=287 |doi=10.3390/s16030287 |pmid=26927109 |pmc=4813862 |bibcode=2016Senso..16..287P |doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Kouloumpis |first1=A. |last2=Vourdas |first2=N. |last3=Zygouri |first3=P. |last4=Chalmpes |first4=N. |last5=Potsi |first5=G. |last6=Kostas |first6=V. |last7=Spyrou |first7=K. |last8=Stathopoulos |first8=V.N. |last9=Gournis |first9=D. |last10=Rudolf |first10=P. |title=Controlled deposition of fullerene derivatives within a graphene template by means of a modified Langmuir-Schaefer method |journal=Journal of Colloid and Interface Science |date=2018 |volume=524 |pages=388–398 |doi=10.1016/j.jcis.2018.04.049 |pmid=29674283 |bibcode=2018JCIS..524..388K |s2cid=4973695 |url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/62120570/1_s2.0_S002197971830434X_main.pdf }} Graphene-based materials have great potential in revolutionizing today's electronics industry and making it more sustainable, and Rudolf's lab has contributed successfully to finding better ways to produce 2D materials.{{cite news |title=Breakthrough may lead to industrial production of graphene devices |url=https://phys.org/news/2015-02-breakthrough-industrial-production-graphene-devices.html |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=phys.org}}{{cite web |title=First transport measurements reveal intriguing properties of germanene |url=https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2019/02/190207132423.htm |website=ScienceDaily |access-date=17 March 2019}}{{cite web |title=Playing Lego with 2D crystals: exfoliation and intercalation strategies to put 2D crystals on surfaces and to produce pillared structures |url=https://www.uib.no/ift/125421/playing-lego-2d-crystals-exfoliation-and-intercalation-strategies-put-2d-crystals |website=Universitetet i Bergen |access-date=17 March 2019 |language=nb}}

More recently, Rudolf has also been devoted to developing pillared graphene materials for spintronics and hydrogen storage applications. Her interests span much further than carbon-based materials however, with recent successes with germanane-based and other materials which show promising devices and catalysis applications.{{cite journal |last1=Madhushankar |first1=B. N. |last2=Kaverzin |first2=A. |last3=Giousis |first3=T. |last4=Potsi |first4=G. |last5=Gournis |first5=D. |last6=Rudolf |first6=P. |last7=Blake |first7=G. R. |last8=Wal |first8=C. H. van der |last9=Wees |first9=B. J. van |title=Electronic properties of germanane field-effect transistors |journal=2D Materials |date=2017 |volume=4 |issue=2 |pages=021009 |doi=10.1088/2053-1583/aa57fd |bibcode=2017TDM.....4b1009M |issn=2053-1583|doi-access=free }}{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=Q. |last2=Liang |first2=L. |last3=Potsi |first3=G. |last4=Wan |first4=P. |last5=Lu |first5=J. |last6=Giousis |first6=T. |last7=Thomou |first7=E. |last8=Gournis |first8=D. |last9=Rudolf |first9=P. |last10=Ye |first10=J. |title=Highly Conductive Metallic State and Strong Spin–Orbit Interaction in Annealed Germanane |journal=Nano Letters |date=2019 |volume=19 |issue=3 |pages=1520–1526 |doi=10.1021/acs.nanolett.8b04207 |pmid=30674194 |pmc=6421576 |bibcode=2019NanoL..19.1520C }}{{cite journal |last1=Coşkuner Filiz |first1=B. |last2=Gnanakumar |first2=E. S. |last3=Martínez-Arias |first3=A. |last4=Gengler |first4=R. |last5=Rudolf |first5=P. |last6=Rothenberg |first6=G. |last7=Shiju |first7=N. R. |title=Highly Selective Hydrogenation of Levulinic Acid to γ-Valerolactone Over Ru/ZrO2 Catalysts |journal=Catalysis Letters |date=2017 |volume=147 |issue=7 |pages=1744–1753 |doi=10.1007/s10562-017-2049-x |s2cid=98955716 |issn=1572-879X|url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/46860107/s10562_017_2049_x.pdf }}{{cite journal |last1=Cepek |first1=C. |last2=Rudolf |first2=P. |last3=Milošević |first3=M. V. |last4=Peeters |first4=F. M. |last5=Oppeneer |first5=P. M. |last6=Partoens |first6=B. |last7=Petaccia |first7=L. |last8=Gorovikov |first8=S. |last9=Mattevi |first9=C. |last10=Abswoude |first10=P. van |last11=Aperis |first11=A. |last12=Bignardi |first12=L. |last13=Bekaert |first13=J. |title=Free surfaces recast superconductivity in few-monolayer MgB 2 : Combined first-principles and ARPES demonstration |journal=Scientific Reports |date=2017 |volume=7 |issue=1 |pages=14458 |doi=10.1038/s41598-017-13913-z |pmid=29089566 |pmc=5663715 |bibcode=2017NatSR...714458B |issn=2045-2322}}{{cite journal |last1=M. Palstra |first1=T. T. |last2=Besenbacher |first2=F. |last3=Groot |first3=R. A. de |last4=R. Blake |first4=G. |last5=Rudolf |first5=P. |last6=Wu |first6=J. |last7=Rao |first7=J. |last8=Su |first8=R. |last9=Li |first9=G. |title=Band gap narrowing of SnS 2 superstructures with improved hydrogen production |journal=Journal of Materials Chemistry A |date=2016 |volume=4 |issue=1 |pages=209–216 |doi=10.1039/C5TA07283B |s2cid=262002913 |url=https://pubs.rsc.org/en/content/articlehtml/2015/ta/c5ta07283b |access-date=1 April 2019}}

As of 2019, Rudolf's work on synthetic molecular switches and molecular machines for the production of functional surfaces, in collaboration with colleagues, such as Ben Feringa, is also ongoing.{{cite journal |last1=Carroll |first1=G. T. |last2=London |first2=G. |last3=Landaluce |first3=T. F. |last4=Rudolf |first4=P. |last5=Feringa |first5=B. L. |title=Adhesion of Photon-Driven Molecular Motors to Surfaces via 1,3-Dipolar Cycloadditions: Effect of Interfacial Interactions on Molecular Motion |journal=ACS Nano |date=2011 |volume=5 |issue=1 |pages=622–630 |doi=10.1021/nn102876j |pmid=21207983 |s2cid=39105918 |url= https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6757528/2011ACSNanoCarroll.pdf}}{{cite journal |last1=Chen |first1=K.-Y. |last2=Ivashenko |first2=O. |last3=Carroll |first3=G. T. |last4=Robertus |first4=J. |last5=Kistemaker |first5=J. C. M. |last6=London |first6=G. |last7=Browne |first7=W. R. |last8=Rudolf |first8=P. |last9=Feringa |first9=B. L. |title=Control of Surface Wettability Using Tripodal Light-Activated Molecular Motors |journal=Journal of the American Chemical Society |date=2014 |volume=136 |issue=8 |pages=3219–3224 |doi=10.1021/ja412110t |pmid=24490770 |bibcode=2014JAChS.136.3219C |s2cid=207106544 |issn=0002-7863}}

Awards and honours

Petra Rudolf is a Fellow of the American Physical Society,{{cite news |title=Petra Rudolf appointed APS fellow |url=https://www.nwo-i.nl/en/news/2010/12/16/petra-rudolf-appointed-aps-fellow/ |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=NWO-I |date=16 December 2010}} awarded "for explorations of fullerenes, nanotubes, graphite, and graphene, as well as light-driven synthetic molecular motors".{{cite web |title=APS Fellow Archive |url=https://www.aps.org/programs/honors/fellowships/archive-all.cfm?initial=R |website=www.aps.org |access-date=17 March 2019}} She is also a Fellow of the Institute of Physics and an honorary member of the Italian and the Dutch Physical Society.

In 2007, Rudolf and her research group was one of the winners of the EU Descartes Prize for their work on molecular machines,{{cite news |title=European Commission – PRESS RELEASES – Press release – The European Science Awards |url=http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_MEMO-08-160_en.htm?locale=en |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=europa.eu}}{{cite news |title=Descartes-prijs voor Petra Rudolf en Wybren Jan Buma |url=https://www.nwo-i.nl/nieuws/2008/03/13/descartes-prijs-voor-petra-rudolf-en-wybren-jan-buma/ |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=NWO-I |date=13 March 2008 |language=nl}} as part of the SynNanoMotor consortium, a collaborative partnership of researchers from countries including France, Italy and Scotland. This work{{cite journal |last1=Zerbetto |first1=F. |last2=Teobaldi |first2=G. |last3=Rudolf |first3=P. |last4=Mendoza |first4=S. M. |last5=Lubomska |first5=M. |last6=Leigh |first6=D. A. |last7=Berná |first7=J. |title=Macroscopic transport by synthetic molecular machines |journal=Nature Materials |date=2005 |volume=4 |issue=9 |pages=704–710 |doi=10.1038/nmat1455 |pmid=16127455 |bibcode=2005NatMa...4..704B |s2cid=1680720 |issn=1476-4660|url=https://pure.rug.nl/ws/files/6688787/2005NatureMaterBerna.pdf |hdl=11370/f6ec5cba-c5fe-4041-afbf-3e2f74a7d376 |hdl-access=free }} was pivotal in building early synthetic nanomachines.

In 2013, Rudolf received the royal decoration and was appointed Officer of the Order of Orange-Nassau.{{cite news |title=RTVOOG Koninklijke onderscheiding voor dertien Stadjers |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YDac0u2-ZHs |access-date=17 March 2019 |date=26 April 2013}}{{cite news |title=Lintjesregen in Groningen |url=https://www.rtvnoord.nl/nieuws/120381/Lintjesregen-in-Groningen |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=RTV Noord |language=NL}}{{cite news |title=Royal decoration for Petra Rudolf {{!}} News archive {{!}} News {{!}} News and Events {{!}} About us {{!}} University of Groningen |url=https://www.rug.nl/about-us/news-and-events/news/archief2013/nieuwsberichten/royal-decoration-for-petra-rudolf?lang=en |access-date=17 March 2019 |work=www.rug.nl}}

In 2016 Rudolf was elected Member of the German National Academy of Science and Engineering (acatech).{{Cite web|url=https://en.acatech.de/person/petra-rudolf-university-of-groningen/|title=Petra Rudolf University of Groningen|website=acatech – National Academy of Science and Engineering|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-08-08}} She was elected to the Academia Europaea in 2021.{{cite web|url=https://www.ae-info.org/ae/Member/Rudolf_Petra|title=Petra Rudolf|work=Members|publisher=Academia Europaea|access-date=2021-12-18}}