Eddie Goldenberg Research Chair of Canada in Emerging Sustainable Materials for the Energy Transition

Government of Canada priority area: manufacturing and advanced materials

Rosei’s research explores how sustainable nanomaterials can help make the next generation of solar energy technologies more sustainable. Many emerging clean-energy technologies rely on materials that are rare, toxic or resource-intensive to produce. Finding alternatives that are efficient, stable, affordable, and more sustainable could help expand clean energy while reducing the environmental footprint of its use. As the world accelerates the transition away from fossil fuels, developing high-performance materials that are both sustainable and scalable is becoming a critical scientific and technological challenge. Rosei’s program aims to address this challenge by advancing materials that can support the next generation of renewable energy technologies.

One of his main research directions is on colloidal quantum dots, a class of nanomaterials whose electronic and optical properties can be precisely tuned by controlling their size, shape, and composition. Already used in technologies like commercial displays, quantum dots also show promise as light-absorbing materials for next-generation solar cells. Their tunable properties could help researchers develop new approaches to capturing and converting solar energy. More broadly, the program explores a range of advanced nanomaterials for energy harvesting, conversion, and storage applications.

Rosei’s research combines theoretical modelling with experimental work to understand how to optimize the properties of these materials and how they can be developed using less energy and fewer resources. This approach connects fundamental research in nanomaterials with practical challenges in renewable energy to realize high performance solar technologies that are sustainable in the long term.

This work aligns with Canada’s priorities in clean energy, sustainable technologies and advanced materials. The research will help strengthen Canada’s capacity in advanced materials and clean-energy innovation while supporting the development of technologies that reduce dependence on scarce or environmentally problematic materials. It also positions Canada to play a leading role in the global transition toward sustainable energy systems. The program will further strengthen Canada's leadership in advanced materials and clean-energy innovation, areas that are essential to long-term economic competitiveness and energy security. As Canada expands renewable energy and develops its capacity in high-technology industries, finding more sustainable alternatives to scarce or harmful materials could help reduce resource dependence, support innovation and strengthen Canadian expertise in an important area of the energy transition.

The research also provides opportunities to train highly qualified researchers and engineers while building connections with academic, industry and technology partners working in renewable energy, nanotechnology, and advanced materials. Leveraging Rosei's extensive international network, these collaborations will help accelerate innovation and move promising materials and technologies from the laboratory toward practical clean-energy applications. Overall, this effort will consolidate Canada’s position of international leadership in nanotechnology and renewable energy 

Federico Rosei O.C., C.Q. (MSc, 1996 and PhD, 2001, University of Rome “La Sapienza”) holds the Chair of Industrial Chemistry at the Department of Chemical and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Trieste, where he has been since March 2023. Previously, he was Full Professor at the Centre Énergie, Matériaux et Télécommunications, Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique, Varennes, Canada, where he served as Director (2011–2019). He held the Canada Research Chair (Junior) in Nanostructured Organic and Inorganic Materials (2003–2013), the Canada Research Chair (Senior) in Nanostructured Materials (2016–2023), and the UNESCO Chair in Materials and Technologies for Energy Conversion, Saving and Storage (2013–2023).

Dr. Rosei’s research focuses on structure/property relationships in nanomaterials and their use as building blocks in emerging technologies. His research has received more than $19 million in funding from provincial, federal and international agencies. He has worked with more than 20 Canadian R&D companies, is co-inventor of three patents and has published more than 545 articles, cited over 32,200 times (H-index = 93).

He is a Fellow of numerous prestigious national and international societies and academies, including the Royal Society of Canada, Academia Europaea, the World Academy of Science (TWAS), the Canadian Academy of Engineering, the American Physical Society, the Materials Research Society and Optica.

His many honours include the Rutherford Memorial Medal in Chemistry, Herzberg Medal, NSERC E.W.R. Steacie Memorial Fellowship, J.C. Polanyi Award, APS John Wheatley Award, Prix Urgel-Archambault, Prix du Québec “Marie-Victorin,” Brockhouse Medal, Guggenheim Fellowship in Engineering, Knight of the National Order of Quebec, AVS Nanotechnology Recognition Award, Nano Energy Award, Officer of the Order of Canada and the RSC Centenary Prize for Chemistry and Communication.