J.C. (Tito) Scaiano

Scaiano currently holds the Canada Research Chair in Applied Photochemistry at the University of Ottawa. He is also the 2002 Winner of the Gerhard Herzberg Canada Gold Medal in Science and Engineering, the 2003 Premier’s Platinum Research Excellence Award, Ontario’s highest prize in science and engineering and was inducted as an Officer of the Order of Canada in 2006. Scaiano is also a past Editor-in-Chief of Photochemistry and Photobiology, and the founder of Luzchem Research, Inc. an Ottawa–based instrument developer and manufacturer. Scaiano's scientific career includes the publication of over 550 scientific papers and several book chapters and patents; his H-index is 63.

Born in Argentina, Scaiano came to Canada (NRC in Ottawa) in 1975. After holding a position at the University of Notre Dame (1976-79), he returned to NRC in 1979, and joined the University of Ottawa in 1991.

His interest in education led him to start (with four other colleagues) the Reactive Intermediates Student Exchange or “RISE” program over 10 years ago. RISE now promotes summer student exchanges providing research experiences for students across Canada.

Research interests include organic photochemistry, nanomaterials, photocatalytic reaction mechanisms, laser induced photochemistry, antioxidants and supramolecular systems. Applied interests include fluorescent sensors for DNA damage and reactive oxygen species, applications of nanotechnology to the biological sciences and development of functional photoactive materials for therapeutic applications.   He is an active participant in the Catalysis and Photonics centres at the University of Ottawa.

His group at the University of Ottawa of about 15 researchers includes graduate and undergraduate students, several post-doctoral fellows and frequently visitors from around d the world.