About Paul J. Griffin
Biographical Facts:
Joined the faculty in 2026
Ph.D, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign (2023)
M.S., University of Scranton (2018)
B.S., University of Scranton (2016)
Paul J. Griffin, Ph.D.
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemistry
Bowling Green State University
Bowling Geen, OH 43403
Office: 509 Physical Sciences Laboratory Building
Voice: 419-372-2839
Email: pjgriff@bgsu.edu
Group Website
Research Interests:
Photochemistry, coordination chemistry, conformational dynamics and control, electron transfer reactions, physical inorganic chemistry, solar fuels, synthetic inorganic chemistry
The Griffin Lab is interested in physical inorganic chemistry as it applies to energy harvesting and the production of solar fuels. Current research focuses of the Griffin Lab include the expansion of ruthenium cyanometallate photochemistry, the use of conformationally dynamic systems to gate charge recombination in earth-abundant metal complexes (particularly Fe, Co, and Mn), and the development of quantitative heuristics for the prediction - and rational design - of catalysts for (photo)electrochemical conversion of small molecules to useful products and liquid fuels.
The Griffin Lab employs a number of techniques to explore these questions, including the synthesis of novel complexes and precursors, heteronuclear NMR (1D and 2D), IR, steady-state UV-Vis absorption/emission, and time-resolved absorption/photoluminescence spectroscopies, in addition to X-Ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, and spectroelectrochemistry.
Selected Publications:
1. Paul J. Griffin, Stephen A. Koch, Quinton J. Bruch. Flash Communication: Mild Synthesis of [Fe(CN)4(L—L)]2- Complexes from trans-[Fe(CN)4(DMSO)2]2-. Organometallics 2025, 44, 2733-2736. https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.organomet.5c00422
2. Paul J. Griffin and Lisa Olshansky. Rapid Electron Transfer Self-Exchange in Conformationally Dynamic Copper Coordination Complexes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2023, 145, 20158-20162. (Highlighted in JACS Spotlight, 2023, 145, 21145) https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.3c05935
3. Paul J. Griffin, Matthew J. Dake, Alesandro D. Remolina, Lisa Olshansky. Conformational Dynamicity in a Copper(II) Coordination Complex. Dalton Trans. 2023, 52, 8376-8383. https://doi.org/10.1039/d3dt01213a
4. Paul J. Griffin, Bronte J. Charette, John H. Burke, Josh Vura-Weis, Richard D. Schaller, David J. Gosztola, Lisa Olshansky. Toward Improved Charge Separation through Conformational Control in Copper Coordination Complexes. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2022, 144, 12116-12126. https://doi.org/10.1021/jacs.2c02580
5. Bronte J. Charette, Paul J. Griffin, Claire M. Zimmerman, Lisa Olshansky. Conformationally Dynamic Copper Coordination Complexes. Dalton Trans. 2022, 51, 6212-6219. (Selected as Dalton Transactions Outstanding Paper Award 2022) https://doi.org/10.1039/d2dt00312k
Selected Media:
1. Toward a Colorful Future with Iron and Cyanide. Stony Brook University Postdoc Spotlight. Stony Brook, NY, March 2026. (Featured on Graduate School – Stony Brook University YouTube Channel, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5LBpWhuErB0).
Updated: 08/11/2026 05:53PM