Name Cristiano Zonta Department of Chemical Sciences
Date of birth: 14/03/1974 University of Padova
Nationality: Italian via Marzolo,1 35131 Padova, Italy

Education:
2003 - PhD in Chemistry at Krebs Institute for Biomolecular Science of the University of Sheffield. Topic: “Experimental and computational studies of weak non covalent interactions”. Supervisor: Prof. C. A. Hunter. 1999 – “Laurea” Degree in Industrial Chemistry (110/110) at the University of Venice. Title of thesis: “Synthesis of C3v symmetry molecules via cyclotrimerisation reaction”. Supervisor: Prof. O. De Lucchi.

Professional experience:
Since 2015 - Associate Professor in Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Padova.
2007 - 15 - Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry at the Department of Chemistry at the University of Padova.
2006 - 07 - Post Doctoral Fellowship: University of Padova “Synthesis of membranes with catalytic activity”. Supervisor Prof. G. Licini.
2003 – 06 Post Doctoral Fellowship: University of Venice. Topic: “Control release from synthetic nanocapsules” Supervisor: Prof. O. De Lucchi.
2002 – 03 Post Doctoral Fellowship University of Sheffield. Topic: “1H NMR chemical shifts in structure determination”. Supervisor: Prof. C. A. Hunter.
1999 - Research fellowship funded by at the University of Venice. Topic: “Synthesis of molecules with pharmaceutical activity”. Supervisor: Prof. O. De Lucchi.

Other activities:
Referee for scientific journals: Chemistry European Journal, European Journal of Organic Chemistry; Journal of American Chemical Society; Inorganic Chemistry; Journal of Physical Chemistry.

Scientific Activity:
In 1999 as an undergraduate student in the research group of Prof. Ottorino De Lucchi (Venice) he developed the basic insights in the field of organic synthesis. This gave him the opportunity to study new fields of research mainly concerning palladium chemistry and the synthesis of new molecular architectures.
The interest in supramolecular chemistry led him to start a PhD in the United Kingdom (2000-2003) at the University of Sheffield under the supervision of Prof. Christopher A. Hunter. His supervision and the stimulating environment gave him the possibility to acquire a deep knowledge of the physical rules governing non-covalent interactions. The theoretical and experimental studies towards the comprehension of non-covalent interactions allowed him to expand a field of research directed towards the study of the aromatic interaction in catalysis.
In 2003 he came back to the University of Venice under the supervision of Prof. Ottorino De Lucchi. This gave him the opportunity to start new lines of research based on his know-how in supramolecular chemistry using C3 symmetric architectures. In 2006 he has been offered the opportunity to move to the University of Padova working in the group of Prof. Giulia Licini in the field of stereoselective catalysis. From 2007 he is working in the field of physical organic chemistry of catalysis. In last few years, the expertise gained in supramolecular chemistry has been put at work to the preparation of new catalyst in which the activity is tuned by non covalent interactions.


Award: 2004 - Turner Prize in Chemistry (University of Sheffield)
2012 - Mion Prize (University of Padova)

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