Andrew Teplyakov, University of Delaware
Andrew V. Teplyakov is a Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware. He has completed his undergraduate degree at Moscow State University, Moscow, Russia, in 1992. He received his PhD from Columbia University, New York, NY, in 1997 under the guidance of the late Professor Brian Bent, where he also worked with Professor George Flynn.
After receiving his PhD, Andrew held a postdoctoral position in the group of Professor Stacey Bent (currently at Stanford University, Department of Chemical Engineering). Andrew joined the faculty at the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Delaware in 1998. His research is focused on an interdisciplinary area of surface, interface, and thin film science. His group has developed several novel approaches to understanding chemical binding on crystalline and disordered surfaces, investigated surface chemistry of multifunctional molecules, surface modification of semiconductor materials, electron transfer and molecular junctions, specifically electronic properties controlled by surface preparation and modification, and atomically-precise manufacturing (ALD and ALE). This research uses a wide array of surface analytical techniques, microscopic characterization, and computational investigations. It has resulted in over 160 publications and over 130 invited presentations.
He is a Fellow of the AVS and a member of Surface Science, Frontiers of Materials, and Langmuir Editorial Advisory Boards. He is an Associate Editor of Applied Surface Science.
Mentoring Activities
Dr. Teplyakov leads an inclusive research group with international students from Asia, Africa, and Latin America, as well as marginalized U.S. students from low-income, first-generation, Mexican, and LGBTQIA backgrounds—many of them women. He regularly hosts summer students from South America, offering research opportunities that may be limited in their home countries.
To support career development, he organizes seminars featuring former group members now in academia and industry, providing current students with valuable career insights. His lasting connections with alumni reflect his ongoing commitment to their success.
Dr. Teplyakov also emphasizes academic and industry collaborations—partnering with the Institute of Energy Conversion, the Departments of Materials Science and Physics at the University of Delaware, the DOE, and international universities—broadening student opportunities post-graduation.
His one-on-one mentorship style fosters independent researchers, which is especially impactful for students from underrepresented backgrounds. In recognition of his mentoring excellence, he received the University of Delaware’s Outstanding Doctoral Graduate Advising and Mentoring Award in 2016.