David L. Wheeler, Ph.D

As a child, I was fortunate enough to grow up near the beautiful North Georgia mountains in the quaint town of Talking Rock, GA. Here, much of my time was spent camping, hiking, and helping my parents and grandparents with their gardening, especially in the summer months. For much of my childhood, I was a member of the local Boy Scout Troop and in high school I was apart of my school’s honor program, the Beta Club. Academically, I always had an interest in mathematics and chemistry, which ultimately helped shape the beginning of my undergraduate career. In 2013, I pursued these interests as an undergraduate researcher at the University of North Georgia where I performed computational predictions of novel organic semiconductors under the guidance of Dr. Aimee Tomlinson​ and organic synthesis under Dr. Eric Huddleston. After my first few months of research, I began to see just how captivating these semiconductors were with their potential applications at reducing energy consumption or producing renewable energy. Both opportunities led me to the realize that I had developed such a passion for the field and motivated me to pursue my Ph.D at Boston University.

In 2016, I moved to Boston, MA where I obtained my Ph.D under Dr. Malika Jeffries-EL at Boston University. My doctoral research focused on the synthesis and application of novel benzobisoxazole (BBO) host and emissive materials for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). Throughout my Ph.D, I was able to expand my synthetic experience and learn how to make prototype OLEDs. OLEDs provide many environmental and financial benefits when compared to traditional LEDs due to their increased energy efficiency, low cost of fabrication, and elimination of traditional device components such as backlights. For more info, you can read my thesis on the BU repository soon (link will be provided when available). After completing my doctoral degree in 2021, I now work with the wonderful Kebotix, Inc. as a device engineering continuing to do what I love!

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On a more personal note, I am a strong advocate for human rights. During graduate school, I was a member of Boston University’s oSTEM chapter. My hobbies include hiking, going to breweries, and trivia nights with my friends and partner all across the globe. You can follow me on social media for fun pictures and updates on my research interests and hobbies using the icons at the bottom of the page!