Professional and Biographical Information

Degrees

Ph.D., Chemistry, Harvard University (1988)
M.A., Chemistry, Harvard University (1985)
B.A., Biology, California State University, Northridge (1983)
B.S., Chemistry, California State University, Northridge (1982)
A.M. (honorary), Amherst College (2003)

Teaching Interests

As a physical chemist, I am interested in applying physical laws to chemical systems to understand the behavior of atoms and molecules and how they interact with each other. The courses that I teach are concerned with these same ideas.

Chemistry 151 (Introductory Chemistry) This course introduces results from quantum mechanics and how they can be applied to reveal atomic and molecular structure.

Chemistry 161 (Chemical Principles) This course covers chemical equilibrium and chemical kinetics; in other words, where a reaction is going and how fast it takes to get there.

Chemistry 361 (Physical Chemistry) This is a molecular thermodynamics course, in which advanced thermodynamics, together with its molecular interpretation, statistical thermodynamics, are examined.

Chemistry 351 (Quantum Chemistry and Spectroscopy) The theory of quantum mechanics and its application to spectroscopic experiments are studied.

Awards and Honors

"RUI: Discerning the Balance of Intermolecular Forces and the Enantiomeric Composition of Chiral Samples from the Structures of Gas-Phase Heterodimers," National Science Foundation, 2023 - present.

"RUI: Shape Matters: Using the Preferred Structures of Gas-Phase Heterodimers to Investigate Intermolecular Forces and for Chiral Analysis," National Science Foundation, 2019 – 2023.

"RUI: Beyond Electrostatics: Investigating the Contributions of Dispersion and Electron Transfer in Intermolecular Interactions," National Science Foundation, 2015 – 2019.

"RUI: Intermolecular Interactions and the Pathways of Chemical Reactions," National Science Foundation, 2011-2015

"RUI: Investigating the Interplay Between Electronic Environment and Molecular Association," National Science Foundation, 2008-2012

"RUI: Changes in Molecular Electronic Environments upon Complex Formation-The First Steps toward Reaction?" National Science Foundation, 2005-2009

"RUI: Early Influences on the Outcome of Chemical Reactions-the Importance of Intermolecular Interactions," National Science Foundation, 2001-2005

John S. Burlew Award for outstanding contributions to chemistry, Connecticut Valley Section of the American Chemical Society, 2001

"POWRE: Structure and Dynamics of Entrance Channel Complexes-an Opportunity to Initiate a Career Advancing Collaboration," National Science Foundation, 2000-2001

"Electric Field Gradient Perturbations Due to van der Waals Bond Formation," National Science Foundation, 1998-2001

"Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopy of N2O-containing van der Waals Molecules," Petroleum Research Fund Type B Grant, 1998-2001

"Dipole Moment Measurement of N2O-containing van der Waals Molecules," Research Corporation, 1997-2000

Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, 1998-2004

"Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopy of Ethylene-containing van der Waals Complexes," Petroleum Research Fund Type B Grant, 1995-1998

"Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopy of Weakly Bound Complexes," Council on Undergraduate Research Academic-Industrial Undergraduate Research Partnership, 1994

Dreyfus Faculty Start-up Grant, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, 1993-1998

"Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopic Study of Weakly Bound Complexes of Unsaturated Molecules," National Science Foundation Research Planning Grant, 1992-1994

"Pulsed Molecular Beam Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopic Study of Weakly Bound Complexes of Unsaturated Molecules," Petroleum Research Fund Type G Grant, 1992-1995

"Fourier Transform Microwave Spectroscopic Study of Weakly Bound Complexes of Unsaturated Molecules," Research Corporation, 1992-1995

Scholarly and Professional Activities

Member of the International Advisory Committee, International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, 2017 – 2023 (Chair, 2020-2022)

Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy Editorial Board, August 2017 - July 2020.

Journal of Physical Chemistry Editorial Advisory Board, January 2015 - December 2020.

Reviewer, Angewandte Chemie, Chemical Physics Letters, ChemPhysChem, Journal of Chemical Physics, Journal of Molecular Spectroscopy, Journal of Molecular Structure, Journal of Physical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics

Reviewer for proposals submitted to the National Science Foundation, Department of Energy, the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, Research Corporation.

Member of Advisory Panel, CAREER Program, National Science Foundation

Judge for the Miller Prize Competition, International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL.

Judge for the Rao Prize Competition, International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Ohio State University, Columbus, OH

Honors Examiner, Chem 105 (Theory and Applications of Spectroscopy), Swarthmore College, PA, Spring 2001 and 2002

Panel Member, "Envisioning the Chemical Sciences," The 220 th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, 2000

PKAL Faculty for the 21 st Century Member, Project Kaleidoscope

Cross-Cultural Mentoring Roundtable, sponsored by the American Chemical Society and the Department of Minority Affairs, Boston, MA, 1998

Panel Member, "Careers in Education at Principally Undergraduate Institutions," Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, 1997

Member of Advisory Panel, Instrumentation and Laboratory Improvement Program, National Science Foundation

Member of American Physical Society, American Chemical Society, American Physical Society, Council on Undergraduate Research, the Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, Sigma Xi

Links

This article appeared in the January 31, 2005, issue of Chemical & Engineering News, the American Chemical Society news magazine, highlighting our work on the hydroxyl radical-water complex.

H. O. Leung "Setting Up Research: Getting Creative," Chemical and Engineering News 79, 205 (2001).

 

 

See also: Selected Publications and Research Interests

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