Project Description: The overarching project of the laboratory is to provide the scientific community detailed information about the structure and dynamics of molecules in the gas phase using sophisticated laboratory techniques in the microwave region. Our laboratory has published several articles in the last four years with undergraduate researchers that span: the structure of organic acids and water complexes, novel organometallic complexes with small molecules. The analysis-publication process depends on utilizing gas phase pulsed beam microwave spectroscopy. The laboratory technique utilizes many aspects of modern physics and chemistry: quantum mechanics, Fourier transform techniques, fast microwave electronics and molecular computational methods.
NASA Relevance: High resolution spectroscopy lies at the heart of NASA missions such as Herschel, James Webb and observed carbon observatory (OCO 2).
Work Description: Training in the following areas will take place:
1. Opportunities to improve and operate lab spectrometers.
2. Perform high level molecular structure calculations of molecules and complexes using the University High Performance Computing Center.
3. Be part of a team that will upgrade our existing spectrometer to a fast-chirped spectrometer working in the microwave.
4. Publish the results in scientific journals.
Depending on the interests of the intern, additional training may involve chemical synthesis.
https://cbc.arizona.edu/adam-m-daly-research-publications
Open or Reserved Project: Open, 2 positions