Archive for August, 2012

FD157: Molecular Reaction Dynamics in Gases, Liquids and Interfaces – conference highlights

Highlights written by Piergiorgio Casavecchia (University of Perugia, Italy), Chair of the Scientific Committee.

Faraday Discussion 157: Molecular Reaction Dynamics in Gases, Liquids and Interfaces took place from the 25th-27th June 2012 in Assisi (Italy), a beautiful and historic location.

 

Panoramic view of Assisi (courtesy of Cesare Cenci).

Panoramic view of Assisi (courtesy of Cesare Cenci).

 

As acclaimed by Richard Zare from Stanford University in his concluding remarks,

“The 157th Faraday Discussion represented a historic turning point in the development of the field of reaction dynamics because it concerned itself with how reactions occur in gases, in liquid, and at interfaces. Never before has the attempt been made to unify the various approaches to reaction dynamics in one Faraday Discussion meeting and to discover what language was common and what was special to these previously distinct subdisciplines. This Discussion also marked a maturation of the field of reaction dynamics in that so much emphasis was placed on what the combination of theory and experiment could tell us about the detailed course of chemical transformations.”

 

Richard Zare delivering his Concluding remarks (photo by Stefano Falcinelli).

Richard Zare delivering his concluding remarks (photo by Stefano Falcinelli).

 

 

Fleming Crim from the University of Wisconsin, Madison, set the tone for the meeting with his superb introductory lecture on chemical transformations across phases. This theme continued in the many presentations and discussions to be found in Faraday Discussion 157. Session 1, focusing on Bimolecular Reaction Dynamics in the Gas Phase and chaired by Piergiorgio Casavecchia, got everything off to a full speed start with a mix of outstanding experimental and theoretical works and everyone quickly got into the swing of the unique way in which Faraday Discussions work! The power of the question in defining new directions for a field became immediately apparent. At the end of the afternoon, before dinner we had a drinks reception in the terrace of La Cittadella to accompany an excellent poster session – outside in the sunshine!

Snapshots at the poster session (by Stephanie Seymour):

Left: Richard Zare and David Glowacki, Right: Mr Chidike Nwajagy (University of Greenwich).

(Left) Richard Zare and David Glowacki. (Right) Mr Chidike Nwajagy (University of Greenwich).

Left: Don Truhlar, David Nesbitt, Joel Bowman and Stuart Mackenzie; Right: Thorsten Bernhardt and John Polanyi.

(Left) Don Truhlar, David Nesbitt, Joel Bowman and Stuart Mackenzie. (Right) Thorsten Bernhardt and John Polanyi.

Left: David Nesbitt, Stuart Mackenzie, Joel Bowman, Mike Ashfold and Pierogiorgio Casavecchia; Right: Fleming Crim, David Glowacki and Todd Martinez.

(Left) David Nesbitt, Stuart Mackenzie, Joel Bowman, Mike Ashfold and Pierogiorgio Casavecchia. (Right) Fleming Crim, David Glowacki and Todd Martinez.

 

The discussion at the poster session as well as those throughout the meeting were always very stimulating with a lively and friendly atmosphere and plenty of time to mix with colleagues. World leading scientists in various fields contributed. Lots of young people were present – graduate students and postdocs.

Tuesday was an early start for Session 2 on Photodissociation Dynamics in the Gas and Liquid-Phase chaired by Andrew Orr-Ewing and included a stimulating discussion highlighting how the gap between the two phases is being bridged.

Stephen Bradforth, Helen Fielding and Arthur Suits at "question time" (photo by S. Falcinelli).

Stephen Bradforth, Helen Fielding and Arthur Suits at "question time" (photo by S. Falcinelli).

In the afternoon Session 3 focused on Reaction Dynamics at Interfaces, chaired by Alec Wodtke. We are so appreciative that Nobel Laureate John Polanyi, one of the icons in the field of reaction dynamics for his early ground-breaking experiments using infrared spectroscopy, could join us for this Discussion and share with us his new work on surface-controlled reactions. Also in this session “question time” continued to be very lively and stimulating.

Nobel laureate John Polanyi and Rainer Beck, David Nesbitt and steve sibener at "question time" (photos by S. Falcinelli).

Nobel laureate John Polanyi and Rainer Beck, David Nesbitt and Steve Sibener at "question time" (photos by S. Falcinelli).

The conference dinner was held at La Cittadella and was preceded by an aperitif in the gardens outside the restaurant. The “Umbrian style” food was excellent and after dinner the Faraday Loving Cup was circulated around the entire room. Mike Ashfold the current President of the Faraday Division was sporting the spectacular badge of office and gave a tremendous speech! It was great to mark the last Faraday Discussion Mike Ashfold attended in his role as President of the Faraday Division with a discussion meeting so closely aligned with his research interests. The Skinner Poster Prize was awarded ex-aequo to Stephanie Harris, from the University of Bristol, for her poster on “X-H/X-Me Photodissociation dynamics of aromatic molecules: Linking gas phase processes with the solution phase”, and Lee C. Ch’ng, from the University of Southern California, for her poster on “Imaging energy transfer and hydrogen-bond breaking in the water dimer”.

Wednesday morning Session 4 on Ultrafast Reaction Dynamics, chaired by Stephen Bradforth, expanded reaction dynamics to fast-folding proteins and a busy and stimulating discussion closed the official meeting sessions. Richard Zare then, in his concluding remarks, rather than providing “a Readers Digest account” of what transpired from this exciting meeting, chose to offer some of his own perspectives on this field, by looking at its past, present and future. He emphasized the power of the question in defining new directions for a field. He remarked how at this Discussion speakers were kept on their toes by many probing questions, especially from Joel Bowman, David Glowacki, David Nesbitt, Daniel Neumark, and Donald Truhlar, among many others, who made sure that the discussion throughout the meeting was challenging and very stimulating. He concluded owing a great debt of gratitude to the organizers, Piergiorgio Casavecchia (Chair), David Clary, Peter Hamm, Andrew Orr-Ewing, George Schatz, and Alec Wodtke, who put together a most memorable conference.

Conference photo taken by Stephanie Seymour in the external amphitheatre of La Cittadella.

Conference photo taken by Stephanie Seymour in the external amphitheatre of La Cittadella.

Keep an eye out for the published volume of this Faraday Discussion, which will be going online later this year – or sign-up to our free contents e-alerts to have Faraday Discussion 157 delivered straight to your inbox!

We welcome your ideas, contact Faraday Discussions with your topic proposal for a future Discussion.

 

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FD163: Photo-initiated Quantum Molecular Dynamics – call for oral abstracts

Photo-initiated Quantum Molecular Dynamics: Faraday Discussion 163 15-17 April 2013, University of Nottingham UK

*Deadline for Oral Abstracts: 17 August 2012*

Submit now to events@rsc.org

Photochemistry and molecular photophysics have been highly active fields of research for more than half a century; however, during the last two decades synergistic advances in experimental technology and computational methodology have led to a renewed interest in understanding photochemistry and photophysics at the quantum level – photo-initiated quantum molecular dynamics. One of the grand challenges for the 21st century is to develop such a detailed understanding of energy flow in molecules, following the absorption of a photon, that we can begin to develop the knowledge and tools to control photochemistry. Photo-initiated Quantum Molecular Dynamics: Faraday Discussion 163 will involve spectroscopy and dynamics, experiment and theory, with themes including:

  • Single molecules: photochemistry and photophysics in isolated molecular systems
  • Extended systems: photochemistry and photophysics of chromophores in proteins, solution or clusters
  • Controlling molecular dynamics: controlling photochemistry using sequences of light pulses, shaped light pulses or bond selection prior to photoexcitation
  • Applications of molecular dynamics to global challenges: photovoltaic cells, photodynamic therapy, imaging.

Confirmed invited speakers:

  • Professor Albert Stolow (Introductory), National Research Council, Canada
  • Professor Graham Fleming (Closing), University of California – Berkeley, USA
  • Professor Phil Bucksbaum, Stanford University, USA
  • Professor Joachim Burgdörfer, Vienna University of Technology, Austria
  • Professor Wolfgang Domcke, Technische Universitat Munchen,  Germany
  • Professor Bob Field (Robert W Field), Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
  • Professor Dr Jennifer Herek, Twente, Netherlands
  • Professor Dr Eberhard Riedle, Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität, Germany
  • Professor Ursula Rothlisberger, EPFL, Switzerland
  • Professor  Greg Scholes, University of Toronto, Canada

Faraday Discussions are a long-established series of meetings which provide a unique international platform for the exchange of views and newly acquired results in developing areas of physical chemistry, biophysical chemistry and chemical physics. The Discussion is a dynamic forum for developing and exchanging exciting new ideas, and both the papers and discussion will be published in a final printed volume. The latest Impact Factor is 5.0.

We invite you to submit an abstract for an oral presentation by the 17th August to events@rsc.org adding ‘FD163 abstract’ in the subject line. We hope to see you at this exciting Faraday Discussion meeting next year.

Faraday Discussions is a sister journal to Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (PCCP). PCCP brings you content of the highest quality in physical chemistry, chemical physics and biophysical chemistry. With high-impact research, and a truly international readership, PCCP is the ideal place to publish. We invite you to submit your research to PCCP today.

PCCP journal cover imageRead these PCCP themed issues:

Ultrafast chemical dynamics
Guest Editors: Klaas Wynne and Neil T. Hunt
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2012, 14, Issue 18

Electronic energy transfer
Guest Editor: Anthony Harriman
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2010, 12, Issue 27

Analysis and control of ultrafast photon-induced processes
Guest Editors: Vlasta Bonačić-Koutecký, Nikolaus Ernsting, Joshua Jortner, Jörn Manz, Eckart Rühl and Ludger Wöste
Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2011, 13, Issue 19

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Upcoming Faraday Discussions on Anchored Nanoparticles and Electrolysis at the Nanoscale

Fabrication, Structure and Reactivity of Anchored Nanoparticles: Faraday Discussion 162 10–12 April 2013 Seminaris CampusHotel, Berlin, Germany

*Deadline for Oral Abstracts: 10 August 2012*

Submit now to events@rsc.org

The last ten years have seen dramatic developments in our understanding of the surface science of nanoparticles grown on solid surfaces. These developments are continuing apace, not least in our understanding of nanoparticle structures at the atomic scale. Fabrication, Structure and Reactivity of Anchored Nanoparticles: Faraday Discussion 162 will cover themes including:

  • Novel chemical methods for anchored nanoparticle fabrication
  • The surface science of anchored nanoparticles
  • CO-oxidation on nanoparticles studied in-situ
  • Theoretical aspects of anchored nanoparticle structure/reactivity

FD162: Confirmed invited speakers:

  • Professor Charlie Campbell (Introductory), University of Washington Seattle, USA
  • Professor Gabor Somorjai (Closing), University of California at Berkeley, USA
  • Professor Scott Anderson, University of Utah, USA
  • Professor Kiyotaka Asakura, Hokkaido University, Japan
  • Professor Gary Attard, Cardiff University, UK
  • Dr Simon Beaumont, University of California at Berkeley, USA
  • Professor Matt Neurock, University of Virginia, USA
  • Dr Niklas Nilius, FHI Berlin, Germany
  • Professor Philippe Sautet, University of Lyon, France
  • Dr Swetlana Schauermann, FHI Berlin, Germany

Faraday Discussions are a long-established series of meetings which provide a unique international platform for the exchange of views and newly acquired results in developing areas of physical chemistry, biophysical chemistry and chemical physics. The Discussion is a dynamic forum for developing and exchanging exciting new ideas, and both the papers and discussion will be published in a final printed volume. Faraday Discussion‘s latest Impact Factor is 5.0.

We invite you to submit an abstract for an oral presentation by 10th August to events@rsc.org adding ‘FD162 abstract’ in the subject line. We hope you can join us at this exciting meeting next year.

Also look out for Electroanalysis at the Nanoscale: Faraday Discussion 164 taking place from 1–3 July 2013 in Durham University, Durham, UK. FD164 will include the following themes:

  • Charge transfer at the nanoscale
  • Nanomaterial platforms
  • Chemical detection
  • Bioelectrolysis via nanomaterials

Deadline for submission of Oral Abstracts for FD164: 12 October 2012.

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