John S. Hutchinson, PhD - US grants

This project in the Theoretical and Computational Chemistry program concerns exact quantum theoretical calculations of the dynamics, spectroscopy and photochemistry of highly excited molecules. These studies will be of direct importance in relating experimental observables to detailed molecular properties, including the accurate description of high energy vibrational modes, the assignment of vibrational spectra in terms of these modes, the analysis of predissociative spectra in terms of state-specific unimolecular reaction, and the preparation of excited molecules with ultrafast pulsed lasers. Vibrational modes of high energy will be studied both by simple approximate methods such as self-consistent field techniques and by exact variational calculations. Extended versions of the complex coordinate method will be used to study vibrational predissociative resonances for determination of the molecular couplings and dynamics whcih govern the unimolecular lifetime. Intramolecular vibrational resonances in molecules with high state densities will be studied by an optical potential technique to characterize the high energy states prepared by pulsed lasers. The dynamics of such states will also be calculated to reveal the spectroscopic consequences of the competition of state preparation with unimolecular dynamics.

A scientific computing facility for students majoring in mathematics, physics and chemistry is being developed. The facility provides a computing environment sufficiently powerful and versatile to be useful in many technical courses without being tied to any one course. Prospective majors are being taught the required computational skills during their sophomore year, using examples taken from concurrent course work. Following the introductory course, all instructors are able to assume that every student can access and use a range of computational tools. This common background facilitates appropriate use of computers in the three disciplines.

0852008
John S. Hutchinson

This ten week REU site program at Rice University will provide community college students with a hands-on research experience in the field of nanotechnology. Specific research areas span the whole range of nanotechnology, including the synthesis and characterization of new nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes and quantum dots (QDs); application of nanomaterials to air and water purification; nanoparticle (NP) photonics and plasmonics; application of nanomaterials in medical imaging, diagnosis, and treatment; and engineering the energetics of nanomaterials.

The ethics component of this program will provide a framework for the research experience and will allow students to explore the ethical implications of anthropological and historical studies. To enhance the hands-on research experience, a variety of activities have been incorporated. These include: tours of local research labs such as the Johnson Space Center and ExxonMobile; instruction in public presentation; a poster session workshop; and social activities. At the conclusion of the research experience, the students will present their research findings in a competitive formal poster session to research faculty, staff and students.

This program will specifically focus recruitment efforts on community college students in the Texas Gulf Coast area. These schools (San Jacinto Community College, Lonestar College, Galveston Community College, College of the Mainland, Wharton, and Houston Community College) will provide a diverse pool of talented future researchers who might not otherwise have the resources or opportunities to pursue careers in research.

This REU program will serve as a bridge between two-year and four-year colleges and will be a pipeline for these students to graduate school. Participants in this program will have the unique opportunity to work with at-risk inner-city high school students in the Rice University JP Morgan Chase Science and Engineering Career Academy, serve as mentors for these students and interact with high school teacher interns.

Results from the research will be disseminated via student publications in The Journal of Young Investigators, faculty publications in peer-reviewed engineering education journals, on the Rice NanoREU Website, on the National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering Resource Portal and via YouTube videos.

This award provides funding for a three year continuing award to support a Research Experiences for Teachers (RET) in Engineering Site program at Rice University, entitled, "RET Site: Nanotechnology Research Experience for Teachers", under the direction of Dr. Vicki Colvin.

The objectives of this RET in Engineering Program include enhancing the science and engineering content knowledge and teaching skills of 35 Houston, Texas high school teachers each year for three years. The site will combine a full semester spring content course (CHEM 570) and summer internship, followed by a set of school year activities to keep participants engaged with each other and with Rice University. The participants will improve the quality of secondary school science education through the development of inquiry-based learning activities based on laboratory research and create a community of high school and higher education teachers that can motivate secondary students towards careers in science and engineering. The program is designed not only to facilitate teacher professional development but to scale-up the research experience by forming a network of master teachers that can train new teachers. Since the innovative developments at the nanoscale are integrated across biology, physics and chemistry, this program will provide teachers with new insights on basic science that is also well-aligned with Texas State standards and targets underserved teachers and schools.

Rice University will work closely with the Houston Independent School District (HISD), a large, urban, majority historically underrepresented minority school district in South Texas. This year long RET is designed to be scalable to have a large impact on science teaching via community workshops for students and teachers.