Physicists and Chemists Earn National Recognition

March was a remarkable month for basic science researchers at UC. Three physicists and two chemists received significant honors and awards from national societies and foundations. Three awards recognized UC scientists as bright, up-and-coming researchers. The other two awards recognized lifetime achievement and career excellence. Two Fellows

Physicists Howard Jackson, who also serves as vice president for Research and Advanced Studies, and professor Kay Kinoshita were both inducted as Fellows of the American Physical Society this month. Only one-half of 1 percent of the total membership can be elected to the rank of Fellow each year.

Jackson was honored for his contributions in two areas: using special microscopic and spectroscopic methods to study optical waveguides and the study of "quantum dots." The first research project is important to developing new devices that rely on optical fibers. The use of Near-Field Optical Microscopy allows Jackson to study structures as small as 100 nanometers. That's 600 times smaller than the typical human hair.

Professor Kinoshita was honored for her "innovative contributions to the study of b-quarks and for leadership in accelerator searches for magnetic monopoles." Kinoshita's research efforts include collaborations on the BELLE experiment at the National High Energy Laboratory in Japan, also known as KEK. Kinoshita's work helps to make sense of the huge volumes of data generated when subatomic particles are smashed together. The experiments ultimately help scientists understand the fundamental particles of nature.

Promising researchers committed to teaching
The National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded two young women scientists prestigious CAREER awards. The awards go to faculty whose research shows great promise, but who also demonstrate a strong commitment to teaching. In physics, Margaret Hanson received a CAREER award for her project "Spectral Analysis of Massive Stars in the Near-Infrared." The grant will allow Hanson to greatly expand her studies of how stars are born. The total amount of the award is about $550,000 over five years.

In chemistry, Anna Gudmundsdottir earned a CAREER award for "Photolysis of Alkylazides in Solution and in Crystals." The five-year grant is $515,000 and will help scientists gain a better understanding of reactions that might lead to better design of organic crystals for new materials. Possible applications include photolithography and organic magnets.

"Students will learn both from carrying out the research and by participating in a seminar course, where they will be exposed to a number of successful scientists, including representatives from industry and from underrepresented minorities. The seminars will help the students decide what career paths to follow once they leave the University of Cincinnati," explained Gudmundsdottir, assistant professor.

Harnessing sunlight
Another young faculty member in chemistry earned the attention of the Arnold and Mabel Beckman Foundation. Assistant professor William Connick was one of only 16 scientists nationwide to receive a 2001 Beckman Young Investigator (BYI) Award. The BYI program helps provide research support to the most promising young faculty members in the early stages of their academic careers in the chemical and life sciences. The program fosters the invention of methods, instruments and materials that will open up new avenues of research in science.

Connick will receive $240,000 in support over the next three years. His research project is "Engineering Metal Complexes for Photo-Induced Two-Electron Transfer" "These studies represent a represent a fundamentally new approach to the challenge of converting sunlight energy into practical chemical energy," said Connick. In photosynthesis, a plant uses one photon or particle of light to convert one electron into stored chemical energy (and eventually into sugar).

"This idea of getting more than one electron to transfer per photon is our selling point. It definitely should lead to greater efficiencies, as well as stability. People have thought about doing this for a long time, but it initially does not seem obvious how you could do it. But we think we have come up with a viable strategy."

The molecules Connick studies may also find practical use in reversible photo-imaging and optical-information/energy storage applications. "I was absolutely thrilled to learn about the award," said Connick. "I consider myself very fortunate to be a part of this amazingly generous program.

This award would not have been possible without the dedication of the students in my research group, and I am especially appreciative of their efforts." Connick is the first UC researcher to win a BYI award. "The department of chemistry is very pleased to have a superb group of young faculty members who have all come to UC during the past four years," said R. Marshall Wilson, department head in chemistry. "We expect that these young people will make major contributions to the quality of education at UC, both through their teaching and research. Students and colleagues alike will benefit from their efforts."