DIVISION OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY

229^TH NATIONAL MEETING
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA
MARCH 13-17, 2005

Call for Papers

APPLICATIONS OF PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY TO ENVIRONMENTAL AND BIOGEOCHEMICAL RESEARCH

Recent advances in experimental and theoretical physical chemistry are leading to more sophisticated studies of environmental and biogeochemical processes at the molecular level. Such studies include developments in molecular modeling and applications of new spectroscopic and microscopic techniques to probe interfacial processes. The goal of this symposium is to showcase the evolution of physical chemistry techniques for environmental studies and to highlight new research in environmental chemistry and geochemistry engendered by advances in physical chemistry. Through the inclusion of a range of interdisciplinary studies, this symposium will also highlight new opportunities and problems in environmental chemistry and geochemistry for the physical chemistry community.

Karl Mueller, Pennsylvania State University; ktm@psu.edu
Peggy O’Day, University of California, Merced; poday@ucmerced.edu

NMR, RECENT DEVELOPMENTS IN MAGNETIC RESONANCE: liquid & solid state applications, theoretical methodology, & emerging techniques

The sessions will focus on recent developments in magnetic resonance applications in structural biology, organic and inorganic chemistry, and materials science. In addition, emerging methods and advances in theoretical methodology will be included.  Specific topics will address liquid state biological problems, solid state biological problems, liquid state small molecule problems, solid state materials applications, computational, theoretical, and modeling methods, emerging techniques, and EPR applications. The symposium will consist of six or eight half day sessions over three or four days.

Matt Augustine, University of California, Davis; Augustine@chem.ucdavis.edu
Len Mueller, University of California, Riverside; Leonard.mueller@ucr.edu

BIOPHYSICAL ASPECTS OF PROTEIN AND PEPTIDE AGGREGRATION: Experiment and Theory

It is becoming increasingly clear that misfolding of proteins and subsequent aggregation plays a vital role in a number of neurodegenerative diseases. Experimental evidence suggests that oligomers of several proteins implicated in various diseases, rather than the amyloid fibrils, may themselves be cytotoxic. This implies that not only is it important to understand the structure of amyloid fibrils but it is also crucial to understand, at the molecular level, the pathways to fibrilization. It is timely and necessary to expose the emerging problems in this vital area of research to chemists in general and physical chemists in particular. With this in mind, we wish to organize a symposium that will bring leading experiments from several fields to describe the cutting edge issues in the general area of protein and peptide aggregation.

John Straub, Boston University; straub@bu.edu
David Thirumalai, University of Maryland; thirum@glue.umd.edu

NOVEL DIRECTIONS IN PHOTONICS: nanophotonics and biophotonics

The symposium is very timely, covering new emerging areas of nanophotonics and biophotonics with numerous opportunities for physical chemists, in particular, and a broader chemical community in general. Topics include nanoscale electrodynamics; near field measurements; quantum and dielectically confined materials; plasmonics; photonic crystals; nanoscale molecular architectures; biophotonics applications to biosensing; optical tracking of cellular and tissue processes; bioapplications of fluorescence spectroscopy and imagining; light-guided and light-activated therapy approaches combining nanophotonics with biophotonics.

Paras N. Prasad, University at Buffalo; pnprasad@acsu.buffalo.edu
George C. Schatz, Northwestern University; schatz@chem.northwestern.edu

DYNAMICS AND CONDUCTIVITY OF NANOPARTICLES AND THEIR ASSEMBLIES

This symposium will bring together experimentalists and theoreticians interested in dynamical processes in nanoparticles (both metals and semiconductors) and their assemblies. The topics of interest include as follows: electron transfer and solvation dynamics at nanoparticle interfaces, energy and electron transfer between nanoparticles; studies of electron-hole and electron-phonon dynamics; single particle spectroscopy; lasing in nanoparticle systems; and conductivity in nanoparticle assemblies. Submissions that deal with both fundamental studies and device applications are solicited.

Gregory V. Hartland, University of Notre Dame; hartland.1@nd.edu
Tianquan Lian, Emory University; tlian@emory.edu

WATER: STRUCTURE, DYNAMICS & REACTIONS ACROSS THE PHASE DIAGRAM

Aqueous environments are critical for control processes in biological systems, in the transport of pollutants through subsurface environments, and astrophysical systems such as molecular clouds and outer solar system icy bodies. Fundamental investigations of water across the phase diagram is required to provide a comprehensive view of this most important pure substance in order to fully understand is role as a universal solvent that we can tune and control. Despite over a century of intensive investigation, some fundamental properties of water and aqueous systems are still not understood, and research on water and aqueous systems remains extremely active.  This symposium will address some of the latest research on a variety of topics including: Supercooled and supercritical water, water at surfaces and interfaces, water structure and dynamics, modeling and computer simulations of water, and non-thermal reactions in water.

Greg Kimmel, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory; Gregory.Kimmel@pnl.gov
Teresa Head-Gordon, University of California, Berkeley; TLHead-Gordon@lbl.gov

GROWTH AND CATALYSIS OF METAL OVERLAYS

Metal overlayers on surfaces have important applications, including catalysis and metallization of semiconductor devices.  The morphology of the metal overlayer strongly affects its functionality. In catalysis the metal should be distributed in many small islands and, in some cases, it has been shown that there is an optimal size for the islands. For metallization of semiconductor devices the overlayer should, on the other hand, be continuous and smooth. At this symposium, experimental and theoretical efforts aimed at understanding and controlling the morphology of metal overlayers, especially on oxide surfaces, will be discussed as well as the relationship between morphology and functionality.

Hannes Jónsson, University of Washington; Hannes@uwashington.edu
Donna Chen, University of South Carolina; chen@mail.chem.sc.edu

HYDROGEN BONDS: DEVELOPMENTS IN EXPERIMENT AND THEORY

Despite the rich history of the hydrogen bond, the quantitative description of the structures, energies, dynamics, and reactive influence of hydrogen bonds continue to present a formidable challenge to both experiment and theory. This symposium seeks to bring together experimentalists and theoreticians from a wide range of backgrounds who study hydrogen bonds in environments ranging from isolated complexes to extended networks. Emphasis will be placed on new experimental and theoretical methods that are pushing the description of hydrogen bonding to new levels of accuracy, new timescales, and new size regimes as well as on the use of H-bonding in the assembly of new materials.

Tim Zwier, Purdue University; Zwier@purdue.edu
Kenneth D. Jordan, University of Pittsburgh; jordan@pitt.edu

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY POSTER SESSION

Contributions from all areas of physical chemistry are highly encouraged for the poster session to be held on Wednesday evening, March 16, 2005. Also, see the announcement below for information about the Physical Chemistry Student Poster Awards.

Barbara Garrison, Pennsylvania State University; bjg@psu.edu

On-Line Abstract Submission Deadline:
November 5, 2004
http://oasys.acs.org/oasys.htm

PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY STUDENT POSTER AWARDS

The Physical Chemistry Division inaugurated a program of Student Poster Awards at the 224th National Meeting in Boston. At the meeting in San Diego, several awards with monetary prizes will be awarded for posters presented by students at the Physical Chemistry Poster Session on Wednesday evening of the meeting. To be eligible for the awards, the presenting author must be a graduate or undergraduate student at the time of the poster presentation. Poster presenters will be contacted by e-mail and invited to declare their eligibility (student status) and desire to participate in the student poster award competition.

BARBARA GARRISON, PROGRAM CHAIR
DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY
PENN STATE UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSITY PARK, PA 16802
(303) 492-8857, Fax (303) 735-1424

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY DIVISION, VISIT OUR WEB SITE:

http://hackberry.chem.trinity.edu/PHYS