Data Scientist
Associate Professor of Chemistry
| Physical Chemistry I | // | Quantum Mechanics |
| Physical Chemistry II | // | Statistical Thermodynamics |
| General Chemistry I/II | // | Foundations |
| Materials Chemistry | // | Solid State Materials |
| Scientific Computing | // | Free and Open Source Software |
Traditionally, chemists follow a familiar tenet where the physical and chemical properties of molecules are controlled by changing the constituent atoms and/or the way in which those atoms are bonded together. Strong coupling is an alternative paradigm, where, instead, molecular properties are altered without changing the elements, bonds, or geometry in a formal sense. When a molecule is placed in an optical cavity (between two mirrors spaced apart by approximately one tenth of the thickness of your hair), a photon emitted from the molecule has an increased probability of being reflected back, reabsorbed, and emitted again. This oscillation of energy between the optical cavity and the molecule results in the formation of new quantum states, known as polaritons, that are composed of both light and matter. By coupling, or “mixing”, light with matter, my research group modifies the characteristics of molecules in an effort to access novel chemistries that are unattainable by traditional means.