Carleton College:
Chemistry Department

 

Trish Ferrett's Undergraduate Research Group

 

  

Research Interests: Gas-Phase Molecular Fragmentation Mechanisms

 

As part of my graduate and postdoctoral work, I co-authored 36 publications in synchrotron radiation research involving experiments in gas-phase core/valence photoelectron spectroscopy aimed at elucidation of electron correlation effects. I have worked at 5 synchrotron facilities since 1982: SSRL (Stanford), SURF-II (NIST, Gaithersburg, MD), NSLS (Brookhaven), Aladdin (Stoughton, WI), and SuperACO (Orsay, France).

In 1991, I established an undergraduate research program at Carleton with the goal of understanding general principles that govern gas-phase molecular fragmentation dynamics induced by soft X-rays. After collaborations at NSLS in 1991-1992 with Prof. David Hanson (SUNY, Stony Brook), in 1994 we completed construction of a new system capable of measuring one electron and several positive ions in coincidence, including a newly designed time-of-flight (TOF) mass spectrometer with ion lensing. Multi-dimensional mass spectroscopy experiments were carried out at Aladdin in summers 1994-1995. A manuscript on perfluorocyclobutane (C4F8) is in preparation.

In 1997-1998, I did sabbatical research part-time in Prof. Jim Weisshaar's group at the U. of Wisconsin, Madison. We investigated kinetics and mechanisms of metal reactions with alkenes (Zr + ethene). We used Nd:YAG and eximer lasers to prepare Zr by laser ablation and ionize reactants and products for kinetic analysis by time-of-flight mass spectroscopy. Flow tube dynamics were carefully adjusted to optimize reaction of ground-state metals. This work resulted in a publication.

My experimental research program was "in storage" for 2 years due to my sabbatical, the renovation of Mudd Hall, and a medical leave. Since my sabbatical, I have been trying to redirect my research toward atmospheric chemistry. We hope to find reactions and processes we can probe in lab that utilize the unique capabilities of our multi-dimensional mass spectrometer.

In summer '99, Aidan Gromoll ('00) and Gail Teitzel ('00) helped to rebuild the coincidence experiment and returned it to full operation for the first time in 2 years. In summer '00, Victor Sussman ('01) and Jon Fritz ('01) extended the capabilities of our mass spectrometer detection system, making it significantly more versatile as we shift to experiments in atmospheric chemistry. Victor and Jon improved the ion detector mass resolution and tuned our electron gun (the source of input energy for fragmentation) to lower energies. They also worked hard to identify the origin of some unusual "noise" peaks in our spectrum at low times of flight.

I have also maintained connection to collaborators from my postdoctoral and NIST work on valence-shell photoionization and polarized fluorescence in small gaseous molecules. Two publications came out from this work recently (in 1997, and 2000).

 

 

Past & Current Group Members

Sixteen undergraduates (chemistry and physics majors) have been involved in all stages of this work. Since 1992, my research students have given a total of 15 research talks at meetings like the National Conference on Undergraduate Research, the ACM Minority Students and Careers Workshop, the Division of Atomic, Molecular and Optical Physics meeting of APS, the Minnesota Section of ACS, and the Pew Meeting for Undergraduate Research. Of my 16 graduated students, 8 are in chemistry/physics/engineering graduate or postdoctoral positions, 2 are in medical school or practicing medicine, 1 is teaching chemistry at a liberal arts college, 2 are teaching K-12 chemistry/science or working toward that, 1 is doing work with AmeriCorps, and 2 are employed in the private sector.

Summer

Students

Current Position

1991

Michelle Bayne

 

Shizuka Hsieh

M.D., Family Physician, Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN

 

Smith College, Chemistry Department, Asst. Professor , after a 1-year teaching job at Oberlin College

1992

Shizuka Hsieh

 

David Vosen

 

Greg Harbers

Smith College, Chemistry Department, Asst. Professor, after a 1-year teaching job at Oberlin College

 

Teaching 5-12 chemistry, Marshall School, Duluth, MN

 

U.C. Berkeley, Graduate Program in BioEngineering with Kevin Healy

1993

David Vosen

 

Lou Madsen

 

Greg Harbers

 

Iram Qidwai

Teaching 5-12 chemistry, Marshall School, Duluth, MN

 

Graduate school in Chemistry at CalTech with Daniel Weitekamp. Now doing a postdoc at U. North Carolina Chapel Hill in Ed Samulski's group.

 

U.C. Berkeley, Graduate Program in BioEngineering with Kevin Healy

 

Medical student at Stanford Medical School

1994

Greg Harbers

 

 

Lou Madsen

 

 

Nadine Czoschke

 

 

Kris Poduska

 

 

Andy King

U.C. Berkeley, Graduate Program in BioEngineering with Kevin Healy

 

Graduate school in Chemistry at CalTech with Daniel Weitekamp. Now doing a postdoc at U. North Carolina Chapel Hill in Ed Samulski's group.

 

Graduate school in Atmospheric Chemistry, U. North Carolina, Chapel Hill in Richard Kamen's group. Previously did 2 years in the Peace Corps in Gabon, and worked at Pillsbury in the Twin Cities.

 

Postdoc reasearch at York U. (Canada) with Sylvie Morin, after graduate school in Physics at Cornell U.

 

Recently got Ph.D. in Chemistry from U. Wisconsin, Madison with Fleming Crim. Now in Bloomington Illinois taking classes for his K-12 teaching certificate.

1995

Greg Harbers

 

 Melissa Kido

 

Chris Nelson

 

Allie Albrecht

U.C. Berkeley, Graduate Program in BioEngineering with Kevin Healy

 

Graduate school in Chemistry, U. or Oregon, Geri Richmond's group

 

Location unknown

 

Completed graduate school in Chemistry, U. Colorado Boulder in summer 2001 with David Jonas. Allie is now working at Coherent Inc. developing lasers for ophthalmic applications.

1996

Kris Poduska

 

Melissa Kido

Postoc research at York U. (Canada) with Sylvie Morin, after graduate school in Physics at Cornell University

 

Graduate school in Chemistry, U. of Oregon, Geri Richmond's group

1997

 

Melissa Kido (part time)

Graduate school in Chemistry, U. of Oregon, Geri Richmond's group

1999

 

Gail Teitzel

 

M. Aidan Gromoll

 

Graduate school in Civil and Environmental Engineering, Northwestern University

 

Au paire in Hanau, Germany for 2000-2001. Taking classes at the University of Wisconsin-Madison during 2001-2002 and preparing to apply to medical school.

2000

Victor Sussman

 

Jonathan Fritz

Graduate school in Chemistry at the U. of Minnesota with John Ellis

 

Planning for graduate study in Chemistry, Environmental Chemistry, or Environmental Engineering. Currently working with Americorps.

 

 Funding

My group has been supported by the National Science Foundation (1992 NYI Award and Women's Planning Grant), the Petroleum Research Fund of ACS, Research Corporation, and Carleton College.

 

 

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