Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai'i at Manoa  

The Department of Chemistry at the University of Hawai’i at Manoa invites applications for Ph.D. studentships in the fields of reaction dynamics, combustion chemistry, rocket propulsion chemistry, astrochemistry, planetary chemistry, astrobiology, and atmospheric chemistry beginning August 21st, 2007. Exceptionally well qualified candidates are offered research assistantships and  tuition fee waivers. The prime directive of our lab is to unravel the underlying chemical dynamics and reaction mechanisms how complex, often carbon-bearing molecules are synthesized from the bottom up via single atoms, radicals, and small molecules in extreme environments such as combustion flames, rocket propulsion systems, the interstellar medium, atmospheres of planets and their satellites, and in cometary comae. The experiments involve reactive scattering studies and employ a novel crossed beams machine (gas phase chemistry) and gas-surface scattering setups (solid state chemistry). Typical projects are – but are not limited to: 1. Reaction Dynamics, 2. Elementary reactions in combustion flames, 3. Boron chemistry in rocket propulsion systems, 4. The chemical evolution and origin of planetary and satellite atmospheres such as of Titan, 5. Sulfur chemistry on  Jupiter's moon Io, 6. Astrobiology - Aminoacids and Sugars in Space - Life on Europa? 7. Atmospheric chemistry. Recent examples of our work can be found in Acc. Chem. Res. (34, 699, 2001), Int. Jour. Astrobiology (1, 15, 2002), Chem. Rev. (102, 1309, 2002), Angew. Chemie Int. Ed. (41, 2350, 2002), and Int. Rev. Physical Chemistry (21, 307, 2002). The crossed molecular beam studies are conducted at The University of Hawai'i; single beam experiments utilizing tunable VUV photoionization are carried out in collaboration with Dr. Musa Ahmed at the Advanced Light Source , Lawrence Berkeley National Lab, Berkeley, California; the solid state experiments are performed at The University of Hawai'i and at The Open University, Department of Physics & Astronomy, Centre for Astrobiology, Milton Keynes, MK7 6AA, United Kingdom. Outstanding candidates should send a letter of interest, three letters of recommendation, transcripts or equivalent documentation, and a curriculum vitae to Prof. Ralf I. Kaiser, Department of Chemistry, University of Hawai’i at Manoa, Honolulu, HI 96822-2275, or via email to kaiser@gold.chem.hawaii.edu .