In this award, supported by the Experimental Physical Chemistry Program of the Chemistry Division, Prof. Lucy Ziurys of the University of Arizona will conduct research with her student colleagues on the measurement of the microwave spectra of an extensive series of 3d transition metal-containing species. The goal of the research is to study systematic trends in the bonding and electronic structure of these simple metal-ligand systems. Given the ubiquity of transition metals in chemical and biological systems, the results of this basic research are expected to inform other areas of science.
Besides the broader scientific impact of the research, the research will result in the training of numerous undergraduate and graduate students in spectroscopic research. The results of the research will be documented on a website maintained by Prof. Ziurys. The ultimate goal of this website is to provide a tutorial for the basic concepts of molecular spectroscopy.
