Larese Organizes Neutron Molecular Spectroscopy Symposium for 2014 SERMACS
John Larese, professor of chemistry, has organized a symposium “Neutron Spectroscopy And Scattering At The Spallation Neutron Source: Opportunities For Chemists In The Southeast And Beyond” for 2014 Southeast Regional Meeting of American Chemical Society (SERMACS) that will be held from October 16 to 19 in Nashville, Tennessee.
This symposium will bring together identified experts in the field of neutron molecular spectroscopy, including Larese who spearheaded the effort to bring such spectroscopy to the Spallation Neutron Source (SNS).
“It will not only increase the University’s visibility as a leader in performing cutting edge science with neutrons but also extends our professional relationships beyond the borders of Tennessee.” Larese said. “Furthermore, it allows us to introduce the Universities intellectual and professional expertise to a diverse group of students, faculty and scientific professionals not typically assembled in a concentrated forum within the Tennessee borders.”
The SNS is located on Chestnut Ridge within the Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) complex, about 30-minutes drive from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville (UT) campus. It represents the most intense source of pulsed neutrons world-wide. Neutron scattering techniques are unrivaled in their ability to characterize the structure and dynamics of condensed matter.
The aim of this symposium is to illustrate the opportunities for chemists to use neutrons to address both fundamental and applied problems in molecular spectroscopy, geochemistry, biochemistry, energy and nanomaterials, catalysis, etc.
Larese joined the chemistry faculty at UT as a Professor with a joint appointment at ORNL in 2001. In addition to his work in surface science and condensed matter he is also the principal investigator for the recently completed VISION neutron vibrational spectrometer at the SNS.
“One particular focus of the session will be to illustrate the capabilities of VISION a newly commissioned instrument at the SNS.” Larese wrote in the symposium abstract. “This spectrometer is the neutron analogue of a Raman-IR spectrometer with simultaneous diffraction capabilities. This next generation spectrometer conservatively offers 500 times higher throughput than the best comparable instrument in the world. VISION has been characterized by experts around the globe as a game changer.”
To date, confirmed speakers and their talk titles are listed below:
Yongqiang Cheng- Spallation Neutron Source
Interpreting INS Spectra via Computer Simulation: The Integrated Approach At VISION
Mike Crawford – Dupont Central Research Station
Neutron Scattering Studies Of Polyhedral Oligomeric Silsesquioxanes, Polymer Nanocomposites And Other Industrial Materials
Luke Daemen – Los Alamos National Laboratory
Neutron Vibrational Spectroscopy Applied To Energy-Related Materials
Juergen Eckert – University of South Florida
Neutrons As Microscopic Probes Of Catalytic Reactions
Bruce Hudson – Syracuse University
Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) Vibrational Spectroscopy As A Molecular Spectroscopic Method
J. Z. Larese – University of Tennessre
Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS) Studies of Hydrogen Spillover on Metal Oxide Surfaces
Nancy Ross – Virgina Tech
Energetics of Nanomaterials: Insights from Inelastic Neutron Scattering (INS)
Christoph Wildgruber – Spallation Neutron Source
The VISION Spectrometer at the Spallation Neutron Source
Picture credit: Spallation Neutron Source at ORNL. Picture from SNS web site.