May 16
Chemistry Department Seminar: Shizuka Hsieh '93 (Trinity Washington University)
Professor of Chemistry, Trinity Washington University
"A Trish-launched trajectory over life’s potential energy surfaces, from spectroscopy to environmental justice"
A true educator and mentor, Trish Ferrett launched me onto an excited state potential surface full of interesting local minima. In 1991, I was one of the Trish’s first undergraduate researchers at Carleton. I aim to share what it was like working with Trish and what happened as I followed the opportunities that came to me because of her: time-of-flight spectroscopy, lasers, high vacuum chambers, and molecular reaction dynamics. Along with the science on my trajectory, I will share how an intersystem crossing can lead to unexpected outcomes and answer the question of how a physical chemist can become an activist for environmental justice. I look forward to sharing the many lessons learned along the way -- lessons from Trish, from my students and from my community partners in environmental justice.
*This seminar counts towards the chemistry major seminar attendance requirement