Nov 11
Chemistry Department Seminar: Tenure-Track Candidate
Probing Photosynthesis with Light: A Physical Chemistry Perspective
Natural photosynthesis represents one of the most important chemical transformations on the planet, leading to the production of food, energy, and oxygen. Plants and algae have evolved to balance two competing objectives: capturing enough light to sustain photosynthesis, while also preventing the damaging effects of too much light. This requires sophisticated regulation at the molecular level across multiple temporal and spatial scales. During the seminar, I will first introduce the molecular world of light harvesting and photoprotection in the photosynthetic membrane. I will then discuss three stories that illustrate how physical chemists probe the diverse time and spatial scales of light harvesting using a suite of spectroscopic and microscopic methods. These studies have collectively helped us understand how plants and unicellular algae protect themselves from excess light, how fast these protective mechanisms are activated, and how biomolecules diffuse within the photosynthetic membrane. Ultimately, this work aims to help unlock new strategies to improve the biomass and biofuel productivity of photosynthesis.
*This seminar counts toward the chemistry major requirement.