Ott Lecture to focus on fundamental problems in chemical physics

Daniel Neumark, professor of chemistry at University of California, Berkeley, has spent the bulk of his career implementing state-of-the-art experiments to probe fundamental problems in chemical physics — specifically, the nature of reaction transition states.

“Transition states are high energy arrangements of atoms that exist as a reaction is occurring,” said George McBane, professor of chemistry at Grand Valley. “Understanding transition states is fundamental to understanding why reactions proceed in a certain way, but the problem is that they exist for such a short time that they are extremely difficult to study.”

Neumark will discuss his research during the Arnold C. Ott Lectureship in Chemistry on April 12 at 6 p.m. in Loosemore Auditorium, located in the DeVos Center on the Pew Grand Rapids Campus. A reception will take place prior to the lecture beginning 5 p.m.

Throughout his career, Neumark has published more than 650 papers, which have been cited approximately 20,000 times. Neumark earned both his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Harvard University and later earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from University of California, Berkeley in 1984.

Neumark will also facilitate a chemistry seminar on April 13, at 1 p.m. in the Kirkhof Center’s Pere Marquette Room.

The Arnold C. Ott Lectureship in Chemistry was created and endowed by a gift from the late Arnold C. and Marion Ott. Arnold Ott was a leading chemist and entrepreneur in West Michigan. He was also one of the co-founders of Grand Valley and served on the Board of Trustees for 28 years.

For more information, contact the Chemistry Department at (616) 331-3317 or visit www.gvsu.edu/chem.