International Low

The University of Wyoming Department of Chemistry is hosting an internationally recognized scientific conference, titled “Chemistry and Physics at Low Temperature (CPLT),” this week.

The CPLT conference series is an interdisciplinary conference that brings together chemists and physicists broadly interested in low-temperature research. Oral and poster presentation topics include atmospheric chemistry and astrochemistry, biological systems, new technologies and applications, photochemistry, quantum matrices, reactive and unstable species, spectroscopy and dynamics, and the ultracold regime.

The goal of this conference is to provide an opportunity for scientists to report their latest results of low-temperature chemistry research, as well as develop international collaborations across the globe, says David Anderson, professor and head of UW’s Department of Chemistry, and co-chair of the CPLT conference.

“In terms of UW, this will just enhance our research profile across the world,” Anderson says. “We do top-notch research here, and we need to promote that.”

Talks began July 9 and are scheduled 9 a.m.-12:35 p.m. through Thursday, July 12, in Room 314 of the Classroom Building.

Invited speakers, their academic institution or organization, and speaking topics include:

-- Lester Andrews, University of Virginia, “Reactions of Laser-Ablated Metal Atoms with Small Molecules.”

-- Wutharath Chin, CNRS and Université Paris Sud, “Probing Structural Dynamics with IR Photon Echo.”

-- Stéphane Coussan, CNRS and Aix Marseille Université, “IR Selective Irradiations of Amorphous Solid Water from Middle Infrared to THz Domain.”

-- Mario Fajardo, AFRL and Eglin Air Force Base, “Solid Parahydrogen Devours Slow Positrons.”

-- Wolfgang Jäger, University of Alberta, “Spectra of Asymmetric Top Molecules Solvated with Helium Atoms.”

-- Wei Kong, Oregon State University, “Properties of Large Superfluid Helium Droplets: Trapping of More Than One Ion and Suppression of Multiphoton Ionization.”

-- Vitaly Kresin, University of Southern California, “Electric Deflection of Fully Field-Oriented Polar Molecules Within Superfluid Nanodroplets.”

-- Yuan-Pern Lee, National Chiao Tung University, “Infrared Spectroscopy of Free Radicals and Protonated Species Isolated in Solid Parahydrogen.”

-- Joëlle Mascetti, University of Bordeaux, “Photochemistry of PAHs Embedded in Water Ice: New Insights into the Role of Ice Structure on the Reactivity and on the Ionization Energies of PAHs.”

-- Takamasa Momose, University of British Columbia, “Cold Chemistry with Trapped Free Radicals.”

-- Tomonari Wakabayashi, Kindai University, “Phosphorescence Spectra of Polyyne and Cyanopolyyne Molecules in Solid Hexane at 20K.”

The CPLT conference series merged from two long-standing international conferences: the Gordon Conference on the Chemistry and Physics of Matrix-Isolated Species and the International Conference on Low-Temperature Chemistry.

The first united CPLT conference took place in Jvaskyla, Finland, in 2013. This is the first time the merged CPLT conference is taking place in the United States, which takes place every two years. Because of his position as a member of the conference steering committee, Anderson was asked to put together the chemistry conference at UW.

The conference began with a reception July 8 and will culminate Thursday with a barbecue in Washington Park; an excursion to Vedauwoo; and, as part of Laramie Jubilee Days, conference visitors will attend the Mr. T Extreme Bull Riding event at the Albany County Fairgrounds.

“Some of our attendees have come from Japan and France,” Anderson says. “This will be an opportunity for them to see Western culture that they will probably never have again.”

For more information, visit http://tweb.utk.edu/~rhinde/CPLT18/ or call Anderson at (307) 760-5691.