My Trajectory in Molecular Reaction Dynamics and Spectroscopy

Abstract

This is the story of a career in theoretical chemistry during a time of dramatic changes in the field due to phenomenal growth in the availability of computational power. It is likewise the story of the highly gifted graduate students and postdoctoral fellows that I was fortunate to mentor throughout my career. It includes reminiscences of the great mentors that I had and of the exciting collaborations with both experimentalists and theorists on which I built much of my research. This is an account of the developments of exciting scientific disciplines in which I was involved: vibrational spectroscopy, molecular reaction mechanisms and dynamics, e.g., in atmospheric chemistry, and the prediction of new, exotic molecules, in particular noble gas molecules. From my very first project to my current work, my career in science has brought me the excitement and fascination of research. What a wonderful pursuit! Expected final online publication date for the Annual Review of Physical Chemistry, Volume 72 is April 20, 2021. Please see http://www.annualreviews.org/page/journal/pubdates for revised estimates.

Navigating Barriers and Mentoring Support: The Career Goals of Women Doctoral Students in Chemistry

“…The important role of mentoring in the graduate school context has been well-documented . Instrumental support influences students’ productivity in their graduate training, and psychosocial support influences students’ satisfaction with the student–advisor relationship. − Mentoring also impacts graduate students’ acceptance of the norm and self-efficacy in science, particularly for underrepresented populations. , In chemistry, “mentoring is more important than ever.” Several retrospective studies from chemists have narratively supported the indispensable role of mentoring support on their way to success. − Conversely, negative mentoring experiences can harm graduate students’ sense of belonging in chemistry, which is an important predictor of their interest and motivation in the field …”