----- Forwarded by Rita Tavilla/RLE on 01/28/2009 10:35 AM -----
rtavilla(a)rle.mit.edu
01/27/2009 11:01 AM
To: excitonics-seminars(a)mit.edu, efrc-semplan(a)mit.edu
cc:
Subject: RESCHEDULED: Excitonics Seminar - January 28
PLEASE NOTE THE CHANGE OF DATE - FROM JANUARY 28, 2009 TO JANUARY 29, 2009
Center for Excitonics
Seminar Series Announcement
The Center for Excitonics will be starting its seminar series in 2009 (
http://www.rle.mit.edu/excitonics).
The Center is sponsoring a series of energy-related lectures from scholars
and colleagues in the private
sector who are working in the field. The first lecture is scheduled in
January. We invite you to join us
and to forward this information on to others who might be interested in
attending this and other seminars.
Title: Exploring Electron Transfer in
Organic Semiconductors
Presenter: Prof. Troy Van Voorhis
Organization: Department of Chemistry, MIT
Date: January 29, 2009
Time: 3:00 - 4:00pm
Place: 36-428
Refreshments: Yes
URL:
http://www.rle.mit.edu/excitonics/vanvoorhis-012809.html
Abstract
Electron transfer reactions are the centerpiece of artificial
photosynthetic complexes, organic LEDs and essentially all of redox
chemistry. In particular, electron transfer rates govern the efficiency of
exciton formation and dissociation in organic semiconductors. This talk
will highlight ongoing work being carried out in our group aimed at
accurately simulating the reaction dynamics in these systems.
Specifically, we will focus on the electronic structure problem inherent
in describing electron transfer: How do we make connections between a
phenomenological picture like Marcus theory and more rigorous electronic
structure techniques? How can we model the disorder inherent in organic
solids?
Bio
Professor Van Voorhis graduated from University of California, Berkeley in
2001 with a PhD in Chemistry. After two years as a posdoctoral fellow at
Harvard, he started as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at MIT. He
became an Associate Professor in 2008.
Professor Van Voorhis' research focuses on the use of theory and modeling
to understand the dynamics of electron motion in complex environments. His
primary interests include the fundamental theory of electronic excited
states, the description of electron transfer and the simulation of
reactions that involve more than one electronic state. These processes are
at the heart of several technological applications, including organic
LEDs, artificial photosynthesis and molecular electronics.
Professor Van Voorhis held the Paul M. Cook Career Development Chair in
Chemistry, is a Sloan Fellow, a David and Lucille Packard Fellow and the
recipient of a CAREER award from the National Science Foundation.