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Hanna Reisler

University Professor, Lloyd Armstrong, Jr. Chair for Science and Engineering and Professor of Chemistry
Email reisler@usc.edu Office SSC 622 Office Phone (213) 740-7071

Research & Practice Areas

RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

The research program is concerned with unimolecular decomposition of free radicals and other transient species. For example, state specific studies of hydroxyalkyl and chloromethyl radicals, the NO dimer, and other weakly bound species have revealed detailed mechanisms of energy flow and state interactions. Recent results include state-specific studies of the predissociation of hydrogen bonded dimers, such as acetylene with HCl and ammonia. The experimental arrangements include molecular beams and ion and photoelectron imaging, as well as the core sampling version of time-of-flight translational spectroscopy. The decomposition of metastable nitrogen-rich compounds is studied via their photoelectron and absorption spectra and state-specific identification of product states. Theoretical modeling is an important aspect of all these projects. Studies of gas-surface and solid state interactions are carried out in collaboration with Professor Curt Wittig. The IR spectroscopy of thin films of solid water deposited on MgO (100) reveals details of the molecular solid structure. Changes in the IR spectroscopy of guest molecules such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide reveal transport mechanisms, including trapping and desorption in thin ice films.

Education

  • Ph.D. Physical Chemistry, Weizmann Institute of Science, 1/1972
  • M.S. Organic Chemistry, Hebrew University, Jerusalem, 3/1966
  • B.S. Chemistry and Physics, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, 1/1964

  • Summary Statement of Research Interests

    Reisler is the first holder of the new Lloyd Armstrong Jr. Chair in Science and Engineering endowed by the women in science and engineering (WiSE) program. An internationally recognized chemist with a distinguished research program, she studies detailed mechanisms of chemical reactions in the gas and condensed phases by using laser and molecular-beam techniques. In particular, she is interested in identifying primary steps and nascent product state distributions, and understanding reaction mechanisms at the molecular level. Her research interests are relevant to environmental, atmospheric and combustion chemistry as well as to the fundamental chemistry of new energy sources.

    Research Specialties

    RESEARCH ACTIVITIES

    The research program is concerned with unimolecular decomposition of free radicals and other transient species. For example, state specific studies of hydroxyalkyl and chloromethyl radicals, the NO dimer, and other weakly bound species have revealed detailed mechanisms of energy flow and state interactions. Recent results include state-specific studies of the predissociation of hydrogen bonded dimers, such as acetylene with HCl and ammonia. The experimental arrangements include molecular beams and ion and photoelectron imaging, as well as the core sampling version of time-of-flight translational spectroscopy. The decomposition of metastable nitrogen-rich compounds is studied via their photoelectron and absorption spectra and state-specific identification of product states. Theoretical modeling is an important aspect of all these projects. Studies of gas-surface and solid state interactions are carried out in collaboration with Professor Curt Wittig. The IR spectroscopy of thin films of solid water deposited on MgO (100) reveals details of the molecular solid structure. Changes in the IR spectroscopy of guest molecules such as carbon dioxide and nitrous oxide reveal transport mechanisms, including trapping and desorption in thin ice films.

    • RESEARCH GROUP
      a) Graduate Students:
      Oscar Rebolledo Mayoral (Fall 06); joint with C. Wittig
      Sergey Malyk (Fall 01) joint with C. Wittig
      Igor Fedorov (Fall 02)
      Boris Karpichev (Spring 03)
      Laura Edwards (Fall 2004)
      Mikhail Ryazanov (Fall 2004)
      Blythe Casterling (Fall 2005)

      b) Postdoctoral Fellows:
      Guosheng Li (left for PNNL)
      Andrew Mollner

      c) Undergraduate Students
      Mark Anderson (Chem Eng)

    • USC Endowed Chair, Lloyd Armstrong, Jr. Chair for Science and Engineering, 09/01/2002 – 08/15/2013
    • 2010 Provost Excellence in Mentoring Award, 2009-2010
    • USC-Mellon Mentoring Award, 04/2007
    • USC Remarkable Woman Award, 03/2007
    • Herbert P. Broida Prize sponsored by the American Physical Society, 2005
    • USC Raubenheimer Outstanding Senior Faculty Award, 2000
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