Tuesday, May 10th
Richard Zare, Standford University, USA (Marguerite Blake Wilbur Professor of Natural Science and Professor, by courtesy, of Physics)
Presentation Title: A New Way to Stop the Spread of Viral Respiratory Infections (An American Corners Portugal Lecture). Click for Abstract
A pioneer in the use of lasers to study chemical reactions at the molecular level, Professor Richard N. Zare pursues diverse theoretical and experimental interests in physical chemistry and nanoscale chemical analysis. The Zarelab has made a broad impact in analytic chemistry with development of laser-induced fluorescence to study reaction dynamics, and seminal contributions to understanding of molecular collision processes. The group continues to invent tools and measurement techniques to study phenomena from reaction in microdroplets to drug delivery.
Born in 1939 in Cleveland, Ohio, Professor Zare trained in physical and analytical chemistry at Harvard University (B.A. 1961, Ph.D. 1964). His doctoral study under Professor Dudley Herschbach explored photodissociation dynamics. After faculty positions spanning chemistry at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, chemistry, physics and astrophysics at the University of Colorado, and chemistry at Columbia University, he joined the Stanford chemistry faculty in 1977 (more at https://chemistry.stanford.edu/people/richard-zare)
Stephen Buckman, Australian National University (AUS), Emeritus Professor, former Director, Research School of Physics and Engineering, Department of Nuclear Physics & Accelerator Applications
Presentation Title: Positron and Positronium Interactions. Click for abstract
Stephen Buckman was born and raised in Sydney, NSW, educated in both Sydney and Adelaide, and is a PhD graduate in Atomic Physics from Flinders University (1979). Following postdoctoral positions at the University of Manchester and the University of Colorado, Buckman returned to Australia in 1983 to take up a Research Fellowship position in the Research School of Physics and Engineering (RSPE) at the ANU. He was appointed to the tenured staff (Fellow) at ANU in 1989. He was subsequently promoted to Senior Fellow (1993) and Professor of Physics (1999). Between 1996 and 2000 he was Head of Department of the Atomic and Molecular Physics Laboratories within the RSPE.
In 2000-2001, he held a Fulbright Senior Fellowship at the University of California and, on his return to Australia, was appointed to Associate Director (Academic) of RSPE. In 2005 he was the lead CI and proponent of a Centre of Excellence bid to the Australian research Council. This bid – to establish the Centre of Excellence for Antimatter-Matter Studies – was successful and Buckman led this Centre, as research Director, from 2006-2012. (more at https://physics.anu.edu.au/contact/people/profile.php?ID=19)
David Field, Aarhus University (DNK), Professor Emeritus, Department of Physics and Astronomy
Presentation Title: Seeing inside solids. Click for abstract
David Field (born in 1947) studied Chemistry at Newcastle University, UK, followed by a PhD at the University of Cambridge. He was later awarded the degree of Doctor of Science by the University of Cambridge. Previously Reader in Physical Chemistry at the University of Bristol, he became a professor at the University of Aarhus, focusing in astrophysics and experimental physics, publishing over 175 papers. He is on the editorial board of Astrobiology, and played a key role in the discovery of spontelectrics. Aside from academic work, Field is also known for his writing, being the author of a successful fiction series that begins with Friends and Enemies, and a second novel Beings in a Dream. The third and final volume in this trilogy, The Fairest Star, was published in November 2008. (more at https://pure.au.dk/portal/en/persons/david-field(05b70f0e-7df4-4357-a95d-5115ed27888b).html)
Bruno Guigliarelli, Aix-Marseille Université, Professor, Department of Physics
Presentation Title: Applications of EPR spectroscopy for studying structure, catalysis and biogenesis of complex Mo-enzymes. Click for abstract
Bruno Guigliarelli, is Professor in Physics at Aix-Marseille University, heading the group of “Biophysics of Metalloproteins” (18 researchers) in the Laboratory of Bioenergetics and Protein Engineering (BIP-UMR7281). After studies in chemical-physics at ENS Cachan, he obtained his PhD in molecular spectroscopy from the University of Aix-Marseille I in 1986, and his Habilitation (HDR) in 1990. With his group, he develops for several years the applications of Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) to the structural and functional studies of complex enzymes and proteins. His research activity concerns mainly oxidoreductases involved in the energy metabolisms of prokaryotes and their applications in health or bioenergy (hydrogenases, molybdo-enzymes). He has a longstanding expertise in the study of electronic, magnetic and structural properties of metal clusters, radical chemistry, catalytic mechanisms, electron and proton transfers, and protein-protein interactions. His multidisciplinary approach combine the use of advanced EPR techniques, electrochemistry, kinetics studies, theoretical modelling, with other physico-chemical approaches. He notably developed the biostructural applications of spin-labeling combined with EPR to investigate the dynamic properties and structural transitions in proteins and enzymes, and their role in physiological functions.
He has authored more than 160 publications (>5700 citations), 3 books, and supervised 12 PhD theses. He has been previously President of the French EPR Society (ARPE, 2007-11) and President of the French group of Magnetism and Magnetic Resonances (MRM-SCF/SFP, 2013-19), and he currently manages the Aix-Marseille EPR platform which is especially devoted to applications in Biology and Chemistry in the French EPR network.