Adam R. Kurland

104 Davey Laboratory

Department of Chemistry

The Pennsylvania State University

University Park, PA 16802-6300

(T): 814.865.4768

(F): 814.863.5516

axk181@psu.edu

EDUCATION                                                                                                                                     

 

Ph. D. in Chemistry, DATE, Pennsylvania State University.

Thesis advisor: Prof. Paul S. Weiss

Thesis title: “”

 

B.S. in Chemistry, Ithaca College, 2003

 

RESEARCH AND EXPERIENCE                                                                                                       

 

2003-                Graduate Researcher, Pennsylvania State University                       University Park, PA

Advisor: Prof. Paul S. Weiss.  Developed methods for studying the low-temperature dynamics and chemistry of heterogeneous catalysis on the single-molecule scale by STM.  Studied the effects of the subsurface hydride of Palladium on surface adsorbates, and the dynamics and spectroscoy of the surface hydride at 4 K.  Developed the dual-capability of STM to measure simultaneously the exposed and the buried interfaces of self-assembled monolayers, which allowed for the direct measurement of molecular orientation of individual molecules within the monolayer.

 

2002-Summer    Dana Research Fellow, Universiteit Leiden                               Leiden, The Netherlands

Advisors: Prof. Gerrit Lodder and Prof. Heinz F. Koch.  Carried out the sysnthesis of aromatic organic compounds for kinetic studies of proton transfer.

 

2001-2003         Research Intern, Ithaca College                                                                                Ithaca, NY

Advisor: Prof. Heinz F. Koch.  Performed quantitative syntheses of fluoro-substituted aromatic compounds for proton transfer/exchange kinetic studies.  Designed DFT calculations to determine energies of solvation of methanolic methoxide by additive single methanol molecules, and of energies of transfer between carbon acids and methanolic methoxide in solution.

 

TEACHING                                                                                                                                        

 

2003-2004         Teaching Assistant, Organic Chemistry, Pennsylvania State University

Taught laboratory section for Chemistry and Pre-Med majors.  Graded lab reports and exams, and held exam reviews.  Oversaw and facilitated students’ ability to operate state-of-the-art analytical chemistry instrumentation for independent synthetic experiments and unknown identifications.

 

2002-2003         Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry, Ithaca College.

Held reviews and tutoring sessions for first- and second-year undergraduate Chemistry majors and non-majors.

HONORS AND AWARDS                                                                                                                 

 

2003-2004         Chemistry Department Research Fellowship, Pennsylvania State University

2002                 Dana Internship Research Scholarship, Ithaca College

 

PUBLICATIONS AND PRESENTATIONS                                                                                        

 

(9)        “Heads and Tails: Simultaneous Exposed and Buried Interface Imaging of Monolayers,” P. Han, A. R. Kurland, A. N. Giordano, S. U. Nanayakkara, M. M. Blake and P. S. Weiss, Science, submitted for publication.

 

(8)        “Self-Assembly of Carboranethiol Isomers on Au{111}: Intermolecular Interactions Determined by Molecular Dipole Orientations,” J. N. Hohman, P. Zhang, E. I. Morin,
P. Han, M. Kim, A. R. Kurland, P. D. McClanahan, V. P. Balema and P. S. Weiss, ACS Nano 3, 527 (2009).

 

(7)        “Atomic-Scale Chemical, Physical and Electronic Properties of the Subsurface Hydride of Palladium,” Philadelphia Section American Chemical Society Poster Session, A. R. Kurland, P. Han, and P. S. Weiss, Philadelphia, PA, January 22, 2009.

 

(6)        “Atomic-Scale Chemical, Physical and Electronic Properties of the Subsurface Hydride of Palladium,” The Pennsylvania State University Energy Innovation Forum, A. R. Kurland, P. Han, and P. S. Weiss, University Park, PA, October 23, 2008.

 

(5)        “Comparison of gas-phase acidities of some carbon acids with their rates of hydron exchange in methanolic methoxide” V. F. Deturi, H. F. Koch, J. G. Koch, G. Lodder, M. Mishima, H. Zuilhof, N. M. Abrams, C. E. Anders, J. C. Biffinger, P. Han, A. R. Kurland, J. M. Nichols, A. M. Ruminski, P. R. Smith and K. D. Vasey. Journal of Physical Organic Chemistry 19, 308 (2006).

 

(4)        “Tunneling spectroscopy of self-assembled monolayers of 1-adamantanethiolate on single crystal metallic substrates” A. R. Kurland, A. A. Dameron, P. Han, S. U. Nanayakkara, and P. S. Weiss. American Vacuum Society Meeting, November 2005.

 

(3)        “Probing Subsurface Hydrogen in Pd{111} at 4 K Using Scanning Tunneling Microscopy and Spectroscopy” A. R. Kurland, L. C. Fernández-Torres, E. C. H. Sykes, P. Han, S. U. Nanayakkara, and P. S. Weiss. American Chemical Society Meeting, August 2005.

 

(2)        “Self-assembled multilayers creating tailored resists for nanostructure fabrication” M. E. Anderson, E. M. Carter, A. R. Kurland, C. Srinivasan, M. W. Horn, and P. S. Weiss. American Chemical Society Meeting, August 2004.

 

(1)        “Comparing proton-transfer reactions of p-NO2C6H4CHClCF3 in methanolic methoxide to other YC6H4CHClCF3” H. F. Koch, A. R. Kurland, G. Lodder, and M. Slegt. American Chemical Society Meeting, March 2003.