‘Chemistry at the Edge of Time’ is topic of Distinguished
Faculty Lecture

Dr. Michael A.J. Rodgers at work in the Center for Photochemical Sciences.

Dr. Michael A.J. Rodgers, Ohio Board of Regents Eminent Scholar in Photochemical Sciences, will deliver the year's second Arts and Sciences Distinguished Faculty Lecture at 4 p.m. Thursday (Feb. 3) in the Bowen-Thompson Student Union Theater. A reception in Rodgers's honor will follow.

In his talk, "Chemistry at the Edge of Time," Rodgers will discuss the nature of rapid dynamic events within molecules that are induced by the absorption of light. Because light is a form of energy, its absorption produces changes in the electronic configuration of the molecules and therefore their chemical properties. Understanding these changes and how to manipulate them is critical to a range of important applications in areas ranging from medicine to communications technology.

Because his research is at the cutting edge of these issues, Rodgers is ideally suited to help scientists and laypersons understand them and their implications. He is an internationally known photoscientist who has pioneered development of instrumentation and methodologies for using fast kinetics to study photochemical processes. His work on new compounds and techniques for use in a variety of cancer therapies is highly original and has attracted widespread attention in the scientific community.

In addition to his impressive record of publications and continuous external funding for research, Rodgers has been widely recognized by his professional peers. He has served as president of the American Society for Photobiology, that society's National Lecturer (1996-97), and a member of the editorial board of Photochemistry and Photobiology. In addition, he has been the recipient of the Inter-American Photoscience Society Award (2001), the American Society for Photobiology's Research Award (1997) and BGSU's Olscamp Research Award (1997). He was a driving force in the success of the Center for Fast Kinetics at the University of Texas at Austin before joining BGSU's Department of Chemistry in 1988.