Personal Information
Peter de Lijser
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University Fullerton
Fullerton, CA
SCIENTIFIC BACKGROUND
1999- Present Assistant Professor - California State University Fullerton, Fullerton, CA
1997-1999
Postdoctoral Research - University of
Rochester, Rochester, NY
Advisor: Prof. Joseph P. Dinnocenzo
1993-1997
Ph.D. Chemistry - Dalhousie University, Halifax,
Nova Scotia, Canada
Advisor: Prof. Donald R.
Arnold
1989-1991
M.Sc. Chemistry - Leiden University,
Leiden, The Netherlands
Advisors: Prof. Robert Louw, Dr. Peter Mulder
1985-1989
B.Sc. Chemistry - Van Leeuwenhoek Institute, Delft, The Netherlands
Advisor: Dr. Ed W.B. de Leer
Physical organic chemistry, photochemistry, electrochemistry, mass spectrometry, heteroatom chemistry, radical ions, radicals, single electron transfer reactions
- Radical and radical ion chemistry, with a specific interest in the chemistry of molecules containing heteroatoms, distonic radical cations, and hypervalent radical ions
- Fundamental research on the structure and reactivity of radicals and radical ions using experimental and theoretical techniques
- Detailed investigations of the mechanisms, kinetics and thermodynamics of radical and radical ion reactions
- Development of new synthetic pathways using single electron transfer reactions
- Environmental and biological applications of radical and radical ion chemistry
1997-1998
Postdoctoral Fellow - University of Rochester, Rochester, New York, USA (Prof. Joseph P. Dinnocenzo)
i) Mechanistic studies on the reactivity of Group 14 radical cation
intermediates: synthesis of organosilicon, -germanium, -tin, and -lead compounds;
mechanistic studies involving steady-state, laser flash photolysis, and photophysical
measurements
ii) Stereochemistry of nucleophilic substitution reactions of asymmetric
silane radical cations: mechanistic studies involving steady-state photolysis,
product separation and analysis (structure determination)
iii) Electron transfer chemistry of polysilanes: studies on the reactivity
of polysilane radical cations with nucleophiles; mechanistic studies involving
nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy
1993-1997
Graduate (Ph.D.) Research - Dalhousie University,
Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada (Prof. Donald R. Arnold)
i) Interconversion and rearrangement of radical cations: mechanistic
studies on the structure and reactivity of volatile hydrocarbon radical
cations using photochemical, electrochemical and theoretical techniques
ii) Conformational effects on the carbon-carbon bond cleavage of radical
cations: synthesis and mechanistic (photochemical, product separation and
analysis) studies on several b-phenethyl ethers
iii) Carbon-carbon bond cleavage in radical cations of molecules containing
the vinylcyclopropane unit: synthesis and ab initio calculations
March 1993
Visiting Scientist - Steacie Institute for Molecular Science, NRC,
Ottawa, Canada
(Supervised by Dr. Keith U. Ingold and Dr. Danial D.M. Wayner)
Kinetics of the relative rates of carbon-bromine and carbon-chlorine
bond homolysis in halogenated methanes (internal competition) using laser
flash photolysis
1991-1993
Research Assistant - Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands (Prof.
Robert Louw, Dr. Peter Mulder)
i) Investigation of the thermal hydrogenolysis of CFC's, Halons: gas-phase
kinetic studies on the carbon-halogen (chlorine, bromine, fluorine) homolysis
reactions in a hydrogen atmosphere; environmentally friendly methods for
the conversion of CFC’s into HCFC’s
ii) Thermal and acid-catalyzed decomposition of organophosphorus compounds:
gas-phase kinetic studies on the thermal decomposition of phosphorus containg
compounds (model systems for chemical weapons and pesticides) in the presence
and absence of an acid catalyst in an inert (nitrogen, hydrogen) atmosphere
1989-1991
Graduate (M.Sc.) Research - Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands
(Prof. Robert Louw, Dr. Peter Mulder)
Oxidation and oxychlorination of ethylene on a fly-ash surface; gas-phase
kinetic studies on the heterogeneously (fly-ash) catalyzed reaction pathways
of ethylene in the presence of hydro-chloric acid and oxygen (small scale
municipal waste incinerator)
Summer 1989
Lab Technician/ Research Assistant - Delft University of Technology, Delft,
The Netherlands (Dr. Ed W.B. de Leer)
Isolation and identification of naturally occuring organohalogen compounds
in soil by off-line and on-line pyrolysis/gc/ms techniques
1988-1989
Undergraduate (B.Sc.) Research - Delft
University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands (Dr. Ed W.B. de Leer)
Naturally occuring organohalogen compounds in soil: developing methods to analyze soil samples in order to identify the total organohalogen content as well as the structure of the individual halogenated compounds
1999-present Assistant Professor - Organic Chemistry: Teaching introductory organic chemistry, advanced organic
chemistry, and specialty courses in free radical chemistry, physical organic chemistry, and photochemistry;
teaching undergraduate organic chemistry laboratories; guiding undergraduate and graduate students in the
laboratory; developing research projects for undergraduate and graduate students
1998-1999 Workshop Leader: Assisted small groups of (6-8) students in problem solving skills for introductory organic
chemistry
1998-1999 Responsible for training and assisting students and postdoctoral fellows in the use of a nanosecond laser flash
photolysis setup
1998 Research advisor: Developed a research project and supervised a B.Sc. chemist as part of the NSF Center for
Photoinduced Charge Transfer High School Teacher Program
1993-1997 Teaching Assistant: Supervised and instructed second and third year organic undergraduate laboratory
experiments
1993-1997 Tutor: First year general chemistry, second year organic chemistry and third year organic chemistry in both
private and group sessions
1991-1993 Lab manager: Supervised and assisted graduate students (B.Sc., M.Sc. chemistry) in the laboratory
1992 Taught a module entitled "CFC’s and the Ozone Layer" to fourth year college students (environmental
chemistry)
1998-1999 Reponsible for the day-to-day operation and maintenance of a nanosecond laser flash photolysis setup at the
NSF Center for Photoinduced Charge Transfer, Department of Chemistry, University of Rochester
1996-1997 Safety and Facilities Committee Member - Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University
1996-1997 Teaching Equipment Committee Member - Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University
1995-1996 Treasurer/Secretary, Dalhousie Chemistry Graduate Students Society
1994-1995 President, Dalhousie Chemistry Graduate Students Society
1997-1998 Postdoctoral Fellowship - University of Rochester, Rochester, NY
1997 Kenneth T. Leffek Prize - Department of Chemistry, Dalhousie University
1996,1997 Dalhousie University Chemistry Graduate Student Travel Award
1994-1997 Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship
1993-1997 Dalhousie University Graduate Fellowship
- tennis, badminton, racquetball, hockey, soccer, hiking, biking, camping
- reading, movies, theater, music
- Fluent in English, Dutch, and German
- Knowledge of French
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