MPS-Ascend: Rigid Oxo Ligands to Control the Next Generation of f-Element Molecular Spin Centers

该奖项全部或部分根据2021年美国救援计划法案（公法117-2）资助。Mikaela Pyrch被授予NSF数学和物理科学上升博士后研究奖学金（NSF MPS-Ascend），以开展与扩大STEM中代表性不足的群体参与有关的研究和活动计划。Pyrch博士的奖学金支持名为MPS-Ascend的研究项目：“控制下一代f元素分子自旋中心的刚性氧代配体”。“，在一位赞助科学家的指导下。该研究金的主办机构是加州伯克利大学，赞助科学家是波利·阿诺德博士。 拟议的工作旨在确定刚性，氧供体，轴向配体的身份如何影响的电子，磁性和光学性质的Er（III）阳离子通过稳定的地面水平。目标的工作包括确定刚性，高度对称，轴向配体，以稳定最低的自旋轨道耦合状态，使用线性actinyl阳离子作为氧供体配体;评估的协调环境对磁性的影响Er配合物内;和评估的作用的协调环境的Er中心的光学性质。该工作的成功实施将增加对长扁镧系元素自旋-声子和自旋-自旋弛豫过程的理解。这项工作的实施将提供在小学一级与历史上被排斥的少数群体合作的机会。晶体生长等项目将提供合成化学的动手介绍，这将促进批判性思维，并将观察与化学基础联系起来。这些活动有可能为学生发展成为未来的科学家奠定基础。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

This award is funded in whole or in part under the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (Public Law 117-2). Mikaela Pyrch is awarded a NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and activities related to broaden participation by groups underrepresented in STEM. This fellowship to Dr. Pyrch supports the research project entitled MPS-Ascend: "Rigid Oxo Ligands to Control the Next Generation of f-Element Molecular Spin Centers.", under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is the University of California Berkeley, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. Polly Arnold. The proposed work intends to determine how the identity of rigid, oxygen donating, axial ligands influence the electronic, magnetic, and optical properties of the Er(III) cation through stabilization of ground levels. Objectives of the work include identification of rigid, highly symmetric, axial ligands to stabilize the lowest spin orbital coupled state using linear actinyl cations as oxygen donor ligands; assessment of the impact of the coordination environment on magnetic properties within Er complexes; and to evaluate the role of the coordination environment on the optical properties of the Er center. Successful implementation of the work will increase the understanding of spin-phonon and spin-spin relaxation processes in prolate lathanides. Implementation of this work will provide the opportunity to work with historically excluded minority groups at the grade school level. Projects such as crystal growth will provide hands-on introduction to synthetic chemistry which will promote critical thinking and connect observations to chemistry fundamentals. These activities have the potential to provide a foundation for students to develop into future scientists.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.