Abbott Lecture hosts celebrated chemist T. J. Meyer

The Department of Chemistry’s annual Abbott Lecture this year features Thomas J. Meyer, Arey Distinguished Professor and chair of chemistry at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill. Meyer is a high-profile chemist considered by many of his peers to be on tap for a Nobel Prize for his work in photocatalysts and artificial photosynthesis.

Meyer will give two lectures:  a public lecture on Thursday, March 24, at 7 p.m. in 101 Abbott Hall, and a technical lecture at noon March 25 in 138 Abbott Hall.

The public lecture, “Our Energy Future, Science and Technology Challenges in the 21st Century” is particularly suitable for non-chemists. The Friday lecture, “Water Oxidation. Solar Fuels from Sunlight” is intended to attract scientists from all disciplines and should be suitable even for advanced undergraduate students. Meyer’s presentation will cover several research fields that are important to many UND scientists.

There will be a reception following the public lecture in 232 Abbott Hall Room 232 on Thursday.

Thomas J. Meyer is professor and chair of the University of North Dakota-Chapel Hill Department of Chemistry and a distinguished researcher in the fields of solar energy conversion, artificial photosynthesis, solar fuels- hydrogen and oxygen by water splitting and reduction of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons, among many other research interests.

Meyer earned his Ph.D. from Stanford University in 1966 and his bachelor of science degree from Ohio State University in 1963.

“The most pressing issue facing mankind in the 21st century is creating a new energy future based on new energy sources, more efficient use of existing energy sources, and minimizing environmental impact,” Meyer said. “The ultimate renewable energy source is the sun with several approaches available for solar energy conversion.”

According to Meyer, two high-risk, but high-reward, approaches are solar fuels, with production of hydrogen and oxygen from water or reduction of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons, and high efficiency organic and composite thin film photovoltaic devices.

Meyer won the 1997 I-APS Award in Photochemistry for his innovative work on electron transfer phenomena, radiation-free decay processes in metal complexes, photoelectrochemistry and designing systems that produce a charge separation.

The George A. Abbott Lectureship was launched in 1963 with the aim of bringing outstanding chemists to UND and to the area in order to provide an opportunity for personal interaction with area students, practicing chemists, and faculty. UND has been fortunate to have some of the most outstanding chemists in the country present these endowed lectures, including Nobel Prize winners. The Abbott Lectureship was established by gifts from alumni.

For more details about the 2011 Abbott Lecture, see http://arts-sciences.und.edu/chemistry/abbott-lectures.cfm.

— Juan Miguel Pedraza, writer/editor, University Relations, 777-6571, juan.pedraza@email.und.edu.