2025 Program
Event: Prof. Bryan Changala (UC-Boulder) and Prof. Spiridoula Matsika (Temple)
When: November 14th, 2025
12-1 PM EST
Registration Link
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Early Career Talk: “Precision light-matter probes for advancing quantum molecular science and astrophysics”
Prof. Bryan Changala (UC-Boulder)
Biography: Bryan Changala received his B.S. in Chemistry and Physics from MIT in 2013 and his Ph.D. in Physics in 2019 in the Ye group at JILA, University of Colorado Boulder. From 2020 to 2024, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the McCarthy laboratory at the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian. Bryan returned to CU/JILA as an Associate JILA Fellow and Assistant Professor of Physics, Adjoint, in 2025. His laboratory combines precision molecular spectroscopy experiments and advanced quantum chemical theory to address open questions in astrochemistry, fundamental physical chemistry, and quantum molecular science.
Abstract: I will share my group’s work developing precision spectrometers based on ultrafast non-linear optics and microwave techniques that enable us to perform highly sensitive and ultra-broadband measurements needed to exhaustively probe the coupled nuclear and electronic motion and spin dynamics of isolated molecular systems. This approach provides both the quantitative and conceptual insights needed to address a diverse set of scientific questions in astrochemistry, molecular physics, and physical chemistry. I will discuss in particular our results that aim to elucidate the origin and fate of cosmic carbon and the chemical design principles for molecules used for precision metrology and quantum sensing applications.
Talk: “Probing Nonadiabatic Dynamics in Photoexcited Molecules”
Prof. Spiridoula Matsika (Temple)
Biography: Spiridoula Matsika is a Professor of Chemistry at Temple University. She received a B.Sc. in Chemistry from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, Greece in 1994, and a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics from The Ohio State University in 2000. After completing her Ph.D. she spent three years as a postdoctoral fellow at Johns Hopkins University. She joined Temple University in Philadelphia in 2003 where she has been since then. Her research interests focus on the theoretical description of electronically excited states, nonadiabatic dynamics, and conical intersections in molecular systems. She is particularly interested in photophysics and photochemistry of molecular systems, and in electron driven processes.
Abstract: Nonadiabatic processes play a fundamental role in the photophysics and photochemistry of molecules, influencing phenomena across chemistry, materials science, and biology. Advancing theoretical and experimental approaches to investigate the nonadiabatic dynamics that follow molecular excitation remains at the forefront of chemical physics. Integrating theory and experiment is crucial for developing a comprehensive understanding of the underlying mechanisms governing these ultrafast processes. In this talk, I will present our efforts to elucidate excited-state dynamics by directly modeling experimental observables from pump–probe measurements, including time-resolved photoelectron spectra, ultrafast electron diffraction signals, and Coulomb explosion imaging. These studies provide detailed insight into the coupled electronic and nuclear motions that shape molecular behavior after photoexcitation.
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