Sumana L. Raj Email and Phone Number

Solution phase physical chemistry research using optical pump, hard X-ray scattering and spectroscopy probe techniques.

In the Saykally group at UC Berkeley, used Coherent Anti-Stokes Raman Spectroscopy (CARS) and X-ray spectroscopies to probe vibrational and electronic structure of liquid carbon prepared by nonthermal melting of a solid carbon source. Used the FERMI free electron laser to develop soft x-ray second harmonic generation techniques. • Designed and built CARS set up. Experience using, aligning, and maintaining ultrafast lasers, amplifiers, and OPAs. Some experience with Raman scattering, Sum Frequency Generation (SFG), and white light generation. • Used the FERMI free electron laser (FEL) to perform the first soft x-ray second harmonic generation experiments on graphite and on the buried boron-parylene-N interface. Also used this facility to perform ultrafast extreme UV reflectivity experiments on laser melted carbon.• Used the SACLA FEL to perform X-ray scattering on laser melted carbon, and the PAL FEL to perform resonant inelastic X-ray spectroscopy of laser melted carbon.• Used synchrotron sources to perform X-ray scattering of solids, as well as X-ray absorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy of liquid jets. • Led and participated in collaborations to write over fifteen proposals for FEL beamtime. Had seven proposals accepted at FERMI, SACLA, PAL, and FLASH. • Wrote Labview program to control sample stages and CCD camera. Wrote Matlab programs to analyze SHG and reflectivity data taken at FERMI. Used IgorPro to plot and analyze CARS spectra.• Led experiments at FEL facilities involving researchers at three or more institutions. Mentored two junior graduate students on use of ultrafast laser systems. Presented at group meetings at least twice a year and gave a department wide presentation in my second year.

Prepared and led discussion sections and review sessions for a class of 150 upper level undergraduate chemistry majors. The course covered statistical mechanics and thermodynamics.

Taught 24 students fundamental chemistry laboratory skills such as preparing solutions, UV and IR spectroscopy, titrations, as well as how to develop an experiment and write a lab report.

Taught 100 students, prepared and led discussion sections and review sessions, and held office hours. The course covered the basics of chemical bonding, kinetics, stoichiometry, thermodynamics and periodic trends.

DAAD RISE summer intern in the Institute of Energy and Climate Research - Photovoltaics. Researched electrodeposition and electrochemical etching texturing procedures for zinc oxide transparent conducting oxide layers in thin-film silicon solar cells. Results contributed to a publication: J.-P. Becker, et al., “Effects of the electrolyte species on the electrochemical dissolution of polycrystalline ZnO:Al thin films.” Electrochimica Acta (2013), DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2013.04.167

Summer Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) position in the Molecular Physics Laboratory.Performed research on O(1D) reaction rates based on laboratory measurements in order to understand the composition and chemistry of the ionosphere. Presented results to the SRI REU program and results were presented in a poster at an American Geophysical Union meeting.