Franz M. Geiger

Franz M. Geiger is a Professor at the Department of Chemistry, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Northwestern University. He serves as the Director of Graduate Curriculum and Executive Editor of The Journal of Physical Chemistry (A, B, C). His affiliations include the Paula M. Trienens Institute for Sustainability and Energy, the International Institute for Nanotechnology, and the Applied Physics Graduate Program.

Education:

• Ph.D., Georgetown University
• Vordiplom, Technische Universität Berlin

Research Interests: Geiger’s group employs laser spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, and computational techniques to study surfaces and interfaces in geochemistry, atmospheric chemistry, and biophysics. Key areas include understanding interfacial water dynamics, dark oxygen production at seafloors, and atmospheric aerosol chemistry.

Publication Trends: Recent work spans interfacial charge transfer, water oxidation mechanisms, and terpene autoxidation, published in journals such as Nature Communications, Science Advances, and JACS. Techniques like SHG, SFG, and operando spectroscopy dominate his group’s output.

Scientific Awards:

• ACS National Award Canvassing Committee (2021—2024)
• Friedrich Wilhelm Bessel Prize (2017)
• NSF-CAREER Award (2004—2009)
• Sloan Fellowship (2007—2009)
• ACS Nobel Laureate Signature Award (2021)
• Faculty Diversity Award (2016)

Advising and Grants: His group has produced notable advisees like Emilie Lozier (Buffett Global Impacts Fellow) and Mavis Boamah (now at PNNL). Grants include NSF-CAREER and NOAA Climate Fellowship.

Labs and Collaborations: The Geiger Group collaborates with institutions like PNNL and ANL, focusing on environmental interfaces and interdisciplinary science.