Mark Blitz

Dr. Mark Blitz is a Research Fellow at the School of Chemistry, University of Leeds. He joined the university in 1995 as a Postdoctoral Fellow and became a National Centre for Atmospheric Science (NCAS) Research Scientist in 2003. His work focuses on gas-phase reaction kinetics and photochemistry of short-lived species relevant to atmospheric and combustion processes.

• Education: PhD (1990) from the University of Reading under Robin Walsh and Jim Baggott.
• Postdoctoral Experience: National Research Council Canada (Ottawa) with Peter Hackett.

His research employs advanced laser diagnostics in the Dainton Laboratory to study radicals like hydroxyl (OH) and hydrogen atoms, which drive chemical changes in atmospheric and combustion systems. Collaborations include Paul Seakins, Dwayne Heard, and Dan Stone, with experiments spanning temperatures 30–1000 K and pressures 0.001–5 atmospheres.

The group utilizes laser-induced fluorescence (LIF) and vacuum ultraviolet (VUV) detection methods. He also contributes to MESMER, an open-source chemical master equation solver, bridging experimental and theoretical kinetics.

The Dainton Laboratory houses 6 independent experiments with high-powered UV lasers for radical generation and detection via LIF or time-resolved absorption spectroscopy. Notably, this setup enables detection of elusive Criegee intermediates like CH₂OO.