Daniel J. O'Leary

Daniel J. O'Leary serves as the Carnegie Professor of Chemistry at Pomona College, a position he has held since 1994. His academic career spans teaching and research in organic chemistry, with significant contributions to NMR spectroscopy, isotope effects, and chemistry education. He previously taught at MIT, Bowdoin College, and Caltech.

His educational background includes a Bachelor of Arts from Linfield College, a Ph.D. from UCLA (where he received the Winstein Dissertation Prize), and an NSF Post-Doctoral Fellowship at Harvard University.

O'Leary's research focuses on using chemical synthesis, computational methods, and advanced NMR techniques to study molecular conformation and hydrogen bonding. He pioneered titratable isotope shift methods for detecting intramolecular OH/OH bonds and developed innovative 3D-printed molecular orbital models to address educational misconceptions. His work bridges fundamental physical organic chemistry with practical pedagogical applications, extending into catalysis and the history of science.

Analysis of his recent publications reveals a dual trajectory: advancing molecular conformation studies through NMR/isotope methodologies while revolutionizing chemistry education via tangible 3D visualization tools. This synergy between deep theoretical inquiry and classroom innovation defines his scholarly impact across both research and teaching domains.

His honors include five Pomona College Wig Distinguished Professorship Awards for Teaching (1997-2018), the Zaida C. Morales-Martinez Mentoring Prize (2012), and the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1999).

As an educator, O'Leary has mentored generations of undergraduate researchers, co-developed interdisciplinary seminars like "Science and the Public's Health," and created award-winning curricular materials. His grants consistently support projects merging fundamental research with educational technology development.

His laboratory at Pomona College functions as an integrated research-education hub where students actively participate in synthesizing complex molecules, developing spectroscopic techniques, and creating 3D-printed educational models, fostering hands-on learning in molecular conformation studies.