Hanna Reisler

Hanna Reisler is a University Professor and holds the Lloyd Armstrong, Jr. Chair in Science and Engineering at the University of Southern California (USC). She is a Professor of Chemistry in the Department of Chemistry, Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on the dynamics of chemical reactions, particularly photoinitiated processes in gas and condensed phases, including atmospheric and astrochemical applications. She earned her Ph.D. from the Weizmann Institute of Science (1972) and B.S. from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (1964).

Her research interests include the detailed mechanisms of photoinitiated reactions, hydrogen-bonded clusters, and energy transfer dynamics in molecular systems. She has pioneered experimental techniques such as laser photofragment imaging and molecular beam studies to investigate reaction pathways. Key projects include studying the predissociation of water dimers, hydrogen-bonded networks, and the photochemistry of radicals like methylene and hydroxyalkyl radicals.

Reisler has received numerous accolades, including the American Physical Society’s Broida Prize (2005), the Herschbach Medal (2017), and election to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences (2021). She has mentored over 100 students and postdocs, and her work has been featured in a dedicated Festschrift issue of the Journal of Physical Chemistry (2019).

Her lab, the Reisler Research Group, collaborates with theorists like Prof. Joel Bowman and Prof. Tony McCaffery to model reaction dynamics. Current projects include investigating phase explosions in amorphous solid water (ASW) and the roaming mechanisms in dissociation pathways.

Reisler has held leadership roles, including Department Chair (2003–2005) and Director of Faculty Development for Natural Sciences at Dornsife. She is a strong advocate for women in STEM, leading USC’s WiSE initiative and receiving the Inspiring Women in STEM Award (2016).