Leah Dodson

Leah Dodson is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, College Park. Her research focuses on developing experimental tools to investigate the chemistry of the interstellar medium and planetary atmospheres using cold molecule laboratory techniques. Key areas include studying astrochemical species reactivity, reaction mechanisms, and product yields through methods like glow-discharge ion trapping, matrix-isolation spectroscopy, and UV photoionization.

Her group (Dodson Lab) has conducted extensive work on radiative association reactions, methanol photodissociation at the Advanced Light Source, and buffer-gas cooling experiments. Collaborations with institutions like Sandia National Labs and JHU APL highlight her interdisciplinary approach. Recent funding supports studies on astrochemical kinetics and planetary atmospheric chemistry.

• Key Projects: Low-temperature astrochemistry, cold molecular beam techniques, ion-neutral reactions.
• Students & Postdocs: Mentors PhD candidates in Chemistry/Chemical Physics, undergraduate researchers, and postdoctoral scientists (e.g., Dr. Julianna Palotás at University of Edinburgh).
• Presentations: Seminars at NYU, UC Berkeley, UW-Madison, and international conferences like the International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy.

Her work bridges laboratory experiments with astrophysical observations, contributing to understanding molecular formation in space and planetary environments.