Stephen FitzGerald

Stephen FitzGerald is a Professor of Physics at Oberlin College, affiliated with the College of Arts & Sciences and the Physics and Astronomy department. He holds a BA (Mod) from Trinity College Dublin, MS and PhD from Cornell University, and completed a postdoctoral fellowship at NIST. His research focuses on infrared spectroscopy, hydrogen storage in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), quantum dynamics of adsorbed molecules, and isotope separation technologies. He has received the 2015–16 Excellence in Teaching Award and a $310,000 NSF grant for his work on site-selective spectroscopy in MOFs.

Research interests include spectroscopic analysis of hydrogen interactions in porous materials, fullerene encapsulation, and applications in energy storage and medical isotope separation. Recent work explores thermal stability of MOFs, hydrogen binding mechanisms, and biocompatible frameworks for drug delivery. His lab investigates deuterium separation using quantum mechanics principles, aiming to optimize hydrogen fuel-cell technologies.

Major grants include the 2017 NSF RUI grant funding student participation and equipment for spectroscopy studies. Awards highlight his teaching excellence and research impact. He advises student researchers, including Didier Banyeretse and Tyler Hartman, and collaborates on projects linking materials science with biomedical applications.

Courses taught include PHYS 451 (Special Problems in Physics/Astronomy), Quantum Mechanics, and Advanced Lab. His work integrates experimental techniques like neutron scattering and infrared spectroscopy with computational approaches to understand adsorption dynamics and material properties.