Day 2 of ISMS yielded 16 (!?!?) sketched talk summaries. Between yesterday’s 14 and today’s 16, no wonder I’m exhausted. Thirty talks in two days versus the 23 talks over an entire week of AAS is just wild. Phew.

Anyway, I was a bit all over the place on Day 2, but here are the talks I attended!

Rotational Structure/Frequencies (Session TD)

Microwave Spectroscopy of Isothiazole — Kaori Kobayashi (University of Toyama)

Vibrational Structure/Frequencies (Session TG)

Benchmarking (Session TB)

Rotational Structure/Frequencies (Session TD, continued)

Analysis of the High Resolution Rotational Spectrum of 2-Chloroethanol — Hayley Bunn (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

Radicals (Session TN)

Plenary Special Session

The Urgent Need for Science and Innovation to Save this Warming Planet — Geraldine Richmond (U.S. Department of Energy)

A number of environmental-related topics can be studied with spectroscopy, including atmospheric studies, oil and water, nanodroplets, solar power, and polar ice. Currently, the Department of Energy has three initiatives where spectroscopy could be applied. Current “Energy Earthshots” and goals include hydrogen as an affordable fuel, long duration storage for renewable energy (10+ hours with a 90% cost reduction within a decade), and becoming carbon negative.

ISMS and NSF: Some History and a Look Forward — Fleming Crim (University of Wisconsin - Madison)

History
1939-1945: WWII
1945: Vannevar Bush proposes a national science foundation
1946: the precursor to ISMS begins at Ohio State
1950: NSF was created via the National Science Foundation Act
1957: Sputnik launch and the space race adds pressure
1960: donuts become a part of the symposium
1991: the name “International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy” was adopted
2014: ISMS was moved to the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign (UIUC)

Needs
A more diverse workforce because diverse ideas spark innovation
Increased financial support