Welcome to The Lear Laboratory
Operating at the interface of physical and inorganic chemistry
Who We Are
We are an energetic group of curious undergraduate researchers, graduate students, and postdoctoral scholars in the Department of Chemistry at The Pennsylvania State University.
Led by Prof. Benjamin J. Lear, our lab blends synthetic inorganic chemistry, physical measurement, magnetic resonance, and optical spectroscopy.
Learn more about our team →What We Do
We are primarily interested in understanding the fundamental interplay between nanoscale materials and their near chemical environment—including coordinating ligands, surrounding solvent molecules, and reactive species.
Our investigations span photothermal rate acceleration, electronic band structures of metals, and electron transfer dynamics.
Discover our research thrusts →Research Thrusts
Applying nanoscale precision to thermal chemistry and probing electronic states near the Fermi level.
Photothermally Driven Chemistry
Harnessing the photothermal effect of nanoparticles to achieve nanometer and nanosecond scale control over heat, enabling chemical reactions at 700–1300 K with billion-fold rate enhancements.
Read Research Detail
Controlling Electronic Structure of Metallic Nanoparticles
Investigating the fundamental electronic structure and density of states in colloidal metal nanoparticles, utilizing NMR and Zeeman splitting to map how surface chemistry alters the Fermi level.
Read Research DetailThe Design of Data Visualizations
Providing instruction in how to create well designed data visualizations as well as insight on how to assess this design.
Read Research DetailUses of Generative AI in Chemical Education
GenAI is poised to dramatically change education. We are exploring its uses and efficacy.
Read Research DetailUnderstanding proton and electron transfer in model chemical systems
We are developing and testing new approaches to model the fundamental steps in charge transfer.
Read Research DetailThe Lear Research Group
Our laboratory fosters an inclusive, rigorous, and collaborative environment where students master advanced chemical synthesis, modern laser and spectroscopic instrumentation, and data science.
The Lear Laboratory • Department of Chemistry, Penn State University
Recent Publications
Mapping Proton‐Coupled Electron Transfer With Real Space Coordinates
Angewandte Chemie International Edition
Photothermal Curing of Polydimethyldisiloxane: Carbon Black Composites Results in Changes to Polymer Topography, Cross-Link Density, and Mass Density
The Journal of Physical Chemistry C