Caltech Graduate Student Matthew Johnson Receives Fulbright Award

PASADENA—Matthew Johnson, a graduate student in chemistry at Caltech, has received a Fulbright Award to study for one year at the University of Lund in Lund, Sweden.

Johnson, the son of Rev. and Mrs. Stanley M. Johnson of Owatonna, Minnesota, and a graduate of Owatonna High School, earned his bachelor's degree in chemistry at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. At Caltech he has specialized in the study of atmospheric chemistry, and expects to receive his PhD in June of this year.

The Fulbright Award will allow Johnson to study ozone depletion in the atmosphere at a facility that is unique in the world. The Max-Lab synchrotron at the University of Lund combines a beam of infrared radiation with a chamber that, with its low-temperature and low-pressure capabilities, is specifically designed to mimic conditions in the upper atmosphere.

Specifically, Johnson plans to study the basic properties of three little-known "reactive intermediates"—molecules that are created as intermediate steps in the ozone-destroying process. By analyzing how the molecules absorb infrared radiation, he hopes to be able to determine such properties as their electronic structure, geometry, and stability, all of which affect how the molecule behaves chemically in the atmosphere. This information will help scientists better understand the process of ozone destruction, and aid policy makers in their difficult regulatory decisions.

The Fulbright Program is the U.S. government's premier scholarship program. Set up by Congress in 1946 to foster mutual understanding among nations through educational and cultural exchanges, Fulbright Awards enable U.S. students and artists to benefit from unique resources in every corner of the world. Each year more than 800 Americans study or conduct research in more than 100 nations through the Fulbright Program.

Contact: Jay Aller (818) 395-3631 aller@caltech.edu