MSU Research Foundation Professor Receives Josef Michl American Chemical Society Award in Photochemistry

MSU Research Foundation Professor, James K. McCusker, a pioneering figure in photochemistry, receives the 2024 Josef Michl ACS Award for research using ultrafast laser spectroscopy on inorganic compounds, impacting solar energy and garnering global recognition.

James K. McCusker, MSU Research Foundation Professor in the Department of Chemistry, is the 2024 recipient of the prestigious Joseph Michl American Chemical Society Award in Photochemistry.

EAST LANSING, MI — Michigan State University Research Foundation Professor James K. McCusker is the recipient of the 2024 Josef Michl American Chemical Society (ACS) Award in Photochemistry. This exceptional honor recognizes outstanding experimental and theoretical research in the fields of photochemistry and photophysics as applied to organic, inorganic or biological molecules or solids.

McCusker, a professor in the Department of Chemistry in the MSU College of Natural Science (NatSci), is a leading figure in the field of photochemistry, having pioneered numerous groundbreaking applications of ultrafast laser spectroscopy in the context of inorganic compounds. Such spectroscopic methods—in which short pulses of laser light excite and probe molecular changes occurring in moments as brief as a femtosecond (one quadrillionth of a second)—were once largely relegated to physical chemistry and the study of organic molecules. By applying these approaches to inorganic compounds and particularly to those incorporating metals in the first transition series of the periodic table, McCusker is widely recognized for creating entirely new avenues of photophysical research.

“Fifteen or 20 years ago, our group might have been the only one at a conference talking about ultrafast spectroscopy of first row metal complexes, and it’s now incredible to see how the field has expanded,” McCusker said. “I like to think of this award as recognizing the development of this area of physical-inorganic chemistry based on the research we’ve been doing since day one—identifying the fundamental nature of these physical and photophysical properties, and possible ways to leverage that information and understanding toward exciting applications.

“I also see this honor as a reflection of the incredible work my students have done over the years. This award is as much or more so about them as it is about me,” he added.

With a focus on examining the core photochemical properties of first row transition metals, McCusker’s research continues to provide highly impactful findings in the realm of solar energy conversion, storage and scalability.

“Light capture is certainly the most material intensive aspect of the solar energy conversion,” McCusker explained. “If you consider molecules involving elements from the second or third transition series that have been shown to effectively convert light into chemical potential —elements like ruthenium, osmium, or iridium—these are some of the least-abundant in the earth’s crust. That’s simply not scalable.

“But if we move to the first transition series and elements such as iron or cobalt, availability becomes a non-issue,” he continued. “There are key differences in the way compounds of the first transition series absorb and redistribute energy absorbed in the form of light relative to those heavier elements. The experimental work we’re doing—and that I feel is being recognized by this award—is to codify an understanding of these differences so we can circumvent some of the challenges these new compounds present.”

Over the years, McCusker’s research insights have resulted in his work being a constant presence on the pages of publications such as Science and Nature, as well as invitations to present at more than 300 universities, conferences, and symposia across the globe. This is in addition to his ongoing work as associate editor at Chemical Science.

For this honor, McCusker will receive a certificate and a prize of $5,000, which will be presented at the ACS Spring 2024 meeting in New Orleans.

McCusker is a MSU Research Foundation Professor, a title is granted to highly accomplished current or incoming faculty members recommended by their college or dean. These distinguished researchers excel in their fields, furthering scholarly, disciplinary, or research areas crucial to MSU. Recipients retain the title throughout their tenure and typically receive scholarly support for the first five years after recognition. More than 60 professors have been honored with the MSU Research Foundation Professor title.

Read the full story at natsci.msu.edu