UROP Research Mentor Project Submission Portal: Submission #1240

Submission information
Submission Number: 1240
Submission ID: 20796
Submission UUID: 1be8677c-f8fd-429d-9830-0779fe4ff857

Created: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 01:35 PM
Completed: Mon, 08/18/2025 - 02:14 PM
Changed: Wed, 09/03/2025 - 11:46 AM

Remote IP address: 87.9.161.91
Submitted by: Anonymous
Language: English

Is draft: No
Primary Research Mentor Name Tomas Orlando
Research Mentor Preferred Pronouns he, him
When potential research assistants are reaching out via email, what is your preferred honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) torlando@magnet.fsu.edu
Position Title Faculty
FSU College (if applicable) N/A
FSU Department or Non-FSU Organization Affiliation National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
Headshot (optional) 23_129_(004).jpg
Research Assistant Supervisor (if different from above) Kiera Powers
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Pronouns she, her
Research Assistant Supervisor Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) kmp22u@fsu.edu
Name of Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) (if applicable) Frederic Mentink-Vigier
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Pronouns he, him
Other Faculty/Collaborator(s) Preferred Honorific?
Contact Email (FSU Email if affiliated) fmentink@magnet.fsu.edu
Title of the Project Organic radicals: properties and dynamics in liquids and solid-liquid systems
Project Keywords magnetic resonance, physical chemistry, organic radicals, spin dynamics
Are you currently looking for research assistants? Yes
Number of Research Assistants Needed 1
Relevant Research Assistant Major(s) chemistry, physics, engineering
Project Location: National High Magnetic Field Laboratory
If the project location is off campus, does the research assistant(s) need to provide their own transportation? FSU Bus - Innovation Route
Please select the choice that most accurately describes your expectations for the research assistant(s): In-person
Approximately how many hours a week would the research assistant(s) need to work? 8-10
Roughly what time frame do you expect research assistant(s) to work? Flexible schedule (Combination of business and outside of business. TBD between student and research mentor.)
Overall Research Project Description An undergraduate project is available for students in chemistry or physics who are interested in the application of advanced magnetic resonance techniques to investigate organic radicals and their dynamics in liquids and mixed-phase materials.
Organic radicals are molecules that carry an unpaired electron and can be probed with electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy.
The characterization of stable radical species in liquids via EPR provides valuable information on the molecular structure as well as on the magnetic interactions of radicals with surrounding atoms and molecules. Those properties are crucial to understanding the mechanisms of chemical reactions and to designing new materials and quantum sensors.
Many investigations have been conducted at low frequencies (< 34 GHz) and magnetic fields (< 1.5 T). However, with the unique instruments at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory, we will perform EPR in the range of frequencies 120-336 GHz and provide new insight into radicals properties that are currently unknown.
Furthermore, we will use radicals as probes for local interactions in heterogeneous materials, namely materials where solid and liquid phases coexist. To this aim, we are developing a set of magnetic resonance methods (both electron paramagnetic resonance and nuclear magnetic resonance) as well as quantum chemistry tools to investigate the dynamics in the close proximity of the solid-liquid interface.
Research Tasks In the proposed undergraduate research project, students will be actively involved in the sample preparation using wet-lab techniques (including a Schlenk line) as well as a glove-box for operations in an oxygen-free environment. Students will also learn to perform continuous-wave EPR measurements and analyze data. Students will actively review the literature and present their work in a broader scientific context. The project might also include numerical simulations with quantum chemistry simulation software.
Skills that research assistant(s) may need: Required background:
- Chemistry or physics majors, completed 1 year of study minimum.
- Wet lab experience is recommended but not required.
- No magnetic resonance experience necessary.
- We do prioritize STEM students (no premed)
Mentoring Philosophy Undergraduate research is a unique opportunity to be exposed to active research and trained in technical skills (wet-lab, magnetic resonance) and other research-related skills (literature reviews, data analysis, data presentation). Students will learn solid basic concepts in physical chemistry and magnetic resonance and get familiar with the state-of-the-art of current science. In this way, they will appreciate their direct contribution to the advancement of the field.
The project will involve collaborating with a team of magnetic resonance experts, undergrads, and graduate students in one of the top institutions worldwide for magnetic resonance research. Students will be trained under my direct supervision and my colleague's (Dr. F. Mentink-Vigier) direct supervision.
Please provide a link to your publications, a video clip, or a website for your research project (if applicable): https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=npiavKEAAAAJ&hl=en
Please add any additional information here (if applicable): More information and Other available undergraduate projects are available on the website https://www.tomasorlando.net/
Are you interested in participating in the UROP Research Mentor Roundtable? Yes
Roundtable times and Zoom links Friday, September 5, at 2.30 PM, https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99108660897
Roundtable Info
  • Day: Friday, September 5
    Start Time: 2:30
    End Time: 3:00
    Zoom Link: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/99108660897
Mentor Handbook, FAQs, and Communication Yes
UROP Performance Evaluation Yes
Materials Grant Yes
UROP Poster Presentation Yes
Year 2025
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