Benjamin P. Boussert Lectureship
The Dr. Benjamin Boussert Lecture Series invites a renowned chemist to Louisiana State University each year. The seminar brings together family, friends, and the local chemistry community in memory of LSU Chemistry alumnus Benjamin Boussert.
Friday, October 4, 2024
Haitao Liu, Ph.D.
University of Pittsburgh
“Intrinsic Surface Properties of Graphitic Carbon Materials”
Our research shows that the perceived hydrophobicity of graphitic carbons arises from the adsorption of airborne hydrocarbons on their surfaces. Additionally, this form of contamination significantly influences both the heterogeneous electron transfer rate constant and the double-layer capacitance of carbon electrodes. These findings underscore the critical role of surface cleanliness in characterizing and utilizing carbon materials in ambient conditions.
3:30 PM | Life Science Annex Auditorium, A101
*Reception to follow in 100 CMB
Previous Benjamin P. Boussert Lecturers
2023 - Gacoin Thierry (Ecole Polytechnique)
2022 - Bryce Sadtler (Washington University in St. Louis)
2019 - Shelley A. Claridge (Purdue University)
2018 - Robert J. Cava (Princeton University)
2017 - Emory Chan (Molecular Foundry)
2016 - Delia Milliron (University of Texas at Austin)
2014 - Paul Alivisatos (University of California)
About Benjamin Boussert
Benjamin Boussert was an LSU University Medalist who graduated with degrees in Chemistry
and Chemical Engineering in 1999. While at LSU, Benjamin conducted four years of research
under the tutelage of Dr. Robin McCarley. Benjamin’s interests in nanoscience and
sensing technologies led him to the University of California at Berkeley where he
worked toward a PhD in Physical Chemistry with Dr. Paul Alivisatos. Months before
he was to defend his dissertation, Benjamin and two friends and colleagues, Jason
Choy and Giulia Adesso, were tragically killed in an automobile accident.
Family, friends, and colleagues have established a scholarship to honor Benjamin’s memory and legacy at LSU. His parents, Anne and Christian, and his brother and sister-in-law, Joel and Kelly, have also created a substantial endowment at LSU to support the Dr. Benjamin Boussert Lecture Series for Chemistry. LSU is forever grateful for the positive impact Benjamin has had on the lives of others and for his family’s support of these memorials.