My current research focuses on: (a). determining the three dimensional molecular structures of chiral molecules in the solution or vapor phase using chiroptical spectroscopic methods; (b) developing new instrumental techniques and (c). the use of quantum theoretical techniques. The specific areas of interest include:: (1). vibrational circular dichroism (VCD); (2). vibrational Raman optical activity (VROA); (3). electronic circular dichroism (ECD) and (4). optical rotatory dispersion (ORD). VCD is a measure of differential absorption of left versus right circularly polarized infrared radiation. VROA is a measure of the corresponding difference in vibrational Raman scattering. ORD  measures the rotation of plane polarized light as a function of wavelength. ECD measures the differential absorption of left versus right circularly polarized visible radiation. Although optical rotation is a well known age-old technique, the first quantum mechanical prediction of optical rotation demonstrated that the absolute configuration can be determined using optical rotation. The first quantum mechanical predictions of VROA  were also reported from this laboratory. The Kramers-Kronig transformation between ECD and ORD for the analysis of these data is also being investigated.

The research in my lab uses the experimental measurements in the above mentioned areas, and combines them with corresponding quantum mechanical predictions to establish the absolute configuration and/or determine the predominant conformations of biological and chiral organic molecules in the solution phase.