About

Leah Dodson is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, with a research focus on low-temperature chemistry, astrochemistry, nuclear-spin isomerism, reaction mechanisms, ro-vibrational spectroscopy, radical kinetics, photoionization spectroscopy, small-molecule mass spectrometry, cavity-enhanced techniques, and instrument development. Her group develops experimental tools to study and control chemical reactions at the quantum level, exploring how reactivity is governed by the internal states of molecules such as nuclear spin, vibrational energy, or conformational structure under cold and low-pressure conditions. Their work intersects reaction kinetics, light/matter interactions, and state-resolved chemistry, providing foundational data for modeling reaction pathways, utilizing next-generation materials and catalysts, and understanding the chemistry of space. Dr. Dodson's research includes establishing porous crystalline materials as platforms for preparing molecules in specific nuclear-spin isomer states, studying non-Arrhenius ion–molecule reactions at low temperatures, and using matrix-isolation infrared spectroscopy to trap molecules in inert solid environments. Her group also collaborates with national laboratories to directly observe reaction intermediates using tunable vacuum ultraviolet light and time-resolved mass spectrometry. Her contributions have advanced the understanding of reaction mechanisms, quantum control in porous materials, and the detection of transient species, earning her several recognitions including the 2023 University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences Board of Visitors Junior Faculty Award and the DOE Office of Science Early Career Award.

Research topics

• Chemistry
• Photochemistry
• Materials science
• Atomic physics
• Inorganic chemistry

Selected publications

• H2 in CO2 and N2O

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01

  dataset1st authorCorresponding

  Computed potential energy curves for H2 in CO2 and N2O.

• Development of a Glow-Discharge Ion-Trap Instrument for Measuring Effective Radiative-Association Rate Coefficients

  The Journal of Physical Chemistry A · 2026-02-25

  articleOpen accessSenior authorCorresponding

  The ability to directly measure radiative-association rate coefficients for reactions between ions and neutral molecules has long challenged chemical physics laboratories, yet radiative association is one of the most important processes occurring in cold, diffuse regions of space. A reaction kinetics instrument has been developed for the investigation of ion–molecule radiative-association reactions, aimed at measuring slow, effective reaction rate coefficients for species relevant to astrophysical objects. The instrument consists of a glow-discharge ion source for production of bright and stable ion currents, a quadrupole mass filter for mass selection and detection, and a quadrupole ion trap capable of trapping reactants and products for the long times needed to measure slow kinetics. The performance and adaptability of the glow-discharge ion source has been evaluated using several configurations. To assess the feasibility of measuring reaction rate coefficients, the reaction of Ag+ and O2 was studied under pseudo-first-order conditions in the ion trap at room temperature. We present the first pressure-dependent study of this reaction and extract a lower limit of 1 × 10–15 cm3 s–1 for the Ag+ + O2 effective radiative-association rate coefficient. Measurements of effective radiative-association rate coefficients are possible for diverse atomic and molecular ions that react with neutral molecules over a range of rates in this versatile new instrument.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Development of a glow-discharge ion-trap instrument for measuring effective radiative-association rate coefficients

  arXiv (Cornell University) · 2026-01-14

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  The ability to directly measure radiative-association rate coefficients for reactions between ions and neutral molecules has long challenged chemical physics laboratories, yet radiative association is one of the most important processes occurring in cold, diffuse regions of space. A reaction kinetics instrument has been developed for the investigation of ion--molecule radiative-association reactions, aimed at measuring slow, effective reaction rate coefficients for species relevant to astrophysical objects. The instrument consists of a glow-discharge ion source for production of bright and stable ion currents, a quadrupole mass filter for mass selection and detection, and a quadrupole ion trap capable of trapping reactants and products for the long times needed to measure slow kinetics. The performance and adaptability of the glow-discharge ion source has been evaluated using several configurations. To assess the feasibility of measuring reaction rate coefficients, the reaction of Ag$^{+}$ and O$_{2}$ was studied under pseudo-first-order conditions in the ion trap at room temperature. We present the first pressure-dependent study of this reaction and extract a lower limit of $1 \times 10^{-15}$ cm$^3$ molecule$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ for the Ag$^{+}$ + O$_{2}$ effective radiative-association rate coefficient. Measurements of effective radiative-association rate coefficients are possible for diverse atomic and molecular ions that react with neutral molecules over a range of rates in this versatile new instrument.

  PublisherDOI

• H2 in CO2 and N2O

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  datasetOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Computed potential energy curves for H2 in CO2 and N2O.

  PublisherDOI

• Environment-Imposed Selection Rules for Nuclear-Spin Conversion of <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" display="inline"> <mml:mrow> <mml:msub> <mml:mrow> <mml:mi mathvariant="normal">H</mml:mi> </mml:mrow> <mml:mrow> <mml:mn>2</mml:mn> </mml:mrow> </mml:msub> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> in Molecular Crystals

  Physical Review Letters · 2026-02-20 · 1 citations

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  Nuclear-spin conversion in molecular hydrogen is governed by strict symmetry rules that typically require magnetic fields or catalytic surfaces to break. Here we demonstrate that the intrinsic tensor composition of a nonmagnetic molecular crystal field can impose and relax these rules without external fields. High-resolution infrared spectra of H_{2} in crystalline CO_{2} reveal large rank-2 (quadrupolar) crystal-field splittings of the m sublevels, while nuclear-spin conversion occurs only through Δm=0 channels. Replacing CO_{2} with polar N_{2}O introduces rank-1 (dipole) components that partially open Δm≠0 pathways, while incorporation of paramagnetic NO_{2} fully lifts the restriction. These results establish a direct correspondence between crystal-field tensor rank and nuclear-spin dynamics, introducing a general symmetry-based framework for designing and controlling spin-isomer populations and quantum-state connectivity in molecular solids.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• Development of a glow-discharge ion-trap instrument for measuring effective radiative-association rate coefficients

  ArXiv.org · 2026-01-14

  articleOpen accessSenior author

  The ability to directly measure radiative-association rate coefficients for reactions between ions and neutral molecules has long challenged chemical physics laboratories, yet radiative association is one of the most important processes occurring in cold, diffuse regions of space. A reaction kinetics instrument has been developed for the investigation of ion--molecule radiative-association reactions, aimed at measuring slow, effective reaction rate coefficients for species relevant to astrophysical objects. The instrument consists of a glow-discharge ion source for production of bright and stable ion currents, a quadrupole mass filter for mass selection and detection, and a quadrupole ion trap capable of trapping reactants and products for the long times needed to measure slow kinetics. The performance and adaptability of the glow-discharge ion source has been evaluated using several configurations. To assess the feasibility of measuring reaction rate coefficients, the reaction of Ag$^{+}$ and O$_{2}$ was studied under pseudo-first-order conditions in the ion trap at room temperature. We present the first pressure-dependent study of this reaction and extract a lower limit of $1 \times 10^{-15}$ cm$^3$ molecule$^{-1}$ s$^{-1}$ for the Ag$^{+}$ + O$_{2}$ effective radiative-association rate coefficient. Measurements of effective radiative-association rate coefficients are possible for diverse atomic and molecular ions that react with neutral molecules over a range of rates in this versatile new instrument.

  PublisherOA PDF

• H2 in CO2 and N2O

  Figshare · 2026-01-01

  datasetOpen access1st authorCorresponding

  Computed potential energy curves for H2 in CO2 and N2O.

  PublisherDOI

• H2 in CO2 and N2O

  Open MIND · 2026-01-01

  dataset1st authorCorresponding

  Computed potential energy curves for H2 in CO2 and N2O.

• The 1.5 um Band of Cyanoacetylene as a Spectroscopic Target in the Hunt for Prebiotic Molecules

  ChemRxiv · 2025-03-06

  preprintOpen accessSenior author

  The search for prebiotic molecules officially entered a new era with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The capabilities of the near-infrared instrumentation on board offer greater sensitivity and resolution than has ever been available in a space-based instrument. With the planned launch of more near-infrared telescopes---such as SPHEREx in 2025---it is essential to have laboratory data for important molecules on hand to guide observations in this spectral region. We present here the first published line list of the prebiotic cyanoacetylene (HC3N) molecule in the 1.5 um region. Molecules were cooled to 20 K through the use of a cryogenic buffer-gas cooling yielding well-resolved ro-vibrational states of the 2nu1 band that were probed and assigned using cavity-ringdown spectroscopy. Rotational constants were calculated using PGOPHER and spectral line intensities were measured relative to hydrogen cyanide. We recommend the HC3N 1.5um band as an observational target for transmission spectroscopy at Hycean and Super-Earth exoplanetary bodies.

  PublisherOA PDFDOI

• The 1.5 μm Band of Cyanoacetylene as a Spectroscopic Target in Astrochemistry

  The Journal of Physical Chemistry Letters · 2025-04-07 · 1 citations

  articleSenior authorCorresponding

  The search for prebiotic molecules officially entered a new era with the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope. The capabilities of the near-infrared instrumentation on board offer greater sensitivity and resolution than have ever been available in a space-based instrument. With the planned launch of more near-infrared telescopes, such as SPHEREx in 2025, it is essential to have laboratory data for important molecules on hand to guide observations in this spectral region. We present here the first published line list of the prebiotic cyanoacetylene (HC3N) molecule in the 1.5 μm region. Molecules were cooled to 20 K through the use of cryogenic buffer-gas cooling yielding well-resolved ro-vibrational states of the 2ν1 band that were probed and assigned using cavity-ringdown spectroscopy. Rotational constants were calculated using PGOPHER, and spectral line intensities were measured relative to hydrogen cyanide. We recommend the HC3N 1.5 μm band as an observational target for transmission spectroscopy at Hycean and Super-Earth exoplanetary bodies.

  PublisherDOI

Frequent coauthors

• J. Mathias Weber

  University of Colorado Boulder

  28 shared

• Wyatt Zagorec-Marks

  15 shared

• Emily Hockey

  University of Maryland, College Park

  12 shared

• Michael C. Thompson

  Indiana University Bloomington

  11 shared

• Michael Thompson

  AbbVie (United States)

  8 shared

• Mitchio Okumura

  8 shared

• Nathan C. Eddingsaas

  Rochester Institute of Technology

  6 shared

• David L. Osborn

  Sandia National Laboratories California

  6 shared

Labs

• Dodson GroupPI

Education

• Ph.D., Chemistry and Chemical Engineering

  California Institute of Technology

  2016

• B.S., Chemistry

  Case Western Reserve University

  2010

Awards & honors

• University of Maryland College of Computer, Mathematical, an…
• DOE Office of Science Early Career Award (2023)
• ACS Petroleum Research Fund – Doctoral New Investigator Awar…
• National Institute of Standards and Technology NRC Research…
• Miller Prize Winner, 72nd International Symposium on Molecul…