Rachel M. Huchmala

Hi! I’m Rachel Huchmala, a theoretical astrochemist and current Grand Challenges Initiative Postdoctoral Fellow at Chapman University.

My main scientific interests stem from asking “What can we learn about the Universe by manipulating light?”

As a theoretical astrochemist, I am particularly interested in using computational chemistry to help interpret infrared spectra of the Universe. As a member of the Esposito Lab, I work to contribute accurate computational reference data for the spectral features of a special group of molecules called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are a family of molecules consisting of many benzene rings fused together. Observational evidence indicates that up to 20% of the carbon in the Universe is trapped in these PAHs.

Over the years, I’ve had the opportunity to discover all kinds of approaches to the manipulation of light and the interpretation of the results. This all started when I was an undergraduate student and recipient of the NAU/NASA Spcae Grant Award. I was able to work with data from the Mars Reconissance Orbiter to help in the chemical identification of perchlorate salts on Mars. Afterwards, I headed to the University of Washington, where I completed my PhD in Prof. Anne McCoy’s group. During this time, I used theoretical spectroscopy to better understand the effects of hydrogen-bonding on the vibrational spectrum (near to mid-IR) of water. In my first postdoctoral position I worked with Prof. Brian Jackson and Dr. Elisabeth Adams, who taught me about “Doomed Worlds” and how light is used to create an understanding of exoplanets.