Education and Experience

• B.A., Haverford College, 1988
• M.A., Columbia University , 1989
• Ph.D., Yale University, 1994 (advisor: Kenneth B. Wiberg)
• NIH Postdoctoral Researcher, Yale University, 1994-1995 (advisor: William L. Jorgensen)
• Visiting Scientist, Neurogen Corporation, July-December 1998
• Visiting Scholar, University of Washington, January-May 1999
• Visiting Fellow, Princeton University, September 2002-June 2003

Contact Information

• Office: Science Center 290
• Telephone: (610) 328-8341
• Fax: (610) 328-7355
• E-mail: prablen1 swarthmore.edu (with the necessary symbol inbetween)
• Mailing address: Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry, Swarthmore College, 500 College Ave., Swarthmore, PA 19081-1397
• Office Hours for Spring Semester 2009:
• M 3:30-4:20 PM
• Tu 10:30-11:30 AM
• Tu 2:00-3:00 PM
• W 10:30-11:30 AM
• Th 9:00-10:00 AM
• Th 2:00-3:00 PM
• F 2:30-3:30 PM
• By appointment

Course(s) taught:

• Chemistry 1 (Applying Chemistry to Society) Lecture
• Chemistry 10H (Honors General Chemistry) Seminar
• Chemistry 22 (Organic Chemistry I) Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 32 (Organic Chemistry II) Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 50 (Modern Instrumental Methods) Lecture and Laboratory
• Chemistry 102 (Topics in Modern Organic Chemistry) Seminar
• Chemistry 105 (Theory and Applications of Spectroscopy) Seminar

Research Interests:

Methods:

• Ab initio molecular orbital calculations
• Dynamic NMR spectroscopy

Topics:

• Reaction pathways and mechanisms for addition of singlet carbenes to bicyclobutanes and cyclopropenes
• Influence of resonance and electrostatic interactions on the structure, stability, and other properties of organic compounds
• Hydrogen-bonding interactions
• Solvent effects on conformational isomerization reactions
• Ab initio calculation of NMR chemical shifts and coupling constants
• Other applications of computational methods to questions in physical organic chemistry

More Pictures

Geology Pictures