Biography
Dr. Christopher Bennett received his Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry from the University of Hawai’i at Manoa in 2009. He spent three years as a postdoctoral associate at the NASA Astrobiology Institute (Institute for Astronomy, Hawai’i) from 2009-2012 and two years as a postdoctoral associate at Georgia Tech from 2012 – 2014 in the department of Chemistry. He then joined GeorgiaTech as a research scientist for two years from 2014-2016 before joining UCF in 2016, where he has been an Assistant Professor since 2016.
Highlights:
- Affiliate of Georgia Tech and the Florida Space Institute (since 2016)
- Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS), American Geophysical Union (AGU), the Meteoritic Society, & the Planetary Society
- Written and Work(ed/s) on several multi-million dollar winning proposals/institutes including W.M. Keck Institute (2009-2012), the NASA Astrobiology Institute (NAI; 2009-2012, Institute for Astronomy, HI ), Center for Chemical Evolution (2014-2016; GeorgiaTech, GA), as well as two Solar System Exploration Virtual Institutes (SSERVI) including the Center for Lunar and Asteroids Surface Science (CLASS; 2016-) and the Radiation Effects on Volatiles and Exploration of Asteroids and Lunar Surfaces (REVEALS; submitting late 2016)
- NASA Review Panelist (2012-2016)
- Instrument Proposer for Europa Lander (2020s launch?)
- Co-I on Mission Study for Uranus Orbiter (@JPL 2010)
- Gordon Research Conference Travel Award (2010)
Research Areas
PHYSICAL & ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY:
Development of novel ultra-high vacuum techniques and instrumentation · surface science · thin film preparation and characterization · ionization techniques; resonance enhanced multiphoton ionization (REMPI) and synchrotron radiation · kinetics · molecular beam generation · polymer chemistry · computational chemistry for the predication of molecular properties · interaction of charged particles and photons with matter · non-equilibrium chemistry · radical & excited state chemistry.
INSTRUMENTAL TECHNIQUES:
FTIR spectroscopy · time-of-flight and quadrupole mass spectrometry · synchrotron photoionization · electron-, ion-, and photon-stimulated desorption · Raman spectroscopy · developing new Raman spectroscopy techniques, with biomedical applications · temperature programmed desorption · ToF-SIMS.
ASTROCHEMISTRY, ASTROBIOLOGY, AND PLANETARY SCIENCE:
Participation in mission and instrument development (particularly Raman and time-of-flight mass spectrometers) · interaction of radiation with surfaces · space weathering of airless bodies · Kuiper belt objects · comets · icy satellites · Mercury · the Moon · chemistry in the interstellar medium · origin of amino acids, peptides, and sugars on the early Earth · origin of life.
Research Opportunities for Students
Information on requirements
Currently accepting:
Graduate
Undergraduate
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- Is it Paid?
- In a lab?
- Prerequisites
- Learning materials
Publications
2016:
- C.J. Bennett, J. L. McLain, M. Sarantos, R. D. Gann, A. DeSimone, T. M. Orlando, “Potential Contributions to Mercury’s Exospheric Calcium and the Loss of Hollows Surface Material: Photon-Stimulated Desorption of Calcium Neutrals from Calcium Sulfide”, Journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, 121, 137 (2016)
2014:
- C.J. Bennett, C. P. Ennis, R. I. Kaiser, “Implantation of Energetic D+ Ions into Carbon Dioxide Ices and Implications to our Solar System: Formation of D2O and D2CO3”, the Astrophysical Journal, 794, 57 (2014)
- C.J. Bennett, C. P. Ennis, R. I. Kaiser, Experimental Studies on the Formation of D2O and D2O2 by Implantation of Energetic D+ Ions into Oxygen Ices. The Astrophysical Journal, 782, 63 (2014)
2013:
- C.J. Bennett, C. Pirim, T. M. Orlando, “Space Weathering of Solar System Bodies – A Laboratory Perspective”, Chemical Reviews, 113(12), 9086 (2013)
- C.J. Bennett, S. J. Brotton, B. M. Jones, A. K. Misra, S. K. Sharma, R. I. Kaiser, “High-Sensitivity Raman Spectrometer to Study Pristine and Irradiated Interstellar Ice Analogs”, Analytical Chemistry, 85(12), 5659 (2013)
2011:
- S.B. Morales, C.J. Bennett, S.D Le Picard, A. Canosa, I.R. Sims, B.J. Sun, P.H. Chen, A.H.H. Chang, V.V. Kislov, A.M. Mebel, X. Gu, F. Zhang, P. Maksyutenko, R.I. Kaiser, “A Crossed Molecular Beam, Low-Temperature Kinetics, and Theoretical Investigation of the Reaction of the Cyano Radical (CN) with 1,3-Butandiene (C4H6). A Route to Complex Nitrogen-Bearing Molecules in Low-Temperature Extraterrestrial Environments”, the Astrophysical Journal, 742, 26 (2011)
- B. M. Jones, C.J. Bennett, C.S. R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical studies on the Production of Formamide (H2NCHO) within Interstellar Ice Analogs”, the Astrophysical Journal, 734:78, 1 (2011)
- C. P. Ennis, C.J. Bennett, B.M. Jones, R.I. Kaiser, “Formation of D2-water and D2-carbonic Acid in Oxygen-Rich Solar System Ices via D2+ Irradiation”, the Astrophysical Journal, 733:79, 1-11 (2011)
- C.P. Ennis, C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “On The Formation of Ozone in Oxygen-rich Solar System Ices via Ionizing Radiation”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 13, 9469 (2011)
- N. L. Evans, S. Ullrich, C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “On the Interaction of Adenine with Ionizing Radiation at 10 K: Mechanistical Studies and Astrobiological Significance”, the Astrophysical Journal, 730:69, 1 (2011)
2010:
- Quinto-Hernandez, A. M. Wodtke, C.J. Bennett, Y.S. Kim, R.I. Kaiser, “On the Interaction of Methyl Azide (CH3N3) Ices with Ionizing Radiation: Formation of Methanimine (CH2NH), Hydrogen Cyanide (HCN), and Hydrogen Isocyanide (HNC)”, Journal of Physical Chemistry A, 115, 250 (2010)
- C.J. Bennett, T. Hama, Y.S. Kim, M. Kawasaki, R.I. Kaiser, “Laboratory Studies on the Formation of Formic Acid (HCOOH) in Interstellar and Cometary Ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 727, 27 (2010)
- C.J. Bennett, B.M. Jones, E. Knox, J. Perry, Y.S. Kim, R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical Studies on the formation and Nature of the XCN (OCN-) Species”, the Astrophysical Journal, 723, 641 (2010)
- J. He, K. Gao, G. Vidali, C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “Formation of Molecular Hydrogen from Methane Ice”, the Astrophysical Journal, 721, 1656 (2010)
- C.J. Bennett, S.B. Morales, S.D. Le Picard, A. Canosa, I.R. Sims, Y.H. Shih, A.H.H. Chang, X. Gu, F. Zhang, R.I. Kaiser, “A Chemical Dynamics, Kinetics, and Theoretical Study on the Reaction of the Cyano Radical (CN; X2Σ+) with Phenylacetylene (C6H4CCH; X1A1)”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 12, 8737 (2010)
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical studies on the formation and destruction of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and carbon trioxide (CO3) in interstellar ice analog samples”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 12(16), 4032 (2010)
- Y.S. Kim, C.J. Bennett, L.-H. Chen, K. O’Brien, R. I. Kaiser, “Laboratory studies on the irradiation of solid ethane analog ices and implications to Titan’s chemistry”, the Astrophysical Journal, 711 (2, Pt. 1), 744 (2010)
2009:
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, R.I. Kaiser, “An experimental investigation of the decomposition of carbon monoxide and formation routes to carbon dioxide in interstellar ices”, Astrophysical Journal Supplement Series, 182(1), 1 (2009)
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical studies on the formation of carbon dioxide in extraterrestrial carbon monoxide ice analog samples”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 11(21), 4210 (2009)
2008:
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical Studies on the Decomposition of Carbon Suboxide in a Cometary Ice Analogue”, Planetary and Space Science, 56, 1181 (2008)
2007:
- C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “On the Formation of Glycolaldehyde (HCOCH2OH) and Methyl Formate (HCOOCH3) in Interstellar Ice Analogs”, the Astrophysical Journal, 661, 899 (2007)
- C.J. Bennett, S.H.Chen, B.J.Sun, A.H.H. Chang, R.I. Kaiser, “Mechanistical Studies on the Irradiation of Methanol in Extraterrestrial Ices”, the Astrophysical Journal. 660, 1588 (2007)
- C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “The Formation of Acetic Acid (CH3COOH) in Interstellar Ice Analogs”, the Astrophysical Journal, 660, 1289 (2007)
2006:
- C.S. Jamieson, Y. Guo, X. Gu, F. Zhang, C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “Laboratory Studies on the Formation of Carbon-Bearing Molecules in Extraterrestrial Environments – From the Gas Phase to the Solid State”, Proceedings of the NASA Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop; NASA Special Issue, CP – 2006- 214549, 68-71 (2006)
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “Laboratory studies on the irradiation of methane in interstellar, cometary, and solar system ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 653, 792 (2006)
2005:
- C.J. Bennett, R.I. Kaiser, “Laboratory studies on the formation of ozone (O3) on icy satellites and on interstellar and cometary ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 635(2, Pt. 1), 1362 (2005)
- C.J. Bennett, Y. Osamura, M.D. Lebar, R.I. Kaiser, “Laboratory studies on the formation of three C2H4O isomers- acetaldehyde (CH3CHO), ethylene oxide (c-C2H4O), and vinyl alcohol (CH2CHOH) in interstellar and cometary ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 634, 698 (2005)
- D.S. Sillars, C.J. Bennett, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “Infrared spectroscopic detection of the methylsilyl (CH3SiH2, X2A’) and the silylmethyl (CH2SiH3, X2A’) radicals and their partially deuterated counterparts in low temperature matrices”, Chemical Physics, 315, 41 (2005)
- P.D. Holtom, C.J. Bennett, Y. Osamura, N.J. Mason, R.I. Kaiser, “A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Formation of the Amino Acid Glycine (NH2CH2COOH) and its Isomer (CH3NHCOOH) in Extraterrestrial Ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 626, 940 (2005)
- C.J. Bennett, C.S. Jamieson, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “A combined experimental and computational investigation on the synthesis of acetaldehyde (CH3CHO(X1A’)) in interstellar ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 624, 1097 (2005)
- C.S. Jamieson, C.J. Bennett, A.M. Mebel, R.I. Kaiser, “Investigating the mechanism for the formation of nitrous oxide (N2O(X1 Σ+)) in extraterrestrial ices”, the Astrophysical Journal, 624, 436 (2005)
- C.J. Bennett, D. Sillars, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “Infrared spectroscopic identification of the methylsilylidyne (SiCH3, X2A”) and the silenyl (H2CSiH, X2A’) radicals in methane-silane matrices”, Chemical Physics Letters, 404, 327 (2005)
2004:
- D. Sillars, C.J. Bennett, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “First infrared spectroscopic characterization of the disilyl (Si2H5) and d5-disilyl (Si2D5) radicals in low temperature silane matrices”, Chemical Physics, 305, 141 (2004)
- D. Sillars, C.J. Bennett, Y. Osamura, R.I. Kaiser, “Infrared spectroscopic detection of the disilenyl (Si2H3) and d3-disilenyl (Si2D3) radicals in silane and d4-silane matrices”, Chemical Physics Letters, 392, 541 (2004)
- C.J. Bennett, C. Jamieson, A.M. Mebel, R.I. Kaiser, “Untangling the formation of the cyclic carbon trioxide isomer in low temperature carbon dioxide ices”, Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics, 6, 735 (2004)