Biography
Julio L. Palma is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Penn State Fayette, The Eberly Campus. He obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry at the University of Florida where he was a member of the Chemistry Department and the Quantum Theory Project. His scientific expertise is in theoretical, computational, and quantum chemistry. Prior to his arrival at Penn State, he was a Post-Doc at the Department of Chemistry of Yale University and at the Biodesign Institute of Arizona State University.
Julio is a committed member of several diversity and inclusion initiatives such as the Inclusion Diversity and Equity Alliance and the Fayette Dialogue Group, which organizes monthly “Campus Chats” where students, staff and faculty engage in productive dialogue to discuss social justice issues.
Since May 2020, Julio represents Penn State Fayette as a Senator in the Penn State University Faculty Senate.
Courses Taught
- CHEM110—Chemical Principles I
- CHEM111—Experimental Chemistry I
- CHEM112—Chemical Principles II
- CHEM113—Experimental Chemistry II
- CHEM130—Introduction to General, Organic and Biochemistry
- CHEM210—Organic Chemistry I
- CHEM212—Organic Chemistry II
- CHEM294—Special Problems and Research
- SC 205N—Identifying Bias and Falsehoods
- PHYS496—Independent Studies and Research in Physics
- PSU 8T—First Year Seminar
Research Interests
Dr. Palma research focuses on:
The application and the development of new theories and computational methods to develop future materials.
Theoretical studies of electron transport and electron transfer in molecular junctions based on organic molecules and biomolecules like DNA and Polypeptides.
Interfacial electron transfer in hybrid systems of Metal or Metal Oxides Clusters and Molecules.
Spin-dependent transport and the Chiral Induced Spin Selectivity Effect.
Publications
Jesus Valdiviezo, Anastazia Polakovsky, Paulina Rocha, and Julio L. Palma*. Non-Exponential Length Dependence of Molecular Conductance Acene-Based Molecular Wires. ACS Sensors. 2021, 6, 2 pp. 477-484.
Anastazia Polakovsky, Janai Showman, Jesus Valdiviezo, and Julio L. Palma*. Quantum Interference Enhances Rectification Behavior in Molecular Devices. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics. 2021, 23 pp.1550-155.
Jesus Valdiviezo, and Julio L. Palma*. Molecular Rectification Enhancement Based on Conformational and Chemical Modifications. J. Phys. Chem. C. 2018, 122 pp. 2053-2063.
Limin Xiang, Julio L. Palma, Yuequi Li, Vladimiro Mujica, Mark A. Ratner, and Nongjian Tao. Gate-controlled conductance switching in DNA. Nature Communications. 2017, 8 pp. 1-10.
Limin Xiang, Julio L. Palma, Christopher Bruot, Vladimiro Mujica, Mark A. Ratner, and Nongjian Tao. Intermediate Tunneling-hopping Regime in DNA charger Transport. Nature Chemistry. 2015, 7 pp. 221-226.
Education
2009 University of Florida, Gainesville, FL USA
Ph.D. Chemistry with a Chemical Physics certificate
Thesis: “Theoretical Investigation on Molecular Wires: Electronic Spectra and Electron Transport”
2003 ITESM Campus Monterrey, Monterrey, Nuevo León, México
B.S. Chemical Sciences
Honors Thesis: “Electronic Spectra Prediction and Molecular Dynamics for the Nanostar Dendrimer”