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LIVERMORE, Calif. – November 27, 2007 – Los Angeles native and future chemist Daniel Rosenfeld
believes that solving many of the world’s problems may well start in the
chemistry laboratory. From finding
alternative energy to improving basic research techniques, the gifted 22-year
old will support his research interests at Stanford University using a full
five-year graduate fellowship from the prestigious Fannie and John Hertz
Foundation. “Using a technique called two-dimensional infrared
spectroscopy, we can find out how fast certain phenomena occur in liquids,
where time scales are very fast,” Rosenfeld says. “Studying the time-dependent structural evolution of liquids
is important for understanding chemical reactions in different environments. Understanding the dynamics of hydrogen
bonding liquids for example will help scientists solve problems in biology and
medicine.” Rosenfeld, a 2007 Yale University graduate, is one of
15 graduate students selected from more than 580 across the country to receive
the Hertz graduate fellowship.
Hertz Fellows each receive up to $240,000 over five years to pursue
their own scientific interests at top universities in the United States. This no-strings-attached support gives
Hertz Fellows financial independence and freedom to conduct innovative research
because, unlike many other grants, university and study choices are not limited
by strict funding requirements. “Hertz Fellows represent the very best young
scientific talent in our nation,” says John Holzrichter, PhD, Hertz Foundation
president. “These students embody
the drive and curiosity to solve the most difficult problems our world faces,
and we are pleased to support them as they grow in their chosen disciplines.” Rosenfeld attributes his early interest in chemistry
in part to Mr. Stephen Marsden, his chemistry teacher at
Harvard-Westlake High School, North Hollywood,
Calif. “He taught me that while
today’s problems are big, most can be looked at on a smaller scale, small
enough to be studied in the chemistry lab,” Rosenfeld says. While at Yale, Rosenfeld studied the motions of
confined water through molecular dynamics simulations and infrared
spectroscopy. He focused on
understanding how the interface between water and a surfactant in nanoscopic
water pools affect transient and long-time dynamics and hydrogen bonding. These techniques have broad
applications in science. A tutor for undergraduate science students, Rosenfeld
hopes to also teach and conduct research in an academic setting one day. When he’s not in the lab, Rosenfeld may
be found on the softball field or reading a good novel. Rosenfeld graduated from high school in 2003, when he
won the Harvard-Westlake Science Award and won the National Merit Scholarship. He received a bachelor of science in
chemistry in 2007 from Yale University, where he graduated summa cum laude with
exceptional distinction in his major.
In addition to the Hertz Fellowship, Rosenfeld received the Perspectives
on Science Summer Research Fellowship, the Beckman Scholar Fellowship, the
Goldwater Scholarship and the Werner Bergmann Prize for Outstanding Senior in
Chemistry. He was also inducted in
Phi Beta Kappa. Rosenfeld’s
father, Mort Rosenfeld, is a partner at Rosenfeld, Wolff and Klein in Los
Angeles, and his mother, Maggie Rosenfeld, is director of operations for a Santa
Monica private school. His
brother, Andrew, 25, is an investment manager. About
the Hertz Foundation The Fannie and John Hertz Foundation, based in
Livermore, Calif., is a tax exempt, not-for-profit organization dedicated to
the selection and support of outstanding individuals in the applied physical,
biological and engineering sciences.
Founded in 1963, the Foundation’s mission is to build America’s capacity
for innovation by nurturing remarkable applied scientists and engineers who
show the most promise to change the world. It awards fellowships to an average of 15 PhD candidates
every year to pursue graduate studies at the nation's finest academic
institutions. As a result, the
Hertz Foundation supports the research efforts of about 75 Fellows at any given
time. The Hertz Fellowships are
widely considered to be among the most competitive and most prestigious offered
anywhere. For more information
about the Fannie and John Hertz Foundation, as well as giving opportunities, go
to www.hertzfoundation.org. |
