at Penn State
Prof. Miriam Arak Freedman
Bio: Miriam Freedman graduated with her BA from Swarthmore College in 2000 in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics. She received a MS in Mathematics from the University of Minnesota from 2002. She then received her PhD in Chemistry from the University of Chicago in 2008 as an NSF Graduate Fellow, where she worked with Prof. Steven Sibener on helium atom scattering to investigate energy transfer in supported organic thin films. After her PhD, Miriam was a NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow at the University of Colorado at Boulder with Prof. Margaret Tolbert, where she studied the optical properties of atmospheric particles. Miriam began her independent position at the Pennsylvania State University in 2010, where she is currently a Professor. Her research group studies phase transitions of aerosol particles, ice nucleation, and other topics at the interface of physical chemistry, surface science, and atmospheric chemistry. She received an NSF CAREER award in 2014, the Eberly College of Science 2019 Dean’s Climate & Diversity Award, and the 2021 ACS Physical Chemistry Division Early Career Award in Experimental Physical Chemistry.​
Education
Appointments
2002-2008
University of Chicago
2000-2002
University of Minnesota
1996-2000
Swarthmore College
Ph.D. Chemistry 2008
M.S. Chemistry 2002
NSF Graduate Fellow
Thesis: Interfacial dynamics of self-assembled and confined complex organic materials
Advisor: S. J. Sibener
M.S. in Mathematics with emphasis in industrial and applied mathematics
Thesis: Mesoscale Modeling of Polymer Morphology
Advisor: R. A. Kuske (currently at University of British Columbia)
B.A. with High Honors
Major: Chemistry, Minor: Mathematics
2020 - present
2017 - 2020
2010 - 2017
2010 - 2017
Professor of Chemistry and Meteorology & Atmospheric Science (by courtesy), Penn State
Associate Professor of Chemistry and Meteorology & Atmospheric Science (by courtesy), Penn State
Associate Department Head for Climate and Diversity
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Penn State
NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. M. A. Tolbert, University of Colorado - Boulder
Awards & Fellowships
ACS Physical Chemistry Division Early-Career Award for Experimental Physical Chemistry (2021)
Eberly College of Science Dean’s Climate and Diversity Award (Penn State, 2019)
NSF CAREER Award (2014-2020)
Hot Topics speaker at Gordon Research Conference on Reactions at Surfaces (2013)
External Examiner for Swarthmore College Honors Program (2013, 2015)
Selected Participant, ACCESS X (Atmospheric Chemistry Gordon Research Conference, 2009)
NOAA Climate and Global Change Postdoctoral Fellowship (7/2008-6/2010)
CIRES Postdoctoral Fellowship (University of Colorado, 2008-2009, declined)
Yang Cao-Lan-Xian Best Thesis Award in Physical Chemistry (University of Chicago, 2008)
Finalist, Morton M. Traum Surface Science Prize Competition (American Vacuum Society, 2007)
Finalist, Nottingham Competition (Physical Electronics Conference, 2007)
Edith Barnard Memorial Award in Chemistry for Service to Others (University of Chicago, 2007)
Joan Shiu Student Service Award (University of Chicago, 2006)
Helen Sellei-Beretvas Female Graduate Student Award (University of Chicago, 2004)
The Nathan Sugarman Teaching Award in General Chemistry (University of Chicago, 2003)
National Science Foundation Graduate Fellowship (University of Chicago, 2003-2006)
McCormick Fellowship (University of Chicago, 2002-2004)
Teaching
Courses Taught:
Spectroscopic Analysis (Chem 526)
Environmental Chemistry (Chem 402)
Physical Chemistry: Thermodynamics (Chem 450)
Professional Activities and Memberships
Editorial advisory board, Journal of Physical Chemistry, May 2018-present
Editorial advisory board, Chemical Society Reviews, December 2016-present
Memberships: ACS, AAAR, AAAS
Session co-chair AAAR Annual Meeting, October 2021
Alternate Councilor for executive council of ACS PHYS Division, January 2017 - December 2019
Symposium co-organizer and co-chair "Physical Chemistry of the Atmosphere", PHYS Division, ACS Fall Meeting, San Diego, August 2019
Guest editor, Environmental Science: Processes and Impacts, Special issue: "Atmospheric Surfaces", 2018 issue 20
Abstract reviewer for Middle Atlantic Regional ACS Conference 2017
Guest editor, J. Phys. Chem. C for “Steven J. Sibener Festschrift” issue 119 vol 26 in 2015
Speaker, ACS Physical Chemistry Division Undergraduate Symposium, ACS Fall Meeting 2015
Co-organizer, ACS Physical Chemistry Division Symposium “Transformations of Matter in the Troposphere”, ACS Spring Meeting 2015
Co-convener and co-chair, “Mineral dust aerosol: From small-scale insights to large scale understanding” session for AGU Fall Meeting 2012
Session co-chair, “Instrumentation and Methods” platform session for AAAR 2012 Meeting
​