Research Interests

Dr. Donald's research interests are in the surface chemistry of lanthanides and actinides. His focus is on the application of both experimental and theoretical methods to gain a molecular level understanding of fundamental and applied processes occurring at surfaces and interfaces.

Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Virginia, 2013

B.S., Chemistry, Virginia Military Institute, 2006

1. Scott B. Donald, M. Lee Davisson, Art J. Nelson, XPS Investigation on Changes in UO2 Speciation following Exposure to Humidity, MRS Advances, pp. 1–5, doi: 10.1557/adv.2016.286 (2016)
2. Scott B. Donald, Wigbert J. Siekhaus, Art J. Nelson, XPS and SIMS study of the surface and interface of aged C+ implanted uranium, J. Vac. Sci. Technol. A34, 061401 (2016)
3. S. B. Donald, I. Harrison, "Dynamically Biased RRKM Model of Activated Gas-Surface Reactivity: Vibrational Efficacy and Rotation as a Spectator in the Dissociative Chemisorption of CH4 on Pt(111)." Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 14 1784 (2012)
4. S. B. Donald, J.K. Navin, I. Harrison, "Methane Dissociative Chemisorption and Detailed Balance on Pt(111): Dynamical Constraints and the Modest Influence of Tunneling." J. Chem. Phys., 139 214707 (2013)
5. S. B. Donald, "Precursor Mediated Microcanonical Trapping Model of Activated Dissociative Chemisorption at Surfaces: Assessment of Dynamical Effects", Ph.D. Thesis, Dept. of Chemistry, University of Virginia, Charlottesville, VA (2013)
6. S. B. Donald, I. Harrison, "RRKM Simulation of Hydrogen Dissociation on Cu(111): Addressing Dynamical Biases, Surface Temperature, and Tunneling." J. Phys. Chem. C 118 320 (2014)
7. J. K. Navin, S. B. Donald, I. Harrison, "Angle-Resolved Thermal Dissociative Sticking of Light Alkanes on Pt(111): Transitioning from Dynamical to Statistical Behavior" J. Phys. Chem. C 118 22003 (2014)

• Allan T. Gwathmey Award, 2014
• AES Corporation Graduate Fellow in Energy Research, 2011-2013
• Burger Fellow, 2010-2011
• UVa Presidential Fellow, 2006-2010
• Larry L. Jackson '62 Undergraduate Research in Chemistry Award, 2006
• VMI Institute Scholar, 2002-2006