Rick Marta

MNS Lecturer International & Materials and Nanosciences Undergraduate Advisor

Rick Marta is a lecturer and Materials and Nanosciences (MNS) academic advisor for the Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy. He is a passionate and enthusiastic teacher who strives for his students’ success. He implements the use of technologies in his classes and provides extensive online support materials to his students. He travels yearly to Beijing, China, to teach students at the UW partner university, Beijing Jiaotong University (BJTU).

Contact information
Office: PHY 253
Phone: 519-888-4567, ext. 43907
Email: ramarta@uwaterloo.ca

Expertise

Materials and nanosciences
Physical chemistry
Gas-phase ion-molecule structures and energetics
Mass spectrometry
Electronic structure calculations
Science education

Research Interests

Rick Marta's research experience has included

Investigating structures, energetics and reaction dynamics of gaseous ions
High pressure mass spectrometry (HPMS)
Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance (FT-ICR) mass spectrometry
Gas-phase infrared multiphoton dissociation (IRMPD) spectroscopy
Electronic structure calculations
Undergraduate laboratory design and implementation

Teaching

Chemistry courses

CHEM 120: General Chemistry 1
CHEM 123: General Chemistry 2
CHEM 224L: Analytical Instrumentation Laboratory
CHEM 254: Introductory Chemical Thermodynamics
CHEM 266L: Organic Chemistry Laboratory 1
CHEM 267L: Organic Chemistry Laboratory 2
NE 122L: Organic Chemistry Laboratory for Nanotechnology Engineers

Materials and Nanosciences

MNS 101: Materials and Nanosciences in the Modern World
MNS 102: Techniques for Materials and Nanosciences
MNS 201L: Materials and Nanosciences Laboratory
MNS 211: Chemistry and the Solid State
MNS 221: Physics and the Solid State

Semester abroad teaching in China

CHEM 120: General Chemistry 1
CHEM 254: Introductory Chemical Thermodynamics
MNS 101: Materials and Nanosciences in the Modern World
MNS 102: Techniques for Materials and Nanosciences

Highlighted Publications

The structure and properties of anionic tryptophan complexes. C. Ieritano; J. Featherstone; P.J.J. Carr; R.A. Marta; E. Loire; T.B. McMahon; and W.S. Hopkins. Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 41, 26532 (2018).
Infrared-Driven Charge Transfer in Transition Metal-Containing B12X122- (X=H,F) Clusters, I. J.S. De Vlugt; M.J. Lecours; P.J.J. Carr; A. Anwar; R.A. Marta; E. Fillion; V. Steinmetz; and W.S. Hopkins. J. Phys. Chem. A, 35, 7051 (2018).
Mode-Selective Laser Control of Palladium Catalyst Decomposition, P.J.J. Carr; M.J. Lecours; M. Burt; R.A. Marta; V. Steinmetz; E. Fillion; and W.S. Hopkins, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 1, 157 (2018).
Intramolecular cation-pi interactions in protonated phenylalanine derivatives. W.Q. Fu; P.J.J. Carr; M.J. Lecours; M. Burt; R.A. Marta; V. Steinmetz; E. Fillion; T.B. McMahon; and W.S. Hopkins, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 19, 729 (2017).
Interaction of B12F122- with All-cis 1,2,3,4,5,6-Hexafluorocyclohexane in the Gas Phase, W.M.J. Lecours; R.A. Marta; V. Steinmetz; N. Keddie; E. Fillion; D. O'Hagan; T.B. McMahon; and W.S. Hopkins, J. Phys. Chem. Lett., 8, 109 (2017).

Awards and Distinctions

Distinguished Teacher Award, University of Waterloo, 2020
Excellence in Science Teaching Award, 2018
Ontario Graduate Scholarship in Science and Technology, 2008-2009
Bruker BioSpin Graduate Scholarship, 2008-2009
Sandford Fleming Teaching Assistant Award, 2007-2008
Ontario Graduate Scholarship, 2006-2008
President's Graduate Scholarship, 2006-2008
NSERC Postgraduate Scholarship-M, 2006-2007
Graduate Entrance Scholarship, 2004-2005

University of Waterloo Affiliations

Lecturer, Department of Chemistry and the Department of Physics and Astronomy (joint appointment)

Professional Associations and Service

2018-present Undergraduate Academic Advisor, Materials and Nanosciences (MNS)
2018-present Committee Member, MNS Program Steering Committee, Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy
2019-present Committee Member, Physics Curriculum Committee, Department of Physics and Astronomy
2019-present Coordinator, MNS 10 Seminar Series, Departments of Chemistry and Physics and Astronomy
2019-present Committee Member, Sir Isaac Newton Exam Committee, Department of Physics and Astronomy
2019 Training, Mental Health First Aid, Student Success Office