The Marks Lab

Interferometric & Nonlinear Optical Surface Science · Florida International University

Joshua H. Marks, Ph.D.

Assistant Professor, Florida International University
jomarks@fiu.edu · (305) 348-3193 · Office CP 333 · Lab OE 270

Dr. Joshua H. Marks joined the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Florida International University as an Assistant Professor in December 2025. He earned his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Hartford in 2010 and worked as a quality control analyst at Airgas East and Fiabila USA before beginning graduate school. He received his Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Georgia in 2020 under the direction of Michael A. Duncan, studying uranium-containing cations with gas-phase spectroscopy and computational quantum chemistry. From 2021 to 2025 he was a Postdoctoral Fellow in the W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, where he identified molecules likely to form in astrophysical ices with relevance to the origins of life. He has published 44 peer-reviewed papers, in journals including J. Am. Chem. Soc., Nat. Commun., Sci. Adv., and Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. USA.

Education

Sep 2014 – Dec 2020 Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Dissertation: “Gas Phase Spectroscopy and Computational Quantum Chemistry of Uranium-Containing Cations”
Advisor: Michael A. Duncan
Sep 2007 – Dec 2010 B.S. in Chemistry, University of Hartford, West Hartford, CT

Research Experience

Dec 2025 – Present Assistant Professor, Florida International University, Miami, FL
Oct 2021 – Oct 2025 Postdoctoral Fellow, W. M. Keck Research Laboratory in Astrochemistry, University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, Honolulu, HI
Identified novel and known species likely to be formed in astrophysical environments with relevance to the origins of life.
Topics: Surface science, vacuum ultraviolet light production with four-wave mixing, ultrahigh vacuum, helium cryocooling
Jun 2014 – Sep 2021 Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia, Athens, GA
Studied the gas-phase reaction dynamics of metal oxide/carbide clustering, metal cation–ligand complexes, and metal cation catalyzed chemistry.
Topics: Gas-phase spectroscopy, computational quantum chemistry, high vacuum, pulsed supersonic expansion, laser vaporization, mass spectrometer design and construction

Teaching Experience

2014 – 2020 Graduate Teaching Assistant, Department of Chemistry, University of Georgia
  • Fall 2014 & Fall 2015: General Chemistry Lab I, including material preparation
  • Spring 2014 & Spring 2015: Honors & Majors General Chemistry Lab II; supervised undergraduate teaching assistants under the direction of Charles R. Kutal
  • Fall 2016, Fall 2017 & Fall 2020: Physical Chemistry Lab I, including material preparation

Professional Experience

Jul 2012 – Jun 2013 Quality Control Analyst, Fiabila USA, Mine Hill, NJ
Responsible for the team receiving incoming raw materials and their analysis prior to use.
Karl Fischer titration, gas chromatography, gravimetry, ultraviolet/visible and infrared spectrophotometry, rheometry
Aug 2011 – Apr 2012 Quality Control Analyst, Airgas East, Specialty Gas Division, Cheshire, CT
Analysis of outgoing compressed gas mixtures to ensure products met specifications for concentration and purity. Operated and maintained calibration of gas chromatographs and a variety of process analyzers.

Service & Professional Activities

Research Interests

Mass Spectrometry · Vacuum Technology · Laser Spectroscopy · Surface Chemistry & Catalysis · Reaction Dynamics · Astrochemistry · Astrobiology · Origins of Life

Publications

44 peer-reviewed publications. See the Publications page for the full list.

Presentations

  1. J. H. Marks, J. Wang, R. C. Fortenberry, R. I. Kaiser. An Efficient Route to Sugar in Space: Prototype Reactions of Ethylene Glycol (HOCH2CH2OH) with Carbon Monoxide (CO) in Interstellar Ices. 78th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2025.
  2. J. H. Marks, R. I. Kaiser. Candied Stardust: Molecular Mass Growth Processes of Sugars in the Circumstellar and Interstellar Medium. Tokyo, Japan, November 2024.
  3. J. H. Marks, X. Bai, A. A. Nikolayev, Q. Gong, C. Zhu, N. F. Kleimeier, A. M. Turner, S. K. Singh, J. Wang, J. Yang, Y. Pan, T. Yang, A. M. Mebel, R. I. Kaiser. Methanetriol – Formation of an Impossible Molecule. 77th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2024.
  4. J. Wang, A. A. Nikolayev, J. H. Marks, A. M. Turner, S. Chandra, N. F. Kleimeier, A. M. Mebel, R. I. Kaiser. Formation of Nitrogen Heteroaromatics [Indole, C8H7N; Pyrrole, C4H5N; Aniline, C6H5NH2] in Model Interstellar Ices and Their Role in the Synthesis of Proteinogenic Amino Acids and Nucleobases. 77th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2024.
  5. J. H. Marks, A. A. Nikolayev, M. M. Evseev, J. Wang, A. M. Turner, N. F. Kleimeier, O. V. Kuznetsov, M. McAnally, A. N. Morozov, I. O. Antonov, A. M. Mebel, R. I. Kaiser. Quantum Tunneling Mediated Synthesis of Prebiotic Chelation Agents in Interstellar Analog Ices. Third Laboratory Astrophysics Workshop, Kapa‘a, HI, February 2024.
  6. J. H. Marks, J. Wang, A. M. Turner, N. F. Kleimeier, M. M. Evseev, O. V. Kuznetsov, M. McAnally, I. Antonov, A. M. Mebel, R. I. Kaiser. Quantum Tunneling in Interstellar Ice by Ammonia (NH3) and Acetaldehyde (CH3CHO): Chelation Agents to Assist RNA Replication. 76th International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2023.
  7. J. H. Marks, J. Wang, R. C. Fortenberry, R. I. Kaiser. Preparation of Methanediamine (CH2(NH2)2): A Precursor to Nucleobases in the Interstellar Medium. Astrocheminar Series, virtual, ACS Astrochemistry Subdivision, January 2023.
  8. J. H. Marks, J. Wang, A. K. Eckhardt, N. F. Kleimeier, A. M. Turner, R. I. Kaiser. Interstellar Peptide Bond Formation by Acetaldehyde and Ammonia in Analog Ice. International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2022.
  9. J. H. Marks, E. Miliordos, M. A. Duncan. Infrared Spectroscopy of the Co+(H2O) Complex with He, Ne, and Ar Tagging. Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2021.
  10. J. H. Marks, T. B. Ward, M. A. Duncan. Coordination and Structure of Late Transition Metal Cation (Co, Rh, Pt) Acetylene Complexes Studied with Infrared Photodissociation Spectroscopy. International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2019.
  11. J. H. Marks, T. B. Ward, M. A. Duncan. Coordination and Intra-Cluster Reactions of Vanadium and Zinc Cation Complexes with Acetylene Studied with Infrared Spectroscopy. Gordon Research Conference: Gaseous Ions, Structures, Energies and Reactions, Ventura, CA, February 2019.
  12. J. H. Marks, P. Kahn, M. Vasiliu, D. A. Dixon, M. A. Duncan. Photodissociation of Uranium Oxide Cluster Cations. Southeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Augusta, GA, October 2018.
  13. J. H. Marks, T. B. Ward, M. A. Duncan. Single Atom Catalytic Cyclotrimerization of V(acetylene)3 Studied with Infrared Spectroscopy. International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2018.
  14. J. H. Marks, T. B. Ward, M. A. Duncan. Infrared Spectroscopy of Zn(acetylene)1–5+: Evidence of Acetylene Activation by a Metal Radical Cation. International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Urbana-Champaign, IL, June 2018.