BNL scientist Trevor Sears was recognized for advancing the molecular spectroscopy of transient species through the invention of new techniques. Their obtaining valuable information about these transients. Trevor Sears uses laser spectroscopy to study molecules in chemical reactions involved in burning hydrocarbon fuels. Measuring how the molecules absorb and emit light help to explain their structures, while determining the amount of light a sample absorbs at a particular wavelength reveals the quantity of an absorbing molecules in the sample. The long-term benefits of this research are a deeper understanding of the chemistry of combustion and cleaner and more efficient use of hydrocarbon fuels.