UA Chemistry Department News-2007

December 2007

• Congratulations to the students who earned chemistry degrees during the December Commencement ceremonies. The department wishes these students the best of luck in their future endeavors.
  • PhD
    • Qingmei Chen - Towards Environmentally Friendly Fabric Treatment Agents
      Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
    • Joon-Hyung Cho - Part I. Palladium -Catalyzed Alkenylation and Alkynylation of Nucleosides in Aqueous Media. Part II. Palladium-Catalyzed Carbon-Selenium Bond formation for Unsymmetrical Diselenides
      Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy
    • Galina Gulis - Biochemical Study of Disassembly and Degradation of Photosystem 1 from Chlamydomonas Reinhardtii
      Advisor: Dr. Kevin Redding
    • Zhufang Liu - Synthesis, Activation, and Electrochemical Study of Pt and Pt-Based Bimetallic Nanoparticles for Anode Catalysts of Direct Methanol Fuel Cels (DMFCs)
      Advisor: Dr. David Nikles
    • Melanie Moody - A Study of the influence of Water on Polyethylene Glycol Solutions
      Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
    • Dwayne Reed - Use of Silicate Shells to Prevent Sintering During Thermally Induced Chemical Ordering of FePt Nanoparticles
      Advisor: Dr. David Nikles
    • Marcin Smiglak - A Modular "Ionic Liquid" Platform for the Custom Design of Energetic Materials
      Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
    • Haiyin Wang - The Photochemical Reduction of Dendrimer-Mediated Metal Ions
      Advisor: Dr. Shane Street
    • Yangliu Zhou - Preparation of New Crosslinking Agents and Additives for Use in Polymer Electrolyte Membranes (PEMs) for Fuel Cell Applications
      Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
  • MS
    • Yinghua Chen
      Advisor: Dr. Timkovich
    • Yuan Chen
      Advisor: Dr. John Vincent
    • Christopher Corey Hines -
      Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
    • Whitney Hough
      Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
  • BS
    • James E. Clark, III
    • Jennifer M. Harrison - cum laude
    • Jake E. Porter

November 2007

• Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy was named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow by Dean Olin at the fall A&S faculty meeting on November 30th. The award is given in recognition of dedication to the art of teaching. Fellows serve a 3 year term, during which they provide guidance to the Dean on issues related to teaching. Dr. Shaughnessy joins Dr. Kevin Redding, who was named a Distinguished Teaching Fellow in 2006.
• The 36th Annual Southeast Magnetic Research Conference (SEMRC) was held Nov. 9-11th at Shelby Hall. The meeting was hosted by The University of Alabama, the Department of Chemistry, and the Center for Materials in Information Technology with Dr. Lowell Kispert, Dr. Kevin Redding, Dr. Michael Bowman, and Dr. Chester Alexander serving as the organizaing committee. Thirty-two lectures and a number of posters were presented during the conference by some of the leading figures in magnetic resonance research.

October 2007

• Dr. Anthony Arduengo has been elected a Fellow of the American Associationi for the Advancement of Science (AAAS). The announcement of this year's Fellow's was announced in the October 26th edition of Science. Dr. Arduengo is one of 56 Fellows chosen in the area of chemistry this year. Dr. Arduengo joins Dr. David Dixon as the second member of the Department to be named a AAAS Fellow. Dr. Arduengo was elected as an AAAS Fellow for the synthesis of the first stable carbenes and for distinguished contributions in the synthesis and characterization of main group element compounds with unusual valencies.
  • University press release
• Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy was named a recipient of the 2007 Outstanding Commitment to Teaching Award (OCTA) at the Fall Faculty meeting. The OCTA is presented each fall to four faculty members at UA and is the University’s highest honor for excellence in teaching. Dr. Shaughnessy is the 4th chemistry department faculty member to receive the award. Other active faculty members who have received the OCTA are Dr. John Vincent (1999) and Dr. Silas Blackstock (2001).
  • University press release
• Three department graduate students have received Louisa Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (LSAMP) Bridge to the Doctorate Fellowships. The recipients are DeAna McAdory of Montgomery; Melody Kelley of Detroit, Mich; and Nicole Gray of Moss Point, Miss, all of whom are in their first semester in the department. The LSAMP fellowships provide a 2 year stipend to support students in obtaining a masters degree, which hopefully will ultimately lead to a doctorate.
  • University press release

September 2007

• A paper co-authored by Dr. David Dixon, graduate student Raluca Craciun, and co-workers at UCLA and UC-Davis that was published in Chemistry--A European Journal was chosen as a Very Important Paper and highlighted on the cover. The paper entitled, "Molecular Heterogeneous Catalysis: A Single-Site Zeolite-Supported Rhodium Complex for Acetylene Cyclotrimerization," reports an experimental and computational effort to design efficient heterogeneous catalysts for the trimerization of acetylene to benzene.

August 2007

• We are pleased to welcome a new class of graduate students to the department. The first year students are listed below along with their previous institution. Three members of the incoming class were recipients of LSAMP fellowships.
  • Mier An - Beijing Normal University
  • Aymara Albury - The University of Alabama
  • Mingyang Chen - Fudan University
  • Nicole Gray (LSAMP Fellowship) - Alabama State University
  • Mellody Kelley (LSAMP Fellowship) - Wayne State University
  • Franchessa Maddox - Augusta State University
  • Steven McNeil - University of West Alabama
  • DeAna McAdory (LSAMP Fellowship) - Alabama State University
  • Nicholas Rhodes - University of West Georgia
  • Yu Wang - Beihua University
• Dr. Joe Thrasher will step down as Department Chair effective August 15th. Dr. Thrasher has overseen the department through the move to Shelby Hall and an increase in our numbers of faculty and undergraduate majors. Dr. David Dixon will serve as Interim Chair for the Department as we search for a permanent chair. The Department thanks Dr. Thrasher for his service over the past 5 years and Dr. for his willingness to take on the interim chair.
• Dr. Greg Szulczewski is stepping down as Director of Undergraduate Studies after serving for the past 5 years. In that time our number of undergraduate majors has significantly increased. Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy has agreed to replace Dr. Szulczewski as the Undergraduate Director. The Department thanks Dr. Szulczewski for his service over the past five years and Dr. Shaughnessy for agreeing to take on this role.
• Congratulations to the Chemistry students who received their degrees in the August Commencement ceremony.
  • PhD
    • Gabriela Gurau - New Developments in Carbene and Nitrene Cemistry
      Advisor: Dr. Anthony Arduengo
    • Dan Pu - Mass Spectrometric Studies of Peptide Fragmentation and Complexes of Chromium (III) with Acidic Peptides
      Advisor: Dr. Carolyn Cassady
    • Dominic F. Qualley - Synthesis and Survey of Non-Natural Bases in Nucleic Acids
      Advisor: Dr. Stephen Woski
    • Kailas B. Sawant - Studies Towards Synthesis of Lasonolide A, Total Synthesis and Structural Determination of Diospongin A and B
      Advisor: Dr. Michael Jennings
  • BS
    • Caitlin D. Prickett - University Honors Program
    • Timothy B. Wilson - ACS certified degree

July 2007

• Students in the department's NSF-funded SURP program were highlighted in a University press release.

June 2007

• We are pleased to welcome the 2007 SURP students to campus. These students will carry out research projects with department faculty this summer. In addition the students will be involved in other social and educational activities.

May 2007

• Kathryn Tippey, who carries out research with Dr.David Dixon, was awarded a NOAA Hollings Scholarship. Kathryn is a double major in math and economics. She is a member of the Computer-Based Honors Program. Through the CBPH program, Kathryn has carried out a computational environmental science project under the direction of Dr. Dixon. The Hollings Scholarship Program is designed to improve undergraduate training in oceanic and atmospheric science, research technology, and natural resource education; increase public understanding of the importance of stewardship of the environment; and improve scientific and environmental education in the U.S.
  • UA press release
• Chemistry majors Laura Dover and Joan-Marie Manolakis were named Student Fellows in the Blackburn Institute. The Blackburn Institute was established in 1995 and is named Dr. John L. Blackburn, a well-known campus leader and former Dean of Students. The purpose of the institute is to establish a network of leaders who will address the challenges faced by the state of Alabama. Fellows were nominated by a dean or faculty member and were chosen based on their interest and leadership potential.
  • UA Press Release
• Dr. Michael Cava, Ramsay Professor Emeritus, and the Aldrich Company have contributed $35,000 to establish the Michael P. Cava Endowed Support Fund. This fund will support a lectureship, the Michael P. Cava Classroom, and a journal library in the department. Dr. Cava was the first holder of the Robert Ramsay Endowed Chair in Chemistry. His research into the synthesis of chalcogen containing heterocycles has received world-wide recognition. Dr. Cava retired in 2004.
  • A&S Press Release
• Congratulations to the chemistry students who received degrees during the 176th Commencement Ceremony on May 12th. We wish these students the best of luck in their future endeavors.
  • PhD Degrees
    • Nicholas J. Bridges - Ionic Liquids and Water: An Investigation of Solvation
      Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
    • J. Richard Duncan - Changing the Redox-Gradient in Geometrically Equivalent Aryl Amines
      Advisor: Dr. Silas Blackstock
    • Jianying Zhang - Isolation and Characterization of Chlamydomonas Suppressor Mutants in Photosystem 1 Degradation
      Advisor: Dr. Kevin Redding
  • MS Degrees
    • Qingmei Chen
    • Erica M. Livingston
  • BS Degrees
    • Aymara M. M. Albury - cum laude, ACS-certified degree
    • Holli M. Armstrong
    • Jacob R. Batson - summa cum laude, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Todd R. Hartlage - summa cum laude
    • Benjamin K. Hinton - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Wesley G. James - summa cum laude
    • James E. LeCroy III
    • Grayson W. Menard - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Adam Z. Mitchell - magna cume laude, University Honors Program
    • Patricia L. Moore
    • James E. Morris
    • Jane H. Poplin - ACS-certified degree
    • Renee L. Woo
• Dr. Kevin Redding has been awarded a Fulbright Fellowship to carry out research while on sabbatical at the Institute of Physico-Chemical Biology (IBPC), in Paris. Dr. Redding will carry out research on the photosynthetic system of Heliobacteria. He will also present lectures at IBPC and other institutions around Paris.
  • UA Press release
• On May 2nd, the Delta Beta Chapter of Gamma Sigma Epsilon inducted 29 chemistry majors to the national honorary society. Officers for the organization are: Samantha Mroczynski (Grand Alchemist), Joan-Marie Manolakis (Apprentice Alchemist), Lindsey Wargo (Keeper of the Solvents), Keith Bentley and Brian Ondocsin (Keepers of the Formulae), Jackson Switzer (Sergeant-at-Arms), Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy, (Faculty Advisor). Students initiated were:

Aymara Albury Kevin D. Anderson Keith W. Bentley D’Ariel D. Boykin Falon V. Brown Kristen A. Fitzpatrick Todd R. Hartlage Benjamin K. Hinton Wesley G. James Mary E. Killian James E. LeCroy, III Joan-Marie Manolakis Nicholas L. Massie Andrew J. McKenny Sara E. McLendon

Kelli I. McNamara Grayson W. Menard Carrie L. Mitchell Samantha K. Mroczynski Brian G. Ondocsin Caitlin D. Prickett Jane Holly Poplin Catherine C. Qualls Kristin Rogers Jackson R. Switzer Strudwick L. Tutwiler Andrew J. Vincent Lindsey A. Wargo Vidhush K. Yarlagadda

• Senior chemistry major Aymara Albury has been awarded a $7,500 NCAA Postgraduate Scholarship for her performance in both the classroom as and as a member of the track and field team. Aymara has set the school record in the shot put for both indoor and outdoor. As a senior, she was SEC champion in the shot put at both the indoor and outdoor events. Aymara will complete her degree in May as an ACS-certified chemistry major. She has carried out undergraduate research with Dr. Jennings. She plans to enroll in the graduate program in chemistry at UA in the fall.
  • UA press release

April 2007

• Dr. John Vincent has been reelected as the president of the Faculty Senate. This will be Dr. Vincent's second year as Faculty Senate President after previously serving as Vice President and Secretary. In addition, Drs. Carolyn Cassady, Arun Gupta, and Shane Street were elected to the Faculty Senate as representatives of the Natural Science Division of the College of Arts & Sciences. Department faculty took 3 of the 4 slots in the Natural Sciences Division.
• A review article written by Dr. Olaf Kühl entitled, "The chemistry of functionalised N-heterocyclic carbenes" was listed in the Chemical Society Reviews Top Ten most downloaded articles. Dr. Kühl was a Visiting Professor in Dr. Arduengo's lab when this article was written.
• Chemistry major Laura Jernigan was recognized as a nominee for the UA Outstanding Student Worker award. Laura is a student worker in the Chemistry stockroom.
• Sam Mroczynski won first prize in the Natural Science division of the Arts & Sciences Undergraduate Research/Creative Activity Poster Competition. Sam's research was done under the direction of Dr. Robin Rogers. Seventeen students (> 25% of all of the posters) doing research under chemistry department faculty presented posters.
• Chemistry majors Andrew Vincent and Jackson Switzer have been awarded the prestigious Barry M. Goldwater Scholarships. Andrew and Jackson were 2 of 317 students who received the scholarships nationwide. Both Andrew and Jackson do undergraduate research with Dr. Dixon.
  • UA press release
• The department held it's fourth annual Honor's Day Convocation to recognize students who have received department, college, and university awards. Follow these links for pictures of the graduate and undergraduate award winners.

• A number of chemistry majors were inducted into the UA chapter of Phi Beta Kappa, which is the premier greek letter honor society. Inductees for 2006-2007 were:
  • Jacob R. Batson
  • Todd R. Hartlage
  • James G. Wesley
  • Mary E. Killian
  • Lindsey A. Wargo
  • Morgan D. Wilbanks
  • Grayson Menard

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March 2007

• Dr. John Vincent received the Emmett B. Carmichael award from the Alabama Academy of Science during their annual meeting at Tuskegee University.
• The department is pleased to announce that Dr. Laura Busenlehner has accepted a position of assistant professor at UA. Dr. Busenlehner is currently a post-doctoral associate at Vanderbilt Medical School. Her research interests are in the area of metallobiochemistry.
• A new cycle of 4 years of funding for the Summer Undergraduate Research Participation (SURP) Program at UA has been received from the National Science Foundation. PI's on the proposal were Dr. John Vincent and Dr. Stephen Woski.

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February 2007

• Chemistry graduates swept the University-wide awards for PhD students. Dr. Beth Western received the Outstanding Dissertation Award and Dr. Keith Gutowski received the Outstanding Research by a Doctoral Student. Both students had previously be chosen to represent the College of Arts and Sciences in the University-wide competition. Both students will be recognized during Honors Week ceremonies.
• Dr. Beth Western (PhD 2005) was named the recipient of the University's Outstanding Dissertation Award for 2006-2007 for her dissertation entitled, Palladium-Catalyzed Modification of Halonucleosides: Methodology Development and Mechanism Determination." Dr. Western was mentored by Dr. Shaughnessy. Dr. Western had won the Outstanding Masters Thesis in the College of Arts and Sciences in 2004.
• Dr. Keith Gutowski (PhD 2006) will receive the 2006-2007 Award for Excellence in Research by a Doctoral Student during Honor's Week in April. Dr. Gutowski was recognized for his research into the structure of actinide-ionic liquid structures using experimental and computational methods. His research was carried out under the direction of Profs. Dixon and Rogers.
• Several graduate students have received Graduate Student Research and Travel Support awards to pay for travel to national meetings.
  • Scott Brown (Dr. Shaughnessy)
  • Junjie Gao (Dr. Cassady)
  • Lensey Hill (Dr. Shaughnessy)
  • Dan Pu (Dr. Cassady)
  • Haiying Wang (Dr. Street)
• A proposal entitled, "CRIF:MU Acquisition of a Cyber Enabled Liquid Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer," written by Dr. Carolyn Cassady with assistance from Profs. Joe Thrasher, Kevin Redding, Kevin Shaughnessy, and John Vincent has been funded by the NSF CRIF program. The funding will provide approximately $350,000 towards the purchase of an LC-MS system for use by research groups in the department.

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January 2007

• An article entitled “Acid Initiation of Ammonia-Borane Dehydrogenation for Hydrogen Storage” by Frances H. Stephens and R. Tom Baker from Los Alamos National Laboratory and Myrna H. Matus, Daniel J. Grant, and Dr. D avid A. Dixon was recently published as a VIP article in Angewandte Chemie, International Edition (p. 746-749, Volume 46, 2007) and was also featured on the cover of Issue 5.
• Chemistry major Joanna Smith has been awarded an NSF-REU Chemistry Leadership Group Travel Award to attend the ACS meeting in Chicago. Joanna was a SURP participant in Dr. Shaughnessy's lab last summer. Joanna will present a talk about her research in the Shaughnessy group while attending the meeting.
• Dr. Keith Gutowski won the Outstanding Doctoral Research award in the College of Arts & Sciences. Dr. Gutowski, who graduated in Dec 2006, will now be considered for the University-wide award. Dr. Gutowski's research focused on computational and experimental studies of actinide-ligand complexes and ionic liquids. His doctoral work was done under the direction of Dr. Robin Rogers and Dr. David Dixon.

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