Dr. Ben Xue and Julia Abbott publish paper in JACS

May 27, 2010 by newframe

Dr. Zi-Ling (Ben) Xue with co-researchers Julia K.C. Abbott (in picture) and Liting Li have fitted the last piece in the chemical puzzle that led to a Nobel Prize in chemistry for Richard Schrock. In a paper published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society and covered by Chemical Engineering News, Xue and company confirmed that pentaneopentyltantalum is a precursor compound in the formation of tantalum alkylidene, one of the little known but crucial components in the chemistry of olefin metathesis catalysis. Xue had made a fleeting identification of the substance in his research 14 years ago but just recently confirmed its existence. Click to view the manuscript.

Dr. Michael Best Receives NSF CAREER Award

May 26, 2010 by newframe

Michael Best, an assistant professor of organic chemistry at UTK, has been announced as a recipient of the CAREER award from the National Science Foundation. As detailed in the official description, this program “offers the National Science Foundation’s most prestigious awards in support of junior faculty who exemplify the role of teacher-scholars through outstanding research, excellent education and the integration of education and research within the context of the mission of their organizations.”

Dr. Best’s CAREER award includes a 5-year, $580,000 grant to support research in his laboratory. A primary aim of his group’s work is to understand the molecular mechanisms by which proteins bind to lipids presented on the surfaces of cellular membranes. These events control many of the most important biological processes and are aberrant in numerous disease states, including cancer. Thus, advancing the understanding of these interactions, and defects associated with them, is imperative to unravel the underlying causes of resulting diseases. Towards this end, Dr. Best’s group has synthesized derivatives corresponding to important lipids that have been applied as probes to characterize the details of cell surface protein binding events at the molecular level.

The CAREER award also emphasizes the importance of integrating research with outreach efforts to more broadly impact scientific education and awareness in the general community, which have been primary goals of Dr. Best and his research group. Since its inception in 2005 when Dr. Best joined the faculty at UTK, his group has hosted researchers spanning academic levels, including post-doctoral associates as well as graduate, undergraduate and high school students. In addition, Dr. Best and his team have formed close partnerships with local science teachers Kristin Baksa at Farragut High School and Julie Pepperman at Bearden Middle School. In collaboration with Dr. Lynn Champion, Director of the UTK Office of Academic Outreach, this team has worked to design outreach programs to enhance local science education.

Funds associated with the CAREER award will support further research in Dr. Best’s group and its integration with programs designed to more broadly impact scientific education in the region.

Dr. Jamie Adcock Retirement Reception

May 12, 2010 by newframe

The chemistry department held a reception on Wednesday, May 12th to celebrate Dr. Jamie Adcock’s retirement after 36 years of distinguished service to the university. Dr. Schweitzer spoke as the mentor and friend of Dr. Adcock at the reception. The department head Dr. Craig Barnes presented a retirement plaque to Dr. Adcock in honor of her diligent teaching, research and services to the department.

Dr. Jamie Leanne Adcock, a native of Texas, a Member of the Board of Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church, and a Professor of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee since September 1974, where she teaches and does Research. Her major hobby is gardening and landscaping.

She obtained her B.S. in inorganic chemistry from the University of Texas at Austin in 1996 and contintued her education there and received Ph.D in 1971. Upon graduation, she accepted a postdoctoral appointment at Massachusetts Institute of Technology and worked there from 1971 to 1974. Dr. Adcock then joined the University of Tennesse at Knoxville in 1974 and served as a professor in the chemistry department since then.

Dr. Adcock describes her experience in the department as “intellectually challenging, enjoyable and grounding”. “Working with students keeps one young at heart, doing research is an intellectually challenging and mind-broadening experience which is also a lot of fun. Exploring the unknown is quite an adventure.”

Dr. Adcock’s research mainly focuses on the synthesis of novel fluorinated molecules utilizing the aerosol-phase direct fluorination process developed in her laboratory. Her other interests include the development of molecular scale electronic device elements.

Dr. Adcock plans to pick up her hobby after retirement and enjoy her free time with family. “I am going to get around to a lot of projects in my yard and garden that had to take a back-seat during my working career. Travel to Our National Parks, Africa Safari, Egypt and Australia& New Zealand. Enjoying my grand children”.