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July 2020

Archives for July 2020

Larese Named ACS Fellow

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John Larese, professor in the Department of Chemistry, has been named an 2020 ACS Fellow.

The primary purpose of the ACS Fellows Program is to recognize and honor members of the American Chemical Society for their outstanding achievements in and contributions to the science and the profession and for their equally exemplary service to the Society.

“I have truly benefited by my service to ACS and LSAC and by all of the great individuals who have contributed to my scientific endeavors and career,” Larese said. “I’m especially proud of my effort in leading the science/design/funding case for the VISION Spectrometer at the SNS and the training of future scientists in the use of neutrons and novel materials. Clearly without the support and patience of my wife Maryann and children such pursuits are impossible.”

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Mourning the Passing of Ffrancon Williams

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Thomas Ffrancon Williams was born on January 30, 1928, and passed away on July 18, 2020.

Williams received his BSc degree from University College London in 1949, and an external Ph.D. degree from the University of London in 1960. He was employed at the Atomic Energy Research Establishment, Harwell, United Kingdom from 1949 to 1961 except for a leave of absence as a research and teaching associate at Northwestern University from 1957 to 1959. In 1961 he joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.

“Francon was a dedicated teacher and outstanding experimental physical chemist,” said Jeffery Kovac, chemistry emeritus professor. “He was an ESR spectroscopist who studied radicals produced by gamma radiation.  Ffrancon did some groundbreaking work on cationic polymerization,” 

Williams was a National Science Foundation Visiting Scientist to Kyoto University, Japan from 1965 to 1966 and was the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship in 1972. He has been chairman of the Gordon Research Conferences on Radiation Chemistry (1971) and Radical Ions (1984), and served as an associate and consultant editor of Radiation Research, the official journal of the Radiation Research Society, from 1994 to 1999.

“He was always so kind and nice to me. Our respect went both ways. I will surely miss him, his kind words and phone calls,” said Pam Roach, chemistry staff.

“Ffrancon was a devoted member of our chemistry faculty for many years, and had a wonderful, calm and knowledgeable manner about him,” said Don Esidenberg, development director. “He will surely be missed. Gratefully, he will be remembered by future generations through the Ffrancon Williams Faculty Award in Chemistry Endowment.”

Campagna Group Published in Environmental Microbiology

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The Campagna Group has published a collaborative piece titled “Nitrogen flux into metabolites and microcystins changes in response to different nitrogen sources in Microcystis aeruginosa NIES-843” in Environmental Biology. 

The over-enrichment of nitrogen (N) in the environment has contributed to severe and recurring harmful cyanobacterial blooms, especially by the non-N2 -fixing Microcystis spp. N chemical speciation influences cyanobacterial growth, persistence and the production of the hepatotoxin microcystin, but the physiological mechanisms to explain these observations remain unresolved.

Stable-labelled isotopes and metabolomics were employed to address the influence of nitrate, ammonium, and urea on cellular physiology and production of microcystins in Microcystis aeruginosa NIES-843. Global metabolic changes were driven by both N speciation and diel cycling. Tracing 15 N-labelled nitrate, ammonium, and urea through the metabolome revealed N uptake, regardless of species, was linked to C assimilation.

The production of amino acids, like arginine, and other N-rich compounds corresponded with greater turnover of microcystins in cells grown on urea compared to nitrate and ammonium. However, 15 N was incorporated into microcystins from all N sources. The differences in N flux were attributed to the energetic efficiency of growth on each N source.

While N in general plays an important role in sustaining biomass, these data show that N-speciation induces physiological changes that culminate in differences in global metabolism, cellular microcystin quotas and congener composition.

 

Honors Day 2020

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Department of Chemistry recognized the achievements among students, faculty and staff members of the department. Below, you will find a complete list of recipients for the Honors Day 2020.

UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS

ACS-Hach Land Grant Scholarship Natalie Parsons
CRC Press General Chemistry Award Kara Holt
C.W. Keenan Outstanding General Chemistry Student Award Marissa Knofczynski
Department of Chemistry Scholarships Maggie Eslinger, Elizabeth Lander and Sean Weiland
Dr. Lucy E. Scroggie Scholarship Ghaeath Abbas
Halbert and Anne Carmichael Scholarship Elijah Hix and Thaddeus Puzdrakiewicz
C.A. Buehler Chemistry Scholarship Nicholas Legaux and Kristopher Reynolds
Melaven-Rhenium Scholarships Catherine Armstrong, Nicholas Legaux and Clayton West

GRADUATE AWARDS

Keenan Teaching Award Amber Gray
Outstanding Teaching Award Alexandria Bone
Second Year Candidacy Award Alexandria Bone
Gleb Mamantov Graduate Chemistry Scholar Jacob Townsend
Jerome Eastham Fellowship in Organic Chemistry Jinchao Lou
Eugene John Barber Fellowship in Physical Chemistry Kevin Smith
Burchfield Burridge Warner Fellowship in Polymer Chemistry Bishnu Prasad Thapaliya

STUDENT RECOGNITIONS

Goldwater Scholarship Kristopher Reynolds
Winners of the Board of Visitor’s Poster Competition Jinchao Lou and Brandon Colon

STAFF AWARDS

Outstanding Service Award Pam Roach and Linda Sherman
Carol Moulton ACGS Service Award Linda C. Sherman
James F. Green ACGS Service Award Noah Hathcock

FACULTY AWARDS

Ziegler Professorship David Jenkins
T. Ffrancon Williams Professorship Konstantinos Vogiatzis
Gleb Mamantov Professorship in Chemistry Brian Long
2020 Max Bredig Award Sheng Dai

FACULTY RECOGNITION

New Faculty Fred Heberle
Retiring Charles Feigerle