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Chemistry Faculty and Students Lauded at Chancellor Honors Banquet

April 23, 2014 by chemweb

The Chancellor’s Honors Banquet is held each spring to recognize students, faculty, staff, and friends of the University of Tennessee for their extraordinary achievements. The 2014 banquet was held April 23^rd at the University Center. Following are the chemistry faculty and students who received this year’s honors.

2014 Alumni Public Service Award

AL HAZARI
Science is for students ages two to 102 — that’s the motto of Al Hazari. A lecturer and director of the undergraduate chemistry laboratories, Hazari is a champion for science. His chemistry “magic shows” have been enjoyed by countless kids and adults for over twenty-two years. It started with grant from the American Chemical Society, which allowed him to visit local schools to demonstrate hands-on activities. Since then, hundreds of people of all ages have flocked to see Hazari demonstrate the wonders of chemistry. The real magic in the shows comes from his presentation, which brings an element of fun and excitement that many people would not associate with a scientific lecture. A fixture in the Knoxville community, Hazari has presented for schools, museums, civic organizations, assisted-living facilities, and organizations reaching underserved groups. The American Chemical Society has recruited him for their national speaker tour, so he now presents throughout the United States.

2014 Research and Creative Achievement—Professional Promise

JON CAMDEN
Jon Camden, assistant professor of chemistry, is pioneering plasmon imaging studies of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, or SERS, a technique that enhances light-particle scattering either by molecules adhering to rough metal surfaces or by nanostructures. In this rapidly expanding field, his research is providing solid connections between experiment and theory, which will advance fundamental understanding of SERS enhancement mechanisms. He has developed a comprehensive research program, and his group has imaged structures with single molecule SERS activity and, through experiment and electrodynamic calculations, established conditions of electron activation of SERS hot spots.

Extraordinary Professional Promise – Jonathan K. Fong, Andrew P. Moss

Hobbie Turley Received Eastman Fellowship

April 21, 2014 by chemweb

Hobbie Turley, a chemistry graduate student in Professor Camden’ group received 2014 Eastman Chemical Company Fellowship Award. Established in 2001, the fellowship was designed to assist students in their research as well as help Eastman identify top performers who are in the early stages of their graduate careers.

Each year, selected universities are requested to submit nominations of students and encourage them to apply. A team of scientists from Eastman then rank all of the received applications and award either travel grant or full fellowship to several applicants.

“Hobbie was selected as a fellowship winner because the team was impressed with his track record in his graduate studies at UT.” Dr. Peter Chapman, Eastman Principal Chemist commented, “The team also understood the high degree of difficulty presented by his current research project. Members of the team felt that Hobbie has a promising career as a scientist ahead of him.”

“I was both thrilled and honored to find out they had selected me.” Turley said, “I deeply appreciate their support, but I can’t forget that I couldn’t have done it without the help of my advisor Jon Camden and my fellow lab mates.”

Originally from Memphis, Tennessee, Turley attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. After he graduated in 2011 with a B.S. in chemistry, Turley returned to Tennessee to pursue a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at UTK under Professor Jon Camden. His current research is focused on developing a nonlinear surface-enhanced spectroscopy (Surface-Enhanced hyper-Raman or SEHRS) for ultrasensitive detection. Since Turley joined the Department, his reserch has rendered two publications. The first was a second author for his contributions to the first observation of single-molecule SEHRS. The second was a first author for his work on exploring these of SEHRS with short-wave IR (SWIR) excitations. Turley also recently presented the SWIR work in a talk at the ACS meeting in Dallas.

Previous recipients of Eastman Chemical Company Summer Fellowship from UT

• 2008 –  Michael Gilbert    Full Fellowship  (Dr. Frank Vogt)
• 2011 –  Rebecca Horton   Travel Grant  (Dr. Frank Vogt)
• 2012 –  Christ Bennett      Travel Grant   (Dr. Jon Camden)
• 2013 –  Weiyu Wang       Full Fellowship  (Dr. Jimmy Mays)
• 2014 – Hobbie Turley       Full Fellowship  (Dr. Jon Camden)

Professor Long Received Army Research Office Young Investigator Award

April 14, 2014 by chemweb

Assistant professor of chemistry Brian Long has received the Army Research Office (ARO) Young Investigator Award in March 2014. The ARO Young Investigator Program was designed to attract “outstanding young university faculty members, to support their research, and to encourage their teaching and research careers.” The award is highly competitive and considered prestigious among young faculty members.

Professor Long plans to utilize these funds “to further elucidate the role that redox activity plays in olefin polymerization catalysis, thereby enhancing fundamental understanding of olefin polymerization activity, selectivity, and stability. Furthermore, those catalysts will be used to synthesize polymers with tailored architectures and microstructures.”

Professor Long obtained his B.S. degree in chemistry from North Georgia College & State University (now the University of North Georgia) in 2003 and his PhD from the University of Texas at Austin in 2009. After graduating, he moved to Ithaca, NY to pursue his postdoctoral studies at Cornell University. Prof. Long joined the UTK faculty in 2011, and his group’s research has focused on the development of olefin polymerization catalysts, functional polyolefin-based materials, and catalytic biomass conversion. A portion of the Long group’s work in the field of olefin polymerization catalysis was recently published in the Journal of the American Chemical Society (J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2013, 135, pp 16316–16319).

Professor Long and the Long group would like to thank the ARO for their generous support of our research.

Jessica Gooding Received NIH Award

March 10, 2014 by chemweb

Dr. Jessica Gooding, a recent Ph.D. graduate from the Campagna Group, received Mentored Research Scientist Development Award in Metabolomics (K01) funded by the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for her project titled “Metabolic Regulators of Insulin Secretion and Insulin Resistance”.

This Award will allow Gooding to expand her skill set in metabolomics and apply them on three NIH-funded projects, one with Dr. Newgard focused on understanding of the mechanism of fuel-stimulated insulin secretion, another with Dr. Muoio that probes mechanisms of obesity-related insulin resistance in skeletal muscle, and finally a collaborative project with Drs. Newgard and Hirschey that seeks to understand the metabolic impact of the mitochondrial sirtuin SIRT3 on pancreatic islet cell biology.

“We wanted to tell a story that incorporated more complex metabolomics related skills as the project progressed and I expanded my skill set. I have been working on a lot of collaborative projects here, as I was at UT. We picked three that could benefit from a variety of techniques and expanded on those for the research section.” said Gooding. The funding will also allow Gooding to purchase lab supplies, travel to conferences and support her collaboration with the proteomics core.

Gooding grew up in Raleigh, NC, and completed her undergraduate work at the College of William and Mary and NC State University. At the same time, she interned for Inspire Pharmaceuticals in their molecular pharmacology division. Gooding joined the Campagna research group at UT in 2007 as a graduate student pursuing a Ph.D. degree in chemistry, and graduated in December of 2011.

“My combined interests in analytical method development, biochemistry, and synthetic chemistry led me to join the lab of Dr. Shawn Campagna at the University of Tennessee for my graduate work.” Gooding said. “There I was able to apply my organic chemistry background to the development of a derivatizing reagent for the detection of a small sugar used by the marine bacteria V. harveyi for quorum sensing. I then applied this method in combination with our metabolomics platform to study the function of this small sugar in other bacteria.”

After graduation, Gooding obtained a postdoctoral position at Duke University’s Sarah W.Stedman Nutrition and Metabolism Center. During which time, she has learned a variety of targeted metabolomics methods, developed a new targeted method for measurement of a wide array of nucleotides, and has started to develop non-targeted LC-MS/MS methodologies for the group.

This NIH Mentored Research Scientist Development Award was established in 2011 to provide salary and research support for postdoctoral and clinical fellows or investigators who meet the definition of a NIH New Investigator to pursue intensive research training in the field of metabolomics under the guidance of an experienced mentor who has an established research record in metabolomics. The Award was highly competitive and was aiming to train individuals who understand the field of metabolomics and can work and communicate with clinicians and other health professionals to perform, analyze and interpret the data obtained from metabolomic studies.

Professor Schweitzer Recognized for 65 Years of Service

February 26, 2014 by chemweb

Dr. George K. Schweitzer, Alumni Distinguished Service Professor of Chemistry, has been given the Joe Johnson Lifetime Service Award in recognition of his 65 years of dedicated service to the University of Tennessee. UT President Joe DiPietro and UTK Chancellor Jimmy Cheek presented Schweitzer the Award on December 11th, 2013.

“Dr. Schweitzer’s commitment to lifelong learning and his passion for teaching and leading serve as an example for all of us. He represents the best of the University of Tennessee, and I was honored to have the opportunity to recognize and thank him for his service.”  said Dr. Joe DiPietro, President, the University of Tennessee System.

Schweitzer is the holder of three doctorates, one in inorganic and nuclear chemistry, one in the history and philosophy of religion, and one for his work in the philosophy of science. He came to UT in 1948 to initiate the inorganic division of the newly-established Ph.D. program in chemistry and to participate in the early UT-Oak Ridge graduate instructional and research program. He has mentored over 130 graduate students, has been elected UT Phi Kappa Phi lecturer, served as UT’s first Mace Bearer, gave the 1996 UT commencement address, and has been named a Distinguished Service Professor by the UT Alumni Association.

Schweitzer has lectured at numerous universities, scientific and historical organizations, and has made sizable contributions to associations interested in the intersecting spheres of science and theology.

Schweitzer has done research work in the fields of radiocolloids, nuclear recoil, photoelectron spectroscopy, solvent extraction, rare-earth chemistry, and radioactivity detection, and continues in the area of mechanochemistry. In addition to his scientific interests, Schweitzer serves as an officer of the East Tennessee Historical Society, docent in the Museum of East Tennessee History, and offers monthly courses in family history research.

Jamie Adcock, Professor Emeritus at the Department of Chemistry, has known Schweitzer for almost forty years since she joined the Department in 1974. Schweitzer was her “mentor” at the time. “He was a delight to know and work with. He spoke at my retirement gathering and as always was in top form and funny too. I have never heard an unkind word from him. He always supported me in my career. The perfect colleague!” Adcock said.

Schweitzer is loved by everyone inside the Department. “The one thing that impresses me the most about Dr. Schweitzer, he is always the same, day in and day out.” Sharon Marshall, Business Manager of the Department said. “He treats everyone with respect and enjoys a wonderful sense of humor. He always makes me feel good with his upbeat, happy mood and his funny stories.”

“I thoroughly enjoyed working with him.” John Auxier, a Ph.D. student who worked in his group for three years said. “Dr. Schweitzer was genuinely interested in seeing his students succeed, and was not bent upon trying to see his success through his students. He genuinely cared whether or not you as the student were going to succeed.”

Schweitzer is not only a professor, a teacher, a colleague and a friend, for many people inside the Department, he’s also an inspiration. “It is remarkable that after 65 years Dr. Schweitzer continues to have the enthusiasm and love for his work. It is a true inspiration to see someone at 90 years of age that continues to contribute his knowledge and experiences to the younger generations.” Marshall said.

Dai Group Research Highlighted in Nature Chemistry

February 23, 2014 by chemweb

The work from Dai Group was highlighted in the most recent issue of Nature Chemistry. Nature Chemistry is a monthly journal dedicated to publishing high-quality papers that describe the most significant and cutting-edge research in all areas of chemistry.

Dai group’s development of a new class of mesoporous copolymer was mentioned in an article written by Yi Lu from the University of Illinois, titled “Uranium extraction: Coordination chemistry in the ocean.”

Download to view the article in pdf format.

Professor Mays Elected Fellow of RSC

February 17, 2014 by chemweb

Jimmy Mays, professor of chemistry and distinguished scientist, was admitted as a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC). The RSC is the largest organization in Europe for advancing the chemical sciences. Mays’ name along with other recently admitted Fellows will be published in the Times (London) newspaper.

The Fellow status is awarded to individuals who have “made an outstanding contribution to the advancement of the chemical sciences; or to the advancement of the chemical sciences as a profession; or have been distinguished in the management of a chemical sciences organization.”

Prior to this honor, Mays was also named ACS Fellow, Founding Poly Fellow,PMSE Fellow, and received numerous awards such as Herman Mark Senior Scholar Award and Navigator Award.

Chemistry Department Hosted 2014 SURC

February 6, 2014 by chemweb

The Department of Chemistry hosted the 46th Southeast Undergraduate Research Conference (SURC) in the University Center on January 31, 2014. The Conference was well-attended by 120 attendees from almost fifty institutions in the southeast region and ten graduate school and industry recruiters.

“The Conference was a huge success.” said the conference organizer Rachel Rui. “One of the recruiters told me that this is the largest and most well-attended he has ever seen in at least the past fifteen years.”

This year’s SURC was comprised of two poster and two oral presentation sessions. It was intended to provide a platform for the top undergraduate chemistry researchers in the Southeastern US to present their work. To complete this experience for the conference attendees, the Department also compiled a graduate school/career fair followed by department tours led by the chemistry faculty members with the goal to introduce the undergraduates to the atmosphere of graduate studies and the environment of the chemistry graduate programs here at UT.

“This event is also be a great graduate student recruiting opportunity for our department.” said Frank Vogt, Associate Department Head of the Chemistry Department. “In particular, we are delighted that almost thirty percent of the attending students are from minority groups. This will help our department to become more visible and attractive to an important group of students that in the past has not considered us for their graduate studies.”

The conference was concluded by an awards banquet at the University Center Ballroom. Eighteen monetary rewards were given to the best presentations in analytical, inorganic, organic, polymer, physical chemistry and biochemistry. In addition, twelve presenters received honorable mentions. Jimmy Mays, Professor of Chemistry and Distinguished Scientist, presented a keynote speech, followed by the award ceremony and closing remarks from Dr. Diane Schmidt, alumna of the Department and 2014 president-elect of the American Chemical Society.

“I would like to thank all of our sponsors and their generous support which not only provided the awards for the best presentations but also the travel support for minority students.” said Rui “For a small conference like this, getting students here has always been a challenge.”

Chemistry Departments in the southeast region rotate to host SURC. The next one will be hosted by the University of South Carolina in 2015, followed by the Georgia State University in 2016.

Click the links below to enjoy pictures taken during 2014 SURC.

• Reception
• Morning Sessions
• Afternoon Sessions
• Awards Banquet
• 2014 SURC Program Book
• 2014 SURC Awardees

Xue Group News Highlights

February 2, 2014 by chemweb

Former group member, Dr. Julia Abbott, currently Science Education Program Manager at ORAU (Oak Ridge Associated Universities), was featured in Knoxville News-Sentinel. She has helped organize the “Science Saturdays — a program that brings together scientists, local teachers and students through interactive presentations and hands-on science.” Julia received Ph.D. from our group in 2010 with research in organometallic chemistry.

01/24/2014

Seth Hunter’s paper “Magnetic Excitations in Metalloporphyrins by Inelastic Neutron Scattering. Determination of Zero-Field Splittings in Iron, Manganese and Chromium Complexes” has been accepted for publication in Inorganic Chemistry. This is a collaboration with Dr. Andrey Podlesnyak of the Quantum Condensed Matter Division at ORNL. ZFS parameters of several non-deuterated metalloporphyrins [M(TPP)Cl] and [Mn(TPP)] (H₂TPP = tetraphenylporphyrin) have been directly determined by inelastic neutron scattering (INS).

12/21/2013

A paper titled “Unexpected C-H Bond Activations during and after the Reaction of a Metallacyclic Amide with Silanes. Formation of a μ-Alkylidene Hydride Complex, Its H-D Exchanges, and β-H Abstraction by a Hydride Ligand” has been accepted for publication in Chemistry – A European Journal. This paper is a collaboration between Dr. Xue’s group and that of Dr. Hu (Frank) Cai of Nanchang University. Frank was a postdoctoral associate in the group.

12/12/2013

Jonathan Fong received a scholarship from the Next Generation Scientists for Biodiesel to attend theNational Biodiesel Conference & Expo, Jan. 20 – 23, 2014 in San Diego.

11/16/2013

Sam Rosolina Won Bronze at the 2013 MILSET Science Photo Contest. Read More

08/28/2013

Dr. Xue has been informed by American Journal of Analytical Chemistry (AJAC) that his paper with former Ph.D. student Stefanie Bragg Optimization of dry ashing of whole blood samples for trace metal analysis has been downloaded 1003 times. It proves to be one of the most popular papers in the journal.

Professor Bursten Elected AAAS Chemistry Chair

January 21, 2014 by chemweb

Dr. Bruce Bursten, distinguished professor of chemistry, was elected as the 2014 Chair-Elect, 2015 Chair and 2016 Retiring Chair of the Section on Chemistry of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS).

AAAS is the world’s largest and most prestigious general scientific society, with 126,995 individual and institutional members at the end of 2008. It is also the publisher of the well-known scientific journal Science, which was founded in 1880 on seed money from the American inventor Thomas Edison. It now has grown into the largest paid circulation of any peer-reviewed general-science journal with a weekly circulation of 138,549.

Bursten will participate in all AAAS Chemistry Section meetings and oversee the section affairs to actively involve affiliated organizations and enhance communication among chemistry scientists in all areas. His new role with the AAAS will be in addition to his teaching and research activities at UT. Bursten conducts research in inorganic chemistry. His research centers on the correlation of theoretical and experimental electronic structural data with the bonding and reactivity patterns of metal-containing molecules. He is the author or coauthor of more than 160 research papers, and he has presented more than 200 research seminars at other universities, national laboratories, and companies. He is also a coauthor of one of the leading textbooks in general chemistry, currently in its 13th edition.

Prior to this honor, Bursten has received numerous national and international honors for his academic accomplishments. Among these, in 1984 he received a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation Teacher-Scholar Award and in 1985 he was named a Fellow of the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. In 2001, he received the Catalyst Award from the American Chemistry Council, which is a national award for teachers of chemistry. He received the 2003 Spiers Medal and Prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry in the United Kingdom, he was elected a Fellow of the AAAS in 2004, and received the Morley Medal of the Cleveland Section of the ACS in 2005. He was elected a Fellow of the American Chemical Society (ACS) in 2010.

Bursten received his S.B. in Chemistry with Honors from the University of Chicago in 1974, and a Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of Wisconsin – Madison in 1978 under the direction of the late Professor Richard F. Fenske. He was a National Science Foundation Postdoctoral Fellow at Texas A&M University from 1978-1980, conducting research with the late Professor F. Albert Cotton. He joined the faculty of The Ohio State University in 1980 as an Assistant Professor of Chemistry.  In 1997 he was named Distinguished University Professor. In October 1999 he became Chair of the Department of Chemistry at Ohio State, a position he held until October 2003. In 2005 he moved to the University of Tennessee, Knoxville as Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Distinguished Professor of Chemistry. In 2006 he was elected to the Presidential succession of the ACS. He was President-Elect for 2007, President of the ACS for 2008, and Immediate Past President for 2009. During those three years, he also served as a member of the ACS Board of Directors.