Second Year Graduate Student Paper Featured on Journal Cover

In his first-authored paper, Ogburn developed analytical methodologies that utilize microalgae’s adaptation as a novel approach for in-situ environmental monitoring. Microalgae are important component in marine ecosystems because of their ability to transform large quantities of inorganic compounds into biomass. The study specifically looked at phytoplankton’s sequestration of atmospheric CO2, a greenhouse gas, and nitrate, one cause of harmful algae blooms.
Frank Vogt, associate professor of chemistry and Ogburn’s mentor, is quite proud of Ogburn’s achievement. “I want to point out that ACA is a leading journal in analytical chemistry and Zack got this paper accepted at the end of his 2nd year!” Vogt said.
ACA is an international journal that publishes research in all branches of analytical chemistry. According to 2016 Journal Citation Reports published by Reuters, ACA has a 5-year impact factor of 4.841.
Ogburn grew up in Loganville, GA, where he graduated from Loganville High in 2009 as well as enlisted in the Georgia Army National Guard. He was a recipient of the Georgia Military Scholarship and graduated from the University of North Georgia with his B.S. in chemistry in 2013. Upon graduation Ogburn received a commission as an officer in the Chemical Corps and he is currently a 1st LT serving as the chemical officer for the 1-121 Infantry Battalion of the Georgia Guard. Ogburn joined the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in the spring of 2015 and is currently working towards his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry.
Polymer nanocomposites mix particles billionths of a meter (nanometers, nm) in diameter with polymers, which are long molecular chains. Often used to make injection-molded products, they are common in automobiles, fire retardants, packaging materials, drug-delivery systems, medical devices, coatings, adhesives, sensors, membranes and consumer goods.
Neil Williams, a 4th year PhD candidate in Professor Sheng Dai’s group, had his research featured in a USA Today article. Williams is part of a team at Oak Ridge National Laboratory that discovered a method for removing carbon dioxide (CO2) directly from air. This breakthrough in carbon capture was also mentioned by
William Bull, also known as Bill Bull, chemistry professor emeritus and former associate head of department at UT, passed away Tuesday, December 27, 2016. The service took place at 10 a.m. December 31 at Second Presbyterian Church. The following obituary was published on the Knoxville News Sentinel website.
In 2016, the National Institutes of Health increased support for projects in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville.
Each year, faculty in the College of Arts and Sciences are recognized for their contributions to the college, the university, and the impact of their teaching and research at the annual faculty awards dinner. One member of the Department of Chemistry received an award at this year’s event, which took place Thursday, December 1, 2016.
Chemistry alumnus Andi Barbour (first from right), member of the Brookhaven Lab research team, found static “stripes” of electrical charge in copper-oxide superconductor. The team published their research results on October 11 in Physical Review Letters. Barbour obtained his PhD degree in chemistry in 2009 studying with
KNOXVILLE—Researchers at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville, have identified a set of bacterial genes that may help them find ways to lessen the severity of the disease malaria.
