Hazari Celebrates 35th Anniversary of the Magic of Chemistry
This year’s National Chemistry Week marks the 35th anniversary of the interactive chemistry show The Magic of Chemistry. Created and performed by retired UT faculty member Al Hazari, the show has become a well-loved part of National Chemistry Week and so much more.
Primarily aimed at elementary and middle school students, National Chemistry week is an annual campaign sponsored by the American Chemical Society (ACS) to promote the value of chemistry in everyday life.
National Chemistry Week began as National Chemistry Day in 1987. It was later expanded into a week-long celebration, but by then Hazari was already commemorating the annual event with his chemistry show.
Hazari joined the University of Tennessee in 1991 as the Director of Undergraduate Chemistry Labs and immediately began performing The Magic of Chemistry. Designed to engage and entertain younger audiences, the show demonstrates some of the principals of chemistry and science with experimentation, puns, and the occasional well-controlled flame.
The carefully choreographed performance has the feel of a magician’s stage show, which has made it a popular feature at community events and festivals in Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Harriman, and beyond. At its heart, Hazari’s show has always been about making science approachable.
“Everyone should know about science, be comfortable with science, and never stop being curious and inquisitive,” said Hazari. “My work helps people understand scientific topics, which allows them to make more informed decisions. I connect science with everyday life so they say ‘Ah, this is science.’”
Hazari’s show has evolved over the years, moving from what he calls “traditional lab chemicals” to more common items found in pantries and hardware stores. His supply lists include things like vegetable oil, food coloring, and Alka Seltzer.
Hazari’s favorite experiment in the show involves dumping a cup of water over a volunteer’s head. When the volunteer doesn’t get wet, Hazari reveals that the cup also contains sodium polyacrylate, which absorbs the water before it can pour out. Sodium polyacrylate is a superabsorbent chemical most commonly found in diapers.
However, the real magic in Hazari’s show is his incredible passion for science education. Hazari devoted his academic career to improving how science is taught. During his time at UT, Hazari taught both chemistry and science education courses. In 2009 he published Misconceptions in Chemistry, a book aimed at helping educators identify and overcome pre-existing misconceptions students may have about science and the natural world.
In 2000 he received the Helen M. Free Award from the ACS. This award recognizes members of the ACS for outstanding community outreach activities and improving recognition and appreciation for chemistry.
“I have always enjoyed teaching and sharing something of myself and my knowledge,” said Hazari, adding that his goal has always been to improve science literacy.
In service to that goal, Hazari performs dozens of shows each year at festivals, in public libraries, and at assisted living facilities. When COVID paused many of these activities, Hazari pivoted to Zoom without missing a step and closed out that summer’s Forensic Chemistry Camp with a virtual version of The Magic of Chemistry.
This year’s National Chemistry Week’s theme, The Hidden Life of Spices, seems tailor-made to Hazari’s mission to connect chemistry to the everyday. The 35th anniversary show will took place Wednesday, October 22nd and was open to the public, with around 75 attendees of all ages. As Hazari says “Chemistry is for everywhere, everyday, and for everyone, ages 2 to 102!”
Clark Receives NSF Early Career Award
Joseph Clark, assistant professor of chemistry, has received a National Science Foundation CAREER award for his work developing molecules that facilitate pharmaceutical drug design and evaluation.
Clark will receive $650,000 for his research into the use of tritium, the radioactive isotope of hydrogen, for the selective labeling of small molecules and drug candidates. Selective tritiation of drugs plays a critical role in determining how animals (including humans) metabolize them. Typically, scientists incorporate carbon-14 into the molecular structure of new drugs for FDA-mandated metabolic and safety testing; this isotope of carbon allows researchers to track the pathway and the behavior of drug molecules in the body without harming human subjects.
However, the worldwide supply of C-14 is produced primarily at one facility in Russia, and Russia’s ongoing war with Ukraine has caused a worldwide shortage. The shortage poses a potential threat to all small-molecule drugs awaiting approval from regulatory authorities in the U.S. and Europe. Clark and his team will research the use of tritium as a mainstream alternative radiolabeling strategy, thereby reducing the reliance on C-14 for most clinical metabolism studies in humans.
“Tritium is more difficult to use because it sits on the periphery of a molecule, which makes it less stable, or more prone to metabolic oxidation,” Clark said. “My team will research how to add specific amounts of tritium at sites less prone to oxidation and how to measure the purity and structure of these molecules. The United States produces tritium for research and government use, and there are several international suppliers in North America and Europe; if we can make it the new gold standard for drug tracing, we can solve the C-14 crisis and develop new medications more quickly and less expensively.”
NSF created CAREER to recognize and support early-career faculty who can serve as role models in their institutions while advancing research that benefits their state and the nation. In addition to Clark, researchers Doowon Kim, assistant professor of computer science, and Joon Sue Lee, assistant professor of physics and astronomy, also received NSF CAREER awards for their work in designing phishing detectors and developing new materials for quantum technology, respectively.
“We are incredibly proud of this year’s recipients,” said Deb Crawford, vice chancellor for research, innovation, and economic development. “Their efforts will lead to groundbreaking discoveries and inspire students at all levels to experience the excitement and fulfillment of scientific exploration. Their work has significant state and national impact.”
Clark began his career at Marquette University, and joined the chemistry faculty at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in 2024. His research focuses on the development of selective transition metal-catalyzed reactions. Read more about Clark’s research here.
Chemistry Building Name Announced
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville is pleased to announce that the Board of Trustees has officially conferred the name “Charles and Julie Wharton Chemistry Building” on its newest academic facility.
This naming honors the remarkable legacy of the late Julie Wharton and her husband Charles Wharton, whose generosity and vision will have a lasting impact on teaching and learning in chemistry. The newly named facility will provide modern spaces for teaching, research, and collaboration, allowing students and faculty to continue to push boundaries now and into the future.
Executive Dean Robert Hinde’s leadership was pivotal in realizing this milestone, guiding the process from conception to official recognition.
Members of the UT community are encouraged to celebrate this exciting moment, share the news within their networks, and explore opportunities to support the future of chemistry at UT. Those interested in contributing or learning more about this transformative project are invited to connect with university representatives.
Learn more about the vision for this facility.
Watch Dean Hinde’s September 5 interview from the groundbreaking event.
Dadmun Group Explores the Future of Plastic Recycling with Polymer Chemistry
Professor Mark Dadmun and his research group recently published papers in both ChemSusChem and Nature Communications. These papers describe the group’s ongoing efforts to tackle more efficient plastic recycling through polymer chemistry.
Plastics, which are made of polymers, have been increasingly woven into modern life since the 1950’s. Single-use plastics originally gained popularity with consumers through a combination of convenience and affordability. However, the durability of plastics, a key feature that contributed to their success, has led to concerns over their persistence in the waste stream.
Since the 1980’s, plastic recycling has been explored as a possible solution. Unfortunately, early recycling methods were ineffective with plastics, and modern recycling rates remain low at only around 9% globally.
Plastic recycling has been a long-term area of research for Dadmun, whose lab broadly focuses on investigating how the specific molecular structures of a polymer impact its properties. Understanding how to control these structures is critical to effectively recycling polymer materials, but when Dadmun sought to apply his earlier work to recycling, he was met with roadblocks.
“In the early 2000’s, the general sentiment was that we were never going to recycle polymers,” said Dadmun. “It’s only been in the last 10 years that perspectives have changed and the idea that we can and will develop new materials or new processes for plastics recycling has been supported.”
Dadmun’s group has used this shift to apply their research to the problems of modern chemical recycling. Chemical recycling directly manipulates the molecular structure of plastic polymers, breaking them down into their component parts and allowing them to be used to create new materials.
“Polymers are long-chain molecules, hundreds to thousands of individual units bonded together, and it’s that really big structure that gives them many of their properties,” said Dadmun. “Unzipping that long chain of molecules is straightforward but expensive, and this is the problem polymer scientists have been trying to solve.”
One approach is to break down all the individual units of the polymer and try to link them back together. However, this method can be inefficient as it requires the breaking and reforming of thousands of chemical bonds. Dadmun’s recent work investigates the possibility of breaking polymers down into larger groupings of units to be repolymerized, a process that should be more time and energy efficient.
The first of Dadmun’s recent publications focuses on understanding how a polymer breaks down into individual units. Shelby Watson-Sanders, a recent PhD graduate and member of Dadmun’s research group, co-authored the publication that describes this work.
“My interest in plastic waste initially sparked from a paper that addressed the release of estrogen chemicals from plastic when heated in the microwave. This revelation made me aware that plastic is ubiquitous and could pose health risks,” said Watson-Sanders. “In this work, we observed that our consumer waste plastic flakes broke apart into a powder and remained undissolved in solution until later in the reaction.”
Watson-Sanders went on to discover that some parts of the plastic broke down more easily, while others remained intact. These results suggested a possible explanation for the creation of micro and nanoplastics and led to the development of the second paper, published in Nature Communications. Watson-Sanders noted that the results of this work and the subsequent second publication prompted her to evolve her dissertation into an exploration of recycling plastic waste and the potential consequences of neglecting consumer waste.
In addition to Watson-Sanders, the team working on this research included undergraduate student Kendra Day. At this year’s Department of Chemistry Undergraduate Research Symposium, Day described this research in her award-winning presentation. She graduated this spring and will begin graduate studies at Cornell University in the fall. In the future, Dadmun and his team hope this ongoing work will contribute to more effective methods for polymer recycling. This could, in turn, contribute to increased plastic recycling and decreased plastic waste in the environment, as well as the development of new materials.
Schweitzer Named World Record Holder
Professor George K. Schweitzer has been awarded the Guinness World Record for “Longest Career as a Professor.” Schweitzer joined the University of Tennessee’s chemistry faculty in 1948, beginning a career that ultimately spanned 76 years and 106 days.
In September of 2024, Schweitzer passed away. His family, inspired by a local news piece, reached out to Guinness World Records in October 2024 to begin the process of naming Schweitzer the record holder for longest career as a professor.
Tim Pratt, Schweitzer’s grandson, managed the application, which required submitting documentation in the form of official records, media articles, and photographs documenting Schweitzer’s career. Pratt received notice that the record had been awarded in late June 2025.
In a message announcing the record, the family stated “Along with the many other honors and recognitions that he has received, we are extremely proud that he has been recognized by Guinness World Records for his long, distinguished career, and his dedication to both his profession and the University of Tennessee.”
Schweitzer never fully retired from the chemistry department, insisting he had “recovered” from the entire idea. During his incredible tenure at the university, he mentored more than 140 graduate students. An insatiable scholar, he taught classes in the chemistry, philosophy, history, and nuclear engineering departments, and had the unique experience of teaching the grandchildren of previous students.
“He was a real legend, both in our department and at the university. Everyone knew him,” said Viktor Nemykin, professor and head of the chemistry department. “He was not only renowned as a great researcher and outstanding teacher and mentor, but he was also an historian.”
In addition to more than 150 academic papers and 17 books on chemistry, Schweitzer published a book entitled Chemistry at UTK: 1794-1987. In it, he meticulously catalogued the history of the department, including faculty members, curriculum, students who earned degrees, and even some of the earliest publications authored by members of the department.
Schweitzer’s contributions to the department, the university, and the discipline as a whole are incalculable, his academic legacy carrying on in the thousands of students he taught and mentored during his career. This record is one of many acknowledgements of Schweitzer’s lifetime of service and dedication to education and the pursuit of knowledge.
2025 Honors Day
On Thursday, May 1st the Department of Chemistry held its annual Honors Day event. Honors Day is an opportunity to recognize student, faculty, and staff excellence via awards and fellowships. Distinguished alumnus Dr. James Taylor delivered the opening address and the event concluded with a remembrance of Dr. George Schweitzer.
Honors Day Awardees
Outstanding Graduate Teaching Awards
Ryan Arnold
Charles W. Keenan Award
Brandon Sanders
Jerome Eastham Fellowship in Organic Chemistry
Gurkiran Kaur
Graduate Fellowship for Achievement in Inorganic Chemistry
Ashley Glover
Judson Hall Robertson Graduate Award in Analytical Chemistry
Bomin Li
Eugene John Barber Fellowship in Physical Chemistry
Amarachi Sylvanus
Dr. Robert A. & Phyllis F.J. Yokley Endowed Fellowship
Kevin Siniard
Alex Wells (not pictured)
Burchfield Burridge Warner Fellowship
Abby Linhart
Faculty Awards
Zeigler Professorship
David Jenkins
Staff Awards
Outstanding Service Awards
Chase Collins
Jacob Hause
ACGS Awards
ACGS Member of the Year
Shelby Watson-Sanders
Ashley Glover
James F Green ACGS Service Award
Crystal Armstrong
SMACS Awards
Outstanding TA Award
Dakota Landrie
Not Pictured
Outstanding PhD Candidate
Mahbub Ullah
Brody Quebedeaux
Gleb Mamantov Graduate Chemistry Scholar
Edward Lindberg
SMACS Outstanding Chemistry Professor Award
Doug Stuart
Carol Moulton ACGS Service Award
Linda Sherman
2025 Undergraduate Awards
On Saturday, April 26th the 4th annual Undergraduate Research Symposium took place in Mossman Hall, with undergraduate students participating in poster and oral presentation competitions. Following the symposium, chemistry undergraduates, family and friends attended the accompanying awards dinner where symposium awards and undergraduate scholarships were distributed. Congratulations to all of this year’s winners!
Undergraduate Research Symposium Award Winners
Poster Award Winner
Joseph Cunningham
Poster Award Winner
Vu Nguyen
Oral Presentation Winner
Kendra Day
Scholarship Award Winners
Halbert and Anne Carmichael Scholarship
Taylor Kearbey
Phillip & Mary Reitano Award
Anna Mahar
Dr. Lucy E. Scroggie Scholarship
Vu Nguyen
Additional Awards (not pictured)
ACS-Hach Land Grant Scholarship
Nathan Stimpson
Brooke Moore
CRC Press General Chemistry Award
Carson Culp
C.W. Keenan Outstanding General Chemistry Student Award
Gabrielle Kalosieh
C.A. Buehler Chemistry Scholarship
Sydney Smith
Melaven-Rhenium Scholarships
Chloe Earls
Samantha Horak
Rahil Parikh
Karlotta Schley
Gabriel Torkelson
Baccile Awarded $1.8 Million Grant for Pioneering Research on Five-Carbon Metabolism
Assistant Professor Joshua Baccile has been awarded a Maximizing Investigators’ Research (MIRA) award from the NIH. The MIRA grant, unlike many other grants, is awarded to support a researcher’s collective vision for their lab. Baccile’s lab is focused on investigating the role of five-carbon metabolism in the human body, which could impact long-term health.
“Our cells make cholesterol through a metabolic pathway called the isoprenoid pathway and many of the most largely prescribed drugs target this pathway. Statins are the most common example of these,” said Baccile.
Statins, commonly prescribed for high cholesterol, generally work by reducing the number of five-carbon precursors in the isoprenoid pathway. However, the underlying function of these five-carbon precursors is not well understood.
Baccile’s research examines what else these molecules do in the body beyond contributing to high levels of cholesterol. His team has made derivatives of two precursor molecules that can be introduced into cells. This allows his team to test for a variety of effects.
“We want to figure out what other molecules they make. We want to be able to control where they go, how many of them go there, and we want to be able to track them,” said Baccile. “Our goal is to expand the scope of what’s known about the isoprenoid pathway.”
Baccile’s lab was the first to develop functional derivatives of these 5-carbon precursors that can be used in experimentation. This work has the potential to discover the underlying purpose of a poorly understood metabolic pathway in the human body, which could impact several areas of human health.
Because of its foundational nature, Baccile’s research has generated international interest and opportunities for collaboration with other teams investigating the complexities of the human body.
“When we do science, we’re trying to discover unknowns which, in our case, are about human cellular physiology,” said Baccile. “This research is important because it will help us understand a really important pathway in basic human biology. These molecules are implicated in cardiac diseases, neurodegenerative diseases, and cancer. If we know more about them and how they work, we can create better treatments and therapies that target some of the most common issues in human health today.”
Baccile also plans to leverage his MIRA grant to continue, and potentially expand, his existing community college research fellowship program. This program provides summer research opportunities for area community college students interested in transferring into a four-year program.
“A critical function of academic research labs is the training of students and future scientists who will continue to ask these questions and make new discoveries,” said Baccile. He describes his graduate students as instrumental to the early research and publications that build into grants like the MIRA.
The NIH MIRA grant will provide $1.8 million to the Baccile lab over the course of five years.
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