UA Chemistry Department News

December 2009

• Congratulations to the Chemistry Department students who received degrees in the Winter Commencement Ceremony.
  • PhD
    • Litao Bai - Polymer-Mediated Metal and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles: Synthesis, Characterization and Controlled Assembly
      Advisor: Dr. Shane Street
    • Yinghua Chen - Solution Structure of the Target Recognition Domain of Zoocin A, an Antibacterial Enzyme and the Metal Binding Site of Zoocin A
      Advisor: Dr. Russell Timkovich
    • Yuan Chen - Low-Molecular-Weight Chromium-Binding Substance: Advanced Studies from Aves to Human
      Advisor: Dr. John Vincent
    • John Hauptfleisch - Synthesis of Trifluoronitromethane, CF₃NO₂: Photochemical Scale-Up and a NewThermogeneration Method with a Refined Purification Technique
      Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
    • Luigi Iconaru - Fused Polycyclic Imidazoles
      Advisor: Dr. Anthony Arduengo
    • Huizhen Zhu - Applications of Polyamidoamine Dendrimers in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells
      Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
  • MS
    • DeAna McAdory: Advisor: Dr. John Vincent
    • Preethi Reddy Vennam: Advisor: Dr .Michael Bowman
  • BS
    • Seth Garrett - cum laude
    • Okechukwu N. Mgbemena - summa cum laude

November 2009

• Congratulations to Dr. Robin Rogers who was awarded the Blackmon-Moody Outstanding Professor Award. This award is presented annually to a UA faculty member judged to have made extraordinary contributions that reflect credit on the individual, on his or her field of study, on students, and on the University. Dr. Rogers was recognized for his groups use of ionic liquids to dissolve cellulose and other biomass. UA press release

August 2009

• Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy has taken over as chair for the Department. Dr. Michael Jennings will replace Dr. Shaughnessy as the Director of Undergraduate Studies. The Department thanks Dr. John Vincent for his service as interim chair over the past year
• The Chemistry Department welcomes Dr. Patrick Frantom who has joined the faculty as an assistant professor.
• Dr. Robin Rogers has been named a member of the inaugural class of ACS Fellows by the American Chemical Society. ACS fellows were chosen because the "share a common set of accomplishments, namely true excellence in their contributions to the chemical enterprise coupled with distinctive service to ACS or to the broader world of chemistry."
• Congratulations to the department students who received degrees in the August Commencement ceremony
  • PhD
    • William Scott Brown - Design and Synthesis of Phosphine Ligands for Palladium-Catalyzed Coupling Reactions
      Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy
    • Lauren R. Cafiero - New Synthetic Applications of Trichloromethyl Carbinols in Synthesis
      Advisor: Dr. Timothy Snowden
    • Jeremy M. Carr - Progress Toward the Synthesis of a Xenia Diterpenoid Common Intermediate and the Preparation of Inotilone Derivatives
      Advisor: Dr. Timothy Snowden
    • Ashok Ganta - New Applications of Arynes and Wynberg Lactones in Synthesis
      Advisor: Dr. Timothy Snowden
  • MS
    • Nicole D. Gray - Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
    • Monica Khural - Advisor: Dr. Joseph Thrasher
  • BS
    • Sean M. Jobin - ACS-certified degree
      

June 2009

• Congratulations to Dr. Busenlehner who recently learned that her CAREER proposal would be funded by the NSF. The NSF CAREER award is the NSF's premier award for young scientists. Dr. Busenlehner is the third member of the faculty to receive CAREER awards this year.
• The NSF has announced that joint proposals submitted by Drs. Cassady and Dixon as well as Drs. Metzger and Woski will be funded for the next three years.
• Melody Kelley has received an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship to support the completion of her PhD studies. The Graduate Research Fellowship program are offered to students pursuing graduate degrees in recognition of academic and research accomplishments and to strengthen the vitality of the U.S. Science and Engineering enterprise. Melody is a member of Dr. Blackstock's research group.
• The department is pleased to welcome this year's cohort of REU and RET participants in the SURP program.

REU Participants

REU Participants

May 2009

• Congratulations to the chemistry department students who received degrees in the May Commencement Ceremony.
  • PhD
    • Ryan T. Clements - The Total Synthesis of Biologically Active C-Glycoside Natural Products: 1) Total Synthesis of (-)-Centrolobine 2) Total Synthesis of (-)-Varitriol and Analogues 3) Progress Towards the Total Synthesis of Polyrhacatide A
      Advisor: Dr. Michael Jennings
    • Lensey L. Hill - Investigations of Cross Coupling Reactions: Synthesis and Scope of New Neopentyl Phosphine Ligands and Pre-formed Palladium Catalysts
      Advisor: Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy
  • MS
    • Mirela L. Maxim - Advisor: Dr. Robin Rogers
  • ACS-Certified BS
    • Kevin D. Anderson - summa cum laude, University Honors Program, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Keith W. Bentley - cum laude, University Honors Program
  • BS
    • D'Ariel Denise Boykin - cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Kristen A. Fitzpatrick - magma cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Jonathan G. Kentros - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • William A. Kilgo - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Laura T. Kyser - summa cum laude, University Honors Program, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Daniel M. Marion - summa cum laude, University Honors Program, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Sara E. McLendon - cum laude
    • Megan L. Moshea - cum laude
    • Alexander K. Nguyen - summa cum laude, University Honors Program, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Michael T. Phillips - cum laude
    • Catherine C. Qualls - summa cum laude, University Honors Program, Computer Based Honors Program
    • Cody B. Smith - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Dana M. Suich
    • Russell S. Terry, Jr. - summa cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Savannah I. Watts - magma cum laude, University Honors Program
    • Sonjia D. D. Wells
• Dr. Tim Snowden and Dr. Michael Jennings have been elected as members of Sigma Xi. Sigma Xi honors excellence in scientific research.

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April 2009

• As of April 29, 2009 Dr. Arduengo's seminal publication on "A Stable Crystalline Carbene" (with R. L. Harlow and M. Kline, J.
  Am. Chem. Soc., 1991, 113, 361) reached milestone status with1000+ citations.
• The Department congratulates Dr. Michael Jennings and Dr. Timothy Snowden who both have been promoted to the rank of associate professor with tenure effective for the 2009-2010 academic year.
• Students doing undergraduate research with Chemistry faculty placed first and second in the physical sciences division of the University System Honors Student Research Presentation poster competition. Emily Wayman received first place for her poster describing work carried out in a joint project with Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy and Dr. David Dixon. Rebecca Long, who also works with Dr. Dixon, earned the second place prize.
• Students doing undergraduate research with Chemistry faculty took 4 of the 6 awards for Natural Sciences division at the UA undergraduate research and creative activity conference. The awardees were:
  • Awuri Asuri (1st place oral presentation): Purification and Characterization of the Heme Biosynthesis enzyme Ferrochelatase. Advisor: Dr. Laura Busenlehner
  • Maggie Adams (2nd place oral presentation): Structural Studies of Human Mitochondrial Aconitase. Advisor: Dr. Laura Busenlehner
  • Joel Schoenberg (1st place poster presentation): Palladium-Catalyzed Hydrodehalogenation of Aryl Bromides and Chlorides. Advisor Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy
  • Duncan Harmon (3rd place poster presentation): Synthesis and Characterization of Neopentylphosphine Palladium Complexes. Advisor Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy
• Congratulations to Chemistry Department students who received awards during Honors Week events.

• Chemistry major Rebecca Long has received a Goldwater Scholarship. The Goldwater Scholarship is one of the premier national scholarships awarded to students. Rebecca is a Junior chemistry major and does undergraduate research with Dr. David Dixon.
• Chemistry majors Richard Cockrum and Emily Wayman have received the Hollings Scholarship sponsored by NOAA. Richard and Emily are both Sophomore chemistry majors, members of the Computer-Based Honors Programs and the University Fellows Experience. Richard does undergraduate research with Dr. David Dixon. Emily is working on a joint project with Dr. Dixon and Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy. UA press release
• Congratulations to all Chemistry students who received awards during Honors Week festivities.
• Congratulations to the chemistry majors inducted into Gamma Sigma Epsilon, a national chemistry honorary society.

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March 2009

• Hannah Box earned first prize in the Chemistry poster competition at the Alabama Academy of Science meeting in Livingston. Hannah's poster was entitled, "Synthesis of Water-Soluble Phosphines and Their Application to Recyclable, Aqueous-Phase Palladium Catalyts." Hannah's mentor is Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy. Matthew Thacker received the second place prize for his poster entitled, "Using Surrogate metal Ions to Probe Iron Binding Properties of Frataxin." Matthew's mentor is Dr. Laura Busenlehner.
• Melody Kelley has received a 2009 UNCF-Merck Graduate Science Research Dissertation Fellowship. The UNCF-Merck fellowship provides a stipend and money for research supplies in support of the completion of a PhD dissertation. Melody is a student in Dr. Silas Blackstock's group. She came to UA as an LSAMP scholar.
• Congratulations to the 19 chemistry majors who were inducted into the Delta Beta chapter of Gamma Sigma Epsilon on March 27th. Gamma Sigma Epsilon is a national honorary society for chemistry majors. Students are chosen based on their outstanding academic record in both chemistry and overall. The Delta Beta chapter at UA dates back to 1924 and is the oldest chapter that remains active.

February 2009

• Dr. John Vincent was named to the Chemistry Leadership Group for the NSF-REU program.
• Awuri Asuru's presentation at the Undergraduate Research Conference at the University of Memphis was voted one of the top 5 outstanding presentations. Awuri's presentation was entitled, "The Purification and Peptide Mapping of the Heme Biosynthesis Enzyme Ferrochelatase." She works in Dr. Laura Busenlehner's lab.

January 2009

• The Department congratulates Dr. Michael Jennings and Dr. Timothy Snowden who both were recently informed they will receive NSF-CAREER awards. The NSF CAREER award is the NSF's premier award for young scientists. Both grants will provide funding for 5 years in excess of $500,000. UA press release
• Congratulations to Drs. Bakker, Dixon, Gupta, Thrasher, and Vincent who received new grants or contracts recently.
• Raluca Craciun and Heather Watson have been named Graduate Ambassadors for UA.

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