Undergraduate and graduate students, their families and friends, and faculty and staff gathered in Weyandt 107 at 3:30 to recognize the academic performance of Chemistry majors in the department. Wendy Elcesser (chair of the Awards Committee) and Chairman George Long hosted the ceremony, presenting several students with a certificate of achievement and cash awards for their hard work during the 2012–2013 year.

In addition to academic achievement awards, the Chemistry Department has several endowed awards given annually.

The Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh Award for Outstanding Academic Achievement was presented to Rebecca Beadling.

The Edward N. Brown Memorial Scholarship was awarded to Kristen Shafer.

The Ron Marks Scholarship was awarded to Andrew Teorsky.

The Graduate Academic Excellence Award was presented to Michael Hummel.

The Graduate Research Award was presented to Ivan Lendyel.

The CRC Handbook Award was presented to Jared Fee.

The ACS Student Affiliate Member of the Year was awarded to Peter Greenawalt.

The Academic Achievement Award was presented to the following senior Chemistry majors:

• Brendan Adams
• Rebecca Beadling
• Rebecca Hartley
• Elyse Kleist
• Amanda Lynn
• Breeanna Mintmier
• Andrew Owens
• Amy Rydeen
• Ronald Stewart
• David Williams-Yong

The Academic Achievement Award was presented to the following junior Chemistry majors:

• Teresa Dierks
• Peter Greenawalt
• Evan Laughlin
• Kristen Shafer
• Andrew Teorsky

The Academic Achievement Award was presented to the following sophomore Chemistry majors:

• Jacqueline Beisel
• Robert Connacher
• Carly Counihan
• Charles Culbertson
• Brett Duell
• Faith Elmes
• Cassandra Hanley
• Noriko Mikeasky
• Shane Skonieczki
• Elizabeth Stimmell
• Brittney Wiesheier

The Academic Achievement Award was presented to the following freshman Chemistry majors:

• Joseph Aiello
• Katherine Kime-Batten
• Bo Blose
• Melissa Butkowski
• Justin Charles
• Tyler Cochenour
• Daniel Crum
• Elon Denio
• Minh Quan Dinh
• Breanna Dominguez
• Louis Ann Esmeralda
• Jared Fee
• Deena Hauze
• Alexa Ives
• Amira Kessem
• Lori Kusluch
• Daniel Martin
• Joanna Mielke
• Jonathan Moschgat
• Justin Myers
• Trey North
• Amanda Pursley
• Kirsten Sawtelle
• Jamall Young

Special thanks goes to the members of the Awards Committee and the following donors for their continued support of this program:

Wendy Elcesser, Jaeju Ko, Lawrence Kupchella, Carl LeBlond, George Long, Nathan McElroy, Robert and Mrs. Patsiga, Ronald See, Jonathan Southard, Augusta Syty (emeritus), John Woolcock, Geno Zambotti (emeritus), PPG Industries, Reliant Energy Keystone Station, S&T Bank, and Pro Packet (printing donation).

The award is based on strong academic achievement and cocurricular activities, community service, and leadership skills.

Shafer is a student in the Robert E. Cook Honors College at IUP, maintains a 4.0 GPA, and holds leadership roles in the Student Affiliate American Chemical Society and Alpha Chi Sigma. Under her leadership in Alpha Chi Sigma, the Chemistry Magic Show was started, which takes IUP students to local elementary schools to perform engaging chemical experiments.

CHEM 105 counts toward the Liberal Studies Option II as a nonlaboratory course.

The summer offering of CHEM 105 may also be an option those students who cannot enroll into SCI 107: Chemistry for Everyone, as it is currently full for Fall 2013.

Course Description

For students who would like to learn about forensic chemistry and the basic science needed to understand it. Chemical concepts on the level of an introductory chemistry course and their applications to forensic science will be explored in detail. Topics will include the forensic analysis of drugs, fibers, glass, arson, questioned documents, and other types of physical evidence. Other topics will include how forensic science is portrayed in novels, movies, and TV and the methods used in forensic evidence collection at a crime scene.

Department of Chemistry

Andrew Owens (B.S. ’13) and David Williams-Young (B.S. ’13) traveled to New Orleans, La., from April 7–11, 2013, to attend and present at the national ACS meeting. The meetings, held twice a year in March/April and August, host over 14,000 chemists from around the world for five days of meetings, presentations, job fairs, and vendor showcases.

Owens, who works with John Ford, presented “Production of Cellulase from Tricoderma reesei by Solid State Fermentation on Mixed Waste Paper.”

Williams-Young, who works with Jaeju Ko, presented “Computational Approach to the Prediction of Enzyme Specificities.”

Department of Chemistry

See and Kozina (’12) published the article “Quantification for the Trans Influence in d8 Square Planar and d6 Octahedral Complexes: A Database Study” in the Journal of Coordination Chemistry (a Taylor-Francis publication). J. Coord. Chem. Vol. 66(3), 10 Feb 2013, p. 490-500.

Abstract

A systematic search of the Cambridge structural database was undertaken to quantify the trans influence in square planar and octahedral transition metal compounds. For square planar geometry, d8 metal centers were studied, while octahedral searches focused on low-spin d6 complexes. Two probe ligands (PL) were used to measure the effect of the trans ligand (TL), chloride, and triphenylphosphine (PPh3). For the TLs O=CX2, NR3, pyridine, and Cl (X = any non-metal, R = H or hydrocarbon), the effects on the metal–probe ligand (M–PL) distance were statistically equal and were taken as essentially no trans influence. The other ligands studied showed significant decrease in the mean M–PL bond order, relative to the above ligands: SR2 = 0.941; S=CX2 = 0.887; PPh3 = 0.825; phenyl = 0.743; CR3 = 0.719; hydride = 0.685. Some variation in the trans influence is observed, based on the geometry of the metal center and the PL. In general, electron-donating, σ-bonding ligands lead to a larger trans influence, but π-bonding effects can also be important, particularly when the probe ligand also has π-bonding properties.

Department of Chemistry

The Astings, who lived in Monument, Colo., were returning from an Easter trip in Oklahoma on their single-engine Mooney on Monday, April 1. The plane crashed shortly after, northwest of Guyman, Okla., and was found on Wednesday, April 3, by another pilot.

Asting completed his Ph.D. in inorganic chemistry at the University of Rhode Island and joined the IUP faculty in 1977. He taught several inorganic and physical chemistry classes, and served as the chair of the Department from 1987–1992. He was actively involved in APSCUF, and served as president of the IUP-APSCUF chapter.

After his retirement in 2004, Asting became involved in many activities, including scuba diving, photography, and flying. He and his wife relocated to Colorado from Indiana (Pa.) a few years ago.

Department of Chemistry

On February 21, 2013, the Philadelphia section of the American Chemical Society and the ACS Younger Chemists Committee hosted the poster session at Drexel University. The annual event provides a forum for high school students and university undergraduate and graduate students to present their research to peers and colleagues in industry and academia. Approximately 90 students from the region presented their work.

Mintmier presented “Cellulose Particle Size and Crystallinity Influence Cellulase Kinetics,” and Numan presented “Effect of Methanol and Ethanol on Miller's Assay for Reducing Sugars.”

Both Mintmier and Numan are working on projects with biomass utilization with John Ford and Jaeju Ko in the Department of Chemistry.

Lim will present “Scanning Probe Microscopy and Its Applications to Surface Science” at 3:35 p.m. in Weyandt 240. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Szeto, assistant professor at Vincennes University (formerly Purdue University-Calumet) will present “Toward the Teaching of Authentic Science: Challenges and Opportunities in Chemical Problem Solving and Conceptual Development” at 3:30 in Weyandt 127. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Abstract

During the first decade of the 21st century, several significant problems in science education remained ill-defined and underexplored. One of them was that grades 7-14 science experience remained relatively unexciting, unrewarding, and unrelated to students’ everyday lives. On the other hand, considering that authentic science classrooms and instructional laboratories were rarely found across the nation, data on how students learn authentic science and solve authentic problems were difficult to come by. My research on how students learn and how teachers teach both aim at taking steps toward the redevelopment of the high school and introductory college chemistry curriculum to help students achieve, in the same two to three years taking high school chemistry and general chemistry in college, a more in-depth understanding and appreciation of the subject matter. The new curriculum will be the synthesis product between experience in the past three decades in teaching chemical problem-solving and continuing research toward the construction of conceptual roadmaps for the familiar (e.g., atomic structure, forces and energy, and chemical bonding) as well as unfamiliar (e.g., nanoscience) teaching topics.

Ashe will give a research presentation, “Improving Student Understanding in Chemistry through Simulations and Novel Instructional Techniques,” at 3:35 p.m. in Weyandt 127.

All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

At 3:35 p.m., in Weyandt 127, Booth will present “Academic Performance from Blended Instruction in Secondary Science.”

All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

What’s more exciting than a magic show? A chemical magic show! On February 15, Alpha Chi Sigma and the American Chemical Society Student Affiliate took five students to the Apollo Ridge Elementary school to perform “magic” experiments for the third grade classes.

This is a new project that the student chemistry organizations have been working on this year in order to bring chemistry into schools and show children how fun science can be. The experiments included the ethanol cannon, elephant’s toothpaste, colorimetric flame tests, and color changes with acid and base indicators.

As a first show for elementary kids, the students performing were as enthralled and excited as the third graders were. After weeks of preparation, students Kristen Shafer, Elyse Kleist, Blake Tressler, Erica Bouch, and Minh Dinh all agree that the show was well worth doing again.

The project had its pilot performance late last November. Kleist and Dylan Stoy travelled to Apollo Ridge Middle school to teach the students about the scientific method, careers in chemistry, and the properties of liquid nitrogen.

With the help of Justin Fair, the chemistry fraternity and ACS club have been very successful thus far. They are hoping to put together a few more shows this semester in different elementary, middle, and high schools. There has been a great response from both the grade school and college students, and the organizations have goals of making this a regular addition to their yearly schedules.

Department of Chemistry

Daly will visit with faculty and students during the morning and afternoon of February 22, and conclude his visit with the seminar “The Role of Metal-Ligand Covalency in Fuel Cycle Extraction Processes: A Spectroscopic Evaluation of Seaborg’s Sixty-Year-Old Hypothesis.”

The talk will be in Weyandt 240 from 3:35–4:25 p.m. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

The complete job description and instructions for applying can be found on the Humans Resources website.

The Chemistry Department is sad to lose a talented instructor and valued colleague, but we wish him all the best for his retirement and look forward to hearing of his exploits on the Appalachian Trail next year!

About Mike Briggs

Born in Urbana, Illinois, in 1946 to a Navy vet and a stay-at-home mom, Mike Briggs began a zig-zag path to the present. At two years of age, his mother was sure of his success in life and bought him a set of World Book encyclopedias. This early gift was the catalyst of a fondness for reading and science.

In the middle decade of the last century, this student began his education in public education with little note or exception, and finished high school in the middle of the next decade. The yearbook in 1964 made little comment other than that he attended Barberton High School (Ohio).

The decade of the sixties was all about the war in Vietnam, and, in 1966, the student at the University of Akron became a soldier by volunteering for service. He attended Officer Candidate School and was commissioned an officer in the United States Army in 1967. Almost immediately, he found himself in Vietnam commanding a platoon of 32 other soldiers a month before his 21st birthday. Six months to the day after he entered Vietnam, he stepped on a booby-trapped land mine and spent the next nine months in the hospital.

After a military retirement and to recuperate, this former soldier went to California with his wife and a two-year-old daughter to seek his fortune. He worked for Bechtel Corporation on the Black Mesa in Arizona at a plant which ground coal into a fine slurry, which was then sent to a power plant 250 miles away in the southern tip of Nevada. There, the coal slurry was dewatered and burned to produce electricity for Los Angeles. After a year and a half taking percent coal samples and reporting them to the Bechtel office in San Francisco, the former soldier decided to go back to the University of Akron and finish his B.S. degree. He graduated in 1973 with a degree in Chemistry; the same year a son was born.

The new chemist went to work for General Tire as a raw material specialist in the Tire Technology Department. For 10 years, he evaluated raw materials for use in automobile and truck tires, such as carbon black for strength, mileage, and reduced rolling resistance; synthetic rubbers for durability and long tire life; accelerators and curing agents for proper chemistry in development of a super-polymer from smaller chained polymers. The work was rewarding, but, when an opportunity appeared to move into the International Division of the company, this chemist jumped at it and went to Mexico City, Mexico, as a tire plant chemist. That job lasted four years, and then he went to Casablanca, Morocco, as the tire plant technical manager. When the USA bombed Libya in 1986, that job ended suddenly, and the chemist came back to the USA to work in the General Tire Training Department in Akron, Ohio.

Looking for adventure, Briggs left General Tire and went to work for Specialty Tires of America in Indiana, Pennsylvania, as the technical manager for race tires. This was an exciting position because it required attendance at dirt track races several Saturdays each month!

But even that kind of excitement wanes sooner or later, and Briggs returned to the university life at IUP in search of a master’s degree in chemistry and a teaching certificate. In 1994, with both certificates in hand, a five-year period of teaching at the temporary faculty level began. This was followed in 1999 with the transition to Purdue University to obtain a doctorate in chemistry. The degree was secured in 2004, and an opening in the Chemistry Department at IUP allowed the chemist to return to IUP as a tenure-track faculty member. In 2007, tenure was awarded and, in 2009, promotion to associate professor was granted. Prior to retirement in 2012, Briggs collaborated with George Long to obtain a national Science Foundation grant and write two published scientific papers on the research.

Briggs is now training for a through hike on the Appalachian Trail to begin in January 2013.

John Woolcock

“Using Food Detectives and Chemistry Now in the Classroom”

Food Detectives is TV show hosted by Ted Allen that was designed to “answer all the burning questions you have about food with real science.” Each episode has multiple segments of varying lengths that investigate or describe such questions as: What chemical elements are present in foods? Does drinking ice water burn calories? Does alcohol burn off during cooking? Chemistry Now is a joint venture between NSF and NBC Learn that provides video segments and Internet resources on a variety of topics such as the Chemistry of Pumpkin Pie and the Chemistry of Smell. We will examine how the segments from these sources can be used to illustrate or teach chemistry concepts to nutrition and dietetics students in a non-majors chemistry course.

George Long

“The Necessity of Introductory Chemistry Labs: A Cognitive Argument"

Recently, questions regarding the importance of lab in introductory chemistry courses have arisen, driven by the lack of direct evidence that these introductory labs help students learn chemistry. Often, traditional studies show no significant difference in tests of information, practical application, and often even attitude. While it is generally accepted that chemists need to be trained in the use of laboratory equipment and laboratory practice, it is argued that these can be left to upper division courses, where precious resources are only used for those students who require this specific training. However, historically, most chemistry teachers have valued labs, albeit often intuitively. Given the counterintuitive result, it is thus worth considering if the conventional quantitative methods used miss some important aspects of learning. This presentation will discuss the use of qualitative evidence to look for unique cognitive aspects of learning in the laboratory, including the “knowledge as action” aspects of introductory labs, and will argue that the laboratory context provides an essential grounding of the concepts being studied.

Wendy Elcesser

“Decisions, Decisions, Decisions: Student Uncertainty in Procedural Design"

Coauthored by Anne Kondo (IUP) and Phil Palko (Indiana Area High School)
In our general chemistry laboratory, we teach a concept in week one and have the students solve a “real- world” problem in week two, modeling “Working With Chemistry.” Experiments differ in detail of directions and the decision making required. Expectations of the students increase between weeks. The program meets goals we set, including: excite interest in scientific investigation; learn to obtain and interpret data; and develop skills in designing procedures. These goals require students to make decisions. Students have difficulty committing to action when asked to develop a procedure, even to decide upon an appropriate sample size. Despite having completed directional pre-labs, students spend significant time musing about what to do. We discuss student decision-making, and what faculty can do to help without directly providing students with answers. How are the benefits (learning outcomes) of making decisions measured? What is an appropriate way to assess experimental design skills, including “failed” experiments? We measured time on task, time on quiz, and time until decision making in the kinetics and equilibrium laboratories was complete. We tracked performance on quizzes. We performed a qualitative analysis on the answers to the questions asked on the kinetics and equilibrium quizzes. As there was no statistical correlation between performance and these variables, we explored why decision making is so challenging: decision making is high on Bloom’s taxonomy; students lack confidence and experience; they are not used to organizing data in meaningful ways; they can lack initiative; they possess inflexibility; students can be bull-headed; they can be impulsive. We implemented pre-laboratory assignments and provided report tutorials to address some of these issues. We interacted with them, asking leading questions, and we rotated leadership roles to even-out group dynamics. We created experiments that would succeed even with “bad” decisions. More importantly, we let them fail.

Mike Briggs

“Qualitative Assessment of Inquiry-Based Teaching Methods"

A new approach to teaching method assessment using student-focused qualitative studies and the theoretical framework of mental models is proposed. The theoretical framework of mental models is discussed, and it is argued that the application of this methodology provides a more learner-focused approach to assessing a teaching activity. This method can provide more detail about the relevant cognitive processes used by the student, and thereby facilitate improved learning.

In addition to their presentations, Long and Briggs were co-organizers of the “Cognition in Chemistry Education” symposium.

About the BCCE

The Biennial Conference on Chemical Education is a national meeting sponsored by the Division of Chemical Education of the American Chemical Society and is designed for those who teach chemistry at all levels: secondary school science teachers, undergraduate and graduate students, and post-secondary chemistry faculty. The conference provides anyone teaching chemistry opportunities for interacting with like-minded colleagues in both formal and informal settings. Teachers who are about to launch their careers, those who are new to teaching chemistry, and those who have teaching experience will find this conference to be an excellent source of materials, techniques, and chemistry content. The BCCE helps teachers make connections with others equally committed to teaching chemistry.

At the department’s seminar series (held on Fridays at 3:35 p.m.), he presented “New Materials for Optical Information Storage.”

Join us at 3:35 p.m. in Weyandt 240 for her presentation, “Mass Spectrometry-Based Proteomics Techniques to Characterize Oxidatively-modified Proteins.”

All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Please join us at 3:35 p.m. in Weyandt 240 for Kurnikova’s presentation “Using Methods of Molecular Modeling to Understand Mechanisms of Protein Function.”

All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Alpha Chi Sigma (aka AXE), IUP’s award-winning professional chemistry fraternity, is hosting rush events during the second week of classes. AXE has been recognized by the National organization for their service and outreach activities. They are currently accepting interest from any science major who is in their second semester of Chemistry (or beyond). It’s a great opportunity to learn more about chemistry, meet your science peers, and network with professionals.

Please join them on Tuesday, September 4, for nachos; on Wednesday, September 5, for fondue; and on Thursday, September 6 for liquid nitrogen ice cream. All events take place from 7;00–9:00 p.m. in Weyandt 127.

For more information or questions, please contact Amanda Lynn (a.m.lynn@iup.edu).

Department of Chemistry

On March 24, several members of IUP's ACS club will be on hand from 10:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. at the Indiana Mall to give chemical demonstrations to local children and their families. The students will show small-scale experiments of “fun” reactions, including Mentos and soda, acid-base reactions, and a home-made lava lamp, and they will explain the chemical principles behind these reactions.

Family Fun Fest, now in its ninth year, provides information and entertainment for area children and their families. Representatives from scores of local organizations, musicians, and other entertainers will have tables and information booths throughout the mall. The ACS club will have a table in the exit hallway near Bon Ton. This years Fest theme is S.C.I.E.N.C.E. — Seek, Create, Inquire, Explore, Navigate, Change the world, Experiment.

Grata, who graduated cum laude in Spring 2011 with a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Education, will visit Weyandt Hall with his students. In addition to attending presentations and demonstrations, the students will present a research project, “Novel Procedure for the Identification of an Unknown by Specific Heat,” in Weyandt 240 from 10:15–10:45 a.m. All are welcome to attend.

Mihailescu’s presentation, “Long-Range RNA-RNA Interactions in Hepatitis C Virus as Novel Targets for Peptide Nucleic Acid Based Therapy,” will be given in Weyandt 240 from 3:35–4:25 p.m.

All are welcome, and light refreshments will be served.

Liu’s research deals with the development of new catalytic glycosylation methods and novel protective group chemistry that enables rapid assembly of homogeneous glycoconjugates. He will present “New Methods and Strategies for Oligosaccharide Synthesis” in Weyandt Hall, roomo 240, from 3:35–4:25 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

Department of Chemistry

Read a PDF copy of the article.

For full details, visit the Office of Human Resources listing.

At 3:35 p.m., in Weyandt 240, he will present the lecture “Proteins as Play-Doh: Changing the Chemical Connectivity of Biomolecules to Make New Materials and Medicines.” All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Abstract

Research in the Horne lab at the University of Pittsburgh is focused on the design, synthesis, and study of synthetic analogues of polypeptides and proteins. The cellular machinery underlying life is based on biopolymers comprised of a handful of simple building blocks. Application of synthetic organic chemistry to the modification of proteins provides an avenue to chemical species that are inspired by nature, but manifest new and interesting properties. Projects being pursued in the lab include the development of new chemical methods to control folded conformation in polypeptides and proteins, exploration of the consequences of chemical modification to the folding of the polypeptide backbone, and the application of protein self-assembly to prepare functional supramolecular materials.

Dr. Lee is interested in using spectroscopy and microscopy to investigate single molecule biophysics. His talk, “Single Molecule Studies on the Structure and Assembly of Nucleosomes,” will be given in Weyandt 240 from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

Abstract

Nucleosomes are the fundamental packing units of the eukaryotic genome. The structure and structural dynamics of nucleosomes are at the core of the mechanisms of gene regulation. We studied the structure of nucleosomes, the assembly of nucleosomes, and how these properties are altered by covalent modifications based on single molecule fluorescence measurements. Our study revealed that changes in the physical properties of nucleosomes induced upon DNA methylation and histone acetylation may contribute to the regulation of various genome activities. Our study demonstrates how single molecule methods can fill the niche not covered by the conventional structural biology tools.

For more information, see IUP’s Around the Oak Grove blog.

The purpose of Undergraduate Research Day at the capitol is to bring together college students, faculty, and Pennsylvania legislators to share the experiences of students engaged in research or scholarship at their colleges and universities. To that end, URC-PA provides an opportunity for students to present posters about their work at the state capitol and for students and their faculty mentors to meet with legislators and their staffs.

Dr. Jackman will visit with department faculty and students before presenting the lecture “Putting it in reverse: 3'-5' nucleotide addition catalyzed by tRNA^His guanylyltransferase enzymes” from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. in Weyandt 240. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

Abstract

The tRNA^His guanylyltransferase (Thg1) is an essential enzyme in yeast that catalyzes the addition of a single indispensable G residue (G_-1) to the 5'-end of tRNA^His. Addition of G_-1 occurs via an unusual 3'-5' nucleotide addition reaction, in the opposite direction to nucleotide addition catalyzed by all known DNA/RNA polymerases. Nonetheless, the recent crystal structure of human Thg1 revealed unexpected structural homology between Thg1 and canonical 5'-3' DNA polymerases, suggesting that Thg1 similarly uses a two metal-ion active site for nucleotide addition. The mechanism by which Thg1 uses this well-studied active site to catalyze reverse (3'-5') nucleotide addition is currently under investigation.

Thg1 is a member of a large enzyme family with members in eukarya, where G-1 addition is universally required, but Thg1-like proteins (TLPs) have been identified in archaea, bacteria, and mitochondria, where the biological function of the enzymes is less well-understood. Using biochemical and genetic techniques, we have identified roles for TLPs in previously unknown nucleic acid 5'-end repair and editing reactions, providing evidence for novel uses for Thg1-catalyzed 3'-5' nucleotide addition reactions in biology. These activities are likely to play critical roles in maintaining a high-quality pool of cellular RNAs.

Dr. Sloppy received her Ph.D. in Materials Science and Engineering from Penn State in 2009 and is currently a post-doctoral student at Drexel University in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering.

Her presentation will be given during the department’s seminar series in Weyandt Hall, room 240, from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

Abstract

Multiferroic materials simultaneously exhibit two or more of the following properties: ferroelectricity, ferromagnetism, ferroelasticity, antiferroelectricity, or antiferromagnetism. The ability to control magnetic ordering via an applied bias would provide a broad field for innovation and impact such technologies as high-density ferroelectric and magnetoresistive memories, spintronics devices, and magnetic field sensors.

Extrinsic multiferroic devices can be fabricated by layering ferroelectric and ferromagnetic materials; this type of heterostructure may permit rapid control of magnetic domain orientation via an applied electric field. In the case of layered thin films of ferromagnetic La₀.₆₇Sr₀.₃₃MnO (LSMO) on ferroelectric Pb₀.₂₀Zr₀.₈₀TiO₃ (PZT), magnetoelectric coupling occurs via a strain-mediated mechanism. Strain also plays a vital role in determining the concentration and type of interfacial defects and the nucleation, propagation, growth, and hysteresis behavior of magnetic domains. The strain in the LSMO and at the PZT/LSMO interface is varied by changing the thickness of the PZT layer, and the direction of polarization in the PZT is varied by choosing either an LSMO or a SrRuO₃ (SRO) underlayer. Bulk magnetic properties are measured using vibrating sample magnetometry (VSM) and correlated with atomic-level structure and chemistry measured by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) in an aberration corrected microscope. This technique allows for the simultaneous collection of Z-contrast images and electron energy loss spectra (EELS) with a spatial resolution of 60 picometers.

Bismuth ferrite (BiFeO₃) is an intrinsic multiferroic that is simultaneously ferroelectric and antiferromagnetic. The formation and relaxation of sub-micron ferroelectric domains is reported via in-situ biasing in the TEM. The kinetics of domain wall motion and a variety of dynamic behaviors, such as domain wall collisions, domain attraction and repulsion, and domain-defect interactions are observed. In-situ TEM experiments have demonstrated the observation of domain wall motion at unprecedented temporal and spatial resolutions.

Dr. Wood received a Bachelor of Arts in Chemistry Education from IUP in 1964, a Master of Education in Chemistry Education from IUP in 1970, and a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry from the University of Pittsburgh in 1974.

Dr. Wood held a post-doctoral position at Yale University from 1974 to 1976 before joining the faculty in the Department of Chemistry at IUP, where he was promoted to associate professor and then professor.

During his tenure at IUP, Dr. Wood taught all levels of introductory chemistry courses, undergraduate and graduate organic chemistry courses, and advanced levels of weapons of mass destruction courses. In addition, he served as a thesis advisor and undergraduate research advisors for many students.

Dr. Wood was instrumental in the creation and teaching of the Science of Disaster Response tracks (both undergraduate and graduate) and the National Guard Bureau’s WMD-REALITI program. He was also lead author on scores of publications and presentations at regional and national conferences, and was the principal chemist for projects that were granted more than $3 million. He served as a consultant for chemical safety for numerous schools and organizations in the western Pennsylvania region.

Dr. Wood was the recipient of several awards and honors, including the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award, a Mellon Fellow, and a Certified Chemical Hygiene Officer by the National Registry in Clinical Chemistry. Dr. Wood is/was a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Organic Division of the ACS, the Pennsylvania Science Teachers Association, and the Chemical Corps Regimental Association.

Dr. Eddy received a Bachelor of Science in Biology Education from IUP in 1965, a Master of Science in Chemistry from IUP in 1991, and a Ph.D. in Science Education from the University of Pittsburgh in 1996.

She served as a part-time or temporary full-time instructor in the department from 1987 to 1996, then became an assistant professor in 1996. Dr. Eddy was promoted to associate professor in 2000.

During her tenure at IUP, she taught numerous courses in chemistry, chemistry education, and advanced levels of teacher education and weapons of mass destruction. She was the recipient of many awards, including the Sponsored Programs Award for Outstanding Achievement in Curriculum and Instruction, the Faculty Recognition of Superior Effort (ROSE) award, the Graduate Dean’s Award for Outstanding Commitment to Sponsored Programs, and a Certificate of Commendation from the Department of the Army and Air Force National Guard Bureau for Meritorious Service.

Dr. Eddy was the lead developer for the establishment of both the B.S. and M.S. degrees for the Science of Disaster Response at IUP, the director of the National Guard Bureau’s WMD-REALITI project, and lead author on many scientific peer-review journal articles and conference presentations. As director and principal investigator of several grants, Dr. Eddy was responsible for bringing in over $3.3 million towards funded research.

In addition to her teaching and scholarly endeavors, Dr. Eddy served as a student teacher supervisor for chemical education students, as a member of the Pennsylvania Academy for Teacher Preparation Committee, and as a member and chair of the department’s curriculum committee. She is/was a member of the American Chemical Society (ACS), the Chemical Education Division of the ACS, the Chemical Corp Regimental Association, and the National Teachers Association.

Several students and two faculty members from the Department of Chemistry displayed their research.

• Dr. Jaeju Ko “In Silico Function Determination of Protein 3D Structures from Predicted Interaction Sites”
• Dr. Jana Villemain “Characteristics of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Srs2 Helicase C-terminal Region to its Multifaceted Role in Mediating Homologous Recombination Event”
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge (research conducted at Jefferson National Accelerator Facility) “Effect of Temperature on Niobium Surface Morphology during Buffered Electropolishing”
• Ms. Laura Fox (research conducted with Dr. Ron See) “Quantification of Repulsive 1,3-Intramolecular Interactions”
• Ms. Hyunkyung Kim (research conducted with Dr. John Ford) “Altering the Size of Cellulose without Chemical or Enzymatic Cleavage”
• Ms. Lindsay Matolyak and Ms. Nadia Szymanski (research conducted with Dr. Carl LeBlond) “Study of the Reaction Mechanism for Asymmetric Reduction of Ethyl Pyruvate over Cinchona-modified Pt/Al₂O₃”
• Ms. Breeanna Mintmier (research conducted with Dr. John Ford) “Determining Enzymatic Activity with Dyed Cellulose”

The ACS Club will screen the following short films:

• Imagine a Life Without Chemistry
• Powers of Ten
• The Political Chemistry of Oil
• Seas of Plastic

The event is open to all majors, and attendance slips will be available for students to return to their instructors. Find a copy of the advertisement flier (PDF).

About the ACS Club

The ACS Club at IUP, which was formed in the 1970s, is composed predominantly of students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and pre-professional majors. Members provide free chemistry tutoring four days a week during the semester, raise money via fund-raising activities that is donated to local school science programs ($1,000 each year), and hold or participate in community outreach activities such as National Chemistry Week in Pittsburgh, Mole Day, and local science festivals.

The club was recently given a Commendable Award by the National Office of the ACS for its achievements and activities during the 2009–2010 academic year. The club also received two Honorable Mention Awards for the 2008–2009 and 2006–2007 academic years.

Department of Chemistry

The lecture, “Computational Estimation of Protein-Ligand Binding Affinities,” will be given in Weyandt 149 from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. All are welcome to attend, and light refreshments will be served.

About Dr. Stern's Research

Our research focuses on atomic-detail computer calculations to examine problems in biochemistry and structural biology. Recent work has focused on the ability of scoring functions based on crystal structures of water-soluble proteins to identify native structures of membrane proteins, algorithms for performing molecular simulations with variable protonation states at constant pH, and for fast calculation of electrostatic forces. 

Every semester, ACS club students offer free chemistry tutoring Monday through Thursday from 7:00 to 8:00 p.m. in Weyandt Hall, room 128. Upperclassmen majors in Chemistry and Biochemistry are available in Weyandt 128 to assist students in all Chemistry courses, with focus on freshman and sophomore levels.

Any student is welcome to attend these free sessions.

Club members Deanna Belsky (president), Jonathan Henninger, and Erica Bouch (a 2006 Saltsburg graduate) performed demonstrations with liquid nitrogen for the class and held a Q&A session with the students about the Chemistry major, classes at IUP, and general college life. The majority of the high school students were juniors, but many had already decided on the majors they planned to pursue at IUP or other institutions.

About the ACS Club

The ACS Club at IUP, which was formed in the 1970s, is comprised predominantly of students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and pre-professional majors. Members provide free chemistry tutoring four days a week during the semester, raise money via fundraising activities that is donated to local school science programs ($1,000 each year), and hold or participate in community outreach activities such as National Chemistry Week in Pittsburgh, Mole Day, and local science festivals.

The club was recently given a Commendable Award by the National Office of the ACS for their achievements and activities during the 2009–2010 academic year. The club also received two Honorable Mention Awards for the 2008–2009 and 2006–2007 academic years.

Brewer is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering and Biorenewable Resources and Technology with a minor in Soil Science at Iowa State University during her tenure as a National Science Foundation Graduate Research fellow. She does her research on engineering biochar at ISU’s Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies (CSET) in collaboration with several research groups from the Agronomy, Chemistry, and Horticulture departments. Her doctoral dissertation focuses on the characterization of chars from the thermochemical processing of biomass to relate chars’ production conditions to their suitability for soil amendment and carbon sequestration applications.

Brewer's seminar is open to the public and will be held in Weyandt Hall, Room 240, from 3:35-4:25 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Vogt will deliver a guest lecture in CHEM-321 Quantitative Analysis, then visit with students and faculty before presenting the seminar “Novel Approaches in Spectrometry: Spectroscopy + Imaging + Multivariate Data Analysis.” Vogt's research interests are interdisciplinary and focus on optical sensing techniques and statistical data analysis.

The seminar is open to the public and will be held in Weyandt Hall, Room 240, from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Griffith's research group is interested in applying mass spectrometry to understanding the structure-function relationships of proteins and their complexes with other biomolecules. On October 29, Griffith will meet with faculty and students before giving a public seminar on "Protein Evolution: Insights from Mass Spectrometry and Implications to Biomedical Science."

The seminar is open to the public and will be held in Weyandt Hall, Room 240, starting at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Since 2005, the ACS club has traveled to Pittsburgh to give demonstrations to schoolchildren and their families for National Chemistry Week (NCW). NCW is held during the week of October 23 to honor Avogadro's Number (6.022 x 10²³), which represents the number of atoms in a mole. In this region, the Carnegie Science Center hosts a two-day celebration of chemistry. Universities and chemistry-related businesses are invited to give hands-on demonstrations to exhibit the importance that chemistry plays in our lives. This year's theme is “Behind the Scenes with Chemistry.”

Seven students, accompanied by club advisor Dr. Nathan McElroy, will travel to the science center and present demonstrations with liquid nitrogen fog, toy snappers, and fake, edible blood.

NCW will be held on Friday, October 22, from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. and Saturday, October 23, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The event is free with admission.

About NCW

The mission of NCW is to reach out to the public, especially students, with positive messages about the important role chemistry plays in our daily lives. The NCW activities at the Carnegie Science Center are an ideal forum to promote science education and science literacy to young people, showcasing local professional societies, organizations, corporations and businesses, colleges and universities, and secondary schools. Since 1999, more than 3,000 individuals representing one hundred groups from Southwestern Pennsylvania have volunteered each year to help celebrate NCW in Pittsburgh. This annual program has reached more than 53,000 eager young people and curious adults who have enthusiastically participated in a variety of hands-on experiments and activities and watched amazing chemistry-related demonstrations. Through television and newsprint media, NCW has indirectly reached millions of people in the region with a positive message about the importance that chemistry plays in our quality of life.  The Pittsburgh Section ACS has been the recipient of nine national ACS awards for its NCW program in the past eleven years!

The Pittsburgh Section's 2010 NCW activities are sponsored by the Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh, the Spectroscopy Society of Pittsburgh, the PPG Industries Foundation, Bayer Corporation, and the Carnegie Science Center.

For the 2009–2010 academic year, over 360 reports were submitted to the committee. Of those, thirty-six clubs were given Outstanding Awards, sixty-eight were given Commendable Awards, and 113 received an Honorable Mention Award. Lists of winning chapters will be published in Chemical & Engineering News, the weekly ACS publication, and in inchemistry, the monthly student member magazine. These chapters will also be honored at the 241st ACS National Meeting in Anaheim, Calif., on March 21, 2011.

“I’m very proud of the work done by our club members and their dedication to making this a nationally recognized chapter,” said Nathan McElroy, the club faculty advisor. “Every semester, they offer free chemistry tutoring four nights a week, and raise funds with weekly hot dog sales and t-shirt sales. Each year, they donate $1,000 to a local elementary or high school science program, visit local science fairs with demonstrations, and take part in National Chemistry Week at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh. It’s great to see their efforts rewarded with national recognition.”

Club officers for the 2009–2010 year were: President Maura Barrett; Vice President Jonathan Henninger; Treasurer Deanna Belsky; and Secretary Nadia Szymanski.

This is the third recent national award for the club, which received Honorable Mention awards for the 2006–2007 and 2008–2009 academic years.

Journal Club is a biweekly group meeting between students and faculty. Each meeting, a student or faculty member volunteers to present a scientific research article to the group. It can be on any topic that the presenter is interested in. Meetings consist of a short summary of the article followed by an informal group discussion on the topic.

This is a great opportunity for science majors to meet each other and discuss interesting topics! And, if you want, it can definitely help your speaking skills in a friendly environment.

If you have any questions, just e-mail Jon at vkjp@iup.edu or Dr. Southard at Southard@iup.edu.

For more information, please see the attached flyer (PDF).

Department of Chemistry

Three faculty members were awarded tenure:

• Dr. Keith Kyler
• Dr. Nathan McElroy
• Dr. Jana Villemain

Two faculty members were awarded promotion:

• Dr. Michael Briggs (Associate Professor)
• Dr. Nathan McElroy (Associate Professor)

Congratulations to all of you!

On Friday, October 1, Nadia Szymanski and James Zewe will talk to students and faculty of the department about the research that they carried out over the summer. A previous seminar, held September 10, featured the projects of Deanna Belsky, Jonathan Henninger, and Jennifer Beveridge.

Each summer, Chemistry and Biochemistry majors apply for competitive fellowships and internships at research companies, major research universities and medical centers, and in national laboratories. These positions allow our students to get firsthand experience in cutting-edge research in chemistry, biochemistry, medicine, and physics.

In 2010, students completed research at North Dakota University, Columbia University, Howard Hughes Medical Institute, Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility, Princeton University, Yale University, Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine, University of North Carolina, and Pitt University.

This project will examine cellodextrins, short fibers derived from cellulose, as possible noncaloric food additives to increase fiber consumption. Ford also received an award in 2009 for “Building Tools for the Production of Inexpensive, Efficient Cellulases from the Filamentous Fungus Trichoderma reesei.”

About Dr. John Ford

Ford earned his bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of Cincinnati and his Ph.D. in chemistry from Northeastern University, followed by a postdoctoral research fellow position in genetics at Harvard University. He joined the Chemistry Department faculty in 1987.

Dr. Ford’s research interests include bioanalytical purifications and separations, particularly of proteins; the expression, purification, and characterization of recombinant proteins; and chromatographic theory and the mechanism of reversed-phase liquid chromatography.

• Ms. Katrina Owens (CHEM) is traveling to North Dakota University in Grand Forks for a summer internship in neuroscience.
• Ms. Laura Fox (CHEM) is participating in a National Science Foundation Research Experiences for Undergraduates (REU) at Columbia University in New York City. She’ll be conducting physical chemistry research with Dr. Laura Kaufman, focusing on the dynamics of crowded systems. Last summer, Laura won an international REU and worked at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland.
• Ms. Nadia Szymanski (CHEM) is participating in a Howard Hughes Medical Institute National Research Scholars Progam and will be working with Dr. Stella Tsirka in neuroscience research at Stoney Brook University in New York.
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge (CHEM) was offered a Science Undergraduate Laboratory Internship at Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility through the U.S. Department of Energy. She’ll be working in Newport News, Va., on some cutting-edge research on electrochemical surface treatment technology to improve superconducting radio frequency cavities.
• Ms. Deanna Belsky (BIOC) will be doing a REU in the Department of Molecular Biology and the Lewis-Sigler Institute at Princeton University in New Jersey.
• Mr. Stephen Christensen (BIOC) is carrying out research with Dr. David Rimm in the Pathology Department at Yale University.
• Mr. Jonathan Henninger (BIOC) will be at the Summer Scholars Program at the Wake Forest Institute for Regenerative Medicine at Wake Forest University in North Carolina.
• Mr. James Shellhammer (BIOC) will undertake a REU at the University of North Carolina (Chapel Hill) of Molecular Bioscience.
• Mr. James Zewe (BIOC) will participate in a REU at Pitt University in Biochemistry and Molecular Genetics.

Good luck and congratulations to all of these students for their hard work in securing these competitive research opportunities!

Before the ceremonies, students and their families met with faculty and staff in Weyandt 127 for coffee and light refreshements.  At 8:30, Dr. John Woolcock began the Chemistry Department ceremony with opening remarks, followed by presentations of diploma holders, and finishing with a reading of Dr. Seuss’s Oh The Places You’ll Go.

At 9:00, Dr. Jana Villemain opened the Biochemisty Program ceremony with some welcoming remarks and introduction of the graduates and their families and friends, followed by presentations of diploma holders by Dr. Jonathan Southard and Dr. N. Bharatan. Concluding remarks were made by Dr. Southard.

We wish to extend our congratulations to the following students (and their families!) and wish them the best of luck as they embark on their post-IUP careers.

• Ms. Jennifer Casanova (Dec. ’10) graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry, magna cum laude. She plans to go to graduate school in biochemistry or public health.
• Ms. Amy Devlin (Dec. ’09) graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry. She is currently employed as a chemist at Prime Metal & Alloys in Homer City.
• Mr. Arik Peace (Dec. ’10) graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry.
• Ms. Whitney Simmons graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry. She plans to enter the work force or graduate school.
• Mr. Jarod Sterrett graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry. He plans to enter the work force.
• Ms. Tracey Baker (Dec. ’09) graduated with a B.S. in Chemistry Education, summa cum laude. She plans to continue teaching.
• Ms. Maura Barrett (Dec. ’10) graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry Pre-Medicine, cum laude. She plans to enter medical school.
• Ms. Lisa McCombie (Dec. ’10) graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry, Pre-Medicine, magna cum laude. She plans to become a physician assistant.
• Mr. Eric Nkurunziza graduates with a B.S. in Chemistry, Pre-Medicine. He plans to work as an EMT and enter medical school.
• Ms. Olumayowa Azeez graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She plans to enter graduate or medical school.
• Ms. Shan Min Chin graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She plans to enter graduate school.
• Mr. Michael Fidell graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry, cum laude.
• Ms. Jenna Gazzola (Dec. ’10) graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She plans to enter graduate school or dental school.
• Ms. Fowosopefoluwa Opayemi graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry, summa cum laude. She plans to enter the work force and go on to graduate school.
• Mr. Chin Hong Siew graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry. He plans to enter graduate school.
• Ms. Ee Leng Terng graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry. She plans to enter graduate school.
• Mr. Justin Williams graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry, cum laude. He will attend Penn State for a Ph.D. in biochemistry and molecular biology.
• Ms. Li Yin Wong graduates with a B.S. in Biochemistry, summa cum laude. She plans to attend graduate school.
• Mr. Daniel Adu-Ampratwum graduates with a M.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude. He will start a Ph.D. program at Ohio State University.
• Mr. Michael Nkrumah graduates with a M.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude. He plans to enter the work force.
• Mr. Yuan Hu graduates with a M.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude. He will start a Ph.D. program at Princeton.
• Mr. David Kirchner graduates with a M.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude. He will continue his work at Windber Research Institute in Windber, Pa.
• Ms. Bernice Opoku-Agyeman graduates with a M.S. in Chemistry, summa cum laude. She will start a Ph.D. program at Pitt.

Ms. Maura Barrett (president), Ms. Jennifer Beveridge (treasurer), and Mr. James Shellhammer, accompanied by club advisor Dr. Nathan McElroy, visited the last-period chemistry class taught by Ms. Melanie Cicon. The students researched and set up three separate “chemical magic” demonstrations to show the students, followed by a question and answer period. Several Purchase Line students plan to attend IUP in the fall, and they asked many questions about college life and studying chemistry.

To conclude, Ms. Beveridge presented a check for $1,000 to the school to purchase chemistry supplies and equipment.

About the ACS Club

The ACS Club at IUP, which was formed in the 1970s, is comprised predominantly of students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and pre-professional majors. Members provide free chemistry tutoring four days a week during the semester, raise money via fundraising activities that is donated to local school science programs ($1,000 each year), and hold or participate in community outreach activities such as National Chemistry Week in Pittsburgh, Mole Day, and local science festivals.

The club was recently awarded two Honorable Mention Awards by the National Office of the ACS for their achievements and activities during the 2008–2009 and 2006–2007 academic years.

Terng presented “Computational Function Annotation of Structural Genomics Proteins in the Enolase Superfamily Using THEMATICS,” sharing results from her BIOC-481 independent research study. Her research was funded in part by a Faculty Professional Development Council grant sponsored by the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education, and her travel was provided by an Undergraduate Travel Award from IUP’s School of Graduate Studies and Research.

Full details can be found at the Human Resources webpage.

Ms. McElroy will give a presentation about the PA profession, the general requirements for entering a PA program, and her experiences in the cardiology field. Any student, regardless of major, who is interested in learning more about becoming a physician assistant is encouraged to attend.

Light refreshments will be served.

About Dana McElroy

Dana (Phillips) McElroy (B.S. ’94) received her undergraduate degree in Chemistry and then went on to complete her M.S. in food microbiology from North Carolina State University (M.S. ’98). After working for several years at Penn State as a food safety specialist, Ms. McElroy then pursued a Masters of Physician Assistant Science at St. Francis University (MPAS ’08). She currently practices at Cardiovascular Care in Johnstown, Pa.

During both the Sci-Mix and Environmental Division poster sessions, Dr. McElroy presented results from an ongoing undergradute research project on water quality issues. “Effects of Acid/Abandoned Mine Drainage on Semipermeable Membrane Devices (SPMDs)” described the effet of low-pH water on the ability of SPMDs to effectively gather nonpolar organic contaminants from aqueous environments. These controlled lab experiments give valuable information that can be used as corrective factors on future field studies in local waterways.

Student contributors included Ms. Carol Lewis, Ms. Amy Devlin, and Ms. Fowosopefoluwa Opayemi, all of whom worked with Dr. McElroy on the project. This project was funded by a University Senate Research Committee Grant and the Academic Excellence and Innovation Award.

The Chemical Education Division held a special symposium on “Food Chemistry Courses in the Liberal Arts Curriculum,” in which Dr. McElroy presented two talks on course development and teaching.

“Food Chemistry: A New Special Topic Lecture Course for Chemisty and Nutrition Majors” described Dr. McElroy's development of CHEM-281 Food Chemistry that was offered for the first time in Fall 2009.

“Brewpub and Brewery Operations: A Collaborative Course Approach” described Dr. McElroy's involvement in and co-teaching of HRIM-404 Brewpub and Brewery Operations. This was coauthored by Dr. Thomas Van Dyke (Hospitality Management) and Dr. William Dietrich, retired (Biochemistry).

Partial travel funds were provided by the University Senate Research Committee and the Department of Chemistry.

About ACS

The American Chemical Society holds two national meetings each year over a five-day period in early spring and late summer. Over 14,000 chemists from academia, government, and industry attend the meeting to share research in over thirty technical divisions, comprising more than 7,000 oral and poster presentations.

About Dr. Nathan McElroy

Dr. McElroy’s graduate research focuses on quantitative structure-activity relationships to build predictive computational models that link the structural characteristics of small organic molecules to biological activities and physical properties. His undergraduate research focuses on water quality issues in our local waterways, including monitoring projects using semipermeable membrane devices to trap nonpolar organic contaminants in streams. He is also interested in water quality and its effect on beer brewing.

Dr. McElroy received his B.S. in Chemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and his Ph.D. from Penn State University. He held a Department of Energy fellowship at Battelle Marine Sciences Lab, worked as an analytical chemist at BASF Agricultural Products Center, and held a postdoctoral position as a computational chemist at AstraZeneca Centre de Recherches before joining the Chemistry Department in 2005.

Twelve presenters gave oral presentations on subjects ranging from theoretical foundations in chemical education to application of cognitive principles in teaching nanotechnology.

Briggs also presented at the symposium. He gave participant data from an experiment in chemical equilibrium that showed how participants develop and use some constituents of a mental model to solve simple problems. Participants learn from thought revealing activities and use their mental models to solve more complex problems. The research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

The conclusions of the symposium presented varied widely. For example, “At the college level, students like chemistry but are not intellectually ready for it.”  “Facilitating the construction of mental models of chemical concepts can lead to better teaching.”  “Learning trajectories can illustrate the order of concept delivery in the classroom.” And, “Efficiency in concept construction can lead to less cognitive load for students.”

About ACS

The American Chemical Society holds two National Meetings each year over a five day period in early spring and late summer. More than 14,000 chemists from academia, government, and industry attend the meeting to share research in more than thirty technical divisions, comprising more than seven thousand oral and poster presentations.

About Dr. Michael Briggs

Briggs’ current research interests include studies of cognitive structure and processes that account for students’ ability to learn and the impact this knowledge confers on the teaching/learning dichotomy.   Further interests include the design of instruments for the fruitful production of research data for analysis using a Models and Modeling perspective. He is also interested in the application of thermal lensing to analysis of biological materials. Recently, he was co-awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $148,000 to support research into a method of evaluating teaching methods based on the theoretical concept of construction of mental models of chemical concepts.

Briggs received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Akron, after which he spent seventeen years working for General Tire, Inc., as a chemist and technical director in the U.S., Mexico, and Morocco. He earned a master’s degrees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, followed by a master’s degree and Ph.D. at Purdue University. He joined the Chemistry Department faculty in 2004.

Long presented “Inquiry Learning and the Sensemaking Process in Chemistry,” which included research results on the sensemaking constituent of a student’s mental model of the periodic table. The data from several participants was used to show how learners make sense of elemental properties while solving simple problems designed to show trends in the periodic table. The results strengthened the theoretical perspective of mental models of chemical concepts.

The research was supported by a grant from the National Science Foundation.

About ACS

The American Chemical Society holds two National Meetings each year over a five day period in early spring and late summer. More than 14,000 chemists from academia, government, and industry attend the meeting to share research in more than thirty technical divisions, comprising more than seven thousand oral and poster presentations.

About Dr. George Long

Long’s research interests focus on the application of computers and the Internet on chemical education, and physical chemistry with focus on laser photothermal spectroscopy. Recently, he was co-awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $148,000 to support research into a method of evaluating teaching methods based on the theoretical concept of construction of mental models of chemical concepts.

Long received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Thiel College, a master’s degree at Michigan Technological University, and his Ph.D. at Utah State University for Photothermal Spectroscopy using a Pulsed CO₂ Laser. He joined the Chemistry Department in 1988.

Ms. Owens’ poster, “A Qualitative Study of Student Learning During a Guided Inquiry Laboratory: The Blue Bottle Experiment,” was presented during the undergraduate poster session, during which more than one thousand undergraduate students from around the United States and several other countries were able to showcase their work and meet with chemists from academia, government, and industry.

The classic Blue Bottle experiment is an interesting demonstration of a complex redox reaction. The experiment has been commonly used as an inquiry and guided inquiry experiment, owing to the ability to initiate the reaction by shaking the reaction flask, and the easily observed blue to clear color change. This study uses a talk-aloud protocol and the perspective of mental models to analyze important cognitive processes and assess student learning during the activity. The impact of providing various kinds of information prior to the activity is determined, and several specific methods students use to investigate the reaction are identified.

“I was able to go to this meeting because of our grant from the National Science Foundation and IUP’s Chemistry Department,” said Owens. “I really enjoyed my poster session because I was able to talk to so many people who were truly interested in my research. It made me realize the research I do will ultimately be a benefit to the scientific community.”

Ms. Owens’ research was supervised by Dr. Michael Briggs and Dr. George Long and funded under their recent NSF grant.

• Jennifer Casanova won Best Bibliography.
• Justin Williams won for Best Poster of the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
• Maura Barrett won second place in the Sigma Xi Award.
• Nadia Szymanski won Honorable Mention for her poster.
• Heather Wagner won Honorable Mention for her poster.

Congratulations to these students and to all of those who participated in the Undergraduate Scholars Forum.

Oral presentations will be given during concurrent sessions during the morning, including:

• Ms. Jennifer Casanova presents “Are Carbohydrates Involved in the Association of Growth Hormone Binding Protein, GHBP, in the Membrane?” during the 8:30–9:50 Science of Life session in Monongahela Room #1.
• Ms. Diane Sanderson presents “Effects of Marcellus Shale Discharge on Semi-Permeable Membrane Devices” during the 10:00–11:20 Physical Sciences session in Monongahela Room #1.
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge presents “Synthesis of Stable, High-Energy Density Organic Compounds” during the 10:00–11:20 Physical Sciences session in Monongahela Room #1.

The following posters will be given during the poster session, with students available for Q&A between 11:20–1:30 in the HUB Ohio Room:

• Mr. James Shellhammer presents “Assays of Phosphoglucomutase and Purine Nucleoside Phosphorylase to Determine Their Ability to Function on Glucose for Use in Aptamer Synthesis”
• Ms. Katrina Owens presents “A Qualitative Study of Student Learning During a Guided Inquiry Laboratory: The Blue Bottle Experiment”
• Mr. Stephen Shiring presents “BulkUI: A Web-Based Computational Materials Science Interface”
• Ms. Kathleen Larson presents “How Cognitive Activity Affects Mental Models During a Periodic Table Inquiry Activity”
• Mr. Justin Hileman presents “N-H---O Hydrogen Bonds: Electronic Effects on Hydrogen Bond Strength”
• Mr. Justin Williams presents “Enhanced Green Fluorescent Protein Purification and Mutagenesis”
• Ms. Lisa McCombie presents “Novel Synthesis of Iodohydrins from Alkenes”
• Mr. Brian Ford presents “Batch-mode Adsorption for the Purification of Cellodextrins”
• Ms. Jenna Gazzola and Ms. Maura Barrett present “Selective Inhibitors of Human Type II Inosine Monophosphate Dehydrogenase as New Anticancer Drug”
• Ms. Ee Leng Terng presents “Computational Function Annotation of Structural Genomics Proteins”
• Ms. Maura Barrett presents “Etv5 and Etv5 are not Required for Fgfr2 Signaling in the Metanephric Mesenchyme”
• Mr. Tyler Machovina presents “Improved Plate Assay for Fungal Cellulase Activity”
• Mr. Michael Fidell presents “Expression and Purification of Homologous Recombination Proteins SRS2 Helicase and Rad51 Recombinase”
• Mr. William Moon and Mr. Yuan Hu present “Synthesis of Possible Dilute Magnetic Semiconductor Materials”
• Ms. Fowosopefoluwa Opayemi presents “Semipermeable Membranes (SPMDs) used in Monitoring the Effects of Organic Wastes in Water at Different pH Levels”
• Ms. Nadia Szymanski presents “Study of the Reaction Mechanism for Asymmetric Reduction of Ethyl Pyruvate Over Cinchona-modified Pt/Al₂O₃”
• Ms. Li Yin Wong presents “Srs2/Rad51 Fusion Proteins Expression in the Yeast Two-Hybrid System via Immunoblotting”
• Mr. Chin Hong and Ms. Shan Min Chin present “Using Enzyme Linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to Detect and Measure the Concentration and Growth Hormone Binding Protein (GHBP) in Samples”
• Ms. Laura Fox presents “Water Chemistry for Beer Brewing”
• Ms. Tori Corosu presents “Synthesizing Novel Quaternary Semiconducting Oxides”
• Ms. Heather Wagner presents “The Sensemaking Process in Mental Models of Chemical Equilibrium”
• Ms. Kelly Wroblewski presents “Induction of Cellulase Activity in Trichoderma Reesei by Naturally Occurring Sophorose-Containing Substances”
• Ms. Olumayowa Azeez presents “Computational Characterization of Structural and pH-Dependent Properties of Cellulases”

Students working with Chemistry Department research advisors are listed above, and these posters represent 35 percent of the total posters that will be presented at the conference. Congratulations to all of our undergraduates in their research success during 2009–2010!

Dr. Dabney-Smith’s group investigates mechanisms of protein transport as it relates to organelle biogenesis. Their research utilizes biochemical and biophysical approaches to cell biology in organello and in vitro, as well as whole cell approaches in vivo.

After meeting with faculty and students in the department, she will present the seminar “Import and Routing of Thylakoid Proteins.”

The seminar will be held in Weyandt 149 from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. on Friday, March 19. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

It will be rescheduled for a later date.

The award, given each year by the executive board of editors and publisher of Tetrahedron Publications, was created in 2005 for “exceptional creativity and dedication” in the field of organic synthesis. An additional award is given annually for the field of bioorganic and medicinal chemistry. As a recipient, Dr. Stoltz will receive a cash award of $1,000, a certificate, and an Symposium-In-Print compiled in the recipient’s honor. In addition, Dr. Stoltz has been invited to present a plenary lecture at the eleventh Tetrahedron Symposium in Beijing, China.

About Dr. Stoltz

Dr. Stoltz received his B.S. from the IUP Department of Chemistry and his M.S. and Ph.D. from Yale University, and he held a postdoctoral position with Nobel Prize winner Elias J. Corey at Harvard. He joined the faculty of Caltech in 2000 and is now an Ethel Wilson Bowles and Robert Bowles Professor of Chemistry.

Dr. Stoltz has received numerous research and teaching awards throughout his career, including an Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award from the American Chemical Society, a Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and a Presidential Early Career Award in Science and Engineering. In 2006, he was elected as a Fellow of the American Association of the Advancement of Science and was also honored at IUP with an Alumni Ambassador Award.

Dr. Pintauer, a professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, will visit IUP briefly on Friday before giving the lecture “Development of Catalytic Systems for Radical Copolymerization of Olefins and Polar Monomers.” His research group focuses on atom transfer radical addition and cyclization reactions mediated by transition metal complexes.

Dr. Pintauer received his B.S. in Chemical Engineering and M.S. in Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania. He completed his Ph.D. in Chemistry at Carnegie Mellon University, followed by a postdoc at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. He joined the faculty of Duquesne in 2005. He is the author or coauthor of over sixty papers.

The seminar will be held in Weyandt 149 from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. on Friday, February 26. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

The very popular liquid nitrogen demonstration, which the club demonstrated at last year’s fair, is a favorite for all ages. Students last year were particularly impressed by a frozen banana used to pound nails into a board. A new demonstration this year includes “hot ice,” a liquid mixture of sodium acetate (make from vinegar and baking soda) that under the right conditions will make a solid crystalline material that looks like ice. The chemical reaction, however, is exothermic (heat-emitting), and therefore the “ice” is warm to the touch.

A third, hands-on demonstration will involve colored bubbles that can be used to make bubble art on paper for the kids to take home.

About the ACS Club

The ACS Club at IUP, which was formed in the 1970s, is comprised predominantly of students in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Biology, and pre-professional majors. Members provide free chemistry tutoring four days a week during the semester, raise money via fundraising activities that is donated to local school science programs ($1,000 each year), and hold or participate in community outreach activities such as National Chemistry Week in Pittsburgh, Mole Day, and local science festivals.

The club was recently awarded two Honorable Mention Awards by the National Office of the ACS for their achievements and activities during the 2008–2009 and 2006–2007 academic years.

Several student volunteers will depart IUP at 5:45 a.m. on Saturday and drive to the Community College of Allegheny County where, for the third consecutive year, they will assist in running the high school preliminary/round robin competition of the 2010 Southwestern Pennsylvania Science Bowl.

IUP students will participate by asking high school student competitive science questions, judging their answers, timing the contests, and making sure the contest rules are followed. During intermissions, the students will be on hand for Q&A with high school students who are interested in pursuing science as their college career.

The contestants, chosen to represent their high schools, work as a team in a Jeopardy-style round of questions and compete against other high school teams. Winning teams continually advance to the next round, and can move forward to future contests—eventually competing in a national competition.

The contest is geared towards students who are interested in pursuing degrees in chemistry, biology, physics, geology, and astronomy.

Department of Chemistry

The presentation, “Cognitive Aspects of Inquiry Learning in Chemistry,” will describe their NSF-funded research project, “Student Construction of Mental Models: A Framework for the Evaluation of Inductive Teaching Methods in Chemistry.”

The seminar will be held on February 19 at 3:35 p.m. in Weyandt 149. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

About Dr. Michael Briggs

Dr. Briggs’ current research interests include studies of cognitive structure and processes that account for students’ ability to learn, and the impact this knowledge confers on the teaching/learning dichotomy. Further interests include the design of instruments for the fruitful production of research data for analysis using a Models and Modeling perspective. He is also interested in the application of thermal lensing to analysis of biological materials. Recently, he was co-awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $148,000 to support research into a method of evaluating teaching methods based on the theoretical concept of construction of mental models of chemical concepts.

Dr. Briggs received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the University of Akron, after which he spent seventeen years working for General Tire, Inc., as a chemist and technical director in the U.S., Mexico, and Morocco. He earned a master’s degrees at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, followed by a master’s degree and Ph.D. at Purdue University. He joined the Chemistry Department faculty in 2004.

About Dr. George Long

Dr. Long’s research interests focus on the application of computers and the Internet on chemical education, and on physical chemistry with focus on laser photothermal spectroscopy. Recently, he was co-awarded a National Science Foundation grant of $148,000 to support research into a method of evaluating teaching methods based on the theoretical concept of construction of mental models of chemical concepts.

Dr. Long received his undergraduate degree in chemistry at Thiel College, a master’s degree at Michigan Technological University, and his Ph.D. at Utah State University for Photothermal Spectroscopy using a Pulsed CO₂ Laser. He joined the Chemistry Department in 1988.

Dr. Carole Dabney-Smith is now tentatively scheduled to visit the Chemistry Department on Friday, March 19.

Dr. Dabney-Smith’s group investigates mechanisms of protein transport as it relates to organelle biogenesis. Their research utilizes biochemical and biophysical approaches to cell biology in organello and in vitro, as well as whole cell approaches in vivo.

After meeting with faculty and students in the department, she will present the seminar “Import and Routing of Thylakoid Proteins.”

The seminar is from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. in Weyandt 149. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

Dr. Watson will meet with faculty members and students after lunch, before giving the guest seminar titled “Photoinduced Electron Transfer Reactivity of Nanostructured Inorganic Interfaces.”

Dr. Watson's research involves the synthesis, characterization, and self-assembly of inorganic nanomaterials and fundamental studies of photoinduced electron transfer processes at interfaces.

The seminar will be held from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. in Weyandt 240. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome to attend.

The Journal Club is a group that meets biweekly during times that will meet the majority of member's schedules. At each meeting, a student or faculty member volunteers to present a research article to the group. It can be on any topic in which the presenter is interested. Meetings consist of a short summary of the article, followed by a group discussion.

No experience is necessary, and anyone who is interested is welcome to join. See the flyer here.

Department of Chemistry

Dr. Roess will visit the faculty and students of the department before giving the seminar “Single Molecule and Fluorescence Methods to Study Reorganization of Plasma Membrane Receptors During Signal Transduction.”

Dr. Roess's research uses laser-optical instrumentation to measure the lateral and rotational motions of plasma membrane components. One area of study is the molecular motions of luteinizing hormone (LH) receptors on luteal and Leydig cells. Movement of molecules, such as the LH receptor, in a membrane is affected by receptor and hormone structure, cytoskeletal components capable of physically anchoring the LH receptor in the membrane, and by interactions of the receptor with other membrane proteins. She is interested in determining how these features are involved in regulating functions of reproductive organs.

The chemistry seminar will be held from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. in Weyandt 240. Light refreshments will be served, and all are welcome attend.

Dr. Ferrence, an Indiana, Pa., native, received his doctorate at Purdue University in 1996, followed by postdoctoral work at the University of Alberta and Los Alamos National Laboratory. He currently teaches at Illinois State University in the Chemistry department.

Each year, the U.S. Professors of the Year Program recognizes one undergraduate instructor from each state for their excellence in teaching and mentoring. The award program is sponsored by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education and the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.

For the complete story, please see the Indiana Gazette website.

For more information, please see the Research and Job Opportunities page on the Chemistry website.

For more details, see the Research and Job Opportunities page on the Chemistry Department website.

Written by chemistry major Ms. Laura Fox, the carol is sung to the tune of Jingle Bells.

A PCHEM Carol

(Dashing through the snow…)
Colligative properties
Are exactly what we need
For this time of year
When news of snow is all we hear
Solute is applied
Such as sodium chloride
Freezing point depression takes place
So no one slips on their face

Chorus: (Jingle bells, jingle bells…):
Physical Chemistry
Answers, “Hey, how come?”
You never cease to puzzle me and make my mind go numb
Physical chemistry
The end if nearing fast
I sure hope Dr. Kondo’s nice and lets me pass the class

(Dashing through the snow…)
An exothermix process
Can cuase lots of distress
When in an adiabatic boundary
Where heat cannot go free
Temperature goes up
Causing k to go up too
And the rate of the reaction increases
And the system may go boom

Chorus (Jingle bells, jingle bells…):
Physical Chemistry
Answers, “Hey, how come?”
You never cease to puzzle me and make my mind go numb
Physical chemistry
The end if nearing fast
I sure hope Dr. Kondo’s nice and lets me pass the class

For more details, see the Research and Job Opportunities page on the Department of Chemsitry website.

Dr. Licker will present one seminar to the CHEM 281 Food Chemistry class at 10:10 a.m. in Walsh 211 for students and invited guests. If you wish to attend this presentation, please contact Dr. Nate McElroy (nate@iup.edu).

A second presentation, open to the public, will be given at 1:25 p.m. in Weyandt 107, titled “Flavor Chemistry: A Food Industry Product Development View.”

About Jonathan Licker

Dr. Licker graduated from IUP with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in 1993, after which he earned a Master of Science (’98) and doctorate (’99) in oenology (the science of wine) from Cornell University. Dr. Licker has had a successful career as a food science product developer and now works with a team that develops the flavors and seasonings for some of the most popular Frito-Lay brands, including Lays, Doritos, Cheetos, and Fritos. His most recent teamwork was the development of Flat Earth veggie crisps and True North natural nut snacks.

Dr. Licker is a member of the Institute of Food Technologists and the American Chemical Society. In addition, he has played a major leadership role in creating and developing two important programs designed to attract students in the field of food science, obtaining significant funding from his business colleagues throughout the PepsiCo companies and the PepsiCo Foundation.

Dr. Licker and his wife, Susan, are both R&D managers at Frito-Lay global headquarters in Plano, Texas, and reside in McKinney, Texas, with their two sons.

National Chemistry Week is celebrated every year during the week of October 23 (Mole Day) throughout the country. The Carnegie Science Center holds its annual ChemFest on the Friday and Saturday of Chemistry Week, and invites university clubs and chemists from industry to put on demonstrations and displays related to the annual theme.

ChemFest 2009 celebrates the theme “Chemistry—It’s Elemental!.” IUP will participate for its fifth year running and is sending eight student ambassadors to run hands-on demonstrations for visiting elementary and high school students and their families. Each year, ChemFest attracts over 2,000 Pittsburgh-area students.

The cost of ChemFest is free with admission to the Carnegie Science Center. For more information, see the museum's website.

Department of Chemistry

Ardian is currently pursuing his Ph.D. at Indiana University, and will present the seminar “Structural Analysis of the Human Folate Receptor and its Implications in Drug Discovery.” The chemistry seminar will be from 3:35 to 4:25 p.m. in Weyandt 240. All are welcome, and light refreshments will be served.

Over 360 club reports from around the U.S. were submitted to the Society Committee on Education last year. Of those, thirty-five received Outstanding, sixty-eight received Commendable, and 119 received Honorable Mention. Criteria for ranking student chapters include the number of student members, participation in community events, service to the university and student body, club activities, and monies raised/donated.

“This is a nice recogntion for all the hard work and time that our students put into this club,” says Nathan McElroy, the faculty advisor of the club. “Our club members offer free tutoring four nights a week, donate at least $1,000 a year to local elementary and high school science programs, and give demonstrations during academic expos here at IUP and at the Carnegie Science Center during National Chemistry Week. All of the students did a great job last year.”

Club officers for the 2008–2009 year were: President Olivia McGovern, Vice-President Jessica Nichol, Treasurer Beth Leverett, and Secretary Maura Barrett.

The first Honorable Mention Award was given to the club for its 2006–2007 accomplishments.

This research was made possible through a National Institutes of Health-funded grant under an REU program titled Minority Health Disparities as well as through a Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology scholarship for expenses. As a result of Jennifer’s summer research experience, she was granted a travel scholarship to present at the Society for Advancing Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science national conference, October 15–18, 200, in Dallas, Tex. She has submitted her abstract to another recognized national conference, the annual Biomedical Research Conference for Minority Students, which will take place in Phoenix on November 4–7.

The IUP McNair program nominated Jennifer to attend the Compact for Faculty Diversity Institute, for which she was accepted to represent IUP. This will take place in Washington, D.C., October 22–25, where she plans to present her work.

Her summer experience began with a predeparture orientation in Washington, D.C., where she met other IREU students. Two of those students would be traveling with her to Scotland, while the remaining twenty would be traveling elsewhere in Europe. She was able to also meet and network with members of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and National Science Foundation (NSF).

During Laura’s ten weeks in Scotland, she researched volatile organic compound (VOC) assessment in heritage science. Her work focused on a nondestructive technique of analysing the VOCs that are emitted during the degradation of cellulose in old books.

In addition to research, Laura traveled all around the city of Glasgow, throughout Scotland, and even went to Paris for a weekend. One of the most rewarding experiences of the summer, she says, was the connections she made with people from around the world, especially her Scottish friends at work.

Her summer experience concluded with two poster presentations (one for international research and one for all undergraduates) at the ACS National meeting in Washington, D.C., in August. This internship was organized by the ACS and funded by NSF.

Title: Using Crystallographic Databases in the ACA Summer Course in Small Molecule Crystallography

Abstract: The American Crystallographic Association (ACA) Summer Course is a ten-day intensive program that teaches both single-crystal and power diffraction. Participants are encouraged to bring their own samples for structure determination and during the course they have access to both the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) and the Powder Diffraction File (PDF). This presentation will focus on the ways the CSD and the PDF are incorporated into the lecture and lab components of the ACA course. The previous knowledge that participants have about crystallographic databases and how they use them to support structure determination in the course will also be examined.

Any student needing help in their Chemistry course may visit Weyandt Hall 128 between 7 and 8 p.m. Monday through Thursday for free tutoring.

Tutoring is available starting Tuesday, September 8, and will be offered until the last full week of classes (except holidays). For more information, please contact club president Ms. Maura Barrett or club advisor Dr. Nathan McElroy.

For more information about his research, please see Dr. Michaels’ webpage.

Congratulations!

Dr. Fair is originally from Stillwater, Oklahoma, and comes to us most recently from Storrs, Connecticut. He recently earned a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from the University of Connecticut. Dr. Fair previously earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Biochemistry from Virginia Tech as well as a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from Indiana University of Pennsylvania.

During his military service, Dr. Fair served as a chemical specialist and as a nuclear medical science officer. His area of concentration is organic chemistry, and at IUP he plans to focus on organolithium methods, green synthetic methods, and practical organic synthesis and separations.

Ford was awarded for his proposal “Building Tools for the Production of Inexpensive, Efficient Cellulases from the Filamentous Fungus Trichoderma reesei,” which seeks to create fungus strains that are better able to convert cellulose to sugar. Cellulose-derived sugars can be used as renewable energy source for biofuels and also in plastics.

McElroy was awarded for his proposal “Determining the Effects of Acid Mine Drainage and Marcellus Shale Wells on Nonpolar Organic Contaminant Uptake in Semipermeable Membrane Devices.” Semipermeable membrane devices (SPMDs) can be used to absorb nonploar chemicals from water, somewhat like a fish that absorbs pesticides and other contaminants. Understanding how these devices work in streams with other contaminants such as acid mine drainage will allow for better interpretation of field study results in local waterways.

Both awards provide up to $10,000 to use toward these projects during the 2009-10 academic year.

“The Natural Science degree program has the second-largest number of majors of any program in the college and, therefore, its continuing viabilty is important to the continuing health and viability of the college,” said Eck. “I appreciate the willingness of Dr. Kupchella to assume the duties associated with this assignment.”

Bachelor of Science Graduates

• Ms. Brittany Buterbaugh (magna cum laude) will attend Penn State as a doctoral candidate in inorganic chemistry
• Mr. Andrew Crawford (magna cum laude) will enter the workforce
• Mr. Andrew Kerr (magna cum laude, Dec. 2008) will attend George Washington University as a doctoral candidate in inorganic chemistry
• Ms. Beth Leverett (magna cum laude) will attend University of Michigan as a doctoral candidate in inorganic materials chemistry
• Ms. Jessica Nichol (summa cum laude) will attend Penn State as a doctoral candidate in organic chemistry
• Ms. Elizabeth Paladin (summa cum laude) will attend Pitt University as a doctoral candidate in biological chemistry
• Mr. Jarod Sterrett will enter the workforce

Bachelor of Arts Graduates

• Ms. Christina Arnold (cum laude)
• Ms. Lacie Buxton will attend Penn State as a master’s candidate in special education
• Ms. Lena Zein (Dec. 2008)

Bachelor of Science in Chemical Education Graduate

• Ms. Nicole Peterson (cum laude, Dec. 2008)

Master of Science Graduates

• Mr. Marc Ferrington (summa cum laude) will attend LECOM School of Pharmacy in Bradenton, Fla.
• Ms. Francisca Sekyere (summa cum laude) will attend Northeastern University as a doctoral candidate
• Ms. Selar Sulaiman (summa cum laude) will enter the workforce

The department’s Awards Committee organizes the event and encourages students to invite their families to the presentation and the reception that follows.

The graduate student awards given this year were:

• Mr. Yuan Hu, for Academic Excellence
• Mr. Marc Ferrington, for Research
• Mr. Daniel Adu-Ampratwum, for Teaching Assistant

Special undergraduate awards, including named memorial scholarships and regional and national chemistry awards, included:

• Ms. Olivia McGovern, for Society for Analytical Chemists of Pittsburgh Award for Outstanding Achievement
• Ms. Laura Fox, for Division of Analytical Chemistry American Chemical Society 2009 Undergraduate Award
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge, for Edward N. Brown Memorial Scholarship
• Ms. Alex Daughenbaugh, for William I. Heard Memorial Scholarship
• Ms. Kimberly Boonie and Mr. Mathew Grata, for Ron Marks Scholarship
• Ms. Jessica Nichol and Ms. Caitlin Williamson, for Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Assistant
• Ms. Caitlin Bumar, for CRC Handbook 
• Ms. Olivia McGovern, for ACS Student Affiliate Member of the Year

In addition to these special awards, the following students were recognized for their academic successes during the 2008–09 year:

Seniors

• Ms. Brittany Buterbaugh
• Mr. Andrew Crawford
• Ms. Amy Devlin
• Mr. Andrew Friday
• Mr. Brandon Jones
• Ms. Beth Leverett
• Ms. Elizabeth Paladin
• Ms. Galit Regev
• Mr. Peter Stonehouse
• Ms. Aubree Webb
• Mr. Joseph Wiley

Juniors

• Ms. Maura Barrett
• Ms. Ee Leng Terng
• Mr. Justin Williams
• Ms. Li Yin Wong

Sophomores

• Ms. Deanna Belsky
• Ms. Jennifer Casanova
• Mr. Stephen Christensen
• Ms. Victoria Constant
• Mr. Jonathan Henninger
• Mr. Phuong Lam
• Ms. Samantha Leone
• Ms. Lisa McCombie
• Mr. Dragomir Milovanovic
• Mr. Robert Putala
• Mr. Stephen Shiring
• Ms. Andrea Strein
• Ms. Ashley Szymanski
• Mr. Rongjin Weng
• Mr. James Zewe

Freshman

• Mr. Brendan Adams
• Mr. John Apa
• Mr. David Crum
• Mr. James Falicki
• Mr. Brian Ford
• Ms. Dangelica Garzarelli
• Ms. Martina Hauck
• Ms. Shenin Headland
• Mr. Bryan Kirsch
• Mr. Erich Lichtner
• Ms. Lindsay Matolyak
• Mr. Steven May
• Mr. Shane McDevitt
• Ms. Sarah McMahon
• Mr. Michael Monteleone
• Ms. Katrina Owens
• Mr. Mitchell Stadler
• Mr. Brent Taddie
• Mr. Charles Voyton

Long has been with IUP since 1988 and currently serves as the assistant chair in the Department of Chemistry. His areas of expertise include physical chemistry, the application of computers and the Internet in chemical education, and laser photothermal spectroscopy.

Long’s dedication to research is evidenced by his ability to secure over $1 million in sponsored research during his academic career, including two National Science Foundation grants for Course, Curriculum, and Laboratory Improvement programs. He has authored or coauthored twenty-six professional publications and research reports and has presented thirty-nine times for various professional organizations. He also serves as an assistant editor for the Journal of Chemical Education “Learning Communities Online” feature column, as a reviewer for Journal of Chemical Education, and as a reviewer for the National Science Foundation.

Second-place poster awards went to biochemistry major Ms. Caitlin Williamson for “Calcium Tungstate: A Convenient Recoverable Catalyst for Hydrogen Peroxide” and chemistry major Ms. Amy Devlin for “Effect of pH on Uptake Rates for Nonpolar Organics by Semipermeable Membrane Devices.”

In addition to these student, the following also presented research in a number of areas:

• Ms. Olivia McGovern (biochem) for “Developing a Model for the Eukaryotic Mismatch Repair System”
• Ms. Andrea Strein (biochem) for “Changes in Molecular Structure of Cherrybark Oak Acorns after Storage”
• Ms. Li Yin Wong (biochem) for “Characterization of the Baker's Yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) Srs2 Helicase Features Essential for Regulation of Homologous Recombination”
• Ms. Galit Regev (biochem) for “Characterization of Salicylic Acid Treated Mutant for Double Stranded RNA in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Rhizoctonia Solani:Isolate 303”
• Ms. Victoria Constant (biochem), Ms. Laura Fox (chem), and Ms. Nadia Szymanski (biochem) for “Water Chemistry for Beer Brewing”
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge (chem) and Ms. Maura Barrett (chem) for “The Effect of Mercury Toxicity on Daphnia”
• Ms. Amy Devlin (chem) for “A Novel Synthesis: Iodohydroxylation of Alkenes from Hypoiodous Acid”
• Ms. Beth Leverett (chem) for “Li₂FeSnS₄: Synthesis of a Quaternary Diamond-Like Semiconductor”
• Ms. Jessica Nichol (chem) for “Azobenzene Dye Synthesis for Attachment to Carbon Nanotubes to Control Conductance”
• Ms. Whitney Simmons (chem) for “A Computational Redesign of Cellulose”

The event, held in the HUB, showcased the talent and drive of our students as they supplement their class loads with real-world research experience.

The following students participated in oral presentations:

• Ms. Caitlin Williamson and Mr. Peter Stonehouse with “Calcium Tungstate: A Convenient Recoverable Catalyst for Hydrogen Peroxide Oxidation” (advisor: Dr. Keith Kyler)
• Ms. Brittany Buterbaugh with “Life Happens: An Unexpected Reaction Between Magnesium and Copper (II) Chloride” (advisor: Dr. Wendy Elcesser)
• Ms. Maura Barrett and Ms. Jennifer Beveridge with “The Toxicity of Mercury on Daphnia Pulex” (advisor: Dr. Ellen Yerger)
• Mr. Dragomir Milovanovic with “The Srs2 Protein Expression Using the pET11c Expression Vector in the BL21 (DE3) Bacterial Protein Expression Strain of Escherichia coli” (advisor: Dr. Jana Villemain)
• Ms. Olivia McGovern with “The Cloning of Inositol Monophosphatase Gene from Paramecium tetraurelia: A Search for the Molecular Basis of Ultradian Rhythms” (advisor: Dr. Robert Hinrichsen)
• Ms. Jennifer Casanova with “Finding DNA-Aptamers Against Human IMPDH Enzyme via Ligand-binding Isoelectric Focusing Electrophoresis LIFE” (advisor: Dr. Keith Kyler)

The following students participated in poster presentations:

• Ms. Amy Devlin with “Effect of pH on Uptake Rates of Non-polar Organics by Semi-permeable Membranes” (advisor: Dr. Nathan McElroy)
• Mr. Andrew Crawford with “The Efficacy of a Proposed Ion-paired Reverse-phased HPLC Method for the Determination of Polythionate Mixtures” (advisor: Dr. Lawrence Kupchella)
• Ms. Martha Conners with “The Ion-paired Reverse-phase Chromatographic Separation of Polythionates from Sulfur Oxidizing Bacterial Cultures Grown on Nonathion” (advisor: Dr. Lawrence Kupchella)
• Ms. Laura Fox, Ms. Nadia Szymanski, and Ms. Victoria Constant with “Water Chemistry for Beer Brewing” (advisor: Dr. Nathan McElroy)
• Ms. Whitney Simmons with “A Computational Redesign of Cellulase” (advisor: Dr. Jaeju Ko)
• Ms. Galit Regev with “Characterization of Salicylic Acid Treated Mutant for Double Stranded RNA (dsRNA) in the Plant Pathogenic Fungus Rhizoctonia solani: Isolate 303” (advisor: Dr. Bharathan Narayanaswamy)
• Ms. Ee Leng Terng with “Computational Function Prediction of Hypothetical Proteins” (advisor: Dr. Jaeju Ko)
• Ms. Ashley Rossib and Ms. Heather Wagner with “Using Technology to Discover the Constituents of a Mental Model of Chemical Equilibrium” (advisor: Dr. Michael Briggs)
• Ms. Jessica Nichol with “Azobenzene Dye Synthesis for Attachment to Carbon Nanotubes to Control Conductance” (advisor: Dr. Carl LeBlond)
• Ms. Li Yin Wong with “Characterization of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae Srs2 Helicase Features Essential for Regulation of Homologous Regulation” (advisor: Dr. Jana Villemain)
• Mr. James Zewe with “Development of ELISA for Mouse Growth Hormone Binding Protein (GHBP)” (advisor: Dr. Jonathan Southard)
• Mr. Brandon Jones with “Is Bacterial Alkaline Phosphatase Capable of Phosphite Oxidation?” (advisor: Dr. Jonathan Southard)

After meeting with faculty and students in the department, Dr. Mazzola will give a lecture on “Structural Elucidation of Saponins from Edible Fruits.”

Please join us this Friday in Weyandt 240 at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Jennifer will work under the direction of Dr. William Montfort in the Department of Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics. Dr. Montfort’s research includes work with protein structures and their function and inhibition.

Congratulations, Jennifer.

For ten weeks this summer, Laura will conduct research in the analytical chemistry department at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow, Scotland. She will then present the results of her research at the undergraduate poster session during the 238th national meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, D.C., August 16–17.

Support for her travel and research comes from the ACS and the National Science Foundation.

Congratulations, Laura!

CHEM 281: Food Chemistry
Food Chemistry is a three-credit, non-lab chemistry course focusing on basic and organic chemistry as it applies to food. This class is appropriate for Chemistry, Biochemistry or Biology majors wanting an elective chemistry course; for Food and Nutrition majors who plan to take FDNT 362; and for other students with an interest in food chemistry who meet the prerequisite requirements. The course will include lectures on topics including but not limited to: carbohydrates, protein, fats, grains, fruits and vegetables, meat and dairy, fermentation, chemical processes in food preparation, molecular gastronomy, coffee and tea, flavor and aroma, food additives, and more. This course is not eligible as a Liberal Studies non-lab science course.

Prerequisites: Successful completion of CHEM 102, CHEM 112, or CHEM 114 or completed credits that were accepted for transfer by IUP to count as one of the aforementioned courses.

For more information on the course, contact Dr. Nate McElroy.

The fellowship includes textbooks, housing, transportation, tuition, and lab supplies and will count as six credits from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. Jen will take up the fellowship at the Brookhaven National Laboratory in New York this June and July.

Congratulations Jennifer!

After meeting with faculty and students, Dr. Tessier will present the talk “Chlorophosphazenes, the Precursors to Polyphosphazenes. Are Superacids Undetected Participants in Their Chemistry?”

Please join us at 3:30 p.m. in Weyandt 240 for the presentation. Light refreshments will be served.

Her trip is partially funded by the Undergraduate Student Travel Fund for Conference Presentations from the IUP School of Graduate Studies and Research.

The Stoltz Group at Caltech is a major source of new strategies for synthesizing complex organic molecules with interesting and useful biological activities. The studies in Brian’s group have focused on three conceptual areas:

1. advancing palladium-catalyzd oxidation reactions which don’t involve heteroatom transfer
2. developing asymmetric alkylation and protonation technologies to synthesize quaternary and tertiary stereocenters
3. inventing tandem reaction processes

Dr. Stoltz started his career in the Department of Chemistry under the direction of Dr. John Wood. He received his Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Yale in 1997 and became a National Institutes of Health Postdoctoral Fellow at Harvard from 1998 to 2000 in the group of E.J. Corey (1990 Nobel Laureate, Chemistry). He then moved to Caltech, where he won numerous awards, including the ACS Arthur C. Cope Scholar Award, the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award, and the Presidential Early Career Award for Scientists and Engineers.

Dr. Stoltz was also presented with a 2006 IUP Alumni Ambassador Award in the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

The IUP ACS and AXΣ demonstration table complemented the projects of the Blairsville students, showing students and parents alike the properties of liquid nitrogen and oobleck (a curious mixture of corn starch and water).

Members of the local community were wowed by a demonstration of a banana hammer, in which a liquid nitrogen-frozen banana was used to pound a nail into a board. Children particularly enjoyed the non-Newtonian properties of the oobleck, which acts as a viscous liquid or a solid depending upon the force applied on it. This event was a great success in community outreach, and the groups look forward to participating next year!

After visiting with faculty and students, Dr. Luderer will present the seminar “Asymmetric Cyclizations Controlled by a Stereogenic Lithium and Oxidations Using Oxoammonium Salts in Aqueous Media.”

Please join us in Weyandt 240 at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Find more information on Dr. Chong’s research.

Please join us in Weyandt 240 at 3:30 p.m. Light refreshments will be served.

Participating in today’s session were:

• Ms. Maura Barrett with “Finding DNA-Aptamers Against IMPDH Type II Enzyme via Ligand-Binding Isoelectric Focusig Electrophoresis”
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge with “The Effect of Iron from Acid Mind Contamination on the Uptake Rates of Semipermeable Membrane Devices”
• Ms. Tori Corosu with “Synthesizing and Observing the Physiochemical Properties of Quaternary Diamond-like Oxides”
• Ms. Amy Devlin with “The Effect of pH on Uptake Rates of Nonpolar Organics by Semipermeable Membrane Devices”

The annual, weeklong conference was held this year at the Garden State Convention Center in Somerset, N.J.

Registering for Spring 2009?

Why not take a forensic class?

It’s a great way to learn about forensic science through CSI and it counts as a Liberal Studies non-lab science course!

CHEM 105: The Forensic Chemistry of CSI

(3c-0l-3cr)

Prerequisites: none

TR 2-3:15 p.m., Weyandt 208

Instructor: Dr. John Woolcock

The course is designed for students who would like learn about forensic chemistry and the basic science needed to understand it. Topics will include the forensic chemistry of drugs, arson, poisons, hair, fibers, glass, and fingerprints and the methods used in forensic evidence collection, processing, and crime scene reconstruction. Also included in this course is how forensic science is portrayed on TV and in novels, movies, and computer games.

During the visit, McGovern was able to meet students and faculty from six different labs in the areas of biology, biochemistry, and biophysics, where she learned that research faculty have a wide array of interests, including conscious decision making, neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s and Huntington’s, molecular modeling, biomedical research with viruses and cancer, and cancer treatment via nanoparticle technology.

Not only were there a wide variety of research opportunities, but many in the program were surprised to find that research at CalTech almost always reached across disciplinary lines to encompass many fields. No lab seemed to contain students from only one area. Labs contained chemists, biochemists, physicists, engineers, and computer science students all working together on different aspects of the same or similar problem. McGovern was able to visit the wind tunnel lab where plane and car companies bring model cars and planes to test their aerodynamics. She also visited the Jet Propulsion Laboratory sponsored by NASA, where she learned that students can help design new rovers, like ATHLETE, for space exploration on the moon and Mars.

“Everyone at CalTech was extremely personable, making everything in the program very enjoyable,” said McGovern. She recommends this program to anyone who is interested in CalTech for graduate school. “CalTech is a great place to be. There is a wide variety of exciting new research available to its students, and the small student-to-faculty ratio adds to the research experience rather than limiting it. It allows valuable relationships to form and gives a collaborative experience to apply to future research. You should definitely apply to this program since it was a great experience, and the trip was totally free—flight, hotel, and food. I will definitely be applying to CalTech.”

Please join us at 3:30 in Weyandt 240 for Dr. Rosi’s talk, “Design and Fabrication of New Materials Using Assortments of Biolmolecular, Metal-Cluster, and Nanoparticle Building Blocks.” Light refreshments will be served.

For more information on his research, see Dr. Rosi’s website.

As part of National Chemistry Week, ChemFest is held each Friday and Saturday of that week in various locations around the United States. On each day, dozens of local university clubs, chemistry-related societies, and industry groups provide hands-on demonstrations to thousands of school children, their parents, and the general public. At least three to four thousand people visit ChemFest in Pittsburgh each year.

On Saturday, October 25, eight students from IUP’s ACS Club traveled to Pittsburgh to present four different demonstrations related to chemistry and sports.

• Ms. Maura Barrett
• Ms. Lacie Buxton
• Mr. Andrew Kerr
• Ms. Beth Leverett
• Ms. Olivia McGovern
• Ms. Jessica Nichol
• Mr. Peter Stonehouse
• Ms. Cay Williamson

Travel and a meal were sponsored by the Department of Chemistry.

Please join us at 3:30 in Weyandt 240 for Dr. Youngs’ talk, “Delivery of Silver Antitumor and Anitmicrobial Therapeutics Using Biodegradable Polymeric Nanoparticles and Microspheres.” Light refreshments will be served.

For more details about Dr. Youngs’ research, vist his website.

Please join us at 3:30 in Weyandt 240 for Dr. McCamant’s talk, “Probing Photochemical Dynamics with Ultrafast Electronic and Vibrational Spectroscopy.” Light refreshments will be served.

Select for more details about Dr. McCamant’s research.

The title of the proposed research is “Student Construction of Mental Models: A Framework for the Evaluation of Inductive Teaching Methods in Chemistry.” The grant will be used to recruit participants into the research project and to hire student workers to assist in the research work.

The investigators are pleased to be awarded this peer-reviewed research grant because it confirms interest in their theoretical perspectives and the correctness of the methodological framework. The grant runs for two years and is a Phase I grant with the possibility of obtaining a Phase II grant after the current work is completed.

Brewer received her bachelor’s degree at Indiana University of Pennsylvania and today is pursuing her doctorate in chemical and biological engineering at Iowa State.

Brewer, originally from Seattle, plans to use the fellowship to fund her research on the biochar project within the Center for Sustainable Environmental Technologies.

His talk will be titled “Xerogels: A Platform for Chemical Sensors.” The presentation begins at 3:30 pm and light refreshments will be served.

For more information on Dr. Bright's research, please visit his website.

LOCATION: Petrolia Plant (Petrolia, Pa., in northern Bulter Co.)
DEPARTMENT: Laboratory
POSITION REPORTS TO: Technical Director – Laboratory or Laboratory Supervisor

POSITION DESCRIPTION:
Under immediate supervision, performs all types of analyses and tests in connection with raw material evaluation, quality control, process control, and process improvement in the white oil, Sulfonate, petrolatum, wax hydrogenation, and environmental areas of the plant.

JOB DUTIES:

1. Performs routine chemical analyses, tests, and determinations involving the application of established laboratory methods and techniques.
2. Assists higher level chemists by performing assigned phases of work where little evaluation, originality, or ingenuity is required.
3. Records results of tests and assignments and reports results to senior professional or group leader.
4. Learns and develops to become able to interpret test results and determine their technical significance.
5. Determine, verify, implement the appropriate analysis method and technique.
6. Identify method and procedures for investigation of analytical discrepancies.
7. Support quality programs and procedures.

Travel Time: N/A

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform essential knowledge and skills.

• Solid foundation and &understanding in Analytical Chemistry.
• Knowledge of appropriate method development/validation practices for the CPI.
• Excellent analytical and problem solving skills required.
• Working knowledge in statistics.
• Ability to work and communicate with a broad range of technical and nontechnical personnel.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and presentation skills.
• Good organizational skills.

COMPETENCIES/EXPERIENCE:

• Education: B.S./B.A. in Chemistry or equivalent
• Supervision: No regular supervisory responsibilities
• Experience: Entry-level position
• Communication Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills and presentation skills required. Ability to communicate and work with a broad range of technical and nontechnical personnel.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS:

• Experience and working knowledge with the following analytical instrumentation/methods: Wet chemistry analysis, automatic titrator, HPLC, NMR, FTIR, AA, GC, GC/MS, UV-vis
• This position requires communication with all levels of associates and customers, handling discrepancy issues quickly and professionally while adhering to established quality procedures and practices. This position will require multitasking, making decisions/performing multiple functions under tight deadlines, prioritizing projects, meeting deadlines frequently set by another department or customer, assuring proper documentation is completed and maintained, following up with sample analysis, and project progress details.

Contact:
Anita Orozco, SPHR
Director, Human Resources
Sonneborn
100 Sonneborn Lane
Petrolia, PA 16050
anita.orozco@sonneborn.com 
Phone: 724-756-9327
Fax: 724-756-9351

• Ms. Jessica Nichol will present “Photochromatic Azobenzene Dye Synthesis.”
• Ms. Elizabeth Paladin will present “Mycobacteriophage Isolation, Characterization, and Bioinformatics.”
• Mr. Andrew Kerr will present “Summer Lovin' with Uranium.”
• Ms. Beth Leverett will present “Progress in the Study of Quaternary Diamond-Like Semiconductors.”

Seminar begins at 3:30. Light refreshments will be served.

Chemistry student Beth Leverett presented her research findings at the 21st Congress and General Assembly of the International Union of Crystallography in Osaka, Japan on August 23–31, 2008.

The IUCr was established in 1948 to promote international cooperation in crystallography, and it organizes the largest crystallographic conference in the world. Leverett was one of nearly three hundred students to attend and was one of the only attendees from a non-Ph.D.-granting institution. Close to 3,500 crystallographic professionals attended this year’s meeting.

Leverett's presentation, titled "Twinning in the Adamantine-Like Quaternary Chalcogenide Li₂ZnSnS₄: A Crystallographic Detective Story" was well-received and attracted the interest of a number of world-class scientists.

This work has been accepted for publication in the Journal of Solid State Chemistry and will be published later this year. This is Leverett's first scientific publication.

To attend the conference, she earned a $1,000 Pittsburgh Diffraction Society Travel Bursary Award. She received additional funding from the Robert E. Cook Honors College Enhancement Fund, the Department of Chemistry, the College of Natural Science and Mathematics, and the School of Graduate Studies and Research.

For more information, please see Chemistry Department position on Employment at IUP.

Seniors:

• Ms. Brittany Baird
• Mr. Robert Bauer
• Ms. Kaycie Butler
• Mr. John Crandall
• Mr. Andrew Kerr
• Mr. Jeffrey Layton
• Ms. Nicole Morozowich
• Mr. Antonio Scatena

Juniors:

• Ms. Tracey Baker
• Ms. Brittany Buterbaugh
• Ms. Lacie Buxton
• Ms. Jane Calvert
• Mr. Andrew Friday
• Mr. Brandon Jones
• Ms. Beth Leverett
• Ms. Olivia McGovern
• Mr. Chad Meyers
• Ms. Jessica Nichol
• Ms. Elizabeth Paladin
• Ms. Galit Regev
• Ms. Aubree Webb
• Mr. Joseph Wiley
• Ms. Caitlin Williamson

Sophomores:

• Ms. Olumayowa Azeez
• Ms. Maura Barrett
• Ms. Jennifer Beveridge
• Mr. Justin Williams

First Years:

• Mr. David Ankney
• Ms. Deanna Belsky
• Ms. Kimberly Boonie
• Mr. Chris Chambers
• Mr. Stephen Christensen
• Ms. Victoria Constant
• Ms. Alex Daughenbaugh
• Ms. Laura Fox
• Mr. Jonathan Henninger
• Ms. Samantha Leone
• Mr. Andrew Lightner
• Ms. Mairi Lindsay
• Ms. Lisa McCombie
• Mr. Joseph Reichard
• Mr. Stephen Shiring
• Mr. Cory Stahlman
• Ms. Andrea Strein
• Ms. Ashley Swiderski
• Ms. Nadia Szymanski
• Mr. Christopher Taylor
• Mr. Kevin Taylor
• Mr. Rongjin Weng
• Mr. James Zewe

For older posts, please continue to view the Chemistry Department's Blogger Page.

Congratulations and good luck to the following:

• President: Ms. Olivia McGovern
• Vice President: Ms. Jessica Nichol
• Secretary: Ms. Maura Barrett
• Treasurer: Ms. Beth Leverett

Many thanks to our 2007-2008 ACS Club officers for another successful year:

• President: Elizabeth Paladin
• Vice President: Catie Brunecz
• Secretary: Kaycie Butler
• Treasurer: Jessica Nichol

For older posts, please continue to view the Chemistry Department’s Blogger page.

Ms. Beth Leverett won a $100 Co-op Store gift certificate for her research poster “A Crystallographic Detective Story: Solving the Li₂ZnSnS₄ Structure.”

Ms. Elizabeth Paladin won a $50 Co-op Store gift certificate for her research poster “Modifying the Physical Properties of Indomethacin by Co-Crystallization.” 

Other winners were undergraduate Ms. Olivia McGovern ($75 gift certificate) and graduate student Ms. Heather Meloy ($100 gift certificate).

Congratulations!

For older posts, please continue to view the Chemsitry Department’s Blogger page.

Mr. Robert Bauer, a Biochemistry major, presented a poster of a project that he completed during his R.E.U. summer research at the University of Buffalo. The poster, DNA structure-selective interactions of Zn(II) tetraazamacrocycle with appended acridine, was authored jointly with Janet Morrow, of SUNY Buffalo.

Dr. Nate McElroy gave the invited oral presentation QSAR at the undergraduate institution and a model of air-to-blood partition coefficients for small organic molecules. Part of this presentation was a review of the cheminformatics research completed by Mr. Sean Smith, who recently completed his master’s thesis in the department. Dr. McElroy also spoke of the advantages and challenges of teaching cheminformatics and chemometrics at IUP, citing examples from this semester’s CHEM 681 course on these topics.

For older posts, please continue to view the Chemistry Department’s Blogger page.

For older news posts, please continue to view the Chemistry Department Blogger.