Graduate Studies in Chemistry - Graduate Faculty Research Interests
Our Graduate Faculty have diverse interests spanning the traditional areas of organic, inorganic, analytical and physical chemistry, and contribute to multidisciplinary programs in Nanotechnology, Materials, Wood and Alternative Energy, Biological, Chemical Education, and Environmental chemistry.
Alice E. Bruce, Ph.D. (Columbia Univ., 1985), Associate Professor. Inorganic, organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry; synthesis, structure and reactivity of gold(I) clusters; thiolate-disulfide exchange; detection of environmental mercury(II) using nanostructured supports.
François G. Amar, Ph.D. (Chicago, 1979), Associate Professor, Chair, and Member, RiSE (Research in STEM Education) Center. Physical chemistry: computer simulation of reaction dynamics in molecular, ionic, and metallic clusters; theory of photoelectron spectra of clusters; gas-surface dynamics; optical and elastic properties of microspheres. Chemical education research: active learning strategies for large classes and laboratories; improving teaching of spectroscopic principles.
Mitchell R. M. Bruce, Ph.D. (Columbia Univ., 1985), Associate Professor and Member, RiSE (Research in STEM Education) Center. Inorganic, bioinorganic, and organometallic chemistry involving synthesis and reaction mechanisms; zinc and gold mediated thiol-disulfide exchange; metal-protein chemistry; electrochemical redox processes; calculations; reactivity of mercury and late transition metals; active learning strategies in class and laboratory.
Barbara J. W. Cole, Ph.D. (Washington, 1986), Professor and Graduate Program Coordinator, Cooperating Professor of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Cooperating Professor of Forest Resources, Member of FBRI (Forest Bioproducts Research Institute). Chemistry of biomaterials including wood and paper, carbohydrates, lignin, and biologically active plant extracts. High-value bioproducts.
Scott D. Collins, Ph.D. (Brigham Young Univ., 1980), Professor and Member, LASST (Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology), Cooperating Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering, Cooperating Professor of Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Molecular Biology, Co-Director MicroInstruments and Systems Laboratory (MISL), Co-Director Institute for Molecular Biophysics (IMB). Micro and Nano Fabrication, surface probe and electron microscopy, electrochemistry of semiconductors, BioMEMS, fractal phase transitions, nanoscience.
Raymond C. Fort, Jr., Ph.D. (Princeton, 1964), Professor. Computational organic and biochemistry; wood chemistry.
Brian G. Frederick, Ph.D. (Cornell, 1991), Associate Professor and Member, LASST (Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology). Physical chemistry, surface science and catalysis. Biofuels, thermochemical catalyst development, materials characterization, reaction mechanisms, spectroscopy, quantum mechanical modeling.
William Gramlich, Ph.D. (Minnesota, 2012), Assistant Professor. Polymer chemistry including functionalized renewable polymers.
Bruce L. Jensen, Ph.D. (Western Michigan, 1970), Associate Professor. Synthesis of heterocyclic and natural products of medicinal interest. Study of halonium ion rearrangements and chiral allylsilicon reagents. Curriculum development in the undergraduate organic laboratory.
Howard H. Patterson, Ph.D. (Brandeis,1968), Professor. Inorganic and environmental Chemistry. Nanosystems of silver(I) , gold(I) and mixed metal systems showing optical memory, clustering behavior, and energy transfer. Development of methods for early warning detection of harmful pollutants in natural waters. Photocatalysis with metal doped zeolites for pollutant decomposition in natural waters as well as for development of alternative energy sources.
Jayendran C. Rasaiah, Ph.D. (Pittsburgh, 1965). Professor. Theoretical and computer simulations studies of the structure and dynamics of liquids, ionic solutions, and polar fluids. Water structure and flow in carbon nanotubes and confined systems. Dynamics of electron transfer reactions.
Carl P. Tripp, Ph.D. (University of Ottawa, 1988), Professor and Member, LASST (Laboratory for Surface Science and Technology). Surface chemistry of materials, infrared and Raman spectroscopy chemical sensors, biosensors, sol-gel synthesis of metal oxides, polyelectrolyte/surfactant adsorption on surfaces, silane reactions on metal oxides, molecular studies of paper coatings, supercritical fluids.
