About Our Research Faculty

			François G. Amar, Ph.D. (Chicago, 1979), Professor Emeritus. 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; teaching of spectroscopic principles.
			Alessia Battigelli, Ph.D. (University of Trieste and University of Strasbourg, 2012), Assistant Professor. Design and synthesis of peptoids (or poly-N-substituted glycines) able to self-assemble into nanostructures (e.g. nanosheets, nanoparticles). Investigation of peptoid-based materials in tissue engineering, drug delivery and water filtration.
			Matthew Brichacek, Ph.D. (Cornell Univ., 2010), Associate Professor & Graduate Program Coordinator. Design, synthesis, and evaluation of biologically active compounds. Development of new reaction methodologies to enable the facile synthesis of complex biomolecules.
			Alice E. Bruce, Ph.D. (Columbia Univ., 1985), Professor & Chair. Inorganic, organometallic and bioinorganic chemistry; synthesis, structure and reactivity of gold(I) complexes; thiolate-disulfide exchange; detection of environmental mercury (II) using nanostructured supports.
			Mitchell R. M. Bruce, Ph.D. (Columbia Univ., 1985), Professor. 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. Chemistry of sustainable materials including wood and paper, carbohydrates, lignin, and biologically active plant extracts; high-value bioproducts.

			Brian G. Frederick, Ph.D. (Cornell, 1991), Professor and Member, FIRST. Graduate Coordinator. Physical chemistry, surface science and catalysis, biofuels, thermochemical catalyst development, materials characterization, reaction mechanisms, spectroscopy, quantum mechanical modeling.
			William M. Gramlich, Ph.D. (University of Minnesota, 2012), Associate Professor. Synthesis and characterization of polymers and materials that are used as renewable materials and composites, modular and stimuli responsive hydrogels for drug delivery and tissue engineering, and coatings to prevent and detect biofouling and infections.
			Tomas Marangoni, Ph.D. (University of Trieste, 2012), Assistant Professor and Member, FIRST. Synthesis of atomically precise graphene nanoribbons and polymers for electronic applications. Investigation of their physico-chemical properties towards their use in sensing, biomedical or electronic applications.
			Carl P. Tripp, Ph.D. (University of Ottawa, 1988), Professor and Member, FIRST. 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.