About Our Research Faculty

François G. Amar, Ph.D. (Chicago, 1979), Professor. Physical chemistry; computer simulation of reaction dynamics in molecular, ionic, and metaFrancois Amarllic 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 polyAlessia Battigelli-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 bBrichacekiologically active compounds.  Development of new reaction methodologies to enable the facile synthesis of complex biomolecules.
AliceAlice Bruce 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.
MitMitchell Brucechell 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.
BarBarbara Colebara 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.
ScoScott Collinstt D. Collins, Ph.D. (Brigham Young Univ., 1980), Professor and Member, FIRST. Micro and Nano Fabrication, surface probe and electron microscopy, electrochemistry of semiconductors, BioMEMS, fractal phase transitions, nanoscience.
Brian G. Frederick, Ph.D. (Cornell, 1991), Associate Professor and Member, FIRST. Graduate Coordinator. Physical chemistry, surface science and cBrian Frederickatalysis, 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 thWG photoat 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 naTomas Marangoninoribbons and polymers for electronic applications. Investigation of their physico-chemical properties towards their use in sensing, biomedical or electronic applications.
Carl CarlP. 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.