ELEMENTS The Alumni Magazine of the Department of Chemistry at Virginia Tech From the Department Chair I have never known a building to occupy the top three floors, approximately 40,000 be completed ahead of schedule. I assignable square feet. All student organic have never known organic labs in syntheses will be conducted forthe first time in any building other than Davidson many of the 92 hoods in the building. Three Hall. I have never known Virginia spacious rooms for the Chemistry Learning Tech in the Atlantic Coast Center, one computer classroom, and a large ' Conference. After my 36 years in distance learning facility supplement the residence, things are indeed laboratory space. State funds totaling changing. Virginia Tech will join approximately$ l .6M are available for furniture • Wi.:J.aii.flJJ;tJ.lJ.,�,-;c... the ACC in all sports July 1, 2004. and laboratory equipment. Professor Gary Long The new Chemistry-Physics building will has won a NSF grant to assist in outfitting the What's Inside: accept its initial students Spring, 2004. All analytical chemistry labs. Numerous faculty instructional Chemistry laboratories will be have helped in planning the building. New What'sNew in housed in the same building for the first Chemistry 3 time in over 25 years. Chemistry will (Continued on Page 2) Student News 4 Commentary from tlie _Jldvisory Counci{ FacultyIn The News 5 The Department of Chemistry is now have world-class part of the new College of Science. teaching facilities Spotlight on Chemistry was critical to the mission of that our world­ Research Faculty 7 the old College of Arts and Sciences and class faculty and in the smaller, more focused College of students deserve. Alumni Spotlight 8 Science, Chemistry will play an even more Moving into vital role. Chemistry has consistently the new Chem­ StaffSp otlight 9 brought in more research dollars to the istry/Physics University per faculty than all but one building will also JO Faculty Spotlight Department. In addition to its leadership free up Davidson role in research, Chemistry must provide Hall for its long Alumni Highlights 12 basic chemistry instruction to hundreds of needed renova­ science and engineering majors every year. tion. Renovation Donors 14 Some of you might recall that Davidson of Davidson Hall must remain the highest Hall does not offer the most modern, well­ priority among capital projects for Virginia Tech. equipped, state-of-the-art, garden spot Our ability to recruit and sustain top rank faculty teaching laboratories that you might expect and graduate students is severely limited by our froma Research I University. Fortunately, lack of research laboratory space. The ■ this is about to change. Construction is Department of Chemistry Advisory Council':' has almost complete on the new Chemistry/ been a vocal advocate of both the Chemistry/ ■ Physics Building. This building is Physics building and the renovation of Tel: 540-231-5391 dedicated to instruction with numerous Davidson Hall. We have had numerous Fax: 540-231-3255 fully equipped and network ready meetings with the administration and have made [email protected] classrooms and laboratories. We will now www.chem.vt.edu (Continued on Page 2) Comments fromDepartment Chair - Continued Comments fromAdvisory Council- Continued laboratory experiments are being written which utilized much sure that the appropriate state officials, including the of the new equipment. The Chemistry faculty person most Governor, have been kept fully aware of the involved with the new building is Professor John Dillard. accomplishments and needs of the Department of With the aid of Wanda Hensley, a longtime and loyal staff Chemistry. One of our communication tools is an Annual person, John has kept anyone who is interested up-to-date Review of the Department of Chemistry prepared by the on the building construction. I refer you to the "Construction Advisory Council. This Annual Review is too long to be News" on the departmental website which documents included in the Department's newsletter, but you may "pouring the footers"to "putting on the roof'. An excellent request a copy by writing to the newsletter address. picture of the new Chemistry Complex from the air can be We encourage you to join the Advisory Council in its foundwith this article. John pilots the plane, while Wanda advocacy of the Department of Chemistry. We ask that takes the pictures. Virginia residents write or call your representatives. Those Without John's constant supervision, the building, I am of you who can, please contribute to the Friends of sure, would suffer. John not only attended the biweekly Chemistry scholarship endowment fund which will help to meeting of the various contractors and subcontractors, but ensure excellence in our Department into the future. he got to know many of the workers on a first-namebasis. He personally has placed the orders for equipping the new E.Gary Cook building. He also has his own 'hard hat'! Words cannot Chair, Advisory Council express the great appreciation for the services of Professor John Dillard in overseeing the building construction. With *The Department of Chemistry Advisory Council is no release time from teaching or research, John's efforts composed of VA Tech alumni fromthe business, academic over a 24-month period were truly "herculean". and government communities. The Council provides The rainbow of opportunities created by this new massive advice, advocacy and assistance to the Department, its structure will help move Virginia Tech Chemistry furtherinto Faculty and its students. the top tier of departments that are committed to quality teaching, strong in research, deep in scholarship, and Dr. Cook, (Ph.D.,1970) is the retired Chairman, President consistent in outreach across the globe. and Chief Executive Officerof Witco Corporation and has been Chair of the Advisory Council for two years. Page2 Wliat's :New In Cliemistry Chemistry Selected as Partner in Graduate Teaching Assistant Awards (2002-03 Academic Year) Carnegie Initiative The University's Chemistry Ella Chow-Nominated by Kaye Castagnoli and Dr. Paul Carlier forteaching Department has been chosen to in the Organic Chemistry Laboratory participate in a multi-year research­ HuirninLi- Nominated by Dr. PatriciaArnateisand Jeanine Eddleton for and-action project aimed at improving teaching in the General Chemistry Laboratory doctoral education at American SteffanieLiskey- Nominated by Dr. JirnTanko for teaching in the Physical universities. The CarnegieInitiative on Chemistry Laboratory the Doctorate (CID) has selected 33 Laura Nakovich- Nominated by Dr. Gary Long for teaching in the Analytical partner departments in chemistry, Chemistry Laboratory education, English, and rnathernatics to analyze aspects of their doctoral Graduate Research Awards (2002-03 Academic Year) programs and link specific activities to desired outcomes. Feihe Huang-Nominated by Dr. Gibson Tech Chemistry Professor, JirnTanko, Changhui Liu- Nominated by Dr. Kingston described the CID as an opportunity Jererny Lizotte -N orninatedby Dr. TirnLong for universities to participate in a William Lokar-Norninated by Dr. Ducker discussion evaluating their goals for graduate education. Tech's Chemistry Department will have a seat at the table to participate in the group dialogue examining and assessing ideas Summer Undergraduate pertaining to graduate education in Research Programs The Adhesion Science Aw ard chemistry. Abound Cornrnittee rnet recently and •••••••••••••••••••• informed the Chemistry Our chapter of Alpha Chi Sigma has 1. NSF REU grant to TornWard/ Department that Christopher (unanimously) won the bid to host the TirnLong through the Center Palmer will receive the 2004 National Conclave (aka47thBiennial for Adhesive and Sealant J.P. Wightman Scholarship this Conclave)! This is a tremendous honor Science. Twelve students year. Chris is not a chemistrymajor, for both our chapter and also the 2. Judy Riffle's IGERT REU but is working with TirnLong. The university! It will take place between July program. Seven students title of his research in "Polymers 27-31, 2004. 3. Jirn McGrath's PFI grant as Gene Transfer Agents: •••••••••••••••••••• supplement. Seven students Synthesis, Characterization, and Transfection." William Ducker and TirnLong have been 4. Mark Anderson's new NSF­ promoted to Full Professor and Paul REU grant. Ten students Carlier has been awarded tenure. We are indeed fortunateto have these three very fine facultycolleagues. In 6 semesters of operation, 27,500 experiments have been performedin the MCL •••••••••••••••••••• by students in public high schools all over the Cornrnonwealth according to The Mobile ChemistryLaboratory (MCL) Barbara Bunn, the traveling teacher. Many of these experiments are cornputer­ was featuredat the 17thBiennial ChernEd driven, with several experiments using high tech instrumentation not normally Conference the week of July 27 atAubum available to freshman college students. This type of experiment not only University. A syrnposiurn that Sunday motivates the students but gives therna head start for post secondary education. (Chemistry Outreach through Traveling Over 500 letters of cornrnendationfrorn students, teachers, parents, principals, Van Programs) was arranged to school superintendents, city and state officialsand legislators have been received showcase the MCL and several other during the 3 years of operation. outreach programs. Page3 DEPARTMENTHOSTS NORMAN HACKERMAN INTERACTIVE DVD TEXTBOOK On March 19, 2003 Professor