Spring 2016 CHEMICAL BONDS THE UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE, KNOXVILLE DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY Message from the Head Building a Bright Future - Report on Strong Hall & JIAM Vol VII Issue No.1 Contents Chemical Bonds is published biannually by the Department of Chemistry at The University of Tennessee, Knoxville 2 Message from the Head Dr. Charles Feigerle Professor and Department Head 3 Department News Dr. Diane Schmidt President, Chemistry Board of Visitors 5 Faculty Highlights Dr. Rachel Rui Writer/Editor/Photographer/Graphic Designer 9 Student Features Pam Roach Proofreader Message from the Head Address correspondence to the editor: The University of Tennessee, Knoxville Department of Chemistry The Department of Chemistry will The University of Tennessee experience some very exciting 552 Buehler Hall changes in the next year. Strong Hall, 1420 Circle Dr. which is scheduled for completion Knoxville, TN 37996-1600 by the end of 2016, will be the new home for the introductory teaching [email protected] laboratories in general, honors and (865) 974-8019 organic chemistry starting in Spring Visit the Department of Chemistry semester of 2017. These facilities Web Site at will impact the experience of over www.chem.utk.edu 4600 undergraduate students who take courses using these labs each year. An important theme in higher education these days is experiential Access this issue online by scanning the QR code learning. For chemistry, laboratory below or go to courses are the primary mechanism https://www.chem.utk.edu/home/publications for experiential learning and it is important that experience is modern and prepares students for chemistry in the 21st century. So what is going to be important for 21st century chemistry? We believe that chemistry will have to be conducted in a safe and responsible manner, carefully considering the potential impact it has on the environment. Consistent with that, we are incorporating green chemistry approaches in the general chemistry experience to educate students how chemistry can safely meet its important role in our economic and technical future. At the organic chemistry level, the new labs will include enough modern fume hoods that every student can safely perform syntheses with proper chemical management. And of course, we will teach the important fundamentals of our discipline along the way. Another important skill we need to impart to students is the power of modern instrumentation for chemical analysis and identification. We already added measurenet systems, which provide CONTINUED ON PAGE 8 Department News Chemistry Department Held 2016 Honors Day Department of Chemistry held its 2016 Honors Day on Thursday, April 28th. More than 50 students, faculty and staff were recognized for their academic achievements and outstanding services. Dr. Diane Schmidt, alumna and a member of the Department’s Board of Visitors was invited to speak about her ca- reer as a chemist for more than 30 years at Procter & Gamble, where she helped develop some well-known products such as Head and Shoulders shampoo. Schmidt also shared her invaluable experience being the 2015 president of the American Chemical Society, the largest scientific society in the world. GRADUATE AWARDS UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS Outstanding Teaching Awards CRC Press General Chemistry Award - Harkiran K. Dhah, Sara B. Isbill - John H. Hymel Keenan Teaching Awards C. W. Keenan Outstanding General Chemistry Student Award - Randi L. Beil - Alexandra C. Brito Second Year Candidacy Award Halbert and Anne Carmichael Scholarship - Kendall D. Hughey, Samantha J. - Lauren A. Finney Rinehart Dr. Lucy E. Scroggie Scholarship Judson Hall Robertson Fellowship in - Carolyn E. Barnes Analytical Chemistry C. A. Buehler Chemistry Scholarship - Brianna R. Watson - Peymon C. Baghernejad Graduate Fellowship for Achievement East Tennessee Section, ACS, Award in Inorganic Chemistry - Madeline S. Stark - Shelby E. Stavretis Hach Foundation Scholarships Jerome Eastham Fellowship in Organic Chemistry - Brittany A. Ramsey, Grace C. Wilson - Lauren A. Brown Melaven-Rhenium Scholarship Eugene John Barber Fellowship in Physical Chemistry - Madeline S. Stark - Michael O. Yokosuk Honors Chemistry Recognition Burchfield Burridge Warner Fellowship in Polymer Chemistry - Rachael E. Barker, Carolyn E. Barnes, Isidora R. Beach, Wesley - Brian F. Morgan N. Cox, Katherine L., Krouse, Robert P. Ledbetter, Emily J. Liske, East Tennessee Section, ACS, Graduate Fellow Ingram A. Northern, Ajay J. Patel - Xinyi Lu Gleb Mamantov Graduate Chemistry Scholar - Samuel M. Rosolina STAFF AWARDS Outstanding Service Award STUDENT RECOGNITIONS - Eddie F. Bishop III, Deedee D. Wilder Chancellor’s 2016 Extraordinary Professional Promise Award Carol Moulton ACGS Service Award - Samuel M. Rosolina - Neal A. Fischer Chancellor’s 2016 Top Collegiate Scholar Award James F. Green ACGS Service Award - Morgan A. Higgins, Madeline S. Stark - Linda C. Sherman Chancellor’s 2016 Extraordinary Academic Achievement - Allison S. Poget FACULTY AWARDS & RECOGNITIONS UTK’s Women in STEM Research Symposium New Faculty Graduate Student Poster Presentation Award and Societal Impact - Christopher A. Baker, Bhavya Sharma Award Retiring Faculty - Laura D. Casto - George W. Kabalka 1st Place Oral Presentation Undergraduate Elected At-large Senator of the Phi Beta Kappa Society - Lauren Finney - Jeffrey D. Kovac 1st Place Oral Presentation Graduate Mortar Board Society Invited Speaker - Ashleigh Barnes - George K. Schweitzer 2nd Place Oral Presentation Fellow of the American Chemical Society - Lena Elenchin - Mark Dadmun 2016 American Chemical Society Summer School on Green Francon Williams Endowed Faculty Award in Chemistry Chemistry & Sustainable Energy - Brian K. Long - Roberto A. Federico Perez Gleb Mamantov Professorship in Chemistry Joint Institute for Advanced Materials Fellowship - David M. Jenkins - Daniele Paradiso Ziegler Professor Announcement Eastman Chemical Company Summer Fellowship - S. Mike Kilbey II - Bethany M. Aden In Memoriam - George Pedro “Pete” Smith Winners of the Board of Visitor’s Poster Competition UT DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY 3 Chemistry Students, Alumni and Faculty Recognized at 2016 ETS-ACS Awards Banquet Several students, alumni and faculty members in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville were recognized at the 2016 East Tennessee Section of the American Chemical Society (ETS-ACS) Awards Banquet on May 5 hosted at Calhoun’s on the River Restaurant. George Kabalka, Professor of Chemistry, was invited to give a talk titled, “Boron: Basic Science to Modern Medicine (A Personal Journey).” During this year’s Awards Banquet, Xinyi Lu, Chemistry graduate student, received the Graduate Fellowship Award, Madeline Stark, Chemistry undergraduate student, received the Undergraduate Senior Award, and Department of Chemistry alumni, Rachel Glazener, was recognized as ETS-ACS Past-Chair and Elissa LaPointe was named the ETS-ACS High School Teacher of the Year. Several Emeritus Professors of the Department were also recognized for being members of ACS for 50 and 60 years. ETS-ACS covers 13 counties in East Tennessee and has approximately 600 members. The local section participates in the National Chemistry Week, the Chemists Celebrate Earth Day, the Madeline Stark (right) Receiving Award from ETS-ACS Chair-Elect Dr. Heather Bass (middle), Chemistry Olympiad, and the ACS - Tennessee Government Affairs Dr. Steven Neal (back), ETS-ACS Chair programs. The section’s annual S.C. Lind Lecture Series brings in outstanding scientists and world-renowned researchers. Department of Chemistry Hosted UT/VT Polymer Workshop The Department of Chemistry at the University of Tennessee, Knoxville will provide real scientific leadership in our region and across the nation. hosted a UT/VT Polymer Workshop on April 18th and 19th. The workshop Great ideas emerged in our discussions, and I think this workshop was attended by more than 70 faculty, students and researchers from will catalyze exciting new proposals in macromolecular science and UT, Virginia Tech, Oak Ridge National Lab and other institutions in the engineering.” Long said. surrounding area. The workshop, sponsored by the Office of Research at UT and the “The goal of the workshop is to develop collaborations, enhance Macromolecules Innovation Institute at VT, attracted not only polymer interactions, and provide the foundation for future joint research ventures, chemists, but also researchers from various engineering departments to with a particular emphasis on developing large collaborative teams learn more about current research trends in polymer chemistry. “I got to that can compete for large center type grants,” said Dr. Mark Dadmun, professor of chemistry at UT and Chair of the workshop organizing committee. During the two-day workshop, faculty and students presented 20 talks and 41 posters focused on three areas in polymer chemistry - interfaces in nanocomposites, blends adhesives, and films; additive manufacturing; and transport in polymer membranes. “I was very happy with the workshop, and thought that it was a resounding success,” said Dadmun. “The participation, enthusiasm, and interactions during the talks and posters were exactly what I had hoped for. I think that the format of the workshop engaged both students and faculty. I am certain that the UT and VT polymer program will continue these workshops in the future, and we know more about this type of research and it is the first time I presented may even bring in other polymer programs