Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Dr. Bodsgard has article published
Dr. Brett Bodsgard, Department of Chemistry, had an article published in Dalton Transactions titled, "Silica-bound copper (II) triazacyclononane as a phosphate esterase: effect of linker length and surface hydrophobicity" (Dalton Trans., 2009, 2365-2373). The article details the study of a family of insoluble copper-containing materials that may be useful in the decontamination of chemical warfare agents.
Chemistry Student Workers
A big thank you goes out to all the students that worked in the chemistry department. Thank you for all the work you did: trying to keep glassware clean and stocked, setting up and tearing down labs, helping the professors and students during labs. You all did great - especially when the WOM students complained that the labs were too long and too hard! Have a great summer.
The 2008-09 student workers were: Lauren Davidson, Justin Steinke, Thomas Shultz, Theo Manahan, Alexander Papaconstandinou, Nicole Haese, Emily Mason, Kim Johnson, John Tarras, and Jake Beckel.
The 2008-09 student workers were: Lauren Davidson, Justin Steinke, Thomas Shultz, Theo Manahan, Alexander Papaconstandinou, Nicole Haese, Emily Mason, Kim Johnson, John Tarras, and Jake Beckel.
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. James Vogel
I am sad to announce that this year was Dr. Vogel's last year teaching full-time at SMU. He will retire at the end of this school year. But not too worry, he won't be disappearing yet, he will be back next year teaching Analytical Chemistry.
Two of our students (Thomas Briese and John Nolte) had a chance to talk with Dr. Vogel and find out some interesting things you may not know about him...
1. What was your favorite memory from your time at SMU?
The most dramatic one I have is when I was asked to do Analytical Chemistry alone instead of Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II. My concentration at this time became the acquisition of new equipment, which was largely made possible by donations from my brother-in-law.
2. What is your favorite activity other than chemistry?
I have two favorite activities other than chemistry, one of which I simply enjoy and one I enjoy partly because I know I can be more helpful with it. The activity I can be more helpful with is cantoring for mass in Rollingstone. I sing for masses as well as funerals. The other activity I enjoy is flying, particularly flying, creating, and building model aircraft. The largest model I have is a 1/3 scale model. I've also flown in an airplane with a licensed pilot but would love to fly in a hot air balloon as well.
3. What is your favorite element?
My favorite element is beryllium mainly because I did a lot of work with its compounds (basic beryllium carboxylates). I don't do a lot of work with them anymore because they're so toxic to work with.
4. What is your ideal vacation destination?
The one I enjoyed the most was biking with my wife along the Blue Danube in the northern part of Austria. That part of the world actually looks a lot like the Mississippi River Valley, except the bluffs are a little larger. Another memorable vacation was a railroad tour of Alaska. My wife and I are planning to see more of the southern United States in the future.
5. What was the biggest change in chemistry over your lifetime?
The dramatic increase in instrumentation and computerization was definitely the biggest change in chemistry. When I started out, everything was glassware, and very rarely were goggles or gloves considered necessary. Benzene and mercury weren't even considered poisonous. In my Junior or Senior year of college, calculators finally began to show up. They had cost $100 and could only perform the four basic functions.
6. If you had to be an element, what element would you be and why?
Simply because it would be least dramatic change and the easiest one for me to adapt to, I would have to say MANganese. That's the best I can come up with on the spur of the moment.
7. What made you decide to be a chemist?
When I was in 6th or 7th grade (back then they didn't teadch chemistry at the level of schooling) I worked for my brother-in-law on his dairy farm. I worked with a machine that cleaved bottles and used the money I earned to buy a chemistry set. I became fascinated with it and did some reading as I became more interested in WHY reactions happened. When I was a sophmore in high school, the chemistry teacher who was teaching juniors needed help, so I volunteered to teach a few classes. It was at this time that I realized I really enjoyed working with students. It wasn't till my junior year of high school that I really considered going to college. Once I made that decision, I knew I wanted to learn enough to teach chemistry at the collegiate level. My junior year I committed to the Ph.D. program.
8. Who is your favorite chemist?
Linus Pauling would have to be one of the top ones, simply for the ideas he was know for pioneering. As I got involved in teaching, I got to know chemists that were interesting in teaching and learning about chemistry. I would say George Bodner is my favorite chemist from an educational standpoint.
9. How do you want to be remembered at SMU?
I would a least like to be remembered that I was able to communicate to the students here at Saint Mary's University and that some would say that I was a least a little bit helpful.
10. What is your favorite movie, type of music, TV show, and book?
movie: West Side Story and other musicals
music: Classical (favorite composer is Wagner)
TV show: CSI and other crime investigation shows
Book - Fiction: the Andromeda Strain
Book - Non-Fiction: National Geographic publications
11. What is your favorite chemistry joke?
When Jerry Lewis was in jail, what was he?
A Silicon
Two of our students (Thomas Briese and John Nolte) had a chance to talk with Dr. Vogel and find out some interesting things you may not know about him...
1. What was your favorite memory from your time at SMU?
The most dramatic one I have is when I was asked to do Analytical Chemistry alone instead of Advanced Inorganic Chemistry II. My concentration at this time became the acquisition of new equipment, which was largely made possible by donations from my brother-in-law.
2. What is your favorite activity other than chemistry?
I have two favorite activities other than chemistry, one of which I simply enjoy and one I enjoy partly because I know I can be more helpful with it. The activity I can be more helpful with is cantoring for mass in Rollingstone. I sing for masses as well as funerals. The other activity I enjoy is flying, particularly flying, creating, and building model aircraft. The largest model I have is a 1/3 scale model. I've also flown in an airplane with a licensed pilot but would love to fly in a hot air balloon as well.
3. What is your favorite element?
My favorite element is beryllium mainly because I did a lot of work with its compounds (basic beryllium carboxylates). I don't do a lot of work with them anymore because they're so toxic to work with.
4. What is your ideal vacation destination?
The one I enjoyed the most was biking with my wife along the Blue Danube in the northern part of Austria. That part of the world actually looks a lot like the Mississippi River Valley, except the bluffs are a little larger. Another memorable vacation was a railroad tour of Alaska. My wife and I are planning to see more of the southern United States in the future.
5. What was the biggest change in chemistry over your lifetime?
The dramatic increase in instrumentation and computerization was definitely the biggest change in chemistry. When I started out, everything was glassware, and very rarely were goggles or gloves considered necessary. Benzene and mercury weren't even considered poisonous. In my Junior or Senior year of college, calculators finally began to show up. They had cost $100 and could only perform the four basic functions.
6. If you had to be an element, what element would you be and why?
Simply because it would be least dramatic change and the easiest one for me to adapt to, I would have to say MANganese. That's the best I can come up with on the spur of the moment.
7. What made you decide to be a chemist?
When I was in 6th or 7th grade (back then they didn't teadch chemistry at the level of schooling) I worked for my brother-in-law on his dairy farm. I worked with a machine that cleaved bottles and used the money I earned to buy a chemistry set. I became fascinated with it and did some reading as I became more interested in WHY reactions happened. When I was a sophmore in high school, the chemistry teacher who was teaching juniors needed help, so I volunteered to teach a few classes. It was at this time that I realized I really enjoyed working with students. It wasn't till my junior year of high school that I really considered going to college. Once I made that decision, I knew I wanted to learn enough to teach chemistry at the collegiate level. My junior year I committed to the Ph.D. program.
8. Who is your favorite chemist?
Linus Pauling would have to be one of the top ones, simply for the ideas he was know for pioneering. As I got involved in teaching, I got to know chemists that were interesting in teaching and learning about chemistry. I would say George Bodner is my favorite chemist from an educational standpoint.
9. How do you want to be remembered at SMU?
I would a least like to be remembered that I was able to communicate to the students here at Saint Mary's University and that some would say that I was a least a little bit helpful.
10. What is your favorite movie, type of music, TV show, and book?
movie: West Side Story and other musicals
music: Classical (favorite composer is Wagner)
TV show: CSI and other crime investigation shows
Book - Fiction: the Andromeda Strain
Book - Non-Fiction: National Geographic publications
11. What is your favorite chemistry joke?
When Jerry Lewis was in jail, what was he?
A Silicon
Faculty Spotlight: Dr. Jaime Mueller
Dr. Mueller has just completed her first year teaching Chemistry at SMU. She taught Organic Chemistry and General Chemistry classes and labs. One of our students had a chance to catch up with her and find a little bit more about her...
Where were you born?
Blue Earth, MN
Where did you grow up?
Brainerd, MN
Where did you go to school?
K-12 --Brainerd, MN
B.S degree--University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, WI
Northern Michigan University
Ph. D. University of Utah
Postdoctoral Work-The University of Chicago
What were your favorite subjects in high school and college?
It is difficult choosing a favorite subject—there are so many! Overall, I have always loved going to school and learning. I particularly loved the challenge of chemistry and calculus.
What led you to become an organic chemist?
I was introduced to physical organic chemistry by Dr. Frankie Ann McCormack in her Advanced Organic Chemistry class when I was training for the U.S. Biathlon team. I liked the practical aspect of investigating how a chemical reaction works to improve it. I actually started out as an Inorganic student, but switched to Organic chemistry by joining a research group that allowed me to combine metals and organic chemistry by studying organometallic reactions.
What fascinates or interests you in the field of organic chemistry?
What doesn’t? I am always amazed by how ubiquitous it is. Many of our everyday problems and future problems have organic chemistry roots. I believe a lot of our solutions lie in those fundamentals as well.
How have you found Winona so far?
Friendly, relaxed and far less traffic.
What do you love most about Saint Mary’s?
I love the emphasis on the importance of the student-teacher relationship and the close-knit academic community; however, I cannot forget the lovely, formidable cross country ski trails.
It is my understanding that you have a dog named Sandy, what can you tell us about her and any other pets you may have?
Sandy is our 13 year-old yellow Labrador; she adopted us when she was 8 years old. She was born in Utah, lived on the Chicago Southside for 3 years and has since retired to Southeastern MN. She enjoys walking to the radio towers up on Garvin Heights, eating dirt and sleeping on her futon. While hiking in Utah, she saved my husband Chris and me from a charging bull moose.
If you had not become a chemist what was or what do you believe could have been an alternative?
I believe the sky is the limit with a degree in chemistry. An alternative was a professional biathlete. Biathlon is the winter sport of target shooting and cross-country skiing. I considered joining the military and becoming part of their World Class Athlete Program. Another alternative was working for Google as part of their business strategy group.
What sports have you been, or still are, involved with?
In high school, I was a three sport athlete: cross country running, nordic skiing and track. I earned a NCAA Div I scholarship for Nordic Skiing all four years of undergraduate studies. I learned to target shoot my last year of college and began competing in biathlon when my college eligibility was up. I spent one year after college on the Olympic Development Team, but ultimately went back to graduate school to earn my doctorate. I now coach the high school Nordic team as a volunteer.
Any advice to incoming organic chemistry students?
Be prepared. Be prepared for the introduction to a vast field of knowledge, for the challenge of problem solving up to the highest levels, to work hard and to be surprised.
Any words of wisdom about life?
Change is inevitable; just go with it. The best laid plans can fall through so easily, it is better to just be prepared for anything and to be thrilled by the challenges that life presents.
Favorite… joke—see Dr. Vogel, food—anything ethnic, place—the highest rainforest in the world—Kauai, Hawaii, color--blue, dessert—How can I pick just one?, season—spring (good skiing, my birthday and warmth) and football team (Utah Utes—college, and the Green Bay Packers?
What have you enjoyed most in the chemistry department so far?
I really enjoyed the Organic II Multistep synthesis projects. I love watching developing chemists take their own first steps into ingenuity and passion about chemistry.
Where were you born?
Blue Earth, MN
Where did you grow up?
Brainerd, MN
Where did you go to school?
K-12 --Brainerd, MN
B.S degree--University of Wisconsin—Green Bay, WI
Northern Michigan University
Ph. D. University of Utah
Postdoctoral Work-The University of Chicago
What were your favorite subjects in high school and college?
It is difficult choosing a favorite subject—there are so many! Overall, I have always loved going to school and learning. I particularly loved the challenge of chemistry and calculus.
What led you to become an organic chemist?
I was introduced to physical organic chemistry by Dr. Frankie Ann McCormack in her Advanced Organic Chemistry class when I was training for the U.S. Biathlon team. I liked the practical aspect of investigating how a chemical reaction works to improve it. I actually started out as an Inorganic student, but switched to Organic chemistry by joining a research group that allowed me to combine metals and organic chemistry by studying organometallic reactions.
What fascinates or interests you in the field of organic chemistry?
What doesn’t? I am always amazed by how ubiquitous it is. Many of our everyday problems and future problems have organic chemistry roots. I believe a lot of our solutions lie in those fundamentals as well.
How have you found Winona so far?
Friendly, relaxed and far less traffic.
What do you love most about Saint Mary’s?
I love the emphasis on the importance of the student-teacher relationship and the close-knit academic community; however, I cannot forget the lovely, formidable cross country ski trails.
It is my understanding that you have a dog named Sandy, what can you tell us about her and any other pets you may have?
Sandy is our 13 year-old yellow Labrador; she adopted us when she was 8 years old. She was born in Utah, lived on the Chicago Southside for 3 years and has since retired to Southeastern MN. She enjoys walking to the radio towers up on Garvin Heights, eating dirt and sleeping on her futon. While hiking in Utah, she saved my husband Chris and me from a charging bull moose.
If you had not become a chemist what was or what do you believe could have been an alternative?
I believe the sky is the limit with a degree in chemistry. An alternative was a professional biathlete. Biathlon is the winter sport of target shooting and cross-country skiing. I considered joining the military and becoming part of their World Class Athlete Program. Another alternative was working for Google as part of their business strategy group.
What sports have you been, or still are, involved with?
In high school, I was a three sport athlete: cross country running, nordic skiing and track. I earned a NCAA Div I scholarship for Nordic Skiing all four years of undergraduate studies. I learned to target shoot my last year of college and began competing in biathlon when my college eligibility was up. I spent one year after college on the Olympic Development Team, but ultimately went back to graduate school to earn my doctorate. I now coach the high school Nordic team as a volunteer.
Any advice to incoming organic chemistry students?
Be prepared. Be prepared for the introduction to a vast field of knowledge, for the challenge of problem solving up to the highest levels, to work hard and to be surprised.
Any words of wisdom about life?
Change is inevitable; just go with it. The best laid plans can fall through so easily, it is better to just be prepared for anything and to be thrilled by the challenges that life presents.
Favorite… joke—see Dr. Vogel, food—anything ethnic, place—the highest rainforest in the world—Kauai, Hawaii, color--blue, dessert—How can I pick just one?, season—spring (good skiing, my birthday and warmth) and football team (Utah Utes—college, and the Green Bay Packers?
What have you enjoyed most in the chemistry department so far?
I really enjoyed the Organic II Multistep synthesis projects. I love watching developing chemists take their own first steps into ingenuity and passion about chemistry.
Monday, May 4, 2009
Brother Ambrose Trusk Chemistry Scholarship
A previous gift of $50,000 from Jim and Marlene Fugere of Boulder, CO., has endowed the Brother Ambrose Trusk Chemistry Scholarship. The scholarship, first awarded in 2001, honors Brother Ambrose, a 1943 Saint Mary's alumnus who returned to teach chemistry at SMU and chair the department for almost 20 years.
Brother Ambrose, a native of De Pue, Ill., earned his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1966. He was instrumental in setting up a cooperative program between Saint Mary's and the College of Saint Teresa. In 1958, he was awarded a National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship. Brother Ambrose died in December of 1998. The scholarship honors the integrity of Brother Ambrose's life and career, his achievements in the field of chemistry, and his support of the Saint Mary's liberal arts education.
The $2500 renewable scholarship will be awarded to a junior chemistry major with financial need, who shows a serious interest in pursuing chemistry as a profession.
This year, the SMU chemistry department is proud to announce the next recipient of the Brother Ambrose Trusk Scholoarship... Alexander Papaconstandinou.
Previous Brother Ambrose Scholars were: Janet Maegerlein 'o1, Melissa Janish '03, Chris Seifert '05, Brendan Corcoran '07 and Emily Mason '09
Brother Ambrose, a native of De Pue, Ill., earned his doctorate in chemistry from the University of Notre Dame in 1966. He was instrumental in setting up a cooperative program between Saint Mary's and the College of Saint Teresa. In 1958, he was awarded a National Science Foundation Science Faculty Fellowship. Brother Ambrose died in December of 1998. The scholarship honors the integrity of Brother Ambrose's life and career, his achievements in the field of chemistry, and his support of the Saint Mary's liberal arts education.
The $2500 renewable scholarship will be awarded to a junior chemistry major with financial need, who shows a serious interest in pursuing chemistry as a profession.
This year, the SMU chemistry department is proud to announce the next recipient of the Brother Ambrose Trusk Scholoarship... Alexander Papaconstandinou.
Previous Brother Ambrose Scholars were: Janet Maegerlein 'o1, Melissa Janish '03, Chris Seifert '05, Brendan Corcoran '07 and Emily Mason '09
Annual SMU Chemistry Award Winners
Each year the SMU chemistry department gives out a few awards to its top students. All awardees will have their names engraved on plaques displayed in the chemistry department.
The ACS Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Award is given to an outstanding graduating chemistry senior, who plans to continue his/her study of chemistry. The 2009 recipient of the award was Jim Mazzuca. Along with the honor of receiving this prestigious award, Jim was given a framed certificate, a pen, and a one year membership to the ACS.
The AIC Chemistry Award is given to an outstanding senior chemistry student. The recipient of the 2009 AIC Chemistry Award was Emily Mason. She received a certificate, a one year membership in the AIC, a peer-reviewed journal, a listing in the AIC website, an opportunity to enroll in a certification program and participation in regional and national meetings.
The AIC Biochemistry Award is given to an outstanding senior biochemistry student. The recipient of the 2009 AIC Biochemistry Award was Bethany Kaufman. She received a certificate, a one year membership in the AIC, a peer reviewed journal, a listing in the AIC website, an opportunity to enroll in a certification program and participation in regional and national meetings.
The CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award is given to the top General Chemistry student. The 2009 recipient was Linda Tierney. Linda received a certificate, and the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.
The ACS Outstanding Chemistry Graduate Award is given to an outstanding graduating chemistry senior, who plans to continue his/her study of chemistry. The 2009 recipient of the award was Jim Mazzuca. Along with the honor of receiving this prestigious award, Jim was given a framed certificate, a pen, and a one year membership to the ACS.
The AIC Chemistry Award is given to an outstanding senior chemistry student. The recipient of the 2009 AIC Chemistry Award was Emily Mason. She received a certificate, a one year membership in the AIC, a peer-reviewed journal, a listing in the AIC website, an opportunity to enroll in a certification program and participation in regional and national meetings.
The AIC Biochemistry Award is given to an outstanding senior biochemistry student. The recipient of the 2009 AIC Biochemistry Award was Bethany Kaufman. She received a certificate, a one year membership in the AIC, a peer reviewed journal, a listing in the AIC website, an opportunity to enroll in a certification program and participation in regional and national meetings.
The CRC Press Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award is given to the top General Chemistry student. The 2009 recipient was Linda Tierney. Linda received a certificate, and the Handbook of Chemistry and Physics.
Chemistry faculty/students attend ACS national meeting
Drs. Jaime Mueller and Roger Kugel and four senior chemistry majors, Bethany Kaufmann, Emily Mason, Jim Mazzuca, and Justin Steinke, attend the 237th American Chemical Society national meeting in Salt Lake City on March 22-24. Dr. Mueller presented a poster entitled: "Chemistry Night: Formula for a Successful Program of Outreach and Recruitment," and Dr. Kugel presented a poster entitled: "Deriving the Boltzmann Distribution from Simple Combinatorics." Both posters generated considerable interest among chemists in the Chemical Education Division's poster session. Mueller, Kugel, anth the students also attended many of the more than 7,000 technical papers presented at this national conference and also benefited greatly from the informal interactions and professional networking opportunities. Student travel was subsidized by student senate and by a grant from the Fugere Family Foundation.
Senior Focus: Jim Mazzuca
Major: Biochemistry/Biophysics
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Plans After Graduation: University of South Carolina: PhD program in Physical Chemistry
Research Project: The Effects of Dichloroacetate on Normal Mus Musculus Cells and Cells Treated with DMBA and PMA
SMU Activities: Chemistry Club, SMU Rugby Club, tutoring for ASC, Physics Club
Favorite SMU Memories: Bonding with friends in the chemistry lounge.
Honors: 2009 ACS award
Hometown: Maple Grove, MN
Plans After Graduation: University of South Carolina: PhD program in Physical Chemistry
Research Project: The Effects of Dichloroacetate on Normal Mus Musculus Cells and Cells Treated with DMBA and PMA
SMU Activities: Chemistry Club, SMU Rugby Club, tutoring for ASC, Physics Club
Favorite SMU Memories: Bonding with friends in the chemistry lounge.
Honors: 2009 ACS award
Senior Focus: Justin Steinke
Major: Chemistry
Hometown: Orono, MN
Plans After Graduation: teach chemistry and physics at MTS (Minnesota Transition School) High School in Twin Cities area
Research Project: Quantitative Differences in Conductivity of Thin-Film Polyaniline Due to Differing Solution pH before, during, and after Polymer Synthesis.
SMU Activities: Student worker in the chemistry department as a teacher's assistant in General Chemistry and Organic lab sessions. Cook at Country Kitchen and Ground Round.
SMU Favorite Memories: TAing for Dr. Mueller and Dr. Vogel, ACS trip to Salt Lake City, thesis presentation, Chemistry Night
Hometown: Orono, MN
Plans After Graduation: teach chemistry and physics at MTS (Minnesota Transition School) High School in Twin Cities area
Research Project: Quantitative Differences in Conductivity of Thin-Film Polyaniline Due to Differing Solution pH before, during, and after Polymer Synthesis.
SMU Activities: Student worker in the chemistry department as a teacher's assistant in General Chemistry and Organic lab sessions. Cook at Country Kitchen and Ground Round.
SMU Favorite Memories: TAing for Dr. Mueller and Dr. Vogel, ACS trip to Salt Lake City, thesis presentation, Chemistry Night
Senior Focus: John Nolte
Major: Chemistry
Hometown: Owatonna
Plans After Graduation: SMU Graduate School, MAI Program
Research Project: Analysis of Reused Polyethylene Trerephthalate (PETE) Water Bottles for Migration of Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate and Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate into Water
SMU Activities: member of the chemistry club, chemistry summer worker, Cotter basketball coach, volunteer mentor
Favorite Memories of SMU: Dr. Kugel's copper thermite reaction outside, when we filled balloons with hydrogen and oxygen and lit with an acetone fuse, Brett's potassium and water reaction, very sweet!
Hometown: Owatonna
Plans After Graduation: SMU Graduate School, MAI Program
Research Project: Analysis of Reused Polyethylene Trerephthalate (PETE) Water Bottles for Migration of Di(2-ethylhexyl)adipate and Di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate into Water
SMU Activities: member of the chemistry club, chemistry summer worker, Cotter basketball coach, volunteer mentor
Favorite Memories of SMU: Dr. Kugel's copper thermite reaction outside, when we filled balloons with hydrogen and oxygen and lit with an acetone fuse, Brett's potassium and water reaction, very sweet!
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
Senior Focus: Emily Mason
Major: Biochemistry/Biology
Hometown: Rochester, MN
Plans after Graduation: working in the endocrine research lab at the Mayo Clinic
Research Project: The effects of Boswellic Acid Capsules on Anxiety Levels in Mus Musculus
Favorite Chemistry Memories: The fall 2007 p-chem class when students had a mass rebellion, totem pole, Dr. Kugel the Kugar...
SMU Activites: president of the chemistry club, member TriBeta, member biology club, member math club, member physics club
Honors: 2009 AIC chemistry award, 2007 Brother Charles Ambrose Scholarship
Hometown: Rochester, MN
Plans after Graduation: working in the endocrine research lab at the Mayo Clinic
Research Project: The effects of Boswellic Acid Capsules on Anxiety Levels in Mus Musculus
Favorite Chemistry Memories: The fall 2007 p-chem class when students had a mass rebellion, totem pole, Dr. Kugel the Kugar...
SMU Activites: president of the chemistry club, member TriBeta, member biology club, member math club, member physics club
Honors: 2009 AIC chemistry award, 2007 Brother Charles Ambrose Scholarship
Senior Focus: Bethany Kaufmann
Major: Biochemistry / Medical Technology
Hometown: Green Bay, WI
Plans After Graduation: Clinical Laboratory Science Program at the Mayo School of Health Sciences
Research Project: Analysis of lysozyme Yield and Purification in Gel-Filtration Chromatography
Favorite Chemistry Memory: Attending the National ACS conference meeting in Salt Lake City and Analytical Chemistry Labs on the weekend.
SMU Activities: member of chemistry club, member of TriBeta, member of varsity soccer team, executive board member of habitat for humanity, chemistry tutor
Honors: 2009 AIC Biochemistry Award
Hometown: Green Bay, WI
Plans After Graduation: Clinical Laboratory Science Program at the Mayo School of Health Sciences
Research Project: Analysis of lysozyme Yield and Purification in Gel-Filtration Chromatography
Favorite Chemistry Memory: Attending the National ACS conference meeting in Salt Lake City and Analytical Chemistry Labs on the weekend.
SMU Activities: member of chemistry club, member of TriBeta, member of varsity soccer team, executive board member of habitat for humanity, chemistry tutor
Honors: 2009 AIC Biochemistry Award
JOKES...
What is a chemistry student's favorite bond?
A weekend bond.....
Submitted by Tom Breise and John Nolte
A weekend bond.....
Submitted by Tom Breise and John Nolte
Alumni Update: Joe Flynn
Update from Joe Flynn at 2008 graduate of SMU
"I am currently in Albany, NY serving as a Lasallian Volunteer (LV) and while I'm here I'm working at the La Salle School for Boys. La Salle School is a large, residential and community based child welfare agency. the school serves court adjudicated youth. Some students live on the premises while others commute from home, the boys are ages 10-21. My job is to help them imporve their self-esteem and coping skills. This population is very challenging, but is also one of the most rewarding group of young men with which to work.
As a volunteer here I live on site and coordinate indoor/outdoor recreation & Campus Ministry programs for the trouble youth who reside at the school. I use Campus Ministry and Recreation as gateways to provide the boys with a wide range of religious, service and recreational services. The boys at La Salle are at the core of St. La Salle's teachings and at the heart of the Christian Brothers' mission. These are the boys 'whom no one heard when they cried.' They are the oucasts whom most of society and sometimes even their parents do not want to work with and would rather discard.
My time spent in Albany has been very eye opening. The boys I work with have never really been given a chance. Few have had any guidance to help them do what is right. These boys need someone thy can rely on and trust. That has been my main goal while serving them, to be a figure of consistent support. I know I have to come back everyday no matter how hard the day before was, these boys have been given up on most of their short lives, so for us to make a difference we need to be there for them.
I am one of 56 volunteers who is serving throughout the United States (from Rhode Island to Oregon). Every volunteer works directly with the poor, using education as their main tool to guide young people to a more promising life.
That is what I am doing!!! For hobbies I am doing a lot of running, seeing as much of the East coast as I can, and showing visitors around when they come to see me."
"I am currently in Albany, NY serving as a Lasallian Volunteer (LV) and while I'm here I'm working at the La Salle School for Boys. La Salle School is a large, residential and community based child welfare agency. the school serves court adjudicated youth. Some students live on the premises while others commute from home, the boys are ages 10-21. My job is to help them imporve their self-esteem and coping skills. This population is very challenging, but is also one of the most rewarding group of young men with which to work.
As a volunteer here I live on site and coordinate indoor/outdoor recreation & Campus Ministry programs for the trouble youth who reside at the school. I use Campus Ministry and Recreation as gateways to provide the boys with a wide range of religious, service and recreational services. The boys at La Salle are at the core of St. La Salle's teachings and at the heart of the Christian Brothers' mission. These are the boys 'whom no one heard when they cried.' They are the oucasts whom most of society and sometimes even their parents do not want to work with and would rather discard.
My time spent in Albany has been very eye opening. The boys I work with have never really been given a chance. Few have had any guidance to help them do what is right. These boys need someone thy can rely on and trust. That has been my main goal while serving them, to be a figure of consistent support. I know I have to come back everyday no matter how hard the day before was, these boys have been given up on most of their short lives, so for us to make a difference we need to be there for them.
I am one of 56 volunteers who is serving throughout the United States (from Rhode Island to Oregon). Every volunteer works directly with the poor, using education as their main tool to guide young people to a more promising life.
That is what I am doing!!! For hobbies I am doing a lot of running, seeing as much of the East coast as I can, and showing visitors around when they come to see me."
Alumni Update: DJ Prideaux
Just heard from D.J. Prideaux a 2008 SMU graduate. He is currently working at Ecolab. Some of his projects are formulating a low cost detergent which will be launched in 2011 and another is a disruptive technology which changes the water chemistry so a water softener doesn't need to be used. D.J just moved in an apartment in St. Paul and will start his Master of Business degree at St. Thomas University in the fall.
Alumni Update: Katie Flynn
Just heard from Katie Flynn a 2008 SMU graduate, " I am currently finishing up my first year in the Masters program at DePaul University in Chicago. I have a graduate assistantship with the Chemistry Department. This quarter I taught an Organic Chemistry II lab which is a polymer synthesis lab and a non-majors lab class (a lot like our World of Materials class). I am also conducting research with the faculty polymer chemist here. In this lab we synthesize tri-substituted ethylenes and copolymerize them with 4-flurostyrene. I am also part of a collaboration research project with the Art Institute of Chicago. We received paint samples from the art institute and are conducting thermal analysis (TGA and DSC) on these samples."
Alumni Update: Mike Mulholland
Just heard from Mike - a 2008 graduate of SMU. He is finishing up his first year at NDSU, working for the Rasmussen group on low band-gap materials.
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Chemistry Night 2008
As a celebration of National Chemistry Week, the Saint Mary's University Chemistry Department held its annual Chemistry Night on October 23rd and 30th. We had a full house on both evenings with 45 high school students participating and over 20 SMU students assisting. The following schools had students attend: Winona Senior High School, Lewiston-Altura High School, John Marshall High School, Cochrane-Fountain City High School, Cotter High School, LaCrescent High School, Lourdes High School and Westby High School.
Students had the opportunity, working in teams of three, to solve chemical problems with the theme, "Having a Ball with Chemistry", a theme based on chemistry and sports during this Olympic year. The students were able to have hands-on exposure to various wet chemistry and chemical instrumentation, as well as seeing some wild chemical demonstrations (lots of explosions and excitement). Saint Mary's chemistry students assisted the high school students as they tried to solve each of the challenging problems.
Our SMU professors developed a storyline in which the hig school students were investigators that were hired by an athlete advisory commission to investigate and solve the following problems:
1. Use infrared spectroscopy to identify materials used for sports activities and facilities.
2. Analyze several sport drinks and types of water for an estimate of their electrolyte content, and then quantitatively measure certain electrolyte ion concetration.
3. Understand what cross-linking does to the properties of superballs and make a ball that has the highest bounce.
4. Determine if "urine" samples give evidence of anti-doping behavior.
5. Determine if "urine" samples have surpassed the caffeine limit by quantifying the amount of caffeine in samples by UV-VIS spectroscopy.
6. Determine the iron intake of a breakfast food product using the technique of FAAS (flame atomic absorption spectroscopy)
After completeing all of the experiments, the students were treated to wonderful demonstrations put together by the Saint Mary's Physical Chemistry Class. The evening concluded with desserts, conversation, and awards. This year the 1st place winners received a $2000 scholarship for each year they attend SMU, 2nd place winners received a $1000 scholarship for the same duration and 3rd place winners received a $500 scholarship for the same duration.
For the night of October 23rd, first place was awarded to Cochrane-Fountain City H.S.: Ben Suhr, Colin Markowitz, and Jim Joswick. Second place was awarded to Lourdes H.S.: Minh Nguyen, Katherine Kelsey, and Morgan Rea. Third place was awarded to LaCrescent H.S.: Karly Rasmusson, Josh Bear and Nathan Ferrier.
For the night of October 30th, first place was awarded to Lewiston-Altura H.S.: Landon Clark, Joe McMartin, and Matt Schultz. Second place was awarded to Winona Senior H.S.: Isabella Albright and Olivia Eckolf. Third place was awarded to John Marshal H.S.: Julia Lee, Matt Thielen, and Rachel Tamminga.
The Chemistry Department wishes to thank the LaCrosse/Winona ACS Local Section and the Fugere Family Foundation for their generous support of Chemistry Night. We all look forward to next year's National Chemistry Week theme, "Chemistry - It's Elemental!"
Students had the opportunity, working in teams of three, to solve chemical problems with the theme, "Having a Ball with Chemistry", a theme based on chemistry and sports during this Olympic year. The students were able to have hands-on exposure to various wet chemistry and chemical instrumentation, as well as seeing some wild chemical demonstrations (lots of explosions and excitement). Saint Mary's chemistry students assisted the high school students as they tried to solve each of the challenging problems.
Our SMU professors developed a storyline in which the hig school students were investigators that were hired by an athlete advisory commission to investigate and solve the following problems:
1. Use infrared spectroscopy to identify materials used for sports activities and facilities.
2. Analyze several sport drinks and types of water for an estimate of their electrolyte content, and then quantitatively measure certain electrolyte ion concetration.
3. Understand what cross-linking does to the properties of superballs and make a ball that has the highest bounce.
4. Determine if "urine" samples give evidence of anti-doping behavior.
5. Determine if "urine" samples have surpassed the caffeine limit by quantifying the amount of caffeine in samples by UV-VIS spectroscopy.
6. Determine the iron intake of a breakfast food product using the technique of FAAS (flame atomic absorption spectroscopy)
After completeing all of the experiments, the students were treated to wonderful demonstrations put together by the Saint Mary's Physical Chemistry Class. The evening concluded with desserts, conversation, and awards. This year the 1st place winners received a $2000 scholarship for each year they attend SMU, 2nd place winners received a $1000 scholarship for the same duration and 3rd place winners received a $500 scholarship for the same duration.
For the night of October 23rd, first place was awarded to Cochrane-Fountain City H.S.: Ben Suhr, Colin Markowitz, and Jim Joswick. Second place was awarded to Lourdes H.S.: Minh Nguyen, Katherine Kelsey, and Morgan Rea. Third place was awarded to LaCrescent H.S.: Karly Rasmusson, Josh Bear and Nathan Ferrier.
For the night of October 30th, first place was awarded to Lewiston-Altura H.S.: Landon Clark, Joe McMartin, and Matt Schultz. Second place was awarded to Winona Senior H.S.: Isabella Albright and Olivia Eckolf. Third place was awarded to John Marshal H.S.: Julia Lee, Matt Thielen, and Rachel Tamminga.
The Chemistry Department wishes to thank the LaCrosse/Winona ACS Local Section and the Fugere Family Foundation for their generous support of Chemistry Night. We all look forward to next year's National Chemistry Week theme, "Chemistry - It's Elemental!"
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