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Posts by Kevin Shaughnessy

Dr. Wenfang Sun Joins Department as Robert Ramsay Chair

We are pleased to welcome Dr. Wenfang Sun to the department as the Robert Ramsay Chair in Chemistry. Dr. Sun comes to UA from North Dakota State University where she was most recently the Walter F. and Verna Gehrts Presidential Professor of Chemistry. She received her B.S. degree in 1990 from Wuhan University, China; and her Ph.D. degree in Organic Chemistry from the Institute of Photographic Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences in 1995. After serving as an assistant and then associate […]

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Dr. Bonizzoni Develops Robust Method for Heavy Metal Analysis

Dr. Marco Bonizzoni and former graduate student Dr. Michael Ihde along with collaborators at the University of Southner Mississippi have developed a simple analytical method for detecting trace concentrations of heavy metal pollutants. The method allows analysis to be done at the source, rather than requiring transporting samples to a lab. The method was validated using samples taken from the site of the Deep Water Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.  The findings were recently published in Advanced Functional […]

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$11 Million grant funds development of novel fuels for high velocity missiles

An innovative form of hydrogen fuel researchers at The University of Alabama are developing could be used to support long-range, precision-fire missiles in protecting against potential threats to the United States. The U.S. Department of Defense is funding a four-year, $11 million research project to further develop a novel hydrogen fuel. Early work on the fuel shows promise to allow missiles to maintain high speeds during flight, potentially neutralizing enemy missiles bound for the U.S. before they cross over land. […]

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Dr. Dixon inducted into ARCS alumni hall of fame

Dr. David Dixon, Robert Ramsay Professor of Chemistry, has been named the 2022 inductee into the ARCS alumni hall of fame.  The ARCS Foundation provides financial scholarships to oustanding undergraduate and graduate students at top universities in the US.  The ARCS Foundation has recognized Dr. Dixon for his work in computational chemistry that caused a paradigm shift in the world’s major chemical companies. Always at the forefront of energy research, among a number of projects, Dixon is currently working with his […]

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In Memory of Michael Jennings

The department is saddened to share that Dr. Michael Jennings passed away on January 11th, 2022. Dr. Jennings joined the UA faculty as an assistant professor in 2003 after earning a PhD from Purdue University and serving as a post-doctoral fellow under K. C. Nicolau at the Scripps Research Institute.  He was promoted to associate professor in 2009.  Dr. Jennings’ research focused on the synthesis of natural products and synthetic methodology development.  Dr. Jennings received an NSF CAREER award in […]

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Dr. Bonizzoni elected Alabama Section chair-elect

Dr. Marco Bonizzoni has been elected chair-elect of the Alabama Section of the American Chemical Society.  Dr. Bonizzoni will serve as chair-elect in 2022 and then assume the role of chair for the Alabama Section in 2023.  He will succeed Dr. Kevin Shaughnessy, who is the current chair-elect and will serve as chair of the section in 2022.  The Alabama Section comprises central and north-central Alabama, including Tuscaloosa and Birmingham.  The section sponsors events and activities for those interested in […]

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Drs. Metzger, Rogers, and Timkovich named professor emeriti

The UA Board of Trustees have adopted resolutions conferring emeritus status on Prof. Robert Metzger, Prof. Robin Rogers, and Prof. Russell Timkovich. Dr. Metzger retired from the department in August 2020 after 34 years as a member of the chemistry faculty.  Dr. Metzger’s research focused on molecular electronics and Langmuir-Blodgett films.  He published over 230 papers and was received the UA Blackmon-Moody Oustanding Faculty award in 1998. Dr. Rogers served as a faculty member in the department from 1996 to […]

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