The NSF has announced it will fund a proposal entitled, “MRI:  Acquisition of a high performance matrix-assisted laser ionization dual time-of-flight (MALDI/TOF-TOF) mass spectrometer (MS),” through the Major Research Implementation program.  The proposal led by Dr. Carolyn Cassady will provide funds to purchase a state of the art MALDI-TOF mass spectrometer.  The MALDI-TOF instrument will be part of the department’s Mass Spectrometry facility.  MALDI-TOF allows molecular weight characterization of non-volatile compounds, such as biomolecules and polymers.  The instrument will support researchers in the departments of Chemistry, Chemical & Biological Engineering, and Biological Sciences.

Dr. David Dixon, Ramsay Professor of Chemistry, has been selected as a highly prolific author by the Journal of Physical Chemistry A.  Highly prolific authors were recognized for having the largest number of publications in the journal of the past 5 years.

Dr. Jared Allred has received a 5 year, $750,000 Department of Energy Early Career research grant from the Office of Basic Energy Science and the DOE EPSCOR program.  Dr. Allred’s proposal entitled, “Investigation of Short‐Range Ordering in Transition Metal Compounds by Diffuse Scattering,” was one of 59 proposals selected for funding from over 700 submissions.  The DOE Early Career Research Program supports the development of individual research programs of outstanding scientists early in their careers and stimulates research careers in the disciplines supported by the DOE Office of Science.

The Department is pleased to congratulate students doing undergraduate research with chemistry faculty who were recognized with Randall Outstanding Undergraduate Research Awards

• Hayden Arnold (Dixon):  Hydrolysis Reactions of Actinide Oxide Nitrates
• John Lundeen (Papish): Synthesis and Studies of pH Activated Metal Prodrugs
• Michael Royko (Vincent): Use of Metalloprotein Affinity Metal Chromatography to Remove Uranium From contaminated Groundwater
• Jamie Tesh (Papish): Synthesis of New Molecules for Energy Related Catalysis
• Donna Xia (Dixon): Bioengineering of C4 Compounds and Aactinide +III and +IV Ion Aqueous Hydrolysis Reactions

Dr. Arunava Gupta, Distinguished University Research Professor in the Departments of Chemistry and Chemical & Biological Engineering has been selected as the UA SEC Faculty Achievement Award winner.  Each year, one faculty member from each SEC member school is selected for this award based on their outstanding contributions to teaching and research.  The campus winners are eligible for the SEC Professor of the Year award. Dr. Gupta’s research focuses on development and application of nanostructured materials for use in information technology and alternative energy.

The Department congratulates Dr. Arun Gupta who has been named a 2017 Materials Research Society (MRS) Fellow.  The title of MRS Fellow honors those MRS members who are notable for their distinguished research accomplishments and their outstanding contributions to the advancement of materials research, world-wide.  Dr. Gupta was recognized “for pioneering research on the growth, properties and applications of heteroepitaxial thin films and nanostructures of magnetic and superconducting oxides.”  The award will be presented in April at the MRS Spring Meeting and Exhibit in Phoenix.

Dr. David Dixon has received a grant for 100 million hours of supercomputer time through the Department of Energy INCITE program.  The project is entitled, “Reliable Predictions of Actinide Chemistry at Different Scales.”

Prof. David A. Dixon gave the 5th Annual Burris Cunningham Actinide Science Seminar at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory on Nov. 2, 2016. The title of the seminar was “Computational Studies of Actinide Hydrolysis and High Oxidation States.”

Dr. Marco Bonizzoni was selected for inclusion in the Emerging Investigators 2016 special issue highlighting rising stars of materials chemistry research by the Journal of Materials Chemistry B. Emerging Investigators 2016 gathers the very best work from materials chemists in the early stages of their independent career, with a special focus on novel design strategies for new functional materials. Each contributor was recommended by the journal’s prestigious Editorial Board as carrying out work with the potential to influence future directions in materials chemistry. Dr. Bonizzoni’s article in the issue is entitled, “Boronic acid-modified poly(amidoamine) dendrimers as sugar-sensing materials in water.”

Chemistry graduate students received three of the six presentation awards at the Lester Andrews Graduate Research Symposium hosted by Mississippi State University.  Award recipients were:

• 1st place oral presentation:  Kerry Barnett, advisor Dr. Shaughnessy
• 3rd place oral presentation:  Michael Ihde, advisor Dr. Bonizzoni
• 3rd place poster presentation:  Jennifer Shankwitz, advisor Dr. Szulczewski