USF Department of Chemistry

A round of congratulations for the USF Chemistry Department!

The following faculty have been awarded at the recent 2023 USF Faculty Honors & Awards Reception:

Dr. Bill Baker for Distinguished University Professor

Dr. Kimberly Bliss-Roche and Dr. Christian Tang for Undergraduate Teaching Awards with Distinction (top-3 awardee)

A round of congratulations for the USF Chemistry Department!

Dr. Mildred Acevedo-Duncan has received an award from the Leo and Anne Albert Charitable Foundation for her work on ICA-1 in prostate cancer.

The Chemistry Department is proud to invite the public to two defenses.

Gabriela Suarez will be defending her masters dissertation, "Effects of Diminazene Aceturate on Drosophila melanogaster a lipidomic analysis" virtually this Friday, February 23rd at 9:30 am. Please use this link & code (Room Code: LcURYj) to attend: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MzBkZDQ2ZTQtYzA2My00OTM0LTkzZTAtOTdiZmUwZWY2ZjYw%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22741bf7de-e2e5-46df-8d67-82607df9deaa%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%2215ba57bd-8e71-443f-be89-461be1a98a33%22%7d

Jessica D. Young will be defending her doctoral dissertation, "Introductory Chemistry Student Success: Evaluating Peer-Led Team Learning and Understanding Describing of Belonging" virtually on Monday, March 4th at 12 pm. Please use this link to attend: http://tinyurl.com/bde26xed

A round of congratulations for the USF Chemistry Department!

Dr. Ioannis Spanopoulos has been named a Fellow of the International Association of Advanced Materials (IIAM): http://tinyurl.com/267m4a34

Dr. Sherrisse Bryant has been selected to be a COBA Bulls Captain for their February 25th game against Southern Methodist University!

Dr. Jianfeng Cai’s lab, in collaboration with the labs of Dr. Wayne Guida (Chemistry), Dr. Libin Ye (Molecular Biosciences) and Dr. Chuanhai Cao (Pharmacy and Byrd Alzheimer’s Center) and their students, have published their manuscript in the official journal of the United States National Academy of Sciences: http://tinyurl.com/5xsash8n

Congratulations Dr. Martin!

Please help us congratulate Professor Emeritus Dr. Dean Martin from our USF Department of Chemistry, whose paper “The First African American Chemistry Doctorate Recipient” was named the Most Outstanding Paper by the American Chemical Society’s Division of the History of Chemistry!

Congratulations, Dr. Martin! Thank you for representing so well!

Congratulations, Dr. Leahy.

One of our graduate students, Jacob McAlpin, will be defending his dissertation: "Considerations for curricular reform in undergraduate chemistry: Cooperative adoption factors, modeling social influence, and focusing on specific populations". The public is welcome to attend the defense. Wish him luck!

The 21st annual Raymond N. Castle Student Research Conference is taking place on March 4th, 2023 from 8:00am - 6:00pm in ISA (Interdisciplinary Science Building)

Breakfast and lunch are provided for free!

To learn more about the plenary speaker, Dr. Marilyne Stains, click here:https://www.usf.edu/arts-sciences/departments/chemistry/documents/castle2023plenary.pdf

Castle Conference University of South Florida

Congratulations to our Department Chair, Dr. Leahy!
https://www.usf.edu/news/2023/six-usf-faculty-members-earn-national-recognition-for-research-achievements.aspx

Six USF faculty members earn national recognition for research achievements The faculty span multiple colleges and disciplines, bringing the total number of American Association for the Advancement of Science Fellows at USF to 95.

Join us in congratulating USF Department of Chemistry Professor Jennifer Lewis on her selection for the American Chemical Society
award for Achievement in Research for the Teaching and Learning of Chemistry. As part of a national movement to improve student success in the STEM fields, Dr. Lewis researches better ways of teaching chemistry. Her current research projects involve the assessment of student learning and attitudes, the evaluation of a doctoral program, and analysis of student participation patterns in small learning groups.

Read more via CENNEWS at the link below. https://cen.acs.org/people/awards/ACS-2022-national-award-winners/99/i35

One of our graduate students, Michael Williams will be defending his dissertation virtually on April 26th, if you would like to witness the defense here is the link: https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_MDQwOTVhMTItMDQyNS00MzdlLTg3MTMtOTkyYjAzZmRjNWVl%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22741bf7de-e2e5-46df-8d67-82607df9deaa%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22ed1c30b0-219f-43e0-a584-cdc1bb8af39b%22%7d

Congratulations to Dr. Mildred Acevedo-Duncan and Dr. Julie Harmon (Awarded Posthumously) on being named 2021 National Academy of Inventors Senior Members

Professor Julie Harmon--

The Department of Chemistry lost a treasured colleague and friend with the passing of Julianne Penberthy Harmon on January 26. Julie was an accomplished polymer chemist, having completed her Ph.D. from the University of Rochester and working for a time in the private sector at companies such as Eastman Kodak and PPG Industries. She spent her entire academic career in the Department of Chemistry at the University of South Florida, starting as an assistant professor in 1993 and rising through the ranks to full professor. While her primary focus was on polymer chemistry, having conducted pioneering work on things like transparent polymeric nanotube films and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), she enjoyed teaching not only polymer chemistry but also biochemistry to our graduate and undergraduate students and considered that to be her greatest pleasure. She is survived by her husband Chip, who has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial contributions could be made to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org. At a time that it is safe to do so, we will hold a celebration of Julie’s life. Her obituary can be found at https://www.legacy.com/obituaries/tampabaytimes/obituary.aspx?n=julianne-harmon&pid=197646716&fhid=8584.

The Academic Success Center is offering virtual tutoring for General Chemistry I and II!

To sign up fill out this Qualtrics Form: https://usf.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_3Cy4rJvnazefVNH

The Virtual Study Groups will meet for the first time starting the week of Monday, September 7th.

For more details about other Study Groups: https://usf.box.com/s/sl0jz43ou8vgzug7hurd5ynrt0e6kxsc

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Psilera Bioscience was co-founded by two alumni from the department: Dr. Jackie Salm and Dr. Chris Witowski.

Read more about what they are looking forward to at USF Connect: https://bit.ly/3gOB2zT

We are excited to welcome Psilera Bioscience to the incubator! Co-founders, Dr. Jackie Salm and Dr. Chris Witowski are USF Department of Chemistry alumni returning to USF to grow their new biotechnology startup.

This emerging startup is re-imagining natural products as building blocks for the next generation of neurological therapeutics to target depression, PTSD, addiction, etc. They plan to utilize USF faculty, students and our state-of-the-art facilities to take their company to new heights.

Read more about what they are looking forward to https://bit.ly/3gOB2zT

Congratulations to USF Department of Chemistry Professor Jianfeng Cai on being elected a Fellow in the Royal Society of Chemistry. Dr. Cai was recognized for his career achievements in bioorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and biophysics.

The Royal Society of Chemistry is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious scientific organizations dedicated to advancing excellence in the chemical sciences since 1841.

Learn more about Dr. Cai's work at http://jianfengcai.myweb.usf.edu/

https://www.facebook.com/162923233761528/posts/3059258047461351/?d=n

Congratulations to USF Department of Chemistry Professor Jianfeng Cai on being elected a Fellow in the Royal Society of Chemistry. Dr. Cai was recognized for his career achievements in bioorganic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, chemical biology and biophysics.

The Royal Society of Chemistry is one of the world's oldest and most prestigious scientific organizations dedicated to advancing excellence in the chemical sciences since 1841.

Learn more about Dr. Cai's work at http://jianfengcai.myweb.usf.edu/

Pushing the limits of 2D supramolecules Researchers at the University of South Florida have reached a 'world record' in the development of two-dimensional supramolecules.