ABOUT
Professional Preparation:
- Associate Professor, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee Technological, University,
2018-present
- Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Tennessee Technological University,
2013-2018
- Postdoctoral Scholar, Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, California Institute of
Technology, John D. Roberts, 2010-2013
- PhD, Chemistry, University of South Carolina, Ken Shimizu, 2010
- Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, Georgia Institute of Technology, 2005
Teaching Interests:
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- Organic Chemistry 1 and 2
- Spectroscopic Identification of Organic Molecules
- Environmental Organic Chemistry
Research Interests:
Physical Organic Chemistry
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- Find the shape of small molecules: Using Residual Dipolar Couplings (RDC) determined through Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
(NMR) spectroscopy my group establishes the three-dimensional shape of molecules in
solution. We also advance this methodology improving its reliability and ease of
use.
Active projects
- Estimating error in structure assignments
- Developing new orienting media based on 3D printed polymers
- Improve how we run chemical reactions: The technology used to make molecules continues to improve and provide new opportunities.
Active projects
- Application of improved reaction mixing and control in flow reactors to nanoparticle
synthesis
- Rapid optimization of reactions using design of experiment (DOE) for reduced environmental
impact
- Reaction monitoring via NMR in non-deuterated solvents
- Use how molecules recognize each other: Applying our analytical measurements of molecular shape in solution to better understand,
design, and encourage specific molecular interactions.
Active projects
- Pharmaceutical candidate synthesis
- Examining protein-protein interactions (in collaboration with Dr. Xuanzhi Zhan)
Methods:
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- Synthesis using batch and flow reactors
- Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
- Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)