From the Desk of the Chair

The CatalystSpring, 2007

Volume 2, Issue 3

Inside:

DepartmentalSymposium

ProfessorKharas’s GrantAward

Chemistry ClubPhotos

The Department of Chemistry wrapped up yet another busy andproductive year a few weeks ago. On June 1st, we held our annualUndergraduate Research Symposium and Awards Ceremony. Thesymposium, which featured six speakers this year, drew what appeared tobe a record crowd of students that was clearly engaged in the proceedings. Ireally enjoy this event since it gives our students an opportunity to show theDePaul community the results of their hard work. The ability of students towork closely with faculty members in research projects has always been thehallmark of our program and will certainly continue to be a fixture into thefuture.

Speaking of the future, this year the Department initiated a seniorsurvey that was administered to all of our graduates. It is designed to givestudents one last chance at feedback on their experiences in our program,and gives us a mechanism through which we can see where our graduatesare going upon leaving us. We are proud of our graduates, present and past,and want to be able to tell potential chemistry majors what opportunitiesthey have when they earn their degree. Up until now, the faculty relied onanecdotal information/memory to determine what fractions of students havegone graduate school, industry, professional school, etc. If you would liketo help keep us up to date with your current occupation, let us know! Youcan use any of the routes listed on the back page of this issue.

Ground was broken for the new Monsignor Andrew J. McGowanScience Building on June 6th, 2007. Yes, it has finally happened! Theceremony was held on a beautiful day and included a wonderful speech byour Senior Honors Convocation Award recipient, Shannon McGinty. Thebuilding site is already bustling with derricks drilling holes for the caissonsand excavators digging trenches for the foundation walls. If you findyourself in Lincoln Park, stop by the corner of Clifton and Belden to see allof the action. If you are not in the area, never fear – I have asked for a webcam to be installed. It should be online soon and you will be able to checkin on progress through a link at the departmental web site,http://chemistry.depaul.edu.

The groundbreaking ceremony also kicked off the public portion ofthe Campaign for Excellence in Science. You may be receivinginformation about it in the near future. Although some of the monies raisedwill go towards the construction of the new building, the rest will be used tofund new programs and scholarships for science students. If you can,please consider a gift to help those future students like yourself who willtake their first steps in a science at DePaul.

Make sure you find the time for a little rest and relaxation thissummer!

Richard F. NiedzielaAssociate Professor and ChairClass of 1988

DePaul University/ (773) 325-7420

Department Holds Annual Research and Awards Symposium

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The Chemistry Department held itsannual Research and Awards Symposium onFriday, June 1. Professor Rick Niedzielaemceed the event, which opened with a seriesof six research presentations by undergraduatestudents:

• Applications of Montmorillonite K10 Clayin Organic Reactionsby Dominic Pileggi (Advisor: ProfessorMatthew Dintzner)• Implications of POGIL in an IntroductoryChemistry Course for Non-science Majors:Impact on Student Attitudes and Performanceby Leanne Marcus (Advisor: ProfessorNithya Rajan)• Optical Properties of Water/Oleic AcidAerosolsby Shannon McGinty (Advisor: ProfessorRick Niedziela)• Impact Triggered Fires at the End-Pliestoceneby Adrienne Stich (Advisor: ProfessorWendy Wolbach)• Studies Toward The Formation ofHomoallylic Alcoholsby Elizabeth Sisler (Advisor: ProfessorQuinetta Shelby)• Coordination Polymers and Networks ofPhosphorous/Nitrogen Cage Ligands withCopper Chlorideby Eric Leser (Advisor: Professor RogerSommer)

Research abstracts and photos of thestudent presenters can be found athttp://chemistry.depaul.edu/symposiums/presentations.html.

Student awards recipients are listed below:

• CRC Press Freshmen ChemistryAchievement Award: Kevin Schwalbach,Peter Hendrickson, and MadelineRenwick• POLYED Award: Elizabeth Sisler• Outstanding Performance in OrganicChemistry: Matthew Zuziak and LoreleiDiTommaso• Analytical Chemistry Award, Sponsoredby the American Chemical Society:Massimo Pacilli• Senior Honors Convocation Award:Shannon McGinty• American Institute of Chemists Award forChemist of the Year: Katie Davis• The Merck Index Award: Andrew Little• Outstanding Student Operations Award:Jessica Davis• Outstanding Graduate Teaching AssistantAward: Selena Russell• Outstanding Undergraduate TeachingAssistant (TA) Awards: Massimo Pacilli,Andrew Little, and Shannon McGinty• The Ueberbacher Scholars Scholarship:Lorelei DiTommaso and Massimo Pacilli• The Sanat K. Dhar Endowed Scholarship:Torri Rose, Matthew Zuziak, DominicPileggi, and Marina Damiano• Chemistry Scholars Scholarship: PawalZbyszynski, Danielle Gaynor, and IrinaDoncheva

Chemistry Majors, MassimoPacilli, Andy Little, and ShannonMcGinty received the Outstanding

Undergraduate TA Awards

Professor Kharas Awarded $347,000 Grant

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We’re on the Web!See us at:

www.chemistry.depaul.edu

Organic and polymer chemistryProfessor Greg Kharas has been awarded athree-year $347,000 Collaborative Grantthrough the National Science Foundation(NSF). This US-Africa cooperation projectsupports the design and development of novelfluorinated polymers with a large variety offunctional groups for potential applications inelectronics. The study of structure,thermomechanical and dielectrical propertiesof these polymers may lead to betterunderstanding of structure-property relationswhich guide the advanced materials design.The project will link DePaul Universitythrough effective partnership with two Africanuniversities, Cadi Ayyad University(Morocco) and Sfax University (Tunisia), andan industrial partner (STMicroelectronics,Morocco) which enhances the researchcapacity of the partners. The project will focuson research and education in the area ofpolymer materials design— an area that canpromote global economic development.

The aim of the project is to capitalizeon extensive experience of Professor Kharas’slab in the synthesis and characterization offunctional nitrile polymers and expertise of theAfrican team in the design of fluorinatedpolymers for potential dielectric applications.In addition to design and synthetic effort ofboth teams, all resulting copolymers will beinvestigated by thermomechanical techniques(Professor Kharas’s lab) and by dielectricanalysis (African team) to gain betterunderstanding how polymer structuralfunctionality affects properties.The unique feature of the project is the specialemphasis on development of an innovativediscovery-based training in polymer designhelping to inspire and advance learning andwhich can be adapted in other institutions. Thethree-year project will impact a significantnumber of undergraduate (about 50 per year)and graduate students (2 per year) in providingthe opportunity to participate in aninternational research and educationalexperience through the diversity of learningperspectives as they prepare and characterizeabout 150 new polymers for potentialelectronics materials applications.

The project has the potential toreaching a large number of women, whoconstitute a majority at DePaul University andminorities, which constitute almost one thirdof the undergraduate population at DePaulUniversity.

The US/African partners will useweb-based tools to provide access to virtuallaboratories and classrooms and web-castproject meetings. Teaching modules (web-based modules, multi-media presentations, andinteractive lab manuals) will be developed tosupport the education of African and U.S.scientists and engineers in polymeric materialsdesign. The modules will be made widelyavailable on the internet. They will also beintegrated into the teaching of undergraduateand graduate courses at DePaul University andcollaborating African universities. Thecollaboration project includes exchange ofresearchers and students between the partners.The project will also provide financial supportfor 3 researcher and 3 graduate studentcooperation visits to Africa. A similar numberof visiting African collaborators will besupported to visit and work in the DePaullaboratory. Changes in the research culture inthe participating institutions in context ofglobal materials network are expected withcontinuing collaboration even after the grantperiod ends.

Dr. Kharas at the Spring 2007 ACSMeeting in Chicago

DEPAUL UNIVERSITYDepartment of Chemistry1036 West Belden AvenueChicago, IL 60614

DePaul University

Department of Chemistry1036 West BeldenAvenueChicago, IL 60614

Phone:(773) 325-7420

Fax:(773) 325-7421

E-Mail:catalyst@che.depaul.edu

DePaul chemists havesolutions.

Chemistry Club News and Notes

Matthew Dintzner, Writer and CoordinatorRichard Niedziela, Department ChairWendy Wolbach, WriterMary Remington, Departmental Assistant

Catalyst Contributors…We’re on the Web!See us at:

www.chemistry.depaul.edu

The Chemistry Club organized a number of activities during the year,including poster presentations at the National ACS Meeting held inChicago, a spring cookout, and an “Element” costume party, wherestudents dressed as their favorite element.

Above, chemistry students Adrienne Stitch, Leanne Marcus, JuanGomez, Selena Russell, and Sean McCormick enjoy refreshments

at the post-symposium reception