Chemistry Newsletter - 09/14/1998

University of Wisconsin-Madison Department of Chemistry Newsletter

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Congratulations for 50 Years as A.C.S. Members

The August 31, 1998 issue of Chemical & Engineering News (pgs. 41-48), has a list of 50-Year A.C.S. members. The list includes:

• Irv Shain
• Alfred R. Bader
• John R. Kuebler Jr.
• Thor Smith

Congratulations and Thanks to all!

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Bassam Z. Shakashiri Honored

Last May 28, Professor Bassam Z. Shakhashiri received the Presidential Science Initiative Award at Sacred Heart University in Fairfield, Connecticut. Professor Shakhashiri was honored for his outstanding leadership in science education and for his profound influence on chemistry education. He was cited for his SCIENCE IS FUN! public presentations, given around the country and also shown on PBS, and for his vision and effectiveness while serving for six years as Assistant Director of the National Science Foundation for Science and Engineering Education. In addition, he was cited for his significant and original work in chemical demonstrations, for his pioneering work in establishing the Institute for Chemical Education, and for excellence in his chemistry education programs at the University of Wisconsin. Honored along with Professor Shakhashiri (second from right in the photo) were (from left) Dr. Willard Welch of Pfizer, for the co-development of the widely used antidepressant drug Zoloft, Don Herbert, Television's Mr. Wizard, and Dr. Kenneth M. Rosen, Vice President of the Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., for his key role in rotor craft technology directing leading-edge aircraft programs such as Comanche, S-92, Cypher UAV, Blackhawk, and X-Wing. Congratulations Bassam!

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Organic Chemistry Cumulative Exam Schedule, 1998-99.

Thursdays, 7:30 p.m., room B371.

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Analytical Cume Dates for 1998-99.

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Inorganic Cume Dates for 1998.

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ATTENTION GRADUATE STUDENTS

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IMPORTANT DATES:

MINOR AGREEMENT FORMS: The Graduate School requires that the minor program be outlined in an agreement which is approved by the Department no later than halfway through completion of the sequence minor courses. The minor requirement must be completed by the end of the third year of graduate school. Minor agreement forms are available in Room 7315.

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Introductory Research Talks in Physical Chemistry Fall 1998

For entering graduate students interested in physical chemistry, there will be a series of short talks by faculty members describing their research interests. These will be held at 5:45 PM on Thursdays during the first five weeks of the semester. There will be a half-hour talk followed by an informal supper and then two other talks.

Since these talks are brief, students should follow up by contacting individual faculty members in whose research they are interested. Each student should interview at least three faculty members during the fall semester concerning research opportunities.

These talks are a means of finding research opportunities and of obtaining a broad overview of physical chemistry research in the Department. Students expecting to major in physical chemistry should make every effort to attend all of these talks. Teaching Assistants should mark this time on the schedule cards turned into the teaching Laboratory Director.

Time: 5:45 - 7:45 Thursdays - Place: 9th Floor Lounge and Rm. 9340E

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DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY - COMMITTEES 1998-99

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Technology Enterprise for Competition 1998

We are pleased to announce a competition for UW-Madison students, with cash prizes for the market research and business planning of new technology-based business ventures. The goal is to encourage cross-functional student teams from different schools and colleges to write technology based business plans. To enter the competition, a team must form and register. Each team must include science or engineering qualifications as well as business expertise. Students from all UW-Madison schools are encouraged to join the teams or to promote the formation of a team. For more information on this competition please visit our website at http://www.engr.wisc.edu/centers/uw-tec or send an e-mail to: enterprise@engr.wisc.edu. Entry Deadline is September 25^th, 1998.

SEMINARS

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Monday, September 14^th, 1998 - Hoechst-Celanese Excellence Awards for outstanding Accomplishments. 4:00 p.m., 1361 Chemistry Building. (Refreshments at 3:45)

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Monday, September 14^th, 1998 - Inorganic Chemistry Seminar, 2:25 p.m., Room B371 Chemistry Building. Dr. James Becker, Ben Gurion University.

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Wednesday, September 16^th, 1998 - Inorganic Chemistry Seminar, 1:20 p.m., Room 8335 Chemistry Building. Professor Martin Kirk, University of New Mexico.

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Thursday, September 17^th, 1998 - Analytical Chemistry Seminar, 12:05 p.m., Room B371 Chemistry Building. Professor Rob Corn, University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Novel Spectroscopic Methods for Studying Biopolymer Monolayers at the Solid/Liquid Interface"

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Thursday, September 17^th, 1998 - Organic Chemistry Seminar, 11:00 a.m., Room 1361 Chemistry Building. Ron Hinklin, Graduate Student. "Mechanisms and Applications of Photolabile Protecting Groups"

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Thursday, September 17^th, 1889 - Materials Science Seminar, 11:00 a.m., Room 221 MS&E Building. Dr. Harry Edelman from Seagate.

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Monday, September 21^st, 1998 - Inorganic Chemistry Seminar, 2:25 p.m., Room B371 Chemistry Building. Dr. Richard Hooper.

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Tuesday, September 22^nd, 1998 - Organic Chemistry Seminar, 3:30 p.m., Room 1361 Chemistry Building. Professor Charles Marson, Queen Mary, London.

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Thursday, September 17^th, 1998 - Analytical Chemistry Seminar, 12:05 p.m., Room B371 Chemistry Building. Professor Lloyd Smith, University of Wisconsin-Madison. "Genetic Analysis by Mass Spectroscopy"

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Thursday, September 24^th, 1998 - Organic Chemistry Seminar, 11:00 a.m., Room 1361 Chemistry Building. Professor Markus Kalesse, University of Hanover, Germany.

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Monday, September 28^th, 1998 - Inorganic Chemistry Seminar, 2:25 p.m., Room B371, Chemistry Building. Professor Tom Mallouk, Penn. State University.

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Dow AgroSciences Scholarship Program

Dow AgroSciences LLC has initiated a scholarship program targeted at undergraduates in their junior or senior years who are conducting research in the environmental sciences. Two $ 1,000 scholarships will be awarded annually. The purpose of these scholarships is to encourage and reward environmental research at the undergraduate level across academic disciplines. This scholarship is open to all students pursuing a career in the environmental sciences. Dow AgroSciences recognizes the interdisciplinary nature of environmental science and encourages scholarship applications from students in all majors. For example, scientists in the Dow AgroSciences Environmental Chemistry Laboratory hold degrees in areas including agronomy, analytical chemistry, applied biology, biochemistry, biology, botany, chemical engineering, chemical physics, entomology, environmental chemistry, environmental science, environmental toxicology, food science, inorganic chemistry, microbiology, molecular biology, natural resources, organic chemistry, physical chemistry, plant pathology, soil chemistry, soil microbiology, and soil physics. If you would like to apply, or have questions or comments regarding our scholarship, please contact: Debra L. Young, Environmental Chemistry Laboratory, Dow AgroSciences LLC, 9330 Zionsville Road, Indianapolis, IN 46268, 317-337-3649 voice, 317-337-3255 FAX, e-mail: dlyoung@dowagro.com.

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President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program

The University of California is pleased to announce the annual competition of the President's Postdoctoral Fellowship Program for the academic year 1999-2000. Fellowships are awarded for research conducted under faculty and laboratory sponsorship on any one of the University of California's nine campuses and the three national laboratories. The program offers postdoctoral fellowships to qualified persons who intend to pursue academic careers and is designed to enhance their prospects for appointments to faculty positions at the University and other institutions of higher education. In addition to financial support, the fellowships include mentorship and guidance in areas critical to success in an academic career, such as research, and writing. Application packets have been distributed to the UC campus officers of the Chancellor, Academic Vice Chancellor, Graduate Dean and the following offices at the Department of Energy Labs: Diversity Office (LBNL), University Relations, (LLNL), and Postdoc Program Office (LANL). Application forms are also available in PDF format for downloading from our web site: http://www.ucop.edu/acadadv/fgsaa. If you, your faculty or graduate students have questions about the program, please write, call or send e-mali to: jane.gonzalez@ucop.edu.

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1999 ACS Women Chemists Committee Travel Awards

Women Chemists Committee of the American Chemical Society is pleased to Call for Applications for Travel Awards for post-doctoral, graduate, and undergraduate women to make their first research presentation at a national meeting. Sponsored by: Eli Lilly & Company, Hoechst Celanese Corporation, and ACS Division of Industrial & Engineering Chemistry. For more information and an application form, please contact your department chair or http://www.tamug.tamu.edu/acswcc/ or contact Ms. Cheryl Brown at c_brown@acs.org or at American Chemical Society 1155 Sixteenth St. NW; Washington, DC 20036.

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For Industrial Positions, see the Chemistry Placement Newsletter at:

http://www.chem.wisc.edu/placement/7news.html

FACULTY POSITIONS/TEMPORARY FACULTY/ACADEMIC POSITIONS

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Director of NMR Facility. Cornell University, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, is seeking a Ph.D.-level spectroscopist with demonstrated expertise in modern applications of NMR. Responsibilities will include supervision of Facility staff, maintenance of equipment base, design of experiments, and user training. It is expected that the Director will collaborate with faculty, staff and students. Independent research is encouraged. Applicants should send a resume that includes a description of NMR experience, and arrange to have three letters of reference mailed to: Prof. James M. Burlitch, Department of Chemistry and Chemical Biology, Baker Laboratory, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853. Review of applications will begin on October 12, and will continue until the position is filled.

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NMR Spectroscopist Position. Research Associate or Assistant Professor position at Cornell University Medical College for an NMR spectroscopist to operate an Institutional biomolecular NMR core facility. Primary responsibilities include active participation in research collaborations with CUMC faculty (including spectrometer operation and data analysis and interpretation), training, scheduling and supervision of users and routine maintenance of the NMR instrumentation. Candidates should have a Ph.D. and post-doctoral experience in biochemistry, biophysics, chemistry, physics, or a related discipline, extensive experience with the day-to-day operation of high fieldNMR spectrometers, and demonstrated experience with the application of NMR to problems in structural biology. Additional familiarity with NMR methods and software development and/or spectrometer hardware and electronics is a plus. The current facility includes a new 600 MHz four-channel instrument. Send a curriculum vitae, including list of publications, and names of three references to: Fred Maxfield, Ph.D., Department of Biochemistry, Cornell University Medical College, 1300 York Avenue, New York, NY 10021, e-mail: frmaxfie@mail.med.cornell.edu, Fax: 212 746 8875.

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University of Washington, Department of Chemistry seeks outstanding candidates for two or more tenure-track faculty appointments at the Assistant Professor level. Appointments at the Associate and Full Professor level may also be considered in exceptional circumstances. Applications in all areas of chemistry, as well as interdisciplinary areas involving chemistry will be considered. Candidates will be expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching and to develop a vigorous, externally funded research program. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree by date of appointment. Please submit a curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests and three letters of reference to: Professor Paul B. Hopkins, Chair, Department of Chemistry (Search), Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700. Priority will be given to applications received by October 2, 1998.

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Brown University is soliciting applications for an appointment as Assistant Professor for a three year tenure track renewable appointment in Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry beginning July 1, 1999. An applicant should have a Ph.D. degree in organic chemistry, bioorganic chemistry, biochemistry or a closely related field. Postdoctoral experience is desirable. The appointment will be based on high potential for development of a creative and vigorous research program and making strong instructional contributions in organic chemistry or biochemistry. An application should contain graduate and undergraduate transcripts, a curriculum vita and a detailed description of proposed research plans and requirements. It should be supported by three letters of recommendation. To guarantee full consideration application materials should be received by November 2, 1998. All application materials should be addressed to: Professor J. William Suggs, Department of Chemistry, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912.

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The University of Pittsburgh seeks to fill two tenure-stream faculty positions in the Department of Chemistry to be effective September 1999, subject to budgetary approval. We seek candidates in two areas:

• Analytical Chemistry (Assistant Professor level)
• Organic Chemistry (All levels to be considered)

We seek excellence in teaching and research. Successful applicants for the Analytical position will have research interests that complement current analytical faculty interests. Collaborations within the Department actively encouraged. The Organic position is open to all potential applicants, and we encourage applications from experienced individuals with outstanding records of accomplishment in organic chemical research. For full consideration, applications should be received by October 15, 1998. A resume, brief research plans, and three letters of reference should be sent to: Professor Craig Wilcox, Chair, Department of Chemistry, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA 15260. Visit our Web site at http://www.chem.pitt.edu.

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The Department of Chemistry at Washington University in St. Louis invites applications for two tenure-track faculty positions at the Assistant Professor level to begin in September 1999. The search will focus on inorganic chemistry, materials chemistry, and physical chemistry. Participation in the teaching of core chemistry courses at both the undergraduate and graduate levels will be required. Applications should be received by 31 October 1998 and should consist of a curriculum vitae and a research proposal. Candidates should arrange for three letters of reference to be received by the same deadline. Address all materials to: Faculty Search Committee, Department of Chemistry, Campus Box 1134, Washington University, One Brookings Drive, St. Louis, MO 63130-4899.

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Kalamazoo College invites applications for a tenure-track faculty appointment as Assistant Professor or Associate Professor in biochemistry beginning in September 1999. Applicants must have a PhD in biochemistry or related fields, including bioorganic, bioanalytical, biophysical, or bioinorganic chemistry, at the time of the appointment and a strong commitment to undergraduate education. The principal responsibilities include teaching courses in biochemistry and in ancillary areas such as organic or introductory chemistry, developing an active research program emphasizing undergraduate student participation, and continuing development of a biochemistry program. Candidates are expected to have high aptitude for and interest in undergraduate teaching. Applicants should submit a resume, a two-to-three page statement of teaching and research plans, undergraduate and graduate transcripts (for those applying at the Assistant Professor level, unofficial accepted), and three letters of recommendation to: Professor Thomas J. Smith, Department of Chemistry, Kalamazoo College, Kalamazoo, MI 49006-3295. Review of applicant files will begin October 19 and will continue until the position is filled. Information about the College can be found in our website: http://www.kzoo.edu. Additional Information - Questions about the position should be directed to Professor Thomas J. Smith at 616-337-7017 (telephone), 616-337-7251 (FAX), or tsmith@kzoo.edu (e-mail).

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The Harvey Mudd College Chemistry Department invites applications for a tenure-track appointment at the Assistant Professor level to begin August 1999. Applicants must have the Ph.D. degree. Preference will be given to applicants with a background and interest in organic and/or inorganic chemistry. The successful candidate must have a strong commitment to undergraduate teaching at all levels and to an active undergraduate research program, which may be interdisciplinary. Send resume, transcripts (undergraduate and graduate), research plans, and three letters of recommendation to: Dr. G. William Daub, Department of Chemistry, Harvey Mudd College, Claremont, CA 91711. Consideration of candidates will begin November 1.

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University of Washington, Department of Chemistry seeks outstanding candidates for two or more tenure-track faculty appointments at the Assistant Professor level. Appointments at the Associate and Full Professor level may also be considered in exceptional circumstances. Applications in all areas of chemistry, as well as interdisciplinary areas involving chemistry will be considered. Candidates will be expected to participate in undergraduate and graduate teaching and to develop a vigorous, externally funded research program. Applicants must have a Ph.D. or equivalent degree by date of appointment. Please submit a curriculum vitae, statement of research and teaching interests and three letters of reference to: Professor Paul B. Hopkins, Chair, Department of Chemistry (Search), Box 351700, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98195-1700. Phone (206) 543-1613, FAX (206) 685-8665, email: search@chem.washington.edu. Priority will be given to applications received by October 2, 1998.

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University of Pennsylvania, Department of Chemistry Assistant Professor in Inorganic Chemistry. As part of a continuing development program, the Department of Chemistry at the University of Pennsylvania expects to make an appointment in Inorganic Chemistry at the Assistant Professor (tenure probationary) level. Applicants should send their curriculum vitae, list of publications, and a description of proposed research to: Hai-Lung Dai, Chairman, Department of Chemistry, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6323, by October 23, 1998. Applicants should also arrange 3 letters of reference to be sent to the same address.

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The Department of Chemistry at Georgia State University has a tenure track position available for a faculty member at the assistant or associate professor level in Biochemistry. We are particularly interested in someone with interests in protein or nucleic acid chemistry, though all highly qualified applicants should consider applying. Those with research involving NMR can take advantage of our instrumentation. The Chemistry Department has Varian Unity+ 300, 500 and 600 MHz spectrometers as well as a VXR 400. The two larger instruments have three channels, pulsed field gradients and full pulse programming capabilities including a waveform generator. In addition to the NMR spectrometers, a number of UV/visible, infrared and circular dichroism spectrophotometers and fluorimeters are available as well as stopped flow instrumentation. Synthetic projects can utilize our HPLCs, FLPC, preparative gas chromatograph and elemental analyzer. New HPLC/CE mass spectrometry (2) and MALDI instrumentation will come on line later in the year. We have just installed a new Departmental high speed centrifuge, Biacore, Molecular Dynamics PhosphorImager/FluorImager and fluorescence/absorbance microplate reader. Candidates should send a c.v. and statement of research interests to the Search Committee by October 15, 1998; three letters of recommendation are also requested. Send to: Kathryn Grant, Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Georgia State University, Atlanta, Georgia 30303-3080. Candidates may visit http://chemistry.gsu.edu for more information.

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Iowa State University, Department of Chemistry. Tenure-track Assistant Professor Faculty Position in Inorganic Chemistry. We seek applicants who are strongly motivated and creative researchers and also have a commitment to teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. Appointment begins August 16, 1999. Applications should include: current curriculum vitae plus list of publications and a brief statement of research interests (3 pages or less). Applicants should also arrange to have three letters of reference sent by October 15, 1998, to: Chair of Inorganic Search Committee, Department Chemistry, Iowa State University, Ames, IA 50011-3111.

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Applications are invited for faculty position(s) at the level of Assistant Professor (tenure track) in the Department of Chemistry at The University of Arizona. A Ph.D. is required. Applicant(s) with research interests in any area of Analytical and/or Physical Chemistry are particularly encouraged to apply. Candidate(s) must be strongly motivated toward development of a vigorous and productive research program, and must have a commitment to excellence in teaching at the undergraduate and graduate levels. A curriculum vita, list of publications, description of future research plans and three letters of recommendation should be sent to: Faculty Search Committee, Department of Chemistry, University of Arizona, P.O. Box 210041, Tucson, AZ 85721-0041. Review will begin four weeks after this advertisement appears and will continue until the position(s) are filled.

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POSTDOCTORAL POSITION AND/OR JOBS
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The Gas Phase Chemical Dynamics Program at Argonne National Laboratory has an opening for a post doctoral appointment. The appointment involves an exciting opportunity to work on an unique experimental apparatus to study the dynamics of reactions producing polyatomic products, atomradical reactions and radical-radical reactions. The program can evolve in several directions, depending on the interests and qualifications of the successful candidate. The main thrust of the program over the next few years will be to study the dynamics and kinetics of radical/atom + radical processes of interest to both combustion and atmospheric chemistry. However, other problems such as radical spectroscopy and the dynamics of hot H atom induced reactions, may also be studied. The successful candidate will have a strong foundation in rotational/vibrational spectroscopy and chemical dynamics. Send to: R. Glen Macdonald, Argonne National Laboratory, Chemistry Division, 9700 S. Cass Avenue, Argonne, IL 60439, Ph. (630) 252-7742, Fax. (630) 252-4470, Email: macdonald@anlchm.chm.anl.gov.

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Professor Dale E. Edmondson and Professor B.H. Vincent Huynh of Emory University are anticipating the opening of two postdoctoral positions in their laboratories beginning in the Fall. The successful candidates will participate in research projects investigating (1) the processes of ferritin ferroxidation and mineralization, and (2) the reactions of molecular oxygen with various non-heme dinuclear iron enzymes, including ribonucleotide reductase, methane monooxygenase, ferritin, bacterioferritin and their mutant forms. Rapid freeze-quench EPR and rapid freeze-quench Mossbauer spectroscopy will be the principal methods used for these studies. Other spectroscopic investigations, such as stopped-flow absorption, EXAFS, resonance Raman and ENDOR, will be performed in collaboration with specialists in these areas. We are looking for someone who has training in either Bioinorganic Chemistry, Biophysics, Chemistry or Biochemistry and is interested in gaining a postdoctoral experience at the interface of Chemistry, Physics and Biology. Please contact: Dale E. Edmondson, Professor of Biochemistry, dedmond@bimcore.emory.edu, Phone: 404-727-5972, Fax: 404-727-2738, or B. H. Vincent Huynh, Professor of Physics, phsbhh@physics.emory.edu, Phone: 404-727-4295, Fax: 404-727-0873.

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Assistant Professor Michael M. Haley of the University of Oregon is currently seeking to fill a postdoctoral position in his research group. The specific project involves our ongoing program with oligo (phenylacetylene) and oligo (phenyldiacetylene) macrocycles. Specifically, we need to investigate the reaction of the macrocycles with organometallic complexes. More importantly, we need to explore in depth the physiochemical and materials properties of highly functionalized macrocycles and of their resultant polymeric thermoproducts. Candidates for this position should arrange to send me a copy of their CV and a list of their publications and presentations. They should also arrange to have two or three letters of recommendation sent directly to: Assistant Professor Michael M. Haley, University of Oregon, Department of Chemistry, 1253 University of Oregon, Eugene OR 97403-1253. Ideally, I would like the successful applicant to begin in January 1999, but I am willing to delay the start date for few months for very promising individuals. Any questions or concerns can be directed to me either by phone (541-346-0456) or email haley@oregon.uoregon.edu.

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DETAILS ARE AVAILABLE IN ROOM 1380.

NEXT NEWSLETTER IS ON SEPTEMBER 21^st, 1998.