Join Prof. Tanner on Tuesday September 20th at 6pm at Heartbreak Coffee for her free Science Cafe!

The Sarah Isom Center for Women and Gender Studies has awarded fellowships to six University of Mississippi faculty members for their academic research related to gender and sexuality.  Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry Susan Pedigo is one of these. 

“The fellows this year had such interesting and diverse research projects,” said Jaime Harker, director of the Isom Center and professor of English. “All the applicants were so strong that we requested the provost support all the projects submitted this year, and he graciously agreed.”

Susan Pedigo, Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

During the two-year program, fellows receive $4,500 a year in support of the research project they submitted in their fellowship application. The funds may be used as summer salary, for travel and/or for graduate student support. Fellows may also coordinate with the Isom Center to plan lectures, campus events and develop new cross-listed courses.

“We feature their work in a poster session every fall,” Harker said. “I am always inspired by the work of Isom fellows, and our fall reception is one of my favorite events every year.”

The poster session will take place this year at 3 p.m. Sept. 21 in the Ford Ballroom at The Inn at Ole Miss.

Pedigo, professor of chemistry and biochemistry, said she will use her fellowship to examine the attitudes of women and Black faculty in chemistry departments in Mississippi universities about the issue of merit and reward. She will use the funds to recruit and pay student workers for the development of qualitative assessments, interviews and interview analysis addressing this subject.

The gender gap in STEM faculty is well documented; however, the cause of the gender gap is not well understood, Pedigo said. She believes a problem exists with the rigidity and nature of the structure around the merit and reward system in academics.

“There is heavy demand on faculty to be competitive individualists who enter into a binding work contract upon hire; thus, faculty members are tracked into a path from which they cannot deviate,” she said. “I hope that my research prompts conversation and reflection around topics that are generally not discussed. Tenure and promotion guidelines are steeped in tradition and do not allow for alternative pathways to excellence and institutional transformation.

“Faculty is tasked with training students to tackle the problems of the 21st century, and only a diverse workforce trained by a diverse professoriate can accomplish this task.”

Jared Delcamp, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Several Faculty in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry were Honored at Graduation from the College of Liberal Arts. These include Jared Delcamp, Saumen Chakraborty, and Emily Rowland.

College of Liberal Arts Award for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement:

The Melinda and Ben Yarbrough, M.D., Senior Professor Research Award is presented annually to an outstanding tenured faculty member in the natural sciences and mathematics.  Jared Delcamp, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, is this year’s recipient. The award is given in recognition of sustained exemplary performance in research, scholarship, and/or creative achievement at the national/international level while serving as a faculty member at the University of Mississippi.  The recipient each year will have achieved scholarly recognition and influence well beyond the University of Mississippi community and made a positive contribution to the success of their department. Recipients of the award are not eligible to receive the award again. Each recipient is recognized with a $2,000 cash prize and a medal, which will be presented at the College of Liberal Arts graduation ceremony in May.

Saumen Chakraborty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Dr. Mike L. Edmonds New Scholar Award in The College Of Liberal Arts:

The Dr. Mike L. Edmonds New Scholar Award in the College of Liberal Arts is presented annually to untenured, tenure-track professorial rank faculty members in the College of Liberal Arts who are within 6 years of their initial tenure-track academic appointment and who have demonstrated exemplary performance in research, scholarship, and/or creative achievement. Candidates must be untenured when nominated. Depending on the quality of the pool of nominees, up to four awards will be available, with one each chosen from the areas of (1) Natural Sciences and Mathematics, (2) Social Sciences, (3) Humanities, and (4) Fine and Performing Arts.  Jared Delcamp, Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, is this year’s recipient. Saumen Chakraborty, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, is this year’s recipient.  The ideal recipients each year must have significantly enhanced the scholarly reputation of the College and University through exceptional contributions to their disciplines and demonstrated a positive impact on the success of their department.  Individuals may only receive this award one time, but recipients will retain their eligibility for the College of Liberal Arts Award for Research, Scholarship, and Creative Achievement (Humanities), Sanford and Susan Thomas Senior Professor Research Award in the Social Sciences, Hensley Family Senior Professor Research Award in the Fine and Performing Arts, and Melinda and Ben Yarbrough, M.D., Senior Professor Research Award for the Natural Sciences. These awards are only given to post-tenure, senior faculty.  Each recipient will receive a $1,000 cash prize and medal to be presented at the College of Liberal Arts graduation ceremony in May. Awardees will be invited to be members of the platform party during these ceremonies.

Emily Bretherick Rowland, Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of The Year:

In 2011, the College of Liberal Arts began recognizing the Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of the Year. Criteria for the annual award include, but are not limited to, excellence of class instruction, intellectual stimulation of students, and concern for students’ welfare. The recipient is recognized during the College’s commencement ceremony, has his or her name added to an award plaque in the Dean’s office, and receives $1,000. Eligibility is limited to instructors, lecturers, senior lecturers, and instructional professors who taught full time during the academic year they are nominated. Visiting instructors and previous recipients are not eligible.  Emily Bretherick Rowland, Instructional Associate Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry, is the 2022 Liberal Arts Outstanding Instructor of the Year.

Vignesh Sundaresan, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Dr. Vignesh Sundaresan will join the University of Mississippi Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry on July 1^st. Dr. Sundaresan received his Bachelor of Technology from Central Electrochemical Research Institute in Karaikudi, India in 2014 and a Doctor of Philosophy in Chemistry from Temple University in Philadelphia, PA in 2018 under the direction of Prof. Katherine A. Willets. He then joined as a Postdoctoral Research Associate at the University of Notre Dame under the mentorship of Prof. Paul W. Bohn before joining the faculty at UM. His group will use and develop coupled electrochemical and optical techniques for studying the behavior of single entitles such as nanoparticles, molecules, and enzymes to not only answer fundamental questions but also to develop ultra-sensitive chemical and biosensors.

Imaging electrochemical reactions and biological phenomena at the nanoscale and single entity level can provide rich details on 1) heterogeneity in the system and 2) enhanced mechanistic insights that are not possible with traditional electro- and bio-analytical tools. The Sundaresan Lab vision is to use and develop high-throughput multimodal imaging techniques such as optical, electrochemical, and electron imaging to understand electrochemical and biological phenomena at the single entity level and utilize the obtained insights to design better performing catalytic and biological systems at the ensemble level. Accordingly, the group will focus on interfacing novel high-resolution optical imaging techniques, including super-resolution imaging, with electrochemical techniques that can address fundamental scientific questions in the fields of electrocatalysis, materials science, and biology. Additionally, the developed methodology can be used to design ultra-sensitive chemical and biosensors.

Tomayo Berida, a UM pharmacognosy research assistant, won first place in the poster presentation competition during the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers Conference. His study of ‘Novel 1,2,4-Triazolyl Pyridine Agent’s Potent Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis’ focuses on ongoing efforts to develop of a new class of agents that are potent against the organism that causes tuberculosis. Submitted photo

 

OXFORD, Miss. – Chemistry and chemical engineering students from across the Southeast and Southwest gathered recently at the University of Mississippi for a two-day conference designed to promote STEM careers for people of color.

Some 120 students and researchers, including 95 in-person participants, attended the joint Southeast and Southwest regional conference of the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers, or NOBCChE on the Ole Miss campus. Students represented 70% of the total participants for the hybrid event.

“The conference showcased the research excellence of Black chemists and engineers regarded as top experts in their respective fields,” said Murrell Godfrey, professor of chemistry and NOBCChE immediate past president. “It also provided young researchers with a platform to present original research and receive valuable feedback.”

More than 75 students from underrepresented backgrounds in chemistry, chemical engineering and related STEM fields took part in networking and professional development opportunities. Milcah Jackson and Joerg Schlatterer, both of the American Chemical Society, presented professional development workshops on creating effective resumes and curriculum vitae and on making personal connection that matter.

Former NOBCChE presidents Emanual Waddell and Marquita “Dr. Q” Qualls presented on “Opportunities with the National Science Foundation” and “Establishing Your Brand,” respectively.

Students also participated in oral and poster presentation competitions, with prize money at stake. First-, second and third-place winners in each category split $1,650 in prize money.

Tomayo Berida, a pharmacognosy research assistant at UM, won first place in the poster presentation competition. The native Nigerian’s poster, “Novel 1,2,4-Triazolyl Pyridine Agent’s Potent Against Mycobacterium tuberculosis,” deals with ongoing efforts to develop a new class of agents that are potent against the organism that causes tuberculosis.

“I was more than excited (about winning),” Berida said. “It was gratifying to note that my poster presentation was well received by students, faculty and judges at the conference.”

Attendees at the National Organization of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers regional conference at the university include (from left) Montray Leavy, the first African American to earn his doctorate in chemistry from UM, in 1999; Margo Montgomery-Richardson, who received her doctorate in 2012; and Murrell Godfrey, who earned his doctorate in 2003. Formerly director of the Ole Miss forensic chemistry program, Godfrey is assistant graduate dean for diversity, equity and inclusion. Submitted photo

 

Davita Watkins, UM associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry, was among the keynote speakers. She recently won a prestigious National Science Foundation CAREER Award for her work on elucidating the role of sigma-hole interactions in advanced functional materials that she develops in her labs on campus.

Others who delivered keynote addresses included LSU professor Isaiah Warner, and Philip W. West, emeritus professor of analytical and environmental chemistry at LSU; Montray Leavy, deputy chief technology officer at Entegris in Singapore; and LaRico Treadwell, R&D chemist and material scientist at Sandia National Laboratories.

Students also participated in a graduate exposition that allowed the undergraduate students to learn about top academic graduate programs and job opportunities. Schools and organizations represented included:

• Auburn University
• Texas A&M University
• LS-PAC MODELS Center
• Jackson State University
• Entegris
• the UM departments of BioMolecular Sciences and Chemistry and Biochemistry and School of Engineering
• Emory University Department of Chemistry
• Louisiana State University
• the American Chemical Society

The Ole Miss academic units provided undergraduate students with information on various doctoral programs and tours of their departments. Both professionals and students had an opportunity to visit the School of Pharmacy’s marijuana and medicinal plant gardens.

“The conference provided a space for discussion to foster partnerships and collaborations that can lead to new research, innovations and solutions to global challenges,” Godfrey said. “It also allowed members of the NOBCChE student chapters to give back to the community by performing a chemistry magic show for approximately 30 9th-to-12th-grade Coffeeville, Mississippi, Upward Bound students during the conference-ending cookout.”

The National Science Board recently bestowed its 2022 Public Service Award to NOBCChE. The award honors exemplary public service in promoting public understanding of science and engineering.

 Kensha Clark, Assistant Professor of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Dr. Kensha Clark will join the University of Mississippi Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry in Summer 2022.  Her research interests include ligand design, development of transition metal-based electronic materials, synthetic organometallic chemistry, and catalysis.  Dr. Clark received her Ph.D. in 2010 under the direction of Prof. Alan Heyduk at the University of California Irvine, which was followed by an NIH Post-doctoral Fellowship under the mentorship of Prof. Amir H. Hoveyda at Boston College (2010-2011). After completing her postdoctoral studies, she began work as a Research Chemist in the Polyolefins Catalyst and Product Development Group at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company, LP (2011-2017). From 2017-2022 Dr. Clark was an assistant professor in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Memphis.  She was awarded a Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) starting July 1, 2022.  Clark’s award for $700,000, entitled “Exocyclic Imine Ligands for Electron Transfer,” capitalizes on redox noninnocence in transition metal complexes for the purpose of: (1) predicting electronic and magnetic behavior, (2) exploring ligand facilitated intermetallic interactions, and (3) the design of new functional molecules. This research will develop new synthetic strategies for metal ions with tailored electronic and magnetic properties to produce rationally designed multimetallic complexes that are engineered to manifest desired behavior. Development of these novel synthetic strategies will have an impact on a variety of applications, including sustainable chemical processes via artificial photosynthesis, computing, medical devices, and grid energy storage.  In addition to the proposed research, her Career award will provide increased opportunities for undergraduates in the STEM fields through a STEM major “boot camp” program. By introducing incoming students to exercises to help strengthen their critical thinking skills, support resources (e.g. learning centers and campus tutoring), STEM based clubs/activities on campus, and opportunities for undergraduate research in Clark’s laboratory, this program will facilitate a smooth transition into intensive, university level STEM coursework.

RESEARCH GROUP WEBSITE

Davita Watkins among nine honored by ACS Women Chemists Committee

May 4th, 2022 By Lydia Lagarde

Davita Watkins

Dr. Davita Watkins, an associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at the University of Mississippi, has been awarded a 2022 Rising Star Award by the American Chemical Society’s Women Chemists Committee.

This award “recognizes exceptional early to midcareer women chemists across all areas of chemistry on a national level … to help promote the retention of women in science,” the society’s guidelines state.

Watkins is among nine women scientists honored with the award this year. She said she was “overwhelmed with gratitude” when a committee representative called to congratulate her on the honor.

“I have known about ACS since high school and began participating in the organization in graduate school,” Watkins said. “In my independent career, I began to be more active and have been voted onto several executive committees.”

Honorees received stipends to attend an award symposium and to show their work at the annual spring meeting of the American Chemical Society in March.

“It is great to see Dr. Watkins receive national recognition for something we’ve known locally in the department for quite some time,” said Greg Tschumper, chair and professor of chemistry and biochemistry. “She’s been on a stellar trajectory as an independent scholar ever since she joined the University of Mississippi as an assistant professor.”

Watkins received a bachelor’s degree in anthropology from Vanderbilt University in 2006 and earned her doctorate in chemistry from the University of Memphis in 2012. She joined the Ole Miss faculty as an assistant professor in 2014 and was promoted to associate professor in 2020.

Her research interests include organic and materials chemistry, supramolecular chemistry, organic electronics, noncovalent interactions, semiconductors, biomaterials, smart materials and conjugated nanostructures.

The Watkins Research Laboratory develops novel functional materials with tunable properties through molecular self-assembly. Watkins and the researchers design, synthesize and study organic molecules that possess unique structural and functional properties.

“Knowing that my role models in the field as well as my peers acknowledge the work I do is humbling and encouraging,” Watkins said. “Additionally knowing that UM values these efforts – particularly recognizing that representation matters – is utmost rewarding.

“I am grateful to my university, colleagues and department for support my work and for ACS’s recognition.”

To learn more about Watkins and her work, visit https://chemistry.olemiss.edu/davita-watkins/

To learn more about the Watkins Research Laboratory or to apply to be a researcher, visit https://watkinsresearchgroup.org/.

OXFORD, Miss. – Two University of Mississippi employees who have demonstrated dedication and passion for helping students succeed have been honored with a campuswide award for student service.

Norris “EJ” Edney, assistant vice chancellor for diversity and inclusion, and Eden Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, have been selected as this year’s Frist Student Service Award honorees.

They were chosen from dozens of nominations submitted by students, faculty and staff. A committee appointed by the chancellor weighs nominations and selects faculty and staff winners each year.

“As one of the highest honors on our campus, it is not surprising that EJ Edney and Eden Tanner were selected as this year’s Frist Award winners,” Chancellor Glenn Boyce said. “These deserving recipients embody and exemplify the caring nature of our campus community.

“I commend and thank them for their extraordinary and sincere focus on upholding our universitywide commitment to serving and supporting our students.”

Any full-time faculty or staff member, except previous winners, is eligible for the award, which includes a $1,000 prize and a plaque. The honorees also will be recognized during the end-of-the-semester faculty meeting on Friday (May 6).

Eden Tanner, assistant professor of chemistry and biochemistry, has been selected as the faculty recipient of this year’s Frist Student Service Award. Submitted photo

 

Although she joined the faculty only 18 months ago, Tanner has drawn praise for encouraging diversity in her academic and research pursuits. Her laboratory group includes one postdoctoral scholar, six graduate students and 18 undergraduates, about 65% of whom are women or nonbinary people, and 40% are people of color.

“She goes out of her way to make her lab a safe space for students of all genders and sexualities and nationalities,” a student wrote in nominating Tanner. “She is a strong advocate for disabled students and equity for people of color.”

Tanner actively works to make sure students are “happy, comfortable and don’t have food insecurity,” the student said, noting that she works to make sure minority students are considered for fellowships and scholarships, and tries to involve them in conferences and other professional opportunities.

“I am both medically disabled as well as a person of color,” the student said. “When I became sick, she herself brought me to the hospital and took a significant portion of her time ensuring that I had time, access to care and supplies to recover.”

Tanner was seeing students during her office hours when the chancellor called to tell her about the award, she said.

“It was a big surprise, and I got to share the news with some of my students,” she said. “I’m deeply honored because student service is why I’m in this kind of work.

“Being able to work with students and provide an open door and opportunities for them is really at the core of our mission here.”

The Frist Award is the most cherished of the recognitions she has received, said Tanner, who joined the faculty after serving as a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Oxford in England and at Harvard University.

“I’m so privileged to have a group of bright, talented students to work with,” she said. “It’s an honor to be able to work with them. I’ve worked at some of the top institutions in the world throughout my training, and the students here are really unbeatable.”

The Frist Student Service Awards were established with a $50,000 gift from the late Dr. Thomas F. Frist, of Nashville, a 1930 Ole Miss graduate. Previous Frist winners include faculty members Aileen Ajootian, Michael Barnett, Luca Bombelli, Robert Brown, Donald Dyer, Denis Goulet, Ellen Meacham, Ken Sufka and Eric Weber; and staff members Thelma Curry, Carol Forsythe, Cindy May, Anne McCauley, Valeria Ross, Marc Showalter and Linda Spargo.

Ten University of Mississippi seniors have been inducted into the university’s 2021-22 Hall of Fame, one of the highest honors given to Ole Miss students.

The inductees were selected by a committee in accordance with policy developed by the Associated Student Body. Selections are based on outstanding contributions in all aspects of campus life.

Members of the UM 2021-22 Hall of Fame were introduced in ceremonies Friday evening (April 8) at the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts. They are: (front, from left) Grace Dragna, Katelin Hayward, Ella Endorf and Brianna Berry, and (back, from left) Madison Gordon, Matt Knerr, Devan Williams, Merrick McCool, Jon’na Bailey and Ian Pigg. Photo by Thomas Graning/Ole Miss Digital Imaging Services

This year’s Hall of Fame members are Jon’na Bailey, of Pickens; Alexis “Brianna” Berry, of Brandon; Grace Louise Dragna, of Mandeville, Louisiana; Ella Rose Endorf, of North Bend, Nebraska; Madison Cecile Gordon, of Meridian; Katelin Virginia Hayward, of Grenada; Reinhard Matthew Knerr, of Paducah, Kentucky; Coleman Merrick McCool, of Oxford; Ian Vaughn Pigg, of Clifton, Tennessee; and Devan Devon Williams, of Jackson.

“The 2022 Hall of Fame class exhibited significant leadership during one of the most unique and challenging times in the history of this institution due to the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Brent Marsh, assistant vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of students. “Nevertheless, they persisted in their academic, leadership, and service endeavors.

“Since the first Hall of Fame inductees were honored in 1930, these students join a long line of individuals who’ve made this university a better place.”

The honorees were introduced during a ceremony Friday evening (April 8) in the Gertrude C. Ford Center for the Performing Arts.

Matt Knerr

 

Knerr, a biochemistry major, Stamps Scholar and Barksdale Award recipient, recently was named a 2022 Goldwater Scholar. His collegiate experience has been defined by service to the campus and Oxford communities, mainly focused on Hill County Roots, UM Green Roofs and UM Environmental Coalition.

As president of Hill County Roots, Knerr developed the first student-run tree farm in the state, leading to more than 200 college students becoming more environmentally active.

“I’ve watched myself grow as a leader, a servant and as a person as I’ve worked on this tree farm,” said Knerr, who believes his legacy will be that he helped make the university more sustainable. “My work has given hundreds of college students, public school students and Oxford citizens the opportunity to connect with nature, improve their understanding of Oxford’s environment, smile from the work they’ve done and the causes they’ve helped.”

Christopher Fox, a University of Mississippi alumnus and Oxford High School teacher, has been selected as part of the 2022 cohort of the Knowles Teacher Initiative.

Christopher Fox, a recent University of Mississippi alumnus embarking upon a teaching career at Oxford High School, has been selected for inclusion in a prestigious teacher fellows program.  Fox, who earned his bachelor’s degree and doctoral in chemistry from UM, is among 31 teachers nationwide chosen by the Knowles Teacher Initiative for its 2022 cohort of teaching fellows. The initiative supports a national network of mathematics and science teachers who are collaborative, innovative leaders improving education for all students.

“I was honored to have been chosen to be a part of the 2022 cohort,” said Fox, a second-year teacher at Oxford High School. “I am not a traditional teacher, having been formally trained as a research scientist, and so when I was selected to be among the 31 teachers, it was definitely a confirmation to me as an educator.”

Findings from the Pascagoula native’s doctoral research were published in Biomacromolecules, a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

“I chose to continue my education at UM because I wanted to remain relatively close to family,” Fox said. “I also wanted to attend an institution that would prepare me the most for my next stage in life.”

As a graduate researcher, Fox worked with many Ole Miss freshmen while functioning as a teaching assistant for general chemistry labs as well as a tutor for general chemistry courses. Working with undergraduate students, Fox quickly discovered a passion for teaching and found it rewarding and fulfilling.

“While earning my doctorate, I decided to earn my teaching license via an alternate route program in order to teach on a secondary level,” he said.

Fox finds the interpersonal relationships and bonds formed with students the most rewarding aspect of teaching.

“From my experience, I am convinced that this is what forms the fertile ground for education and learning to prosper in young learners,” he said. “I planned to utilize every opportunity offered by the fellowship to collaborate and network with teachers across the nation. 

“My desire is to learn from this community of educators to perfect my understanding of pedagogy.”

The stipend offered by the fellowship allows for Fox to explore new educational resources and develop labs that help provide practical experience for the students.

Susan Pedigo, a professor of chemistry and biochemistry who served as Fox’s research adviser, said she is not surprised by his achievement.

“I have immense respect for his intellect, his intrinsic sense for the scientific method, his empathy for the human condition, his absolute moral clarity and his thoughtful regard of each person as an individual,” Pedigo said. “Chris could do anything. There are no limits to his abilities or options. 

“Teaching is not a fallback choice; it is his first choice.”

The Knowles Teaching Fellowship is an intensive and cohesive, five-year program that supports early-career, high school mathematics and science teachers in their efforts to develop teaching expertise and leadership from the classroom. Through the program, fellows have access to grants for expenses associated with purchasing classroom materials, engaging in professional development and spearheading leadership activities that have an impact beyond their own classrooms.

Fellows also can get stipends, mentoring and coaching from experienced teachers and teacher educators, and membership in a nationwide community of nearly 450 teachers who are committed to improving education.

Click Here for the original article by Edwin Smith.