Re•search (n) "is the diligent and systematic inquiry or investigation into a subject in order to discover or revise facts, theories, applications, etc."
Chemistry majors are encouraged to do research during their time of study at JMU. Many students start in their sophomore or junior year. Working one-on-one with a faculty mentor teaches students about the discipline and thrill of discovering new scientific phenomena and presenting them to the scientific community. There are research opportunities with faculty in all of the major subdisciplines of chemistry (analytical, biochemistry, inorganic, organic, and physical). Many of the faculty mentors have projects which involve studies in more than one of these traditional areas or branch into other disciplines including biology and materials science. Below are some of the research interests of our faculty. For more information on specific projects, contact the individual faculty members.
Analytical Chemistry
- Analytical chemistry, chemical biology, and natural products chemistry to discover bioactive molecules for combating disease. (Dr. Lindsay Caesar)
- Ionization and characterization of acidic compounds in complex mixtures by negative ion electrospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. (Dr. Chrisi Hughey)
Biochemistry and Biophysical Chemistry
- Spectroscopic studies of protein changes associated with substrate binding and how solution conditions (salts and pH) can alter substrate binding, protein structure, stability, and aggregation state. (Dr. Gina MacDonald)
- Footprinting studies of DNA to elucidate chromatin structure in cells (Dr. Debbie Mohler)
- Protein structure function studies using X-ray and NMR spectroscopy (Dr. Nathan Wright)
- Molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules and protein folding (Dr. Isaiah Sumner)
- Enzymology and X-ray crystallography of acyl transfer reactions involving thioesters (Dr. Chris Berndsen)
- Studies of charge and energy transfer in multiheme proteins (Dr. Oleksandr Kokhan)
- Enzymes involved in bacterial bioremediation pathways (Dr. Linette Watkins)
Chemistry Education
- Understanding and improving how students learn chemical concepts (Dr. Barbara Reisner)
Computational Chemistry
- Molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules and protein folding and quantum dynamics (Dr. Isaiah Sumner)
- Predictive quantum chemistry calculations of NMR chemical Shifts. (Dr. Tom DeVore)
- Studies of charge and energy transfer in multiheme proteins (Dr. Oleksandr Kokhan)
Environmental Chemistry
- Analytical chemistry, chemical biology, and natural products chemistry to discover bioactive molecules for combating disease. (Dr. Lindsay Caesar)
- Ionization and characterization of acidic compounds in complex mixtures by negative ion electrospray liquid chromatography/mass spectrometry. (Dr. Chrisi Hughey)
Inorganic Chemistry
- Synthesis and characterization of hybrid inorganic-organic frameworks for gas storage and separation applications. (Dr. Barbara Reisner)
- Synthesis and characterization of organometallic and metal organic compounds for use in catalysis and as chemical vapor deposition precursors (Dr. Donna Amenta)
Materials and Nanoscience
- Synthesis and characterization of new organic-inorganic hybrid materials. (Dr. Brycelyn Boardman)
- Surface analysis of catalytically important alloys and transition metal oxides and carbides. (Dr. Ashleigh Baber)
- Synthesis and characterization of hybrid inorganic-organic frameworks for gas storage and separation applications. (Dr. Barbara Reisner)
- Development of new sensors and transporters for small biomolecules and functional soft materials. (Dr. Gretchen Peters)
Organic Chemistry
- Synthesis of self-assembling molecules and physical/spectroscopic characterization of the resulting supramolecular aggregates. (Dr. Kevin Caran)
- Synthesis, characterization, and mechanistic studies into the formation of 1,3-difluorobenzene compounds. (Dr. Scott Lewis)
- Synthesis and characterization of organic ligands of organometallic molecules (Dr. Donna Amenta)
- Preparation of novel light-absorbing compounds for studying photoinduced electron transfer in model solar energy system and the synthesis of novel siRNA analogs (Dr. Debbie Mohler)
- Development of new sensors and transporters for small biomolecules and functional soft materials. (Dr. Gretchen Peters)
Physical Chemistry
- Investigation of the synthesis and characterization of metal chalcoginides and possible oxidation and/or dehydrogenation catalysts. (Dr. Tom DeVore)
- Characterization of self-assembling biomolecules (Dr. Yanjie Zhang)
- Molecular dynamics simulations of biomolecules and protein folding and quantum dynamics (Dr. Isaiah Sumner)
