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:

• • Organic Chemistry 1 and 2
  • Spectroscopic Identification of Organic Molecules
  • Environmental Organic Chemistry

Research Interests:
Physical Organic Chemistry

• • 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:

• • Synthesis using batch and flow reactors
  • Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectroscopy
  • Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM)