WELCOME FROM THE CHAIR
It’s been a great start to 2020!
In the year where both the University and Periodic Table celebrate sesquicentennial milestones, it is good to reflect on what we have accomplished and also look forward to new adventures. The core elements of a revamped majors’ curriculum were finalized this fall, and we welcomed new chemistry majors last month. They will be accompanied by a growing cohort of chemistry minors, whose numbers doubled in the past year. Our award-winning Chemistry Club and 60 volunteers brought science to Halloween for more than 1,000 attendees at our annual Spooktacular event. And I’d be remiss to not mention the awesome research going on in the labs — more than can fit in one newsletter!
From smart glass to antibiotic clothing, our research has culminated in publications in prestigious journals, such as PNAS and Science, and national awards, including a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow. I continue to be impressed by the dedication and innovation of our faculty, staff, and students to improve our world.
Thanks to our alumni and friends for their support of our students and research efforts in the Department of Chemistry. During the next year, we look forward to strengthening these relationships and revitalizing infrastructure in the Chemistry Building. I hope 2020 is prosperous for you, both personally and professionally.
Sincerely,
Matt Shores,
Chair
FEATURED NEWS
GIFT FROM ALUMNA ESTABLISHES A CANNABINOID RESEARCH CENTER
Thanks to a gift from alumna Leslie Buttorff, CEO and founder of Panacea Life Sciences, the chemistry building will be undergoing renovations this spring to open a new research center focused on studying cannabinoids, the chemical compounds found in cannabis plants.
DEPARTMENT HIGHLIGHTS
JOIN US FOR THE 9TH ANNUAL STILLE SYMPOSIUM
The Stille Symposium will be held on campus on May 2, 2020. We are excited to welcome four world-renowned scientists, Jeanne E. Pemberton (Univ of Arizona); Luis M. Campos (Columbia University); Nathan S. Lewis (Caltech) and Thomas F. Jaramillo (Stanford), who will give lectures on emerging frontiers in energy science. The symposium will also feature a poster session and reception.
OIL AND GAS WASTEWATER USED FOR IRRIGATION MAY SUPPRESS PLANT IMMUNE SYSTEMS
New research led by professor Thomas Borch indicates that using produced water from hydraulic fracturing for irrigation could leave crop systems more vulnerable to pathogens.
TWO CSU CHEMISTRY PROFESSESORS HELP CELEBRATE 150 YEARS OF THE PERIODIC TABLE
Professors Eugene Chen and Amy Prieto joined a national panel in Washington, D.C. this fall to discuss chemistry breakthroughs enabled by scientific understanding of the periodic table.
CHEMISTS CREATE NEW ROUTE TO PHAS: NATURALLY DEGRADABLE BIOPLASTICS
Graduate student Andrea Westlie, professor Eugene Chen, and research scientist Xiaoyan Tang are working toward a solution for the crisis of petroleum-based plastics by offering a cost-effective synthetic pathway for conventional and new PHAs with enhanced properties.
CSU PROFESSOR LEVERAGES ‘DATA REVOLUTION’ TO SOLVE CURRENT ISSUES IN CHEMISTRY
Part of three projects chosen nationally this year by the National Science Foundation, Robert Paton and his team will create a new generation of “data chemists.”
CHEMISTRY CLUB UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS HOST THE 15TH ANNUAL HALLOWEEN SHOW
The next stop for this ACS Student Chapter is the ACS National Meeting this spring, for the fourth year in a row. Last year, the club was able to send 14 students to present research and accept an outstanding chapter award. As part of their fundraising efforts, the students have started a Ramfunder campaign.
DEPARTMENT AWARDS
DOCTORAL STUDENT AWARDED NRC RESEARCH ASSOCIATESHIP TO STUDY EFFECTIVENESS OF PURE CANNABIS EXTRACTS
Cheryle Beuning will work with the National Institute of Standards and Technology on cannabinoid assessment.
DEAN’S RECOGNITION AWARD RECOGNIZES DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY STAFF
Karen Kahler, head of Chemistry’s accounting, and Ross Madden, IT for the College of Natural Sciences, received the Dean’s Recognition Award at the college’s Teaching & Mentoring Awards.
CSU CHEMISTRY PROFESSOR RECEIVES PRESTIGIOUS CAMILLE DREYFUS TEACHER-SCHOLAR AWARD
Garret Miyake, an associate professor of chemistry, is the first individual in two decades at CSU to be named a 2019 Camille Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar.
CHEMISTRY GRADUATE STUDENTS TAKE HOME HIGHEST NUMBER OF GRADUATE SHOWCASE AWARDS
CSU College of Natural Sciences Outstanding Scholars awards went to Eve Mozur and Kate McMahon. Driver of Innovation Platinum went to Kaylee Clark and Silver went to Robin Cywar and Hunter Cuchiaro. Great Minds in Research Honorable Mentions went to Colby Evans and Jon Thai.
IN MEMORIAM
REMEMBERING PROFESSOR NED DAUGHERTY
(From The Coloradoan) Ned Daugherty of Fort Collins, 81, passed away on June 25, 2019. Ned served on the faculty of the Chemistry Department at CSU for nearly 40 years. He was highly regarded as a teacher and pre-med advisor. He maintained relationships with former students and advisees for many years after they graduated from CSU. Ned obtained his undergraduate degree from Purdue University and Ph.D. from Michigan State University.
A transplant from Indiana, Ned enjoyed hunting, fishing, camping and hiking in the Rockies. In addition, he had a wide range of talents and interests including running marathons, recreational piloting, oil painting, skeet shooting, reading, softball, travel, cooking and baking.
He is survived by his wife of sixty years, Kathy; daughter Lynn (Rick); granddaughters (Emily and Maggie); his son Mike (Kathy), as well as his faithful golden retriever Katy.
CONNECT ON SOCIAL
We have launched a new department LinkedIn page that you can now list as your current or past employer: Department of Chemistry at CSU. Simply go to your LinkedIn profile, scroll down to “Experience,” edit with the pen on the top right corner, and under “company” link to “Department of Chemistry at Colorado State University.” You will find a variety of professional news here.
We also distribute fun and newsworthy content on our Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram pages.
