Le Moyne College

Department of Chemistry & Physics

Chair

Joseph J. Mullins, Associate Professor of Chemistry (1999) Ph.D. & M.S. (Chemistry) University of Rochester B.S. (Chemistry) Rochester Institute of Technology SC306; (315)445-4729; mullinjj@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Organic chemistry, particularly synthesis Research: My area of interest is organic synthesis. Two areas of the field will be investigated: the synthesis of biologically active compounds and the development of synthetic methodologies. Target molecules include derivatives of the steroid dehydroepiandrosterone, and polyphenolic compounds related to the natural antioxidant resveratrol. Such compounds have potential disease-preventative and therapeutic properties. Research experience will include experimental design, synthetic methods, and modern methods of purification and structural characterization.

Professor

Carmen J. Giunta, Professor of Chemistry (1990) Ph.D. (Chemical Physics) & A.M. (Physics) Harvard University B.S. (Chemistry) University of Scranton SC 218; (315) 445-4128; giunta@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Physical chemistry. Research: history of chemistry; associate editor of Bulletin for the History of Chemistry and Foundations of Chemistry. Visit his web page.

Associate Professors

	Theresa L. Beaty, Associate Professor of Chemistry (1996) Ph.D. (Biochemistry) Johns Hopkins University B.S. (Chemistry and Biology) Aquinas College SC225; (315)445-4109; beatytl@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Biochemistry. Visit her web page. Research: The effects of environmental agents, hormones and growth factors on gene expression, especially with respect to cell growth and differentiation. The model system is the gonads of a hermaphroditic fish. Genetic diversity within an insect population.
	David A. Craig, Assistant Professor of Physics (2005) Ph.D. (Physics) University of California, Santa Barbara B.A. (Physics) Princeton University SC110; (315)445-4663; craigda@lemoyne.edu Specialty: General relativity; quantum mechanics; and quantum gravity/quantum cosmology, the marriage of the two. Visit his web page.
	Michael P. Masingale, Associate Professor of Chemistry (1984) Ph.D. (Chemistry) Syracuse University B.S. (Chemistry) Morehouse College SC304; (315)445-4108; masingal@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Inorganic Chemistry Research: The synthesis and characterization of porphyrin ligand systems that might serve as catalysts for the reduction of coordinated nitrogen (N2) to N2H4 (hydrazine) or NH3 (ammonia).

Assistant Professors

	Stamatios Kyrkos, Assistant Professor of Physics (2005) Ph.D. & M.S. (Physics) Boston College B.S. (Physics) University of Athens, Greece SC111; (315)445-4318; kyrkoss@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Linear and nonlinear response functions, compressibilities, screening, strongly coupled Coulomb systems, charged particle bilayers. Visit his web page.
	Anna O'Brien, Assistant Professor of Chemistry (2007) Ph.D. (Chemistry) Syracuse University M.S. (Chemical and Environmental Engineering) & B.S. (Chemistry) University of Toledo SC312; (315)445-; obrienay@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Environmental and analytical chemistry. Research projects have an environmental focus, incorporating inorganic synthesis and analytical techniques.

Adjunct Faculty and Staff

	Barbara Leo, Environmental Health and Safety Officer and Adjunct Instructor of Chemistry M.S. Rochester Institute of Technology B.S. SUNY Buffalo;  SC125; (315)445-4536; cariotbl@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Analytical and instrumental chemistry
	Rachael Henriques Porter M.S. Indiana University B.A. Swarthmore College SC312; (315)445-4674; porterrh@lemoyne.edu Specialty: Organic chemistry
	Samuel Sampere, Adjunct Instructor of Physics M.S. SUNY Binghamton B.S. Le Moyne College SC 136; (315) 445-6039; sampersm@lemoyne.edu
	John Schiller, Adjunct Instructor of Physics SC 136; (315) 445-6039; schilljj@lemoyne.edu

Emeritus Faculty

David Bridges, Professor Emeritus (1977) of Physics
Ph.D. & M.A. University of Oregon; BA, Reed College

George J. Durr, Professor Emeritus (1964) of Chemistry
Ph.D. Georgetown University; M.S. & B.S. University of Detroit
durr@lemoyne.edu
Specialty: Organic chemistry 

Charles McCain, Senior Research Scientist, Professor Emeritus of Physics (1952)
M.S. University of Detroit; B.A. LaSalle College
Specialty: Instrumentation 

George A. Pearse, Professor Emeritus (1960) of Chemistry
Ph.D. State University of Iowa; M.S. Purdue University; B.S. University of Massachusetts
pearse@lemoyne.edu
Specialty: Analytical and Coordination Chemistry 

Research presentations and publications

• Chemists at the 238th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Washington, DC, in August 2009:
  
  
  
  • Dr. O'Brien presented work research conducted at Le Moyne in collaboration with Le Moyne undergraduates Cailin Daly and Adam Colburn and high school student Joseph Lee, "Silylation of diamines for subsequent reaction with carbon dioxide" in the Division of Inorganic Chemistry.
    
  • Work Dr. O'Brien carried out as a post-doctoral fellow at Colgate was presented in the Division of Organic Chemistry: G. Richard Geier III, Andrew C. Long, Rachel L. Fowler, Danette L. Flint, and Anna Y. O'Brien, "Investigation of complementary reactions of a dipyrromethanemonocarbinol with a dipyrromethane leading to a 5-isocorrole".
    
  • Dr. Giunta made a presentation, "Méthode de nomenclature chimique, revisited," in the Division of the History of Chemistry.
    
  
  
• Chemists at the 237th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Salt Lake City, in March 2009:
  
  
  
  • Le Moyne undergraduate Nicholas Stam made a presentation in the Division of Cellulose and Renewable Materials of work carried out at the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Nicholas J. Stam and Arthur J. Stipanovic, Biodegradable plastics and blends from renewable feedstocks
    
  • Dr. Giunta made a presentation, "Flights of fancy: Study tours off the beaten path," in the Division of the History of Chemistry.
    
  
  
  
• Dr. Giunta was one of the authors of solutions manuals to accompany a new textbook in physical chemistry. Charles Trapp, Marshall Cady, and Carmen Giunta, Instructor's and Student's Solutions Manual to Accompany Quanta, Matter, and Change. The main textbook's author's are Peter Atkins, Julio de Paula, and Ronald Friedman.
  
• Dr. Giunta is made a presentation entitled "Atoms are divisible: The pieces have pieces" at the 236th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Philadelphia in August 2008. He organized a symposium, "200 years of atoms in chemistry: from Dalton’s atoms to nanotechnology," for the Division of the History of Chemistry.
  
• Dr. Mullins, made a presentation entitled "Designing an organic chemistry course to increase student interest and performance" at the 20th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education at Indiana University in July 2008.
  
• Dr. O'Brien, has had an article published in the European Journal of Inorganic Chemistry: Anna Y. O'Brien, Julia Hitzbleck, Ana Torvisco, Glen B. Deacon, Karin Ruhlandt-Senge, "More than Steric Effects: Unlocking the Coordination Chemistry of Barium Pyrazolates," 172-182, 2008. The paper reports research conducted while Dr. O'Brien was a Ph.D. student in the Department of Chemistry at Syracuse University.
  
• Dr. Giunta was one of the authors of a chapter in Chemistry in the National Science Education Standards, edited by Stacey Lowery Bretz: Seth C. Rasmussen, Carmen Giunta, and Misty R. Tomchuk, "Content Standards for the History and Nature of Science."
  
• Dr. Mullins' had an article published in the Journal of Chemical Education "Six Pillars of Organic Chemistry,", 2008, 85, 83-87. The pillars are important organizing principles in the study of organic chemistry.
  
• Dr. Giunta made a presentation entitled "Avogadro’s constant: A brief history" at the 235th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in New Orleans in April 2008.
  
• Dr. O'Brien, has had an article published in 2007 in the Journal of Organic Chemistry: Anna Y. O'Brien, John P. McGann, and G. Richard Geier, III, "Dipyrromethane + Dipyrromethanedicarbinol Routes to an Electron Deficient meso-Substituted Phlorin with Enhanced Stability," 72, 4084-4092, 2007. The paper reports research conducted while Dr. O'Brien was a post-doctoral fellow in the Department of Chemistry at Colgate University.
  
• Chemists at the 234th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society in Boston in August 2007:
  
  • Dr. Masingale presented research done in collaboration with Raymond Francis (Paper and Bioprocess Engineering, SUNY-ESF). Their work titled, "Microwave assisted synthesis of metal organic framework molecules as catalysis for the oxidation of hardwood lignin," appeared in a poster session on Applications of Materials in the Division of Inorganic Chemistry. Dr. Masingale is also a member of the International Committee of the Division of Chemical Education, which met at the conference.
    
  • Dr. Giunta made a presentation titled "History of chemistry resources on the internet" in the general papers session of the Division of the History of Chemistry. Dr. Giunta is also a member of the Executive Committee of the Division of the History of Chemistry, which met at the conference.