CLEANER WATER, MORE EFFICIENT ELECTRICITY
AMONG UH CHEMICAL RESEARCH
Six Presentations on Docket at Annual American Chemical Society
Meeting
HOUSTON – A half dozen University of Houston researchers
will be making presentations, ranging from bacteria removal in water
and quantum shuttles in electricity to defining career moments,
at the 228th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society,
Aug. 22 to 26 in Philadelphia.
Founded in 1876, the American Chemical Society (ACS) is a nonprofit,
scientific, educational organization. Chartered by the U.S. Congress
and the largest scientific society in the world, ACS is a leader
in fostering chemical education and research, with an international
membership of more than 159,000 chemists and chemical engineers.
Four members of the UH College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics
(NSM) Department of Chemistry and two members of the UH Cullen College
of Engineering (CCoE) Departments of Civil and Environmental Engineering
and Chemical Engineering round out the University of Houston attendees.
- Shankar Chellam, associate professor of civil and environmental
engineering, will focus on mechanisms of bacteria removal from
drinking water supplies using microfiltration membranes, with
an emphasis on filter clogging.
- Eric Bittner, professor of chemistry, will speak about theoretical
models for current-driven chemical dynamics in molecular wires.
- Randolph Thummel, professor of chemistry, will discuss how transition
metal complexes are being designed and synthesized that would
use sunlight to promote the catalytic decomposition of water into
hydrogen and oxygen.
- Ramanan Krishnamoorti, associate professor of chemical engineering,
will reveal the development of super-strength and lightweight
fibers of nylon and other polyester-based polymers, as well as
development of a new class of biodegradable and biocompatible
polymer composites with enhanced mechanical properties that are
lightweight for potential applications in biomedical devices and
drug delivery using carbon nanotubes.
- P. Shiv Halasyamani, assistant professor of chemistry, will
talk about the importance of seeking out mentors at every stage
in one’s scientific career, as well as discussing the rewarding
experience of being a mentor.
- Ruifa Zong, post-doctoral fellow in the chemistry department,
will elaborate on Thummel’s research, particularly how transition
metal complexes assist in the direct conversion of sunlight into
electricity.
A schedule of the presenters and presentations follows:
“Microfiltration of bacterial suspensions: Rejection and
fouling”
Shankar Chellam and Wendong Xu, CCoE Department of Civil and Environmental
Engineering at UH
Division of Environmental Chemistry - Paper #143
Symposium Honoring Prof. Charles O’Melia: Membrane Fouling
and Water Treatment
1:40 - 5:10 p.m., Tuesday, Aug. 24
Loews -- Commonwealth C
“Quantum shuttles”
Eric R Bittner, NSM Department of Chemistry at UH
Division of Physical Chemistry - Paper #130
Quantum/Classical Calculations in Chemistry and Biophysics: Clusters
and Materials
1:20 - 5 p.m., Monday, Aug. 23
Pennsylvania Convention Center -- 103C
“Looking for photooxidation of a Ru(II) polypyridine aqua
complex as a first step in water decomposition”
Randolph P. Thummel and Ruifa Zong. NSM Department of Chemistry
at UH
Division of Organic Chemistry - Paper #36
Molecular Mimicry of Photosynthesis
1:40 - 5 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 22
Pennsylvania Convention Center -- Ballroom B
“Crystallization behavior of poly(e-caprolactone) in single
wall carbon nanotube composites”
Cynthia A. Mitchell and Ramanan Krishnamoorti, CCoE Department
of Chemical Engineering at UH
Division of Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering - Paper
#492
Semicrystalline Polymers: Semicrystalline Nanocomposites
1:30 - 5:05 p.m., Wednesday, Aug. 25
Marriott -- Salon G
“Good mentors = Successful and rewarding careers”
P. Shiv Halasyamani, NSM Department of Chemistry at UH
Younger Chemists Committee - Paper #7
Defining Moments That Lead to Successful Careers in Chemistry
8 - 10:25 a.m., Monday, Aug. 23
Loews -- Washington C
“A tetradentate polypyridine chelate: Constraining quaterpyridine
by incorporating 1,10-phenanthroline”
Ruifa Zong, Gang Zhang, and Randolph P. Thummel, NSM Department
of Chemistry at UH
Division of Inorganic Chemistry - Paper #150
Coordination Chemistry
7 - 10 p.m., Sunday, Aug. 22
Pennsylvania Convention Center -- Hall D
About the University of Houston
The University of Houston, Texas’ premier metropolitan research
and teaching institution, is home to more than 40 research centers
and institutes and sponsors more than 300 partnerships with corporate,
civic and governmental entities. UH, the most diverse research university
in the country, stands at the forefront of education, research and
service with more than 35,000 students.
For more information about the 228th National Meeting of the American
Chemical Society, visit http://pubs3.acs.org/philadelphia04/.
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