Update Information about the Department with regard to changes in the curricula, enhancements to our computer and instrument capability, faculty and staff retirements, new hires and promotions, are all provided below. Links are provided to make it easier to jump from one section to another.

New GenEd Curriculum: The University has replaced the "Core" Curriculum with a new "GenEd" Curriculum. Although many similarities exist, there are significant differences, especially the introduction of a new "Skills" requirement. All "first-year" students who enrolled in Fall 2007 will follow the new GenEd Curriculum instead of the older Core Curriculum.

Analytical Chemistry: All students majoring in one of the Chemical Sciences should take "Principles of Analytical Chemistry" (CH 366), the new analytical chemistry course that was offered for the first time in Fall 2006. This course replaces "Analytical Chemistry" (CH 361) in the curriculum of all Department majors.

Biochemistry Program Electives: Students majoring in Biochemistry may now also use the basic Bioinformatics courses (BI 450 and BI 451) to satisfy the "Biochemistry Program Elective" requirement, in addition to courses in the Departments of Chemistry & Biochemistry and those previously listed for Biological Sciences. A total of 6 credits of Biochemistry Electives are required.

American Chemistry Society Certification: Starting in May 2005, a statement indicating that the student has completed all the requirements associated with ACS Certification will appear on the transcript.

Computer Proficiency: Effective for students entering in Fall 2007, Computer Proficiency will be incorporated into first-year courses, rather than as a separate course in computer science.

Writing Proficiency: All students should be aware of the fact that the Writing Proficiency requirement must be satisfied prior to graduation, either by passing the Writing Proficiency Exam (taken in the Spring of second year) or by completing a writing contract with the Writing Center. Transfer students with weak English skills, and all students for whom English is a second-language MUST make an appointment with the Writing Center early in their first semester at USP.

Passing the entrance Diagnostic Exam, or completing English Composition (EN 101) does not eliminate the need to pass the Writing Proficiency Exam.

For additional information about either the Writing Proficiency or the Computer Proficiency requirements, students should refer to the University Catalog, or to the information included on the Core or GenEd Curricula links, depending on your start date at USP.

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The Department Computer Cluster is playing an ever-increasing role in our curricula as faculty incorporate computer applications into their courses. The newest effort is focused on direct interfacing of computers to Department instrumentation via National Instrument's program "LabView", which allows students to acquire and analyze their experimental data using a computer.

The Department Computer Cluster was upgraded in Summer 2003 by addition of a second room, and now contains a total of 16, modern Pentium computers. Each computer is equipped with a variety of chemically-related software, Microsoft Office, Sigma Plot, two laser printers and high speed internet connectivity.

Although students from outside the Department are permitted to use these computers on a space available basis, only students (undergraduate and graduate), postdoctorals and faculty in the Departments have accounts which allow them to print. Anyone in the Department that encounters problems accessing or printing from any of these computers should notify the Department's Administrative Coordinator, Ms. Vanessa Jones in GH 140.

Many additional Department computers are located in other laboratories, either as stand-alone computers or interfaced to instruments.

The West Center for Computational Chemistry and Drug Design, the Center at USP which focuses on faculty research in computational chemistry and bioinformatics, also continues to expand in terms of both space and computational power. In August, 2005, the 20- and 32-processor Beowulf Supercomputer Clusters already located in the West Center were augmented by the purchase of a new 128-processor Beowulf Cluster made possible by funding of a $141,000 NSF-MRI grant, together with some internal University funds. A second 128-processor Cluster was purchased in 2006, in part through a grant from a private company, and became available for use that July. The West Center is now located in GH 344, adjacent to the new Bioinformatics Computer Laboratory (GH 338).

In Summer 2005, a room in Alumni Hall was renovated to accommodate all the major West Center computational tools, including all but one of the Beowulf Clusters, the Apple X-Serve and the robotic back-up tape drive system. The move of the computer equipment was completed in August 2005 and the second 128-processor Beowulf Cluster was assembled and installed in July 2006, joining the other clusters and equipment. This allowed us to significantly expand the space available in GH 344 for students and postdoctorals. The picture above shows both the older 20-processor cluster front-to-back with one of the new 128-processor clusters, along with the Department Chair, Dr. Birnbaum.

In addition it should be noted that Dr. Preston Moore took on the responsibility of day-to-day oversight of the West Center in Fall 2004, along with the title of "West Center Director".

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In May 2000, the Department was awarded a $166,500 matching grant from the National Science Foundation (NSF) for the purchase of a Bruker 400 MHz, Multi-Nuclear, Superconducting NMR spectrometer in support of our teaching and research programs. Griffith 336 was remodeled to accommodate the instrument, which has been operational since November 2001. The Bruker 400 instrument, together with the previous Anasazi upgrade of our older Varian 90 MHz NMR spectrometer, now provide our students with exceptional capabilities in NMR spectroscopy for both teaching and research.

In Fall 2004, a new, sophisticated Fluorine-19 probe was obtained for our Bruker 400 MHz NMR spectrometer, enabling faculty and students to carry out NMR studies on molecules that contain fluorine atoms, as well as improved proton (H-1) and carbon (C-13) sensitivity. For more details about this instrumentation, check out the NMR Instrumentation link.

In Summer 2004, the Department also purchased a multi-nuclear upgrade for our Anasazi FT-90 MHz NMR spectrometer. This upgrade will be integrated into the undergraduate curriculum in order to allow students to routinely obtain spectra on a variety of different NMR-active nuclei as part of their course work, as well as a part of their research activities. For example, a new experiment for the Principles of Organic Chemistry laboratory, developed by Drs. Zanger and Moyna, looks at the boron-10/boron-11 isotopic ratio in sodium borohydride, which is an important reagent in organic chemistry.

A summary listing of the major equipment and instrumentation acquired over the last several years in order to maintain and improve our teaching and research capabilities is shown below.

2007
Hardware upgrade for 32-processor Beowulf Supercomputer Cluster
Ocean Optics Vis-Nir Spectrometer
Denver Instruments pH/ISE/Conductivity Meter
CEM Microwave Reactor

2006
PTI Fluorescence Spectrophotometer
Microway 128-processor Beowulf Supercomputer Cluster
Software upgrade of HP5990/5971A GC/MS
Hardware/Software Upgrade to Thermo HPLC's (2)
Microscope accessory for Delta Nu Raman Spectrometer

2005
Thermo Elemental AA Spectrometer
Buck Scientific Gas Chromatographs (2)
Microway 128-processor Beowulf Supercomputer Cluster
Johnson Matthey Magnetic Susceptibilty Balance
Cambridge Applied Systems Viscometer
Decagon water activity meter

2004
Thermo Fourier-Transform Infrared Spectophotometer (FT-IR)
Delta Nu Raman Spectrophotometer
Fluorine-19 NMR probe for 400 MHz Bruker NMR Spectrometer
Multi-nuclear NMR probe for Anasazi 90 MHz NMR Spectrometer
Hardware upgrade for 20-processor Beowulf Supercomputer Cluster

2003
Varian High Performance Liquid Chromatograph (HPLC)
Varian Gas Chromatograph (GC)
Varian Saturn Gas Chromatograph - Mass Spectrometer (GC/MS)

2002
Hewlett Packard Diode Array Absorption Spectrophotometer
Epsilon Bioanalytical Electrochemical Workstation

2001
Cary UV-Vis Absorption Spectrophotometer
Cary Fluorescence Spectrophotometer
Microcal microcalorimeter

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Changes in the Faculty Lineup

In Fall 2007, Dr. Alexander Sidorenko, joined the Department as a new tenure-track Assistant Professor, replacing Dr. William A. Wehbi, who was with the Department for one year as a Visiting Professor.

Dr. Sidorenko was educated in the Ukraine, receiving his MS degree from I. Franko Lviv State University in Lviv and his PhD from the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences in 1994. He spent several years as a research scientist in the Lviv Department of the Physical Chemistry Institute of the Ukrainian National Academy of Sciences, before leaving the Ukraine to become a Visiting Scientist at the Max-Plank Institute of Polymer Research in Mainz, Germany. Dr. Sidorenko has a varied and extensive background in the area of material science, having served as a Research Associate in the Department of Materials Science and Engineering at Iowa State University, a Staff Scientist at the Institute of Polymer Research in Dresden, Germany, a Research Consultant for Bell Laboratories, and most recently, as a Research Scientist at the Research Center of Corning, Inc.

Dr. Sidorenko will be teaching primarily in our Physical Chemistry program, but we anticipate new course offerings in polymer chemistry and/or material science in the future. His research interests lie in the design of novel nanostructured materials and biopolymers. By applying micro/nanotemplated synthetic methods and self-organization phenomena, he focuses on the fabrication of smart surfaces and devices for cell biology applications in drug delivery, cell adhesion control, molecular electronics, magnetic/optical storage, smart optical devices, novel polymer brushes and other materials.

Also in Fall 2007, Dr. Elisabetta Fasella converted from a "tenure-track" to a "non-tenure track" faculty position in order to devote more time to teaching. Dr. Fasella will continue to do research with undergraduates, but not with graduate students

Dr. Fasella will be on Family Leave for Fall 2007 and Dr. Daniel Bassi, formerly at Fox Chase Cancer Center and now on the faculty at Holy Family University, will be offering Medicinal Chemistry (CH 411) in her stead.

It should also be noted that Dr. C. Reynold Verret, who joined the University in July, 2002 as the Dean of the Misher College of Arts & Sciences, and had an appointment as a Biochemist in the Department, has left USP to become the new Provost at Wilkes University, effective July 1, 2007.

In Fall 2006, Mr. Andrew Harron, who held the faculty rank of Instructor in 2005, elected to return to his original Lab Preparator staff position in order to pursue a PhD degree in Chemistry at USP. Mr. Harron received both his BS and MS degrees in Chemistry from St. Joseph's University, and he will continue to serve as an instructor in several different chemistry laboratories, including General Chemistry, Organic Chemistry and Analytical Chemistry, in addition to a myriad of other responsibilities that ensure the Chemistry labs run smoothly.

In Fall 2005, Dr. Elisabeth Morlino, who joined the Department in Fall 2003 as a Visiting Assistant Professor, transitioned to a regular non-tenure-track Assistant Professor position. Dr. Morlino received her undergraduate and graduate training at Bowling Green University, receiving her PhD in 1996, prior to completing a postdoctoral appointment at the University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Morlino teaches in the General Chemistry program, as well as in the Physical Chemistry and Instrumental Analysis laboratories.

In Fall 2004, both Dr. Vojislava Torbica-Pophristic and Dr. Zhijun Li joined the Department as new tenure-track Assistant Professors.

Dr. Vojislava Torbica-Pophristic specializes in the area of computational chemistry, and is a strong addition to the West Center faculty. Dr. Pophristic received her undergraduate degree (summa cum laude) in Physical Chemistry from the University of Belgrade in Yugoslavia, and her PhD from Rutgers University in Chemistry in 2000. Prior to joining our faculty, Dr. Pophristic was a postdoctoral fellow at Rutgers University with Prof. L. Goodman, and at the University of Pennsyslvania with Prof. M. L. Klein.

Dr. Pophristic's research interests include the study of complex ion clusters, such as those found for zirconium(IV) ions in aqueous solution, heparin-antibody interactions, and membrane systems, such as those responsible for the taste sensation.

Dr. Pophristic is continuing to teach the Physical Chemistry II Laboratory, and will be offering a new Grant Writing Course in Fall 2007.

Dr. Zhijun Li is a member of the interdisciplinary Bioinformatics Program. This is a relatively new Program at USP offering BS and MS degrees in Bioinformatics, originally supported by three departments in Misher College of Arts and Sciences, including Chemistry & Biochemistry, Biological Sciences and Math/Physics/Computer Science. However, because Dr. Li's academic training is in Chemistry and Biophysics, he has a formal appointment in the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. In Fall 2007, a new Department of Bioinformatics and Computer Science was created to provide more direct support for this program.

Dr. Li received his BS in Chemistry and MS in Organic Chemistry from Tsinghua University in China, and his PhD degree in Biophysics from Vanderbilt University in 2000. Prior to joining our faculty, Dr. Li, was a postdoctoral fellow at MIT with Dr. JoAnne Stubbe, and also at Vanderbilt with Dr. Terry Lybrand.

Dr. Li's research interests focus on using the mathematical concept of network nodes to understand protein function.

Dr. Li will join Dr. Randy Zauhar from the Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry and Dr. Jim Pierce from Biological Sciences, as the principal faculty members in the Bioinformatic Program, and he will also interact strongly with the West Center for Computational Chemistry and Drug Design since his research is primarily computational in nature. His primary teaching responsibilities will be in the Bioinformatics Program, but students in Biochemistry are likely to be interested in the courses planned in Proteomics and Drug Design.

Tenure and Promotion Announcements

In recognition of their distinguised teaching, research and service activities, the following DC&B faculty members have been granted tenure and/or promotion.

Effective Fall 2007, Dr. Preston Moore was awarded tenure. Dr. Moore already held the rank of Associate Professor as a result of his prior service at the University of Pennsylvania.

Effective Fall 2005, Dr. Guillermo Moyna was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor.

Effective Fall 2004, Dr. Randy Zauhar was awarded tenure. Dr. Zauhar already held the rank of Associate Professor as a result of his prior service at Penn State University and Tripos Corporation.

Effective Fall 2003, Dr. Catherine Bentzley was awarded tenure and promoted to Associate Professor, and Dr. Michael Bruist was awarded tenure. Dr. Bruist already held the rank of Associate Professor as a result of his prior service at Vassar College.

Members of the "Old Guard" that have Stepped Down

Professor Alfonso Gennaro was formally recognized for his many, many years of service at PCPS/USP in Fall 2002 with an appointment as an Emeritus Professor. Although he has been formerly retired from the Department for several years, he continued to assist with the production of new editions of the pharmacy reference standard, Remington and teach classes as an Adjunct faculty member until very recently. Dr. Gennaro may still be contacted via e-mail and continues to support the Department, but will be taking a less active role.

Professor Joel Kauffman served as a Research Professor for several years after taking an early retirement from teaching, but in Fall 2002, Dr. Kauffman also received an Emeritus Professor appointment in recognition of his contributions to the Department and University. Dr. Kauffman is no longer teaching or carrying out laboratory research, but he now writes extensively about current health issues and other sometimes controversial, science-based issues that impact the public, such as global warming.

Professor Jerry Thoman also retired in Fall 2002, receiving an Emeritus Professor appointment, and is focusing his energy on improving his virtuosity with the trombone.

Professor Murray Zanger also formally retired with an Emeritus Professor appointment in Fall 2002, and continues to teach part-time, carry out research, and help introduce students to the power of NMR spectroscopy. In his spare time he continues to walk around the world at a pace that matches his lecture speed, for which students awarded him the well-deserved nickname "Zippy Zanger".

A dinner reception was held in honor of these four newly minted Emeritus Professors on June 23, 2002. In addition to the great food and company, Dr. Ara derMarderosian presented some interesting historical insights of the four honorees, along with some pictures from the archives, when tube electronics were all the rage. Other faculty and students added comments to enliven the day.

A copy of the Retirement Program is available, as are several pictures from the Retirement Dinner, including a group Faculty-Staff Picture of all those in attendance, and a picture of all the new Emeritus Professors as a group.

In addition to the retirements and new faculty information, it should be noted that Professor Rod Wigent now has a full-time appointment as Dean of the College of Graduate Studies, although he continues to teach Chemical Kinetics to our graduate students and carry out research, albeit at a reduced pace.

Members of the "New Turks" that have Stepped Up

In addition to the new faculty members already mentioned above, Dr. Yumee K. Koo joined the Department in Fall 2002. Dr. Koo received her BS and MS degrees in Chemistry from Yonsei University in Seoul, KOREA, and her Ph.D. degree in Chemistry, with an emphasis in Biochemistry, from the University of Illinois at Chicago. She completed a postdoctoral at Northwestern University with Profesor Richard Silverman in Biochemistry and a second postdoctoral at the University of Pennsylvania in Immunobiochemistry. Dr. Koo's primary responsibility will be in the Biochemistry and Organic Chemistry laboratories.

Dr. Madhu Mahalingam also joined the Department in Fall 2002. Dr. Mahalingam received her BS degree in Chemistry from the University of Delhi, New Delhi, INDIA, her MS degree in Chemistry from the Indian Institute of Technology, also in New Delhi, INDIA, and her PhD in Physical Chemistry from SUNY Stony Brook. She completed a postdoctoral at the University of Utah in Physical Chemistry and prior to arriving at USP taught at the University of Massachusetts, Dartmouth. Dr. Mahalingam's primary responsibility will be with the General Chemistry program.

Dr. Preston B. Moore also joined the Department Faculty in Fall 2002. Dr. Moore received his BS in Chemistry and Mathematics from Bates College and his Ph.D. degree in Chemistry from Boston University. He completed a postdoctoral at the University of Pennsylvania in the area of molecular modeling before taking a position as the Associate Director of the Center for Molecular Modeling at UPenn. Dr. Moore will be continuing his research in the area of molecular modeling and will join Drs. Moyna and Zauhar in their efforts on behalf of the Department's Computational Center for Drug Discovery, which has been supported by the West Foundation.

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