NIU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Annual Newsletter – Winter 2024

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY NEWSLETTER

An annual newsletter for alumni and friends of the NIU Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Greetings and Happy New Year! While it’s been five years since our last newsletter, our New’s Year’s resolution was to reboot the newsletter to strengthen our connections to alumni. I began my tenure as department chair fall 2023, but I am not new to NIU — this is my 24th year in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Over the past five years, we’ve weathered a pandemic and experienced many changes to our department faculty and staff. After building the department faculty back to 18 members, we saw several retirements reduce our ranks once again. Gary Baker retired in 2019 after spending 31 years at NIU. The last three years he was working in the NIU Graduate School as professional development coordinator. David Ballantine retired in 2020 as well after 30 years at NIU. The last five years Ballantine spent as the associate dean for Academic Affairs of the College of Liberal arts and Sciences. Just this fall, Ballantine was the recipient of the College Distinguished Faculty award. Chong Zheng retired in 2020, also after 30 years at NIU. He has come back to teach undergraduate courses several times since his retirement. Finally, at the end of 2022, Narayan Hosmane retired after spending almost 25 years in the department. We also lost an assistant professor, Yingwen Cheng, who started fall of 2018 but departed this past summer to the University of Tennessee.

Despite the shrinking numbers, our faculty remained very productive and received campus- and nationwide recognition. Among the highlights:

• This year, Irina Nesterova , an analytical faculty, was promoted to associate professor and Tim Hagen, an organic chemist, was promoted to full professor.

• Professor Tao Xu was recognized as a Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor in 2019, and in 2023 he won the NIU Distinguished Graduate Faculty award.

• Professor Evgueni Nesterov was also awarded a Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professorship in 2022.

• Professor Tim Hagen was recognized as the 2021 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award recipient.

• Associate Professor Tao Li won national recognition in 2022 when he was named the recipient of the ACS Division of Energy and Fuels Emerging Researcher Award.

• Distinguished Research Professor Elizabeth Gaillard worked hard to establish a state-of-the-art Shimadzu Analytical Lab in the department that hosts multiple research and teaching instruments.

Multiple changes occurred on the staff side as well. Linh Nguyen, who was one of our department’s instructors from 2016 to 2023, accepted a position at the NIU Center for Innovative Teaching and Learning. She was recognized for her innovative teaching approach by the NIU Excellence in Online Teaching Award in 2022. Long-time office manager Melinda Davis moved to the philosophy department in 2019. Thankfully, Ryan Damhoff moved into her place. Lydia Mueller, our office support specialist, moved to the college office in December 2022. We finally were able to hire her replacement, Chris Newquist, in August 2023.

On the student side, Jill Belluomini (B.S., 2021) was named NIU Lincoln Laureate (the best NIU undergraduate senior). She is the second Lincoln Laureate from the department after Rebecca Rasmussen received this recognition in 2016. After graduation, Belluomini briefly worked for AbbVie but now she is a doctoral student at the University of Chicago.

I hope you enjoy reading about all that is going on in the department. I invite you to reach out if you are interested in working with our students and faculty and I look forward to meeting with alumni during my tenure as chair.

Sincerely,

Victor Ryzhov, Ph�D� Professor and Chair

Our undergraduate program remains one of the highlights of our department. During the past summer, thanks to the generous support of our alumni donors (Thomas Zydowsky, B.S., ‘75 and M.S. ‘78; and Ann Barrett-Swanson, B.S., ‘70), we pioneered a summer research program for five NIU chemistry or biochemistry majors. The inaugural summer researchers are pictured above. Through the generous gift of Thor Jondahl (B.S., ‘65, Ph.D., ‘72) we awarded the first graduate fellowship to Charles Lail. We also need to express our gratitude to many other alumni and friends of the department who generously donate their time, talent and money to help us move forward. Go Huskies!

The inaugural 2023 Zydowsky scholars (fron left to right) Ryn Berg, Emily Camposeo, Peter Gungel, Calvin Soldan and Alan Calderon

Mary J� Wirth (B.S., ‘74), W. Brooks Fortune Distinguished Professor Emerita at Purdue University, has been named the winner of the 2023 EAS Award for Outstanding Achievements in Separation Science. This award is presented in recognition of significant individual contributions in the advancement of separation science by superior work in developing theory, techniques or instrumentation. She says that her research interests were shaped during her undergraduate studies at NIU, where she became fascinated by separation science while taking a graduate course from Joseph Pesek .

Robert M� Sobel (B.S., ‘98, Ph.D., ‘04; advisor D. Ballantine) is now vice president for research and innovation at McCormick Flavor Solutions and FONA International. In addition to serving on the Dean’s Advisory Council, he was honored by the college with a 2022 CLAS Distinguished Alumni Award.

Michael Vazquez (B.S., ‘80) received the 2020 NIUAA’s Alumni Achievement in the Sciences Award. After four decades of working in some of the most wellknown and productive pharmaceutical labs in America, Vazquez has over 170 U.S. and divisional patents issued in his name.

As senior vice president, head of chemistry and a co-founder of Lynk Pharmaceuticals, the work he is doing has a direct impact on patients suffering from autoimmune diseases and cancer.

Vazquez has been a part of major pharmaceutical breakthroughs. While working for Searle and Pharmacia in the 1990s, after HIV was discovered as the cause of AIDS, Vazquez’s research led to the invention of the sulfonamide class of HIV-protease inhibitors. Portions of his work became the commercial anti-HIV products Agenerase, Lexiva and Prezista.

More recently, as an associate research fellow at Pfizer, Vazquez led a multidisciplinary project team and the medicinal chemistry efforts resulted

in the identification of two selective inhibitors for autoimmune indications, which have gone on to clinical trials. These clinical candidates are potentially useful for treating disorders like psoriasis, atopic dermatitis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Pauli Undesser’s (M.S., ‘02; advisor O. Hofstetter) unwavering dedication to scientific exploration led her into a rewarding career path within biotechnology before returning to the water quality segment. She presently serves as the chief executive officer of the Water Quality Association and Water Quality Research Foundation, and leverages her scientific background supporting the betterment of water quality with proven solutions.

Elliott Franco (Ph.D., ‘08; advisor O. Hofstetter) has been in the pharmaceutical industry for 18-plus years with several companies including Wyeth (now Pfizer), Nektar Therapeutics, and most recently Alcami. His roles included scientist, group leader and executive. He is currently responsible for RTP, NC lab operations and the expansion of capabilities supporting therapeutic proteins, nucleic acids and advanced modalities such as cell and gene therapies.

Sean Fanning (Ph.D., ‘12; advisor J. Horn) began his independent research career (2020) in the Department of Cancer Biology at Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. Fanning was recently awarded the 2023 Junior Scientist of the Year Award.

Heather Barkholtz (Ph.D., ‘16; advisor T. Xu) is now a tenure-track assistant professor at University of Wisconsin-Madison. The Heather Barkholtz Toxicology Laboratory focuses on detecting drugs of abuse in biological matrices and understanding their pharmacology in humans.

Kiran Kumar Solingapuram Sai (Ph.D. ‘09, advisor D. Klumpp) is an associate professor at Wake Forest University School of Medicine. This year Sai was named distinguished research investigator.

Christopher Stewart (B.S. ‘17, M.S., ‘19; advisor T. Hagen) began working at AbbVie in 2019 and was recently promoted to Scientist I. He is also working on his Master of Science degree in pharmaceutical sciences at the University of Wisconsin-Madison while working at AbbVie.

Linda Sapochak, ’88, Retires from NSF, Leaves Legacy of Science Mentorship

By Eva Richards

Linda Sapochak, ‘88, retired from the National Science Foundation in February 2023.

When Linda Sapochak, ’88, was packing up her office after 14 years at the National Science Foundation in February, after retiring from a decades-long research and teaching career, she could not deny how far she had come.

Growing up in Cleveland and the northwest Chicago suburbs, Sapochak poured over the pages of the Sears, Roebuck & Co. catalog looking for something exciting. While she usually asked for the chemistry lab set for Christmas, she was disappointed to get Barbie dolls and miniature cookware instead.

“As early as seventh grade, I just knew I liked science,” she said. “I loved nature and the woods. I spent many hours just looking at plants, watching tadpoles and climbing trees. In school, I was interested in science early on. I won first place for my seventh-grade science project on crystallization.”

Still, even though some limited Sapochak to roles they deemed appropriate for girls, she never let gender stereotyping stop her from dreaming big.

“In high school I took three years of chemistry coursework — the last one as a single pupil in an AP class,” she said. “While I liked physics and math, I was not good with numbers. My high school chemistry teacher was female and encouraged me to follow a medical technician route in college. However, once I started college I decided to go fully into pre-med, but I found the chemistry coursework to be more interesting than biology and switched to a chemistry major.”

Sapochak knew she wanted to end up in a chemistry lab, but there were few role models to look up to in her immediate community. However, her brothers’ and sisters’ shared interest in science and math bolstered her own.

“I grew up in a large family with three sisters and two

brothers. Neither my mom or dad went to college, but all my siblings did, and they all ended up in careers in STEM!” she said. “When I look back, I was quite disappointed that my high school chemistry teacher was not more encouraging, but my English and history teachers, who were both female, were encouraging and that was very helpful.”

After starting at Valparaiso University, Sapochak returned to the Chicago suburbs and enrolled at NIU to continue her studies closer to her family. The DeKalb campus proved to be a good fit for her interests and offered her most faithful mentors.

“At NIU, I was encouraged almost immediately to do undergraduate research with one of the chemistry professors, Professor Charley Spangler,” she said. “Charley has been retired from NIU for many years now, but became a huge supporter of my career, and I consider him my academic ‘father.’ His wife Brenda was a biochemist and, between the two of them, they became long-time mentors and friends.”

Sapochak’s research with Spangler resulted in publications in peer reviewed journals, participation in national and international chemistry conferences, and an undergraduate award for a presentation she gave about her research from the American Chemical Society.

“Charley was a strong advocate for women, and there were other female students that likely could tell a similar story about his encouragement and support at NIU,” she said.

In 1988, during Sapochak’s senior year, Spangler nominated her for an Outstanding Women Student Award at NIU. That award, paired with her elaborate research experience at NIU, helped her to get into graduate school at the University of Southern California after she earned her bachelor’s degree in chemistry. There, she was the first graduate student in her class to complete her Ph.D. in chemistry in 1992.

“Once again, Charley as my mentor helped me to meet so many people that I was hired as a postdoctoral fellow at Princeton University. There, I contributed to research leading to important patents and, along with others, received the Thomas Alva Edison Patent Award from the state of New Jersey in 1998!” Sapochak said, adding that her research led to the patents of multicolor organic light emitting devices.

The next three decades brought opportunities for scientific research experience in academia, industry and national laboratories, as well as 14 years of program management experience within the National Science Foundation (NSF). The NSF is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the nonmedical fields of science and engineering. As a proven leader in the materials chemistry field and a broad thinker with demonstrated ability to work across all scientific and engineering disciplines, Sapochak’s career speaks for itself.

Her most recent role as division director for materials research, which she held for seven years, allowed Sapochak to support her fellow scientists to the benefit of Americans.

“First and foremost, the National Science Foundation was created to promote the progress of science for the public good. That was extremely important to me,” she said. “As the division director for materials research, my job was not only to promote and support materials research but to also understand and appreciate the big picture about what materials the U.S. needs both the short-term and long-term, so that all science and engineering can flourish in the US. It was an honor to recruit, hire, lead and empower a wonderfully diverse set of men and women to help meet the mission of NSF. Our work had an impact both nationally and internationally and I am proud that I was able to be a part of it.”

She noted that the most fulfilling part of this job was being able to inspire and empower her staff to accomplish great things in the process of fulfilling the NSF mission.

“Just as others had done for me, I tried to bring out the best in my staff, but also in the scientists and engineers across the country that were applying for funding for their research,” she said. “So, mentoring people and helping them do great things was the most fulfilling aspect of the job.

“The most challenging part of the work is also about people. Leadership is hard, and you will have more failures than successes, but you just have to accept that and learn and improve. So, the most challenging part was not being too hard on myself when I failed.”

As Sapochak reflects on her career, she looks forward to “exploring her next life chapter,” but she also remembers NIU fondly and the many lessons she learned there that will stay with her.

“I remember I was in physics class the day the Space Challenger exploded in 1986. The physics professor took the time to talk about it with the class and encouraged us not to give up on science and that we need to keep on trying even when failures occur. I still remember that today,” she said. “The faculty in the sciences at NIU were so supportive, and the opportunities and people at NIU were so important in getting me started in my career.”

faculty/research highlights

Dennis N. Kevill (Distinguished Research Professor Emeritus, 1963-2003) currently serves as a volunteer within the department. With the publication of a review article in the Beilstein Journal of Organic Chemistry during 2022, with former M.S. and Ph.D. degree student Malcolm J. D’Souza (presently an administrator at the University of Delaware) as a co-author, Kevill has now gone 62 consecutive years (1961-2022) with at least one refereed publication of which he is the author or a co-author in each calendar year. In total, he authored or co-authored 233 research publications, five review articles and four book chapters. One recent publication by Professor Kevill and co-workers, dealing with the mechanism of solvolysis of chloroformate esters and published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences (IJMS), was indicated by IJMS to be the top downloaded paper from the journal during 2020, with 2778 downloads.

David S. Ballantine (Professor Emeritus, 1989 – 2020) was recently honored with a 2023 College of Liberal Arts and Sciences Distinguished Faculty Award. During his 30-year career, Ballantine, an analytical chemist, cemented his legacy as one of the all-time best teachers in the department. He also was a long-time director of undergraduate studies in the department as well as undergraduate laboratory coordinator. He was a past recipient of the Excellence in Undergraduate Education award. Recently, he came out of retirement to teach a graduate separations course. During the last years of his tenure at NIU (2014-2020) Ballantine served as the CLAS associate dean for Undergraduate Affairs.

in memoriam

Morley E. Russell (faculty from 1965 to 1995) passed away in November 2023 at the age of 94. Russell joined the chemistry faculty in 1965. Prior to that he was a member of the chemistry department at Michigan State University. His research was in the area of mass spectrometry. He studied decomposition pathways of ions formed from small organic molecules. When not teaching at NIU, Russell did research at Argonne National Laboratory for several summers. He also taught secondary teachers at Fermilab in Batavia. A person of many talents and interests, he became proficient in carpentry, plumbing, electrical wiring and tile setting while working on his home. He learned square dancing with his wife and participated in in track events in Senior Olympics. He managed his family farm in Illinois and served Westminster Church in various capacities. He loved classical music, live theater and dance, and enjoyed performances in Chicago and DeKalb. After his retirement in 1995, Russell stayed in DeKalb and was a frequent visitor of the department. He is survived by his wife Maureen, two children and four grandchildren. His obituary can be found here.

Professor Tao Xu

Professor Tao Xu was awarded the NIU Presidential Research, Artistry and Scholarship Professorship in 2019.

Xu’s research on nanomaterials is so well recognized nationally and internationally that he is one of the most coveted and invited speakers at renowned institutes and universities around the world. His continually evolving research in his field is frequently highlighted on cover pages and publications in his discipline, drawing international attention to his work at NIU.

Closer to home, he has put NIU on the map as the center of innovative research in the field of material science, attracting more than a million dollars in grant funds from prestigious organizations such as the National Science Foundation.

For his work, he’s earned countless awards, including the esteemed CAREER award from NSF, R&D 100 award and NIU’s Excellence in Innovation Award. Xu added another honor to the list – a prestigious Presidential Research, Artistry and Scholarship Professorship. Colleagues in his field say the honor is well deserved.

“Professor Xu has demonstrated striking intelligence and creativity, gigantic momentum and energetic ambition in pursuing forefront challenges in his field,” said Yi Liu, staff scientist and facility director at the Berkeley National Laboratory in California. “He is never satisfied with his current achievements and keeps pursuing more grand challenges in science. He has enormous potential to achieve a greater level of global impact in his field and to bring up the reputation of the university,” Liu said.

Xu also is helping to shepherd future brilliant minds at NIU.

With his guidance, all his Ph.D. graduates have gone on to prestigious postdoctoral positions in national

labs such as Argonne or Sandia, or to jobs in leading industrial corporations, such as Apple and Alcoa. He credits those students and many others he’s encountered since he began at NIU in 2006 as he receives this honor.

“This award is also a recognition to all the undergraduate and graduate students who have worked in my group and contributed to my research projects over the years; a reflection of the continuous support from my colleagues, collaborators, my department, college of CLAS and NIU; and an encouragement for me to pursue more challenging world-class research together with my students,” Xu said.

In 2023, Professor Xu was awarded the Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award, recognizing outstanding mentors of NIU graduate students. This speaks highly of his mentoring efforts. He leads his group by example, instilling a very hard-working culture and constant striving for excellence and improvement among his students. Many if not all his graduate students get a chance at some stage of their doctoral research to work at Argonne National Laboratory. This leads to exposure to state-of-the-art equipment and research projects that are on the very forefront of world science. This, in turn, leads to NIU graduate students being co-authors and even first authors on very high-profile publications. For example, Xun Li, a recent Ph.D. graduate from Xu’s lab, was the first author on a Nature paper. Li was also the recipient of an NIU 2020-2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Award�

The long list of Professor Xu’s and his students’ accomplishments is very impressive and can be found

From left to right: Xun Li, Andrei Mlakar, Professor Tao Xu, Erik Sarnello, Adeyinka Adegbenro, NIU President Lisa Freeman and John Wozny during CHEM 650 class�

Professor Evgueni Nesterov

Professor Evgueni Nesterov has been named a 2022 Northern Illinois University Presidential Research, Scholarship and Artistry Professor.

While Nesterov is a professor of chemistry and biochemistry, it wouldn’t be a stretch to liken his work to engineering. Like an engineer, his research group designs and builds things. But rather than large machines or structures, Nesterov works at the nanoscale, creating molecules from the bottom up, and uses them to make novel organic materials.

He is considered a leader and innovator in the field of organic electronic and optoelectronic materials — such materials can be used to make devices that can detect or produce visible and invisible light. His work could have far-reaching applications in diverse fields such as organic polymer semiconductors and light-emitting devices and displays, biomedical screening and cancer drug development, detection of industrial pollutants and warfare agents, and environmentally friendly manufacturing practices in the chemical industry.

“Our research group pursues a ‘bottom-up’ approach that starts from a thorough design of a molecule possessing a desired property, and then converting this molecule into a bulk material or device,” Nesterov said.

“The development of functional organic materials is a rapidly growing area of science, which promises to replace traditionally used materials with cheaper and better-performing materials — and often brings about new applications never considered before,” he added.

A native of Russia, Nesterov received his Ph.D. from Moscow State University, the country’s top academic institution. After conducting postdoctoral work in the United States, he served 14 years on the faculty of Louisiana State University, rising to the rank of full professor before coming to NIU in 2018.

As the author of highly cited peer-reviewed publications in top journals in his field, Nesterov regularly delivers research seminars at major academic institutions. Recently, he was invited to present at a Gordon Research Conference on Physical Organic Chemistry, and at a special award symposium at an American Chemical Society National Meeting.

He also has an outstanding record of continuously uninterrupted research funding from external agencies such as the U.S. Department of Energy, the National Institutes of Health and the National Science Foundation (NSF), which previously awarded him its prestigious CAREER award.

In four years since his arrival at NIU, Nesterov has attracted more than $1.7 million in external research funds and achieved the rare feat of holding multiple federal grants simultaneously. His latest NSF grant provides a critical upgrade to his department in the form of a state-of-the-art 500 MHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometer.

“Professor Nesterov has quickly established himself as one of the top researchers in our department, a valuable colleague, and a modern-day teacher and mentor whose productivity has moved the department’s research profile up several notches,” Chemistry and Biochemistry former chair Ralph Wheeler said.

Wheeler further notes his colleague’s contributions to teaching and committee work. Recently, Nesterov developed and taught industrial organic chemistry, a new graduate course at NIU, and he is the departmental representative to numerous college and university committees and councils.

For his part, Nesterov said he has no plans of slowing down, particularly when it comes to research and scholarship. “For me, this is probably the most exciting time in my career, when I see the seeds I had planted years ago growing into fruit-producing trees,” he said.

“This is also an exciting time for my talented graduate and undergraduate students and hardworking postdoctoral researchers who pursue truly multidisciplinary basic research with clear practical implications,” he added. “They receive an excellent training, making them ready for careers in science and industry.”

faculty/research highlights (continued)

Professor

Tim Hagen

2021 Distinguished Graduate Faculty Award

Recipient Tim Hagen.

Tim Hagen is a chemist whose research focuses on organic synthesis and medicinal chemistry. Before joining NIU, Professor Hagen worked in the pharmaceutical industry as a synthetic organic and medicinal chemist at Pfizer for more than 20 years. His research at NIU focuses on the design and synthesis of molecules with biological significance. In particular, the synthesis of molecules that can modulate essential pathways of infectious disease organisms, leading to future drugs. He has mentored numerous graduate and undergraduate students and published over 60 peer-reviewed journal articles and book chapters. He is a co-inventor on 119 patents. He received his bachelor’s degree from Illinois State University, a Ph.D. degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, and performed postdoctoral research for the pharmaceutical company, Searle.

If we had to name Professor Hagen’s one most important contribution to the department, we would immediately choose his meticulous mentoring approach. He has been a great mentor to several graduate and undergraduate researchers, and all of them went on to productive careers in chemistry of their own.

Hagen is the only current chemistry and biochemistry faculty with a prior industrial experience. As a longtime pharmaceutical chemist, he brings a unique perspective to the students, as he knows exactly what makes a successful industry scientist down the road, what qualities one needs to develop to get hired and what kind of jobs one can do with a bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees. Professor Hagen’s group exemplifies some of the core approaches in the pharmaceutical industry: teamwork, clear and frequent communication, regular progress reports and discussions, extensive collaborations and ownership of one’s projects.

His mentoring does not stop with the graduate students. His lab has always been a magnet for undergraduate researchers. It is one of the largest groups at the department. Hagen is actively recruiting talented freshmen and sophomores, including multiple NIU Research Rookies. One of them, Zohra Sattar, has recently started her graduate studies at Northwestern University. Many others went on to top graduate programs in the country. In fact, so high is Hagen’s reputation for impeccable mentoring that when our former chair, Professor Wheeler, needed a co-PI for his NSF S-STEM proposal on mentoring disadvantaged undergraduate science majors, he picked Hagen. The proposal was funded for an amount exceeding $1 million.

His impact in the department goes well beyond impacting his students. Professor Jim Horn, who actively collaborates with Hagen’s lab, notes the impact he has had on his own mentoring and lab leadership skills: “Like many professors, I have often proudly felt that I know what I am doing running my lab. However, my research collaboration with Professor Hagen over the last 12 years has not only expanded my lab’s research directions but has provided a unique view on how another PI interacts with their mentees. I have witnessed almost all his 20-plus past/current graduate students, which includes daily interactions with Professor Hagen, joint lab meetings and joint graduate student mentorship. Observing Tim’s exemplary and methodic leadership has helped me develop new mentorship strategies. Whether finding new ways to help students network, to helping students take a welltimed, critical career step, to helping students organize a multiyear plan for their dissertation, Tim has provided effective strategies for me to emulate. I am grateful for the opportunity I have had to work with him.”

Professor Hagen with Chris Stuart (M� S�, ‘19), winner of 2019 NIU Outstanding Graduate Student award�

Professor Elizabeth Gaillard — Molecular Analysis Core Laboratory

Distinguished Research Professor Elizabeth Gaillard has directed the NIU Molecular Analysis Core Laboratory since it was founded in 2019. She is working to advance understanding of eye diseases, particularly age-related macular degeneration, which is the leading cause of blindness in older adults. Her team uses a wide variety of experimental methods to study the mechanisms involved in photooxidative damage to the retina, including optical spectroscopy and mass spectrometry.

The MAC facility is the major core facility at NIU with shared instrumentation for research use. It is a laboratory space that houses state-of-the-art scientific instruments, primarily mass spectrometry and optical spectroscopy, and is a partnership between Shimadzu Scientific Instruments (SSI) and NIU. SSI partners with selected universities through its SPARQ program (Shimadzu Partnerships for Academic, Research and Quality of Life) and there are currently about 15 SPARQ labs across the country. After several years of negotiating, NIU joined the SPARQ family of labs.

The instruments available at NIU are:

• Shimadzu LCMS-8045 Triple Quadrupole Liquid Chromatograph Mass Spectrometer (LC-MS/MS).

• Bruker Maxis Plus Quadrupole Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer (QTOF).

• Shimadzu Axima Performance MALDI Time-ofFlight Mass Spectrometer with CovalX High Mass Detector.

• Shimadzu Inductively Coupled PCLASma Mass Spectrometer (ICPMS).

• Shimadzu UV-2600 UV-VIS-NIR Spectrophotometer.

• Shimadzu RF-6000 Spectrofluorometer.

• Shimadzu IRAffinity-1S FTIR Spectrophotometer.

• Shimadzu Prominence-I LC-2030C 3D HPLC with FRC-40 Automated Fraction Collector.

• Shimadzu AA-6200 Atomic Absorption Spectrophotometer.

• Shimadzu DSC-60 Plus Differential Scanning Calorimeter (DSC).

• Shimadzu XRF 1800 Sequential X-ray Fluorescence Spectrometer (XRF).

• Shimadzu TQ8050 NX Gas Chromatography Triple Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer (GC-MS/MS).

There are currently over 50 registered users (internal NIU, external academic and external industry) and more than 20 peer reviewed publications that acknowledge the lab. In addition to research/facility users, the instrumentation is heavily used in our department’s upper undergraduate lab curriculum. Visit the website at go�niu�edu/NIU-MAC.

After earning research grants totaling more than $880,000 over the past two years, Professor Tao Li this fall has received three new federal awards for his scientific studies, this time totaling $1.85 million. All the new projects will incorporate student researchers.

Earlier this month, it was announced that Li will be a member of a new center at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory that is making a major research push toward the decarbonization of steelmaking. As a center researcher, Li will receive $850,000 in DOE funding for a four-year study on the solvation behavior of iron electrolytes. He will hire one postdoctoral student and one Ph.D. student to assist with the study.

Li also has five concurrent National Science Foundation research projects underway at NIU, including two that are newly funded this fall. He is leading a research team working to create an optimum electrolyte solution for advanced rechargeable batteries. The team includes researchers from the University of Michigan and the University of Illinois at Chicago. Under its Designing Materials to Revolutionize and Engineer our Future (DMREF) program, NSF is awarding $1.9 million for work on the battery project over four years, with $760,000 going to NIU.

“Rechargeable batteries have become one of the most popular energy storage devices for electric vehicles, electronics and grid energy storage,” Li says. “But developing novel electrolytes for the next generation of rechargeable batteries requires more understanding of transport properties, microstructures and the impact of microstructure on transport property.”

NSF recently announced a $72.5 million investment in its DMREF program, with research teams working to create novel materials to address grand societal challenges and develop the scientific and engineering workforce of tomorrow. DMREF is NSF’s primary response to the federal Materials Genome Initiative.

Its mission is to discover, develop and deploy new materials twice as fast and at a fraction of the cost of traditional research methods. Li’s project is one of 37 projects to be funded through the program, and he is the only researcher from a Carnegie Classified R2 research university to lead one of the teams. The others are being led by large, R1 research institutions.

“This was a very competitive grant program, and I’m excited about the research and about the opportunities it will provide to NIU students,” Li said, adding that the research will be conducted at NIU and the U.S. Department of Energy’s Argonne National Laboratory. He will employ a postdoctoral and a Ph.D. student to work on the project, as well as undergraduate interns who will be part of NIU’s summer Research Experiences for Undergraduates program. The students will learn skills related to the characterization of materials and machine learning.

On another research topic, NSF will provide Li with $240,000 to help investigate the creation of nextgeneration microchips or semiconductors for electronic devices. He serves as a principal investigator on the multiyear project, led by the University of Cincinnati. It is supported by the NSF Future of Semiconductors (FuSe) program through a public-private partnership. The outcome of this project is expected to be information on how to manufacture a highly efficient spintronic device. Spintronics technology is an emerging field that uses the spin of an electron along with its charge to reduce power consumption and to increase memory and processing capabilities.

Li said one NIU graduate student will be involved in the project, but the researchers additionally will work to create a blueprint for the launch of a micro-credential in technology communication. The team will also conduct outreach to undergraduate and K-12 audiences to raise awareness of jobs in the semiconductor industry.

He was recognized last year with an Emerging Researcher Award from the American Chemical Society and selected to be in the class of 2022 Illinois Science & Technology Coalition Researchers to Know in the field of energy technology.

For more information on Professor Li’s research and awards, visit his group website Tao Li Highlights.

Professor Tao Li

scholarships for stem students

As a first-generation college student, Professor Ralph Wheeler is intimately familiar with the obstacles that low-income students face when pursuing higher education. When Professor Wheeler saw an opportunity to help low-income, highachieving students pursue their dreams in STEM, he acted. With determination and a vision, Professor Wheeler recruited experts in the field to craft a winning application for the National Science Foundation’s $1 million S-STEM program. His actions are a reminder that we all have the power to make a positive impact and turn our aspirations into reality. Their project, “BELONG in STEM Scholars,” provided these students with not only financial aid but also the tools to thrive, including peer support, community building, mentorship, professional development activities, internships and research opportunities. Over the years, 52 students, 37 of whom have graduated, have benefited from this program, transforming their lives and inspiring others with their stories of perseverance and achievement.

LaToya’s journey to NIU from the South Side of Chicago was not an easy one. She doubted her place on a college campus. However, after two years in the BELONG in STEM program, she acknowledged her strength and found her confidence to say “Now I know I’m as good as anyone here. I know I can get my degree and I’m going to grad school.” Today, she is a role model to many and an inspiration to all those who aspire to achieve their dreams.

Jesús is another true inspiration. He was a double-major paying the costs of college and supporting his parents and two siblings after his parents lost their jobs during the pandemic. Thanks to the S-STEM scholarship, he is now pursuing his dreams in graduate school and planning to make a difference in the STEM field.

Zach has overcome many obstacles to pursue his education as a nontraditional student with mobility issues. Led by his life experiences, Zach found a place within the BELONG in STEM program to establish a supportive community of nontraditional students. Together, they serve as mentors for younger colleagues and inspire each other to reach their full potential.

Jill’s journey as a biochemistry major was challenging, but her perseverance paid off when she was named NIU’s Lincoln Laureate in 2020. Despite facing major obstacles, she continued to excel and went on to pursue graduate studies at the University of Chicago. Along the way, she also took a gap year to work at AbbVie in Chicago, proving through hard work, determination, inclusive mentorship and the S-STEM scholarship that she, too, belongs in STEM.

Fulfilling the dreams of these incredible 50-plus students has been an immensely rewarding experience. As we approach the conclusion of the BELONG in STEM program by the end of 2024, we are preparing a renewal application to seek continued funding from the NSF. We urge you to join us in providing internships and research support to change the lives of these exceptional students and many others. Your support can make a significant difference in shaping the future of STEM. Let’s make it happen together!

For more information, contact Professor Wheeler at rwheeler5@niu�edu�

BELONG in STEM Scholars tour a chemistry lab at AbbVie�

The NIU Chem Club strives to inspire the university students and community about science and show the fun side of chemistry. This year we saw the highest number of active members in a while. Almost all of them volunteered at STEMFest 2023.

A packed Chem Club table at STEMFest! Several thousand community STEAM enthusiasts attended from families, including many K-8 students. The Chem Club put on several table demonstrations and a stage demonstration.

Here, roughly an hour after opening, as the NIU Duke Ellington Ballroom started bustling, the Chem Club table was meeting the need to spark some inspiration in science for visiting families.

The culmination of the STEMFest was the NIU Chem Club stage demo that featured five chemistry experiments on the stage and interactive trivia for the younger audience with T-shirts given out as prizes.

Additionally, the Chem Club performed its annual Chem Demo night for the community in April 2023 in Faraday Hall. This year’s theme was “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” Themed experiments tied to the TV show story were staged for the enthusiastic crowd.

2023 Post-election celebration with incoming and outgoing officers.

Back row L-R: Julia Hoffman (outgoing president), Pete Gungel (incoming president, outgoing event coordinator), Calvin Soldan (incoming event coordinator), Dominic Teoli (incoming event coordinator).

Front row L-R: Chris English (incoming vice president), Mia Zavala (incoming secretary), Jordan Rihel (incoming promotion manager), MJ Harr (incoming treasurer), Tatiyana Ostiguin (outgoing event coordinator), Jai-Lynn Carter (outgoing secretary). Not pictured is Professor Lee Sunderlin (incoming faculty advisor) and Professor Oliver Hofstetter (outgoing faculty advisor).

The classic Ping Pong Bomb at the Chem Club’s Stage Demo at STEMFest 2023 captured by a GoPro on the Stage�

spring 2023 awards

ACS Introductory Chemistry Award

Andres Hernandez

Ala’a Lawawani

Baraa Thanoon

Dai Zheng

Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award Honorable Mention

Mohamed Ahmed

Leslie Gallegos

Christiana Guthrie

Jonathan Hulstedt

Parker McClure

Isabella Righi

Freshman Chemistry Achievement Award

Vrinda Brahmbhatt

Outstanding Sophomore Award

Joseph Ott

Outstanding Junior Award

Konur Kivisto

Undergraduate ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry

Jacob Bojan

Undergraduate ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry

Anthony Castaldo

Undergraduate ACS Award in Organic Chemistry

Tatiyana Ostiguin

Undergraduate Award in Biochemistry

Anthony Castaldo

Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scholarship Fund

Courtney Coleman

American Institute of Chemists Award

Thuwebat Adebayo

Outstanding Senior Award

Emmett Rogman

Chemistry Alumni Undergraduate Endowed Scholarship

Emily Camposeo

Rock River ACS Undergraduate Research Award

Thuwebat Adebayo

NIU Chemistry Club Undergraduate Research Award

Julia Hoffman

John and Lili La Tourette Student Research Award

Rena Gonzalez

Zydowsky Research Fund

Ryan Berg

Thuwebat Adebayo

Emily Camposeo

Peter Gungel

Calvin Soldan

Rosalie Reynolds Endowed Memorial Scholarship

Abby Rivas

Professor Nesterova and Alexander Minasyan

spring 2023 awards (continued)

Dean’s Award

Julia Hoffman

Edwin Hyland Endowed Memorial Scholarship

Calvin Soldan

NIU Chemistry Club

Endowed Edwards-Hyland Award

Jordan Rihel

Jon Carnahan Chemistry Scholarship

Alexander Minasyan

Kevin Cull Memorial

Endowed Teaching Award

Zane LaCasse

Tosha Laughlin

John D� Graham Endowed Scholarship

Xinyi Liu

2023-24 Dissertation

Completion Fellowship

Lingzhe Fang

2022-23 Outstanding

Graduate Student Award

Michael Heene

Jacob Hood

Tatiyana Ostiguin, Thuwebat Adebayo, Julia Hoffman, Lucas Hill, Abby Rivas, Professor Lee Sunderlin�

Fall 2019 Undergraduates

Jasmine Aguiniga; Jose Flores; Ziyi Liang; Alexander Miller; Aubrey Molln; Christopher Potocki; Tyler Rogman; Jodie Savage; Yareli Tenorio; Patrick Vanderjack

Spring 2020 Undergraduates

Allison Berg; Da’Janae Cary; Kaixuan Dong; Meredith Galloway; David Gonzales; Alex Hoover; Sladjana Jovkovic; James Koslowski; Katie Lamberty; Richard Miller; Eunice Oladesu; Nikko Sideris; Karina Villarreal; Racquel Vonch

Summer 2020 Undergraduates

Emily Fiala; Larisa Latorre; Musab Nassir; Yannick Tshikaya

Fall 2020 Undergraduates

Amanda Alhambra; Te’Kara Allen; Kristopher Cordova; Michael Heene; Emanuel Highley Jr.; Douglas Mertzenich; Zachary Waller

Spring 2021 Undergraduates

Nicholas Bollis; Seth Coleman; Calvin Dassow; Zachary Del Mundo; Samantha Guadarrama; Chloe Gutierrez; Emily Guzman; Alexander Hawkins; Jacob Herring; Caden Hines; Eduardo Huerta; Brant Kidd; Hayley Killough; Hunter Lockwood; Nicolas Martinez; Thomas McLaughlin; Cole Miller; Alyssa Mohr;

Greeva Patel; Yaretzi Saldana; Kimberly Sims; Rebecca Stelzer; Asia Walker; Aspen Wheeler; Ulises Zamora; Kylie Zawisza; Clayton Zelenik

Summer 2021 Undergraduates

Jill Belluomini

Fall 2021 Undergraduates

Mahyan Khalili; Joe Mathews; Taylor McGillis; Brianna Rennels; Markus Smith

Spring 2022 Undergraduates

Kevin Beck; Renee Chanthalangsy; Sam Charif; Nicholas Cirone; Brigid Conroy; Theresa Dolasinski; Anne Gonzales; Grant Holmin; Frederick Hurt; Peter Johnson; Theodore Kim; Anastasia Klenke; Julia Lentz; Aaren Manz; Jianne Martinez; Arvind Mohanan; Devanshi Patel; Merlin Peacey; Toni Pintozzi; Joshua Richter; Cameron Smith; Caitlin Grace Villaros; Jade Wennlund; Xuechao Zhang

Summer 2022 Undergraduates

Vincent Anemone

Fall 2022 Undergraduates

Linh Nguyen; Caroline Rosenquist; Brenda Storms; Divyaprasanna Udumula

Spring 2023 Undergraduates

Thuwebat Adebayo; Alexander Buzenski; Anthony Castaldo; Ethan DeMeuse; Lucas Hill; Julia Hoffman; Andalwisye Horton; Santiago Olaya-Nino; Tatiyana Ostiguin; Abby Rivas; Emmett Rogman; Halee Tyszka; Michelle Warren

Fall 2019 Graduates

Michael Stentzel, Ph.D.; John Wozny, M.S.

Spring 2020 Graduates

Nourhan Mostafa, M.S.; Dominic Rebollar, Ph.D.; Haiping Xu, Ph.D.

Tosha Laughlin, Ph�D�, spring 2023 with advisor, Professor Jim Horn

graduation classes (continued)

Summer 2020 Graduates

Sura Ginting, Ph.D.

Fall 2020 Graduates

Hyeyoung Eom, Ph.D.; Crystal Ferels, Ph.D.;

Obianuju Nwokolo, M.S.

Spring 2021 Graduates

Sarat Alabidun, M.S.; Andrew Balgeman, M.S.

Summer 2021 Graduates

Dakota Grote, Ph.D.; Nathan Scanlon, M.S.

Fall 2021 Graduates

Alejandra Macias, M.S.

Spring 2022 Graduates

Xun Li, Ph.D.; Andrei Mlakar, Ph.D.;

Kevin Parker, Ph.D.; Erik Sarnello, Ph.D.

Fall 2022 Graduates

Myar Mohamed, M.S.; Mark Taylor, M.S.

Spring 2023 Graduates

Taiwo Esan, Ph.D.; Siyuan Gao, Ph.D.;

Michael Heene, M.S.; Jacob Hood, Ph.D.;

Tosha Laughlin, Ph.D.; Alexander Pixler, Ph.D.

Summer 2023 Graduates

Kiruthika Arulmoly, M.S.; Prajkta Chivte, Ph.D.;

Olusola Dahunsi, Ph.D.; Emily Dalbey, Ph.D.;

Chaitanya Kondam, Ph.D.; Ishpriya Sharma, Ph.D.

invest in tomorrow ’s scientific leaders

By giving to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, you are investing in future scientists, medical researchers and professionals who will help drive scientific discovery and address our world’s most pressing needs.

There's a method to fit just about any budget, including annual giving, planned giving and endowments. For more information, please contact senior director of advancement Laura Knight at 815-753-2390 or laura �knight@niu�edu

There are several ways to make a gift to the department.

ONLINE:

Make a credit card gift online at foundation�myniu�com/give (designating your gift to the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry).

You can select from funds such as:

• General contribution in area of greatest need.

• Jon Carnahan Chemistry Scholarship.

• Chemistry Alumni Undergraduate Scholarship (CAUS).

• Chemistry Club Edwards-Hyland Award.

• Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry Scholarship Fund.

• John D. Graham Memorial Scholarship Fund.

• Kevin Cull Memorial Scholarship Fund.

• Rosalie Reynolds Memorial Teaching Scholarship.

• Van Acker-Duminy-Kovarik Scholarship Fund.

PHONE:

1-877-GIV-2-NIU

MAIL:

One-time credit card payments or check gifts may be made using the gift form foundation�myniu�com/images (the form will automatically download).

thank

you to our donors

We are proud to acknowledge gifts from the following alumni and friends during the 2019-2023 calendar years� Organizations and companies are listed below in italics�

MICHAEL FARADAY SOCIETY ($1,000 AND ABOVE)

Charles (B.S., ’68) and Ann Achilles; Steven W. Anderson (Ph.D., ’85); Robert M. Arduini (B.S., ’85); David K. Swanson and Anne (B.S. ’70) Barrett Swanson; Patricia L. Carnahan; Donald (B.S., ‘69) and Gladys (B.S., ’67; M.S., ‘81) Charleston; Michael (B.S., ’73) and Norma Cornell; Michele Zavos and Ellen Cull; Lidia B. Vitello and James E. Erman; Michael J. Fuller (B.S., ’99); Ronald P. Hennis (M.S., ’69; Ph.D., ’72); Elizabeth G. Hennis; Irma C. Hernandez (M.S., ’90); Michael (B.S., ’75) and Mary Holland; Thor (B.S., ’65; Ph.D., ’72) and Darlene Jondahl; Dennis N. Kevill; Randall (B.S. ’87) and Sharon Kobat; Stanley K. Lott (B.S., ’63; M.S., ’67); William (B.S., ‘77; M.S., ’78) and Arlene Mickols; Adriana Mickols; Dolores A. Minkema (B.S.Ed., ’51); Gale (B.S., ’72) and Kris (B.S., ’73) Moline; Naw May Pearl Cartee (Ph.D., ‘07) and Gregory Cartee; Carol E. Rolf (M.S.Ed., ’75); Lilia (B.S., ’04; M.S., ’06) and Alex Rousseva; Andrejs V. Strauss (B.S.,’68); Harold J. Vickery (B.S., ’73); Mary J. Wirth (B.S., ’74) and Dennis H. Evans; Thomas M. Zydowsky (B.S., ’75; M.S., ’78).

American Online Giving Foundation; Chevron Corporation; Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund; Graco Foundation; Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc.; Strauss Properties LLC; Takeda California.

MARIE CURIE CIRCLE

($250-$999)

Thomas (B.S., ’90) and Kimberly Anderson; Michael (B.S., ’79; M.S.Ed., ’82) and Esther (B.S., ’79) Bachrodt; David S. Ballantine and Diane R. DeMers; Michael Bennett; Ryan L. Dalen (B.S., ’04; M.S., ‘11) and Rebecca J. Bennick (B.S., ’04, ’05); David Beno (B.S., ’72); Patrick J. Camodeca (B.S., ’83); Brad (Ph.D., ’81) and Nancy Chazotte; Charles (B.S., ’71; Ph.D., ’75) and Barbara (B.S.Ed., ’70; M.A., ’76) Degenhardt; Willard T. Engelskirchen (B.S., ’64) and Anne L. Pilert; Gerald, Jr. (B.S., ’69; M.S. ‘74) and Daphne Fenske; Ilisa Lee; Mark (B.S., ’70) and Charlene (B.S., ’70) Longino; Cheryl Maness (B.S.Ed., ’74; M.S.Ed., ’99); Richard (B.S. ’57; M.S. ’63) and Phyllis McKeever; Maijaliisa Mickols, Heather E. Price (B.S., ’89); Robert (B.S., ’61) and Nancy Rathmann; Robert (B.S., ’81) and Sue (B.S., ’81) Ross; Michelle (B.S., ’89; M.S., ’92) and David Sachtleben; Edward Safford (B.S., ’58); Robert, Jr. (B.S., ’69) and Linda (B.S. ’70) Singer; Eliot M. Slovin (B.S., ’72) and Lynn Milstone; Richard V. Snyder (B.S., ’68); Paul (B.S., ’05) and Virginia Weber; Mary C. Whitten (Ph.D., ’99); Michael and Donna Zang.

AbbVie Foundation; Bank of America Charitable Gift Fund; Ecolab Foundation; Pfizer Inc.

thank you to our donors (continued)

MENDELEEV GROUP

($100-$249)

Michael (M.A., ’71; M.F.A., ‘72) and Elaine Bennett; Jeffrey (M.S., ’98) and Angela Carver; Robert (B.S., ’72) and Jackie Drzymala; John (B.S., ’87) and Vicky Graham; John R. Grawe (B.S., ’67); Timothy J. Gulotta; Warren E. Jenks (M.S.Ed., ’49); Doris Jenks (B.S.Ed., ’51); Robert V. Kennedy, Jr. (B.S., ’67) and Marilyn Slovak; Margaret (M.S., ’69; B.S., ‘85) and Eugene Kuhajek; Ronald J. (M.S.Ed., ’69) and Antoinette Mack; David A. McGregor (B.S., ’87); Nancy (B.S.Ed., ’90; M.S.Ed, ’98) and Vince Miosi; Patrick and Rebecca Moran; Sandeep Nair (B.S., ‘08); Lawrence (B.S., ’61) and Gracie (B.S.Ed., ’86) Osborne; Thomas (B.S., ’74) and Linda Paulus; Jordan L. Ramsdell (B.S., ‘12); Gary J. Sale; Georgia Schmidt; Paul J. Schmidt (B.S., ’74; M.S., ’78); Sharon M. Schneider (B.S., ’97); Paul (M.S., ’68) and Deanna Skoug; Laura L. Unger (B.S., ’76); Carl and Paula Von Ende; Ralph A. Wheeler and Bao Linh T. Nguyen; James T. Williams, Jr.; Jerre (B.S., ’70) and Robin Yeager; Kai and Kelsey Yoo; Daniel M. Zaura (B.S., ‘72); Mervin J. Zeigler Jr. (B.S., ‘60); Sandra Zeigler.

Abbott Fund; BP Foundation Inc.; Microsoft Corporation; Warren Jenks and Doris Jenks Trust.

KEKULÉ RING

($50-$99)

John P. Becker (B.S. ’14); Anna Bennett; Leslie R. Carnahan (B.G.S, ’05) and Mircea Granescu; Frederick (B.S., ’71; M.S., ’76) and Vera (B.S.Ed., ‘74) Clayton; Christopher W. Connell (C.S., ’03); Ray Earl-Jackson; Cathy Ferguson; Robert (B.S., ’63) and Susan (B.S.Ed., ’63) Hamilton; Jerome and Deborah Mascitti; Ronald and Diane Moran; Jeffrey and Tina Moran; Timothy (B.S., ’69; M.S., ‘70) and Dianna Raczniak; Melissa T. Tam (B.S., ‘14).

LAVOISIER ASSOCIATES

($49 AND UNDER)

Abhiram Bapat (M.S., ’98); Yahan Chen; Kyleigh A. Exner; Pamela J. Farris; Robert (B.S., ’73) and Lois Garcia; Doris Kaiser Cordes (B.S., ’56); Andrew J. Small; Hui Tsou; Christopher (M.S., ’86; M.S., ’87; Ph.D., ’91) and Karun Wozny.

We make every effort to acknowledge the generosity of our alumni and friends. We regret any errors and omissions. If any are identified, please contact Laura Knight, senior director of advancement, at laura.knight@niu.edu or at 815-753-2390. If for any reason you wish to remain anonymous, please tell us on your contribution form.

niu�edu/chembio

facebook�com/niuchembio

linkedin�com/groups/12939283/

The Alumni and Friends of NIU’s Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry LinkedIn group is for alumni, friends and current students to come together and share professional insights and opportunities. We hope the group will help us keep connected to our alumni and friends, along with inspiring and educating our current students.

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