College of Liberal Arts Chemistry Faculty & Staff

Dr. Kevin Bucholtz, assistant professor of chemistry, had Omar Khatib, a recent graduate, present a research talk entitled “Development of an Efficient Route to a Wide Variety of Highly Functionalized Aromatics for Use in Chemical Biology” at the annual Georgia Academy of Sciences meeting in Lawrenceville, Ga. In June, Bucholtz also attended the Association of New American Colleges (ANAC) 2006 Summer Institute entitled “Growing Together: Institutions and Their Next Generation of ANAC Member Faculty and Professional Staff.” The conference was hosted by North Central College, Naperville, Ill. Bucholtz and undergraduate John Dortch attended the Herty Medalist Undergraduate Research Symposium at Morehouse College, Atlanta, Sept. 15. The symposium was hosted by the American Chemical Society-Georgia Local Section as part of a mission to promote undergraduate research. Dortch presented his research poster entitled “Rational, Structure-Based Design of Potential High-Affinity PPAR-delta Ligands Using a Simulated Docking Study.” Dortch’s poster was awarded the grand prize of a $500 travel award to a future American Chemical Society meeting. There were 23 posters at the symposium from undergraduates at universities and colleges throughout Georgia, including Georgia Institute of Technology, Georgia State University, Berry College and Georgia College and State University.

Dr. Robert J. Hargrove, professor of chemistry and environmental science, returned to Macon on July 15 after teaching on a voluntary basis at Cuttington University, Liberia, West Africa, March-July. Hargrove taught two sections of Organic Chemistry II and one of Environmental Chemistry. Hargrove found the living conditions in Liberia better than expected: good drinking water from a nearby well, reliable electricity for 15 hours each day and plenty of food in the local markets. The Liberian people, as a result of a 14-year civil conflict, were noticeably affected. Everyone has lost family and friends, hopes and dreams have been shattered, careers destroyed, students have been in and out of school for more than a decade, and laboratory facilities are in severe disrepair. However, through the generosity of Mercer’s colleagues in biology, students were able to use microscopes and visible spectrometers.

Dr. Bridget Trogden, assistant professor of chemistry, was accepted for membership into Iota Sigma Pi, the National Honor Society for Women in Chemistry. Membership is based upon excellence in achievement in the field of chemistry.