xt77m03xw873 https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dips/xt77m03xw873/data/mets.xml University of Kentucky. College of Arts and Sciences. Department of Chemistry 1990 newsletters  English University of Kentucky. Department of Chemistry Newsletters Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. University of Kentucky Department of Chemistry newsletters ChemNews, Summer 1990 text ChemNews, Summer 1990 1990 2019 true xt77m03xw873 section xt77m03xw873 ‘ 'E ——’w‘w—“
ii 7 ’ l '07 m ‘ "’ ,,..r.,., \‘ 'ri «' i“ “‘ ' z“ " "1:“ ~— ,, - ,V‘K‘x
/_ . \_ \ ,. ‘ x , . - - \ , \,\ ‘. (#77), \ \ , V, ./,. 1 \V"\
A / _ \1 f” .. \ 1 f “ \ l \ ‘ \ . i ( J
y z 1 , ‘ 11 q, ~ ‘ '1 w
_ , 2. . i s r ' . .

' 2 fi/ __, -l -l ' -\7,_,/i . JD} _i J _l J l Dunn j J ‘ ;/
ALUMNI NEWSLETTER PUBLISI'IED BY DEPARTMENT OF CI'IEMISTRY UNIVERSITY OF KENTUCKY Summer 1990
Franklin E. Tuttle conference room dedicated

The newly renovated conference room Tuttle. A former student of Dr. Tuttle and
of the Chemistry Department was friend of his daughter, Margaret Tuttle,
officially dedicated to the memory of Dr. Ms. Austin P. Lilly of Georgetown, KY
Franklin E. Tuttle on April 25, 1990. The was present with two friends, Ms. ].M.
room is now almost 30 years old and was Lilly and Ms. Ellen C. Allen.
beginning to show its age. Once the The room also holds a new lighted
drapes, carpet, ceiling tiles and furniture display case with photographs of Dr.
had been replaced, new lighting installed, Tuttle, a copy of his personnel record
and the walls repainted — the room, used (which shows an annual salary of $1,800 for
for seminars and special activities — was the first year of his appointment, 1906) and
- ready for a new generation of chemists. a menu and program for the dinner held in .
Col. Behrman, who left the department a 1934 when Dr. Tuttle became Emeritus
- generous bequest for graduate education, Professor. A cast metal plaque naming the
specified that the gift was made in honor room after Dr. Tuttle has been installed. .
Of Dr. TUtdC- Dr. Tuttle, who died in 1950 at the age
J. . ,. “ Egg: of 85, came to the University of Kentucky '
_ J ' . " . ' V ' I; as head of the department in 1906 and held "
“few.” }*.";i~, *‘ i“; 7 , ”a that position for 28 years until his
ifi, a: i. 3', _} . ‘5? W M” a? retirement in 1934. He was educated at
r ’ i. ‘ g - w; 5:93 Amherst College (A.B.) and Gottingen

7 i ' i 1‘ 9 “my. University (PhHD).

‘\ 2. . ‘ i a? " 7 A brass plaque bearing Dr. Tuttle’s bust

’ w a ' 'fs‘: ‘ {f . I, and the words “Outstanding teacher,
W g staggers § .. - ...... inspiringdadvislpr, keen judge of men” was
‘X‘sl . 1%,“ E “W's“, . - resente to t e Universi and President

" §§®M r 1:? figfiw H“ 53 Wwéjfigm 11:4cVey in 1938 by an adntii’ring group of
i f ' .... 2f utmm, . alumni and friends. It was moved to the
5: aw present building when it opened in 1963
fig _ 5 “‘ «it “EM and adorns a wall near the main entrance.
I Q s “6%" “a sava~e h i. Mr. Glover Birk, iemarked that Dr.
Charles Tattle, Frances Turtle Weaver, grandchildren and David Watt, chairman of Chemistry Tuttle “has worked on the Chemistry of
Dept. dedicate the Tuttle C°"fe’m Room the lives and hearts and characters of his
“A generous portion of the credit (for students....His own character is the catalyst
‘ Dr. Behrman’s success) must go to the that reacted upon every one of us who
University of Kentucky and the know him.....The products of this
. Department of Chemistry...especially to chemistry are men and women. To me, it
my great teacher and friend, Dr. Tuttle, seems that the key word of his character is
for giving me the start that made that integrity — a self-evident, transparent
record possible.” Attending the dedication integrity crystallized with a true modesty
ceremony were Charles Tuttle of that inspires and demands confidence from
Columbus, OH and Frances Weaver of every one, whether a child or scientist or
Gainesville, FL, grandchildren of Dr. highly placed business executive.”
.1 r :‘ ‘/‘ .
l ‘, _
, .. ,.#M_~W__e .... _ _

 M
A Message From The Chairman
' At the end of my third year as accounts for the improved performance 1
Chairman, it has become more difficult for and attendance in our General Chemistry ‘
me to remember precisely which events courses. l
happened in the past year. So much has My overall impression is that the 1
happened that is positive that I hesitate to Department is doing very well in both the l
attempt to list the faculty and student research and teaching arenas. By any i
accomplishments. There are, to be certain, criteria that you may Choose —— numbers ,
several significant events that do stand out: of publications, extramural funding,
John Richard’s promotion to Associate invitations to present papers, numbers of
Professor and the hiring of Mark Meier, a MS. and Ph.D. degrees granted — the .
new Assistant Professor of Organic Department’s record is one of continued j
Chemistry are two particularly important improvement. .
events. Of particular pride to all of us is the
Our revisions in the graduate program, fact that we have continued to maintain a
due largely to the efforts of Jun O’Reilly, strong undergraduate teaching program
the Associate Chairman, and the Graduate while accomplishing these other goals. Our
Program Committee are also significant. success is due to the collective efforts of i
We have also been fortunate to receive a the faculty, our graduate and
$2 million dollar appropriation from the undergraduate students, and our staff. I
Legislature to begin the much needed thank all of them for their support and
renovation of the Chemistry-Physics help, and I certainly thank our alumni for
Building. We hope, once an architect is their continued generous support for our
commissioned, to develop a master plan programs. ;
. for renovation and new wing construction David S. Watt, Chairman
that will benefit both departments that ‘
. share this building and provide us with the l.
. needed laboratory research and teaching
space for another twenty years. The '
administration, as a separate project, is also
willing to renovate all the fume hoods in )
the building. _
We have also managed to secure
funding for an Undergraduate Research I
Program from the National Science
Foundation, thanks to the efforts of Jeff :
Appling. Our success in this area goes in ‘ ‘
part to the generosity of our alumni who,
in donating to the Endowment Fund,
permitted us to initiate a summer program
of this type several years ago. We feel that
the National Science Foundation’s positive
response to our application was due to the
success of this former program. .
Finally, we have, as a result of a ,
suggestion by Bob Kiser, the Director of
the General Chemistry Program, initiated
a $500 award to the best undergraduate
student in general chemistry. Two such
awards have already been given, and ‘
perhaps this incentive, coupled with other
innovative changes in the program,
—UK————————-—-—

 .

1 . ,7 . _MMMM. . .-MM... iiiMM . .. "777777;. .M'-M.. .. . , 7.7 7777 7V.r7777—7MM. . 7 -.:.:-.M.M-.. . .V . V v r—M.M. . - M . . .. . . V . 7777 —l
2/; /fl 7 {Wit 7 ‘ ' a .

l a//‘Tfl%’%;/% ‘ 23? 9/377 ”2/ W 7’. = i
.' ”/2722 0/2 .. 2i :" t .v / / fl”?!
. ’fl% ' ’ 7/7/ h ; W“ 1 ' ////%/9’

,i/7% 7/% 22/ f 9 t ' / a /////¢///2
fig // . ’ a. ' ”W 1 i r
. (l. to r. ) M. Benton Naff: Andrew Hamilton, William De Grado, Steven Zimmerman, Ronald Breslow
° 1 ° h ° d M 1 ular B' l
SlXteenth annua symPOSIum on C emlstl'y an 0 CC 10 Ogy
The tradition of excellence associated Pittsburgh (“Optical Fiber Biosensors”), R.
With the annual symposium series on Mark Wightrnan of Indiana University
Chemistry and Molecular Biology was (“Detection of Neurotransmitters with -
l) continued in April 1990 with a day-long Voltammetry”), and Lemuel Wingard of
3 symposium on molecular recognition. Four the UniverSity of Pittsburgh ("New .
‘ outstanding ChCITliStS. Ronald Breslow of Molecular Structures for Biosensors”). Dr. ‘
'3 Columbia UDiVCI'SitY, William DeGrado Leonidas Bachas headed the organiziang
of duPont, Andrew Hamilton of the committee.
, University of Pittsburgh, and Steven
. . . . v . .
Zimmerman of the Umver51ty of IllinOis Fmancml Report
. discussed their research on the mechanisms
by which biological macromolecules According to the PI'OVlSlOnS of the Anna
4 recognize their ligands. S. Naff Endowment Fund, which supports

“ The symposium series, known familiarly the Annual Symposmm on Chemistry and

( here as the Naff Symposium, was initiated Molecular BllOgY, a fmancxal report 15 to
in 1975 in memory of Anna S_ Naff “to be published periodically. The last report
stimulate thought on, understanding of, was printed in this newsletter 111 1986-
and insight into the chemical process in Symposium Date Chairman
living things” and for 16 years each 4/24/37 J.P. Selegue
symposmm has seemed better than the last. 3/38/88 C.P. Brock
Dr.hM. Benton Naff, who has tiilgtended 4/24/89 L. B a Chas

. eac symposmm, was present 5 year . 4/16/90 J.P. Richard
With friends, Jane and Fred Starks, and his T , S rt
. . u o

’ mece, Doris Landon. Eloplc T f , $3040

' This year’s symposium was organized tic/Twill rans er m

J by a committee headed by Dr. John eta oprotems ,
R' h d Structure and Function $4966

1C a" {S llRNAV‘al

i In April 1989 the topic of the Naff ; hma 1r

‘ Symposium was biosensors. The speakers B‘ at ogens $5951

.7 and their topics were Robert Kobos of £01562:er R _ _ 3 6467

l . .

. duPont (“Electrochemical Biosensors”), 0 e ar ecognition

1 Jerome Schultz of the University of Endowment Fund Reserve 4/30/90 $100,410

‘ .7.7..M .i V" TH Z..-M7.7.77. M- .7.---.7.7.__ -M- _-_7_77.7.M.7;7.-.77_7.7.7.7M- 7.7.7.7-..M- _..77.-_ M

L; i \.

 W
uL‘r‘ m of the order or 10 per cent. low. minute. as “SH-121*“ “‘“"””"‘""' WimL—iéfifitr:
Piuer likewise round in the case or their expexi- m ...“.::‘;.1’:.1'.‘.'.:‘.“‘..'::::§.‘.‘.".:"£ $1:L.m....au.m..
‘ mental determination on n-heptanc. m :3:':.:'.:an3§:":£ fiafi%fi€flfi
:11" m SHEAR?“ =‘=.;:—~:"*:~=~L“
' Danaruum‘ 0F Cnauxsnv y I I - m :‘fimtmflli‘i: :ZC'Z.:1‘.‘3211:LZ‘JZ‘L
, Snnvunn Umvuxsxrv chnvnn 0mm 14. um Dummy,» _,,,_,_., .. . ._.._ :m;_:’::n"::'fzfi r:'.‘..';'Z’.L":..".1‘;:u‘.‘.-“.‘-.=‘-2‘3x:1
I Snuvoan UNvaRsxrv.CAuroaNiA : 3:355:33-535 E:::: TIE: mimfifiu‘l'fl’fl": mun-w h...
’ —— ”T: 552.313 mumz‘mz‘mmfl r. E—T?'="-_"«.-« m r
1 The Identification of Alcohols in Aqueous 3.323131; "pi. 23-32:} £:%;fi::5im t»; “5 5 51,} E
Solution :—= - _... ~ . E».—:.-,-..._ —-..1.~.$1":L:~_:mfl£ :3 .6 ':§
_ mm...“ N.r.m.nmnm.mu nmu __:_:‘ WW3“ ~- 53'- ~ Emmtrrzxmx 1:3. ., ... .: ..
- r 57"" T:3.’.:.‘: .- ~ -— » — mud—WHWWWW f." u u If”. a i
‘ 1 The identification of an alcohol when it uppcurs . *_:~j: flmwgmfin sfihjrrgugzgz: 3
I in a ueous so u ion as rum 1:: Sn onifica ion a .* 2.2.. :'.::~_::::;; u-‘Ihyhfldtflvl-I-Ihhhs x. mummy—unnum- u... .
‘ . ml ecslm usuallytinvulvels its itsrolatio’ii by mimic; " ' ”T flfi£~i§ E‘Eiw i.
l - distillation, salting out, and drying. Hensluck? . ”mu.” [um-mu” i
l i was able to avoid this time-consuming procedure , ,.,_. LL. .. , _. l :fmmfimummmm.": ‘
j by the use of the Schotlcu—Baumann reaction of p- 1 _._ I mung-13mg;
i nitrobcnzoyl chloride at —l5°. 1 5 ._ :. '7 "1‘ :': - 77* umT—W‘wmun. 9
We have [ouud that the more sniisfuctnry 3,5- " ' "" "j ._ .. . .. . * m...u..—...m—.e...u ‘
dinitrobenzoalcs may be formed by slight modifi- ‘ , T_:. 1,. i. :, '_' 3 l 0 ‘ J;:."_7:“:.:5m:.5': .
cation at the Human procedure. 1'1“» process .... 7;... . i- ;E -’ : " " ' ' mfl"m"'m"$mmfl“- i
. involves adding alkali and sodium acetate In the . 3 I L_.;.~.-_..I __ L Lflm-‘tmtttfl:
a ucous solution or the alcohol fllld slmLin it at ‘ 2.12:: 32.2.... ._ .. i... umymmmhmk m4 |Cv
is: :7::::‘first“:"':;;':..".:‘."'"‘"-g ' h '- Maia» 33215.3“?
”mum".-. _./
o o o l
Regional undergraduate poster competition rewards students .
Evidence that chemistry is alive and Kiser of the University of Kentucky served
healthy could be seen on Saturday, April as judges for the event.
‘ 28, 1990 when undergraduate chemistry The day ended with dinner at the
majors from a wide region gathered in Faculty Club, presentation of the awards
1 Lexington to present their research in a by Dr. Robert Guthrie of the University
1 poster session sponsored by the Procter and of Kentucky, who organized the event,
; Gamble Company, the Lexington Section and an address by Dr. William N.
‘ of the American Chemical Society, the Lipscomb, Jr. titled “How Do Enzymes
College of Arts and Sciences and the Work?”.
Robert M. Boyer Memorial Fund of the The posters were displayed in the newly ‘
, Department of Chemistry at UK. This dedicated Tuttle Room, which was packed
year was the fifth year for the competition with participants and the many visitors ‘
in the department. who observed the posters and talked with j.
‘ ‘ These were extraordinarily dedicated the student presentors. ‘3
students. Many of them traveled long Among the posters was an unexpected .
distances (a group from Pittsburgh was on one, dated 1942 and bearing the title “The
the road for the better part of two days) Identification of Alcohols in Aqueous
, on a warm, spring weekend that lured Solution” by William N. Lipscomb and
1 many of their friends to less serious Robert H. Baker of the University of
1 activities. Twenty-two students from nine Kentucky.
colleges and universities were represented. Dr. Guthrie prepared the poster based
The judges were unanimous in their on Dr. Lipscomb’s first published paper \
award of the top prize of $200 to Jeffrey with Professor Baker from the Journal of ‘
Orr of Indiana University for his poster the American Chemical Society. During ‘
titled, “Mechanism of Protein Kinase the awards ceremony Dr. Guthrie pointed
C/ Membrane Interaction.” out the parallel between that starting point
They awarded two second prizes of in Dr. Lipscomb’s distinguished career and
$100 each to Kevin Enzweiler of the beginnings of the careers of the '
Northern Kentucky University and to students present.
Waleed Qaisi of the University of Winners in last year’s poster
- Kentucky. competitionwere: First Place: Benny
Three honorable mention awards of $50 Johnson, University of Kentucky, $200;
‘ each went to Alan Ladd and Michael Second Place: Allan Witkowski,
l Wilson of Indiana University, to Elizabeth Transylvania University, $100; Honorable
‘ Ferguson of the University of Kentucky, Mention ($50): Hannah Chow, Gina
1, and to James Staszewski of Indiana Calhoun, Ann Carter, Michael Huang,
, University. Greg Roberts and LS. Clore of the
l Dr. Steven McClanahan of the Procter University of Kentucky; Melissa Triplett,
. and Gamble Company, Dr. Alan Goren of University of Cincinnati; and Michael
Transylvania University and Dr. Robert McKinney, Eastern Kentucky University.
—WW

 w
New Faculty
Vahid Majidi, Mark Meier join department
, Vahid Majidi joined the department as biological organisms under the direction of
Assistant Professor in August, 1989. He Professor James A. Holcombe, he joined
received the BS. degree at Eastern the analytical division at UK.
: Michigan University in 1983 and was His research interests include the
‘2 awarded the Ph.D. at Wayne State analytical applications of laser—induced
‘ University in 1987 under the direction of breakdown, the application of time-of—
? Professor D.M. Coleman with a flight mass spectrometry for elemental
3' dissertation titled: “Interferometric/ analysis, and elemental analysis using
Schlieren/ Spectroscopic Observation of biological organisms for preconcentration
Species in High-Voltage Spark Discharges and speciation. Vahid and his wife, Jeanne,
3’ Based on Transient Magnetic Field have a two-year-old son named Alexander
1 Perturbations". (the Pretty Good).
At Wayne State he received the The strength of the analytical division is
Livingston Award for Excellence in now apparent in the roster of Leonidas
Teaching of Chemistry, the Rumble Bachas, Jim Holler, Rob Lodder, Jim
Fellowship, and the Boltz Award for O’Reilly and Vahid Majidi. The
Outstanding Research. After two years as department has enjoyed a year of Vahid’s
a postdoctoral research associate at the good humor, his excellence as a teacher
University of Texas at Austin doing and his expertise in research. The
research on trace metal speciation using department looks forward to many more.
‘ Mark Meier will join our faculty as an Mark is primarily a synthetic organic
Assistant Professor in the fall of 1990. chemist. At UK he plans to apply this -
‘ Mark grew up in Tacoma, WA and expertise initially to two specific areas. He
1: graduated from Dartmouth College. will prepare peptide segments that have
5 In 1988 he received the Ph.D. from the well—defined helical structures and ‘ ‘
' University of Oregon with a dissertation, examine the effects of that structure on
written under the direction of Professor certain chemical and biological processes.
Bruce Branchaud, titled “The He is also interested in stereoselective
Development of Cobaloxime—Mediated synthesis based on some new chiral
Radical Alkyl—Alkenyl Cross Coupling metallocenes. Mark’s seminars on his
Reactions and an Application to a research at Oregon and Texas, his
Synthesis of Ammonium 3—Deoxy—D- presentation of proposals for independent
\ manno-Z—Octulosonate (KDO).” reseach, and his discussions with faculty
1 Since 1988 he has been a postdoctoral and students during his visit to Lexington
research fellow in the laboratories of in February provided convincing evidence
Professor Marye Anne Fox at the of his excellence both as a teacher and
University of Texas at Austin doing researcher. We look forward to his arrival
, research on electron transfer in helical this summer.
peptides.
fl, i 3"; ’4‘;
RWQS \\ K”)
Vahid Majidi Mark Meier
-——UK-—————-———————
,_. g__________. i#__________________

 ___—_—___——___—._._————_
True or False? High school students want chemistry exam?
True or False? High school students exam, the teachers and parents who had
would be willing to pay cash to take a accompanied them heard an informative ‘
difficult examination in chemistry at 9 talk by Mr. Mike Howard, Director of 3
a.m. on a Saturday morning in April. If Science Education for the Fayette County
your answer was false, you have Public Schools. ‘
underestimated the group of about 50 high After lunch the students toured the .
school freshmen, sophomores, juniors and Chemistry Department and learned about ,
seniors from 14 schools all over the state of research in chemistry at UK from ‘
Kentucky, who spent about an hour and a graduate students in various labs ,
half taking a standardized test prepared by throughout the building. The high point of 1
the American Chemical Society. the afternoon was a spectacular magic
High schools from as far away as show by Guarr the Great (Dr. Tom) and ,
Hopkinsville in the west to Belfry in the the Amazing Appling (Dr. Jeff). Dr.
east were represented. The seven students Appling’s glowing electric pickle, with its
who scored above the 50th percentile, sodium D line emission, was a hit.
based on national norms supplied by the The dedication of the small group of
1 ACS, are eligible to by—pass CHE 105 and UK chemistry majors who organized the
107, General Chemistry, at UK. Stephen event was as impressive as that of the high ‘
Chan, a junior at Tates Creek High in school students who took the exam. l;
Lexington won the $200 first prize, Eric SAACS (the Student Affiliates of the
Potter of Edmonson County High won the American Chemical Society) wrote all the
$100 second prize and Hollie McIntosh of high schools in Kentucky, proctored the
Russellville High won the $50 third prize. exam, raised money for prizes from sales
These three and Mason Miller of Sayre of T—shirts and coffee and doughnuts, and
School in Lexington, Michael Combs of looked after the myriad of details that go
. Hopkinsville, Kari Woodlee of Russell- into such an operation. Officers for the
‘ ville, and Karen Johnson of Danville, 1989-90 academic year were Mary Hansen,
scored above the 50th percentile. president, Waleed Qaisi, vice president, .
3 ' While the students were taking the and Jim Hembree, treasurer. '
Departmental secretaries cope cheerfully With frustrations
3 Although there are computer word In addition to their normal duties, they
. processing capabilities in all faculty offices, cheerfully cope with countless
the departmental secretaries are busier interruptions from faculty, staff, graduate
than they’ve ever been before. In many students, and undergraduates, and
departments on campus there is frustrations that would send ordinary ‘
considerable turnover in the secretarial mortals to an early grave. The department ,
staff; in Chemistry not only do the gathered recently for lunch at Amato’s to
secretaries display remarkable loyalty to honor them and express its gratitude.
the department, but also, they often work Although the number of departmental
long past the normal quitting time. secretaries has been constant for many '
This group, which includes Joyce years, other numbers have increased. The
Cambron, faculty and technical secretary, number of publications from the .
Geri Gerke, secretary to the Director of department for July 1989 to January 1990 V
. General Chemistry, Yuvonne Queen, was 75, compared with 55 for July 1985 to
l receptionist and secretary to the Director July 1986. Grant support for the seven—
! of Graduate Studies, Mary Schwendeman, month period of 1989—90 was $1,423,574,
secretary to the Laboratory Manager, June compared to $534,528 for the twelve-
. Smith, technical secretary, and Nancy month period of 1985-86. For the 1989-90
l Stafford, administrative assistant and academic year, 25 full-time faculty, 2 part—
} secretary to the Chairman, is a remarkably time faculty and 62 graduate students have
l dedicated and hard—working group of been employed in the department.
( professionals.
+ —UK———————-———

 ______—____—____—___—-_—
Spec1al News from the 1955-59 Alumm
In 1980 Bill Wagner initiated a special Lewis B. Barnett, BS. 1955, sent his
‘ section of Chem—News featuring alumni curriculum vita, from which the following
3 from five—periods starting in 1920. In that summary was culled. After graduation
issue the editor complained that although from the University of Kentucky, he
‘ he had written all the alumni who had attended the University of Iowa, where he
‘ graduated before 1920, he had received received the MS. (1957) and Ph.D. (1959)
‘ only one reply, from none other than A.S. degrees in biochemistry. He was a
" Behrman. The editor exhorted that group postdoctoral fellow with Professor Alberty
. to write in news for inclusion in the next at the University of Wisconsin (1959—1961)
1 issue. They did indeed respond generously and an advanced postdoctoral fellow with
for the next issue. Professor Overbeek (1961-1963) at the
, This year with the change in editor, the State University of Utrecht in The
, mailing to alumni from the period 1955—59 Netherlands. In 1963 he joined the faculty
went out in March and did not leave them of the Department of Biochemistry and
much time in which to respond. Only a Nutrition at Virginia Polytechnic Institute
few did. Requests to the graduates of 1960- and State University, where he is now
70 will go out early in 1991 and it is hoped Associate Professor and, since 1984,
i that both they and the ’55-59 group will Coordinator of Undergraduate Advising
l; respond in large numbers. and Assistant Dean of the College of Arts
Walter W. Wharton, MS 1952, and Sciences.
Ph.D. 1955, sent a resume from which the He has directed the graduate degree
following was taken. He is currently research of seven students and has a long
Director of the Propulsion Directorate in list of publications and papers presented at
the Research, Development, and professional meetings. He holds
Engineering Center at Redstone Arsenal, membership in a number of honorary
AL. He has had over 35 years of societies: Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi _
experience in rocket, missile, and laser (science), Phi Lambda Upsilon (chemistry),
. technology in grades GS—11 through GS-16 Phi Mu Alpha (music) and Omicron Delta
' and is a charter member of the Senior Kappa (leadership). He has served as »
Executive Service. His primary technical advisor to many student groups
expertise is in the chemistry of propellants (Biochemistry Club, Phi Lambda Upsilon,
and associated components and the Campus Christian Life Committee,
chemical engineering of propulsion Duplicate Bridge Club, Omicron Delta
systems. He has taught undergraduate and Kappa, Mortar Board, and Pre—Vet Club).
graduate courses in chemistry and He has served on many committees and
undergraduate courses in physics, campus organizations and has held
mathematics and chemical engineering at leadership positions in a number of them,
‘ the University of Alabama in Huntsville. including the presidencies of the
, He has conducted his personal research Agriculture and Life Science Faculty
in the area of combustion fundamentals Association, Phi Beta Kappa, Sigma Xi,
and their application to engine combustion local and state American Association of
instability problems. He has also gained University Professors and the Faculty
' experience in personnel recruiting, Senate.
evaluation, and management through In addition he has served as president of
, personal experience and serving on various several PTA organizations, as chairman of
' personnel boards and job appointments. the Blacksburg Planning Commission and
Recent and current work is directed to as a member of the Blacksburg Town
development of insensitive munitions. Council. He is married to Charlotte Alta
He received the Department of the Barnes Barnett and has four children.
Army Research and Development Award
in 1962, was a nominee for the AIAA Edward K. Martin, Jr., BA. 1957.
Goddard Award in 1964, and received the Since I received my A.B. degree in 1957
MICOM Scientific and Engineering from UK, I went on to the University of
Award in 1980. He has published Louisville Medical School and graduated in
approximately 50 technical publications 1961. After that I spent two years in the
and received 10 patents. US. Navy. Then I finished a residency in
——UK——————-—-———
fl

 —___—__—__—___.__—————-—
anesthesiology at the UK Medical Center. greater academic credit.
Then I returned to Frankfort where I grew I recall Dr. Riley's course in genetics.
up. I have been here ever since. I am He was head of the Botany Department.
married to a girl from Midway and we He was a great teacher. He reminded me
have two daughters, aged 21 and 17. of Alfred Hitchcock.
I fondly recall my days at UK. I can I also recall studying with James King in
vividly recall Dr. Charles Barkenbus the Music Department. As you know he
lecturing on organic chemistry. It seemed became a member of the Metropolitan
he was always calling on me to answer 3 Opera and has been one of the leading
question and I recall I sat a couple of rows Wagnerian tenors in the world. He
from the rear of the room. He always took directed the men’s glee club when I was a ‘
roll of attendance before starting to student. f
lecture. I recall one day in the lab we While I was a student at UK I sang l
were (I guess) making ether when all of a tenor in Aimo Kivenimi’s choir at First l
sudden a blue flame shot across the floor of Presbyterian Church. He was in the Music (
the room. Dr. Barkenbus became quite Department at UK. I was paid $2.50 per
excited as I recall. There was no harm Sunday. They still owe me for a month’s ,
done but it caused a bit of excitement. singing. I sing in the Episcopal Church ,
I recall we had a textbook (I still have choir in Frankfort. I sing an occasional solo i
it) but we hardly ever used it since the which James King taught me.
exams came from his lectures. I never I could go on and on, but this is what I
missed a lecture. I recall he never used any remember about my days at UK. I think .
notes during his lectures. He must have about my time at UK a lot. I guess it is a l
really known the subject thoroughly. I sign I am growing older to reflect on the l
recall reading about his death. I felt sad past.
about that. I think he had a heart attack at
l a basketball game. I recall he loved UK Harry L. Conley, BS. 1957.
‘ basketball. He gave me two A’s in his (Coincidentally, I have the job of editing
' course. I was very proud of that since it the newsletter sent out by the Department
was so demanding. of Chemistry at Murray State University,
1 ‘ My teacher for physical chemistry was Murray, Kentucky.)
f also excellent. I can’t recall his name. I After graduation from UK in 1957, I
i recall he was young—just left Oak Ridge received an M.S. degree in chemistry from
1 to come to UK. We had about 10 students the University of California at Berkeley
l in the class, so we received a lot of and then a Ph.D. from‘the University of
individual attention. The tests were very Virginia. From 1963 to 1968, I worked for
hard I recall. The lab counted about 40% Sprague Electric Company in North
1 of the final grade. The test grades were so Adams, MA. Since 1968 I have been at
low he had to curve the grades. I recall I Murray State University, ‘Murray, KY.
overslept on the day of the final exam. I My main teaching duties have been in i
got a phone call inquiring about where I general and physical chemistry. My
was. I jumped up and hurried over to take research interest has been in the kinetics of
the exam. I had been up most of the hydrolysis of organophosphate esters. .
preceding night studying for the final. While there were a number of
They waited until I arrived to begin the memorable experiences during my 1
exam. He gave me an A. Dr. Wagner was undergraduate days at UK, a few seem to
my advisor. I had him in analytical be more significant than others. I
chemistry. He was also an excellent remember working as a research assistant r'
. teacher. Every chemistry teacher I had for Dr. Paul Sears in the dungeons of old I
was excellent. They had a great Kastle Hall. Then there were the fun—filled
l department. I am sure it still is. It was meetings and activities of Alpha Chi
smaller then — around 7,000 students at Sigma. In Dr. Sears’ advanced inorganic
UK. course we would be called upon at odd
l I recall taking music humanities under times to reproduce orally or on paper the
5 Dr. Prindl and how much time I spent entire periodic chart. In the same course
i listening to records. It was a two-hour we covered the entire textbook by
l course. It required a lot of out-of—class Moeller. Well, Dr. Sears, things are
time — more than most courses that gave tougher nowadays with elements like
1 —UK——""—"——'———————

 —__—_—_____—___—_____—
unnilennium. I had analytical chemistry Regional Research Center of the US.
under Dr. Wagner who at first seemed Department of Agriculture. In 1964 we
awesome but really was a kind person and had our second child, Stacy. In 1965 I had
an excellent teacher. Finally, in thinking a special opportunity to represent the
about these experiences, I cannot forget University of Kentucky at founding '
going over to the slop shop for coffee ceremonies of Winston Churchill College
breaks. near Pontiac, IL.
During the past 29 years at NRRC, I
Donald Trimnell, Ph.D. 1958. I have worked on the utilization of starch
attended the University of Kentucky from for industrial uses. Initial work with starch
1955 to 1958 as a graduate student and xanthate led to uses of starch in paper and
‘3 earned the Doctorate in Chemistry inJune rubber. Much interesting chemistry
l 1958. In the early years I was a teaching relating to xanthates was published. About
1 assistant and later did research under Dr. 15 years ago the interest turned to the use
J Walter T. Smith on “N—Sulfinyl Amines”, of starch for the encapsulation of
which was the subject of my dissertation. pesticides. This evolved from chemical
‘ One summer I worked under Dr. John M. methods using the xanthate, to the current
; Patterson studying the Hoffmann method using the twin—screw extruder.
Degradation. A most fond memory Currently we are preparing for celebrating
‘ involves induction into the Alpha Chi the 50th anniversary of the founding of the
‘ Sigma chemical fraternity and later laboratory this surrmier.
becoming part of the ritual team. In 1983 our daughter Kim married Scott
l After graduation I worked at Union Schultz and last year we had our first
Starch and Refining Co. in Granite City, grandchild, Justin Ryan.
IL for three years on the preparation of I’ve lost track of most of my old buddies ‘
thick boiling starches. I married in 1960 to at UK. Dr. Robert T. Dowd was a good ‘
Lorabeth Downing at Wi