Category Archives: Chemistry & Biochemistry

Congratulations CAS Staff Award Winners!

Wednesday, May 20, 2015, the UM-Flint Staff Council held their annual Staff Assembly Spring Meeting and Staff Recognition Awards Program. The College of Arts & Sciences was well represented!

Lynn Barbee, Administrative Assistant in the Department of Mathematics and the Staff Council Recognition Coordinator, presented the 2015 Staff Recognition Award Recipients: Suzanne Shivnen, Administrative Assistant of the Department of Economics and Political Science, and Monique Wilhelm, the Laboratory and Classroom Services Supervisor for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

Per Staff Council, “The Staff Council Staff Recognition Award was established in 1995 as a way to recognize those members of the Staff Assembly who consistently serve the campus and university in an exemplary manner. The award criteria includes: providing leadership on a consistent basis; nurturing a spirt of team effort and cooperation; performing assigned duties with enthusiasm, competence, and cordiality; and dedication to the university’s goals and mission.”

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Suzanne Shivnen receives the Margaret Rogers Award for Excellence from CAS Associate Dean Roy Barnes.

Suzanne was nominated by Peggy Kahn, Professor Political Science, and by Chris Douglas, Associate Professor and Chair of Economics. Peggy presented the award, noting Suzanne’s value for her skills in both the personal and professional spheres. She spoke of Suzanne’s willingness and ability to help both faculty and students, and her compassion and high ethics. Earlier this month, Suzanne was also the winner of the College of Arts & Science’s Margaret Rogers Award for Excellence. She is also a recipient of a Sterling Staff Award.

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Chancellor Susan E. Borrego, Staff Recognition Award Winner Monique Wilhelm, and Chemistry & Biochemistry Dept. Chair Jessica Tischler

Monique was nominated by Jessica Tischler, Associate Professor and Chair of the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. She talked of Monique’s extensive list of responsibilities and proficiencies within the lab setting–both in their department and others. She also discussed Monique’s dedication to both UM-Flint students and community youth as exemplified through her work with the award-winning Chem Club, the demos that are brought to area schools, campus events like Super Science Friday, and her work with the Curiosity Academy – a STEM-focused community club for girls interested in science. Monique was also honored for being a part of the Excel Professional Development Program.

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Karri Spoelstra of the Department of Music, Staff Recognition Award Nominee and winner of the 2015 Dr. Mary Jo Sekelsky Staff Appreciation Award

Another award winner recognized during the Assembly was Kari Spoelstra, Administrative Assistant of the Department of Music. She was a nominee for the Staff Recognition Award and the winner of this year’s Dr. Mary Jo Sekelsky Staff Appreciation Award from the Department of Student Involvement and Leadership. As her department page says, “Congratulations to Karri, everyone’s first contact in the Department of Music, by phone or in person. And a great supporter of students!”

Laura Bender, Secretary Senior for the Earth & Resource Science Department and Carol Chaney, Media Consultant for the Department of Music, were also nominees for the Staff Recognition Award.

Sterling Staff Awards were also earned by Linda Blakey of Public Administration, Lesa Callcut of Psychology, Samantha Grathoff of Chemistry & Biochemistry, and Linda Letts of the Department of Theatre & Dance. The Sterling Staff Award  is designed to acknowledge staff members for their contributions to the campus. Staff members are nominated by others who want it to be known that they are making a difference, that what they do is valued, and to recognize them for going the extra distance in their work. All staff members who are nominated receive a certificate via campus mail, and their supervisor is notified.

Many CAS staff members were also recognized for being a part of the UM-Flint Engaged Staff Program which was “designed to help emphasize the ways in which UM-Flint staff contribute to the overall vibrancy of the institution and support the work of faculty, staff and students.”

Jennifer Vincke of the Biology Department was recognized as a December 2014 graduate.

Congratulations to all of our staff members who received awards and were recognized at the Spring Staff Assembly!

For more information on Staff Council, visit their website: http://www.umflint.edu/staffcouncil

For a list of those recognized at the 2015 Staff Recognition Dinner, visit https://news.umflint.edu/2015/06/11/2015-staff-awards-recognize-decades-of-dedication-to-um-flint/.

UM-Flint Faculty Members Awarded Research Grants

Congratulations to the following faculty, who were recently awarded grants from the Research and Creative Activity Committee:

• Jessica Kelts, Assistant Professor of Chemistry/Biochemistry, received $10,975 for her project The Effect of Media Changes and Cell Washing on Cellular Glutathione Content and Potency of Cytotoxic Compounds.

• Mark Allison, Associate Professor of Computer Science, received $14,487 for his project Autonomic Control of Cyber-Physical Systems using Domain-Specific Models.

• Mihai Burzo, Assistant Professor of Engineering, received $19,542 for his project Noninvasive Real Time Detection of Human Comfort for Increased Energy Savings in Building

• Seung-Jin Lee, Assistant Professor of Engineering and Earth and Resource Science, received $15,515 for his project Energy and Environmental Implications of Electric Vehicle Adoption: A Scenario-Based Life Cycle Assessment Study of the Future of Advanced Transportation in Michigan.

• Frank (Yu-Cheng) Liu, Assistant Professor of Engineering, received $17,282 for his project Investigation of Preferential Vaporization of Multi-Component Fuel Mixtures Using Mid-Infrared Absorption Techniques.

• Charlotte Tang, Assistant Professor of Computer Science, received $16,025 for her project Designing Technologies to Enhance Visitor Experiences at an Art Gallery.


Congratulations to the following faculty, who were recently awarded grants from the Dr. Ben Bryer Fund.

• Joe Sucic, Professor of Biology, received $ 8,162 for his project Environmental Stress as a Trigger for Metastasis in Breast Cancer Cells.


For more information on the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs at UM-Flint, visit their website.

Giving BlueDay – Tuesday, December 2nd

BLUEDAY_smallOn Tuesday, December 2nd, 2014, the University of Michigan is asking you to turn Giving Tuesday into Giving BlueDay – a day of online giving to the funds of U of M, including UM-Flint. The College of Arts & Sciences is encouraging donors to pick a specific fund and the amount that is right for them – even $5 donations mean a lot to our departments!

Following are links to our department and program funds, some of them discuss the specific needs your gifts will go to fill. For those that do not have a specific purpose listed, donations will go into their general gift fund and can be used as the department chooses. We hope you can help us make this a successful day of giving, and make a difference for our students!

AFRICANA STUDIES: Funds received will help establish a scholarship that supports Africana Studies Majors and Minors and honors former Chancellor Charlie Nelms who “intensified the university’s emphasis on student success, setting ambitious goals for increasing student retention and graduation rates.”

ANTHROPOLOGY & SOCIOLOGY

BIOLOGY: We have an ongoing need for undergraduate/graduate research support as well as scholarship support. Donations to the following funds will make a positive impact on the academic and career success of Biology students: William R. Murchie Science Fund, Eugene Studier Memorial Research Scholarship Fund, and the Holly Sucic Memorial Scholarship Fund.

CHEMISTRY & BIOCHEMISTRY: The Chemistry & Biochemistry Department would like to put funds towards the purchase of equipment that will enhance and expand students’ learning opportunities. We hope to both enrich their time at UM-Flint and better prepare them for real-world experiences!

COMMUNICATION

COMPUTER INFORMATION SYSTEMS/COMPUTER SCIENCE

CRIMINAL JUSTICE

EARTH & RESOURCE SCIENCE

ECONOMICS: Funds given will be used to fund the Economics Club Scholarship that is given every semester to an Economics major to pay towards any aspect of their schooling, including tuition, books, and fees. Help us continue to provide this support to our club and students!

ENGINEERING (GENERAL & MECHANICAL)

ENGLISH: We want to reinstate the English Department’s Visiting Writer Series, which was a victim of budget cuts. The series will bring nationally and internationally renowned authors to UM-Flint to meet with classes and the community. Help us bring back this meaningful tradition!

FOREIGN LANGUAGES & LITERATURES: We ask that gifts be made to the Monica Karnes Memorial Scholarship Fund. This fund was established in 1985 by students in the UM-Flint Chapter of the Phi Sigma Iota Int’l Foreign Language Honors Society to “benefit students who share Monica’s hopes, her dreams, and her spirit.”

HISTORY

MATHEMATICS

MUSIC: Funds donated to the Music Department during GivingBlue Day will be used towards the purchase of a concert grand piano. This instrument will benefit solo performers, as well as vocal and instrumental performances of many musical genres–and the audiences who listen to them!

PHILOSOPHY DEPT.’s CANDACE BOLTER SCHOLARSHIP FUND: We are just $3,000 away from having our Candace Bolter Scholarship reach endowment status. Once endowed, the scholarship will always be available to help fund future Philosophy students. Help us to help others study Philosophy!

PHYSICS

POLITICAL SCIENCE

PSYCHOLOGY

SOCIOLOGY

THEATRE & DANCE: Students of the Theatre and Dance Department have a variety of high impact travel opportunities available, but often need help in funding their trips. Donations made to the Theatre & Dance Department will be used to diversify the avenues of support available to their students.

VISUAL ARTS: Funds will go to print-making equipment for our new concentration, funding student travel to museums and architectural tours, a vent for the wood shop, and torches to teach flame-working. Help us expand our students’ learning experience by giving to Visual Arts!

WOMEN’S & GENDER STUDIES: The WGS would like donations intended for them to be made to the Women’s Education Center Critical Difference Fund. This small grant is intended to help students who are facing emergency situations stay in school. The grant assists some of our most at risk students, many of whom are returning women and first-generation college students. DONATIONS MADE TO THIS FUND ON GIVING BLUEDAY WILL BE MATCHED UP TO $200!

If you do not see a fund you’d like to give to on the above list, browse all the options, including Research, Scholarships, and more, within the College of Arts and Sciences.

Whether you give or not, please share this blog’s link on your social media feeds to spread the word about Giving BlueDay!

Welcome to Dr. Matthew Fhaner, Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry!

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Name: Matthew Fhaner
Title: Assistant Professor
Department: Chemistry and Biochemistry

Classes I’m teaching: CHM 366: Analytical Chemistry and CHM 367: Analytical Chemistry Laboratory

Professional Interests/Activities: Chemistry outreach

Research Interests: Food Chemistry (edible oil decomposition), Material Science (characteriation of surface chemistry), Neurosignaling (electrochemical monitoring of neurotransmitter release)

Dr. Fhaner recently spent 10 months in a post-doctoral position with the United States Department of Agriculture working on omega-three rich fatty acids.

Awards: American Heart Association Pre-Doctoral Fellowship, Council of Graduate Students Leadership Award

Degree(s)/Education: B.A. – Chemistry, Michigan State University; Ph.D. – Analytical Chemistry, Michigan State University

Memberships: American Chemical Society

How I fell in love with my field: Researching cardiovascular disease during my graduate work

What I hope for my time at UM-Flint: Expand my professional expertise through academics and collaborative research

Three things you should know about me:
-I have a wonderful wife and two fantastic children
-I enjoy cooking
-I am a huge hockey fan

To learn more about Dr. Fhaner and the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, visit the department website.

CAS Welcomes Over 30 New Faculty for Fall Semester

The College of Arts and Sciences at UM-Flint started the Fall 2014 semester with over 30 new faculty members teaching in its classrooms. New faces will be seen in many departments including CSEP, English, Chemistry & Biochemistry, Earth & Resource Science, Psychology, Political Science, Anthropology, Theatre & Dance, and Foreign Language!

Throughout the semester, CAS will be featuring different new faculty members on our front page and in our blog so other members of the university can get to know them better! Be sure to welcome them to UM-Flint if you see them around!

Following is a list of our new faculty members and their departments:

• Amal Alhosban – Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP
• Mark Allison – Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP
• Emily Feuerherm – Assistant Professor of Linguistics, ENG
• Matthew Fhaner – Assistant Professor of Analytical Chemistry, CMB
• Seung-Jin Lee – Assistant Professor of Sustainability and Mechanical Engineering (ERS 67%, CSEP 33%)
• Ming Li – Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CSEP
• Yu Cheng (Frank) Liu – Assistant Professor of Mechanical Engineering, CSEP
• Nathaniel Miller – Assistant Professor of Psychology, PSY
• Jeremiah Olson – Assistant Professor of Political Science, POL
• Zahid Syed, CSEP –Assistant Professor of Computer Science, CSEP

• Adam Dill – Adjunct Professor in THE/DAN
• Cindy Liao – Adjunct Professor, PSY
• Dayne Walling – Adjunct Professor, POL

• Russ Cossaboom – Lec III BIO
• Stephanie Gelderloos – Lec III ENG
• Lisa Madden – Lec III PSY
• Jennifer Miller – Lec III BIO
• Roberto Rinaldi – Lec III PSY
• Kristy Watkins – Lec III WGS

• Ishtiague Amin – Lec I CSEP
• Scott Atkinson– Lec I ENG
• Anita Baxter – Lec I BIO
• Jed Digens – Lec I CSEP
• Gisele Farah – Lec I FOR
• Theresa Fedio – Lec I FOR
• Edward Hoort – Lec I MPA
• Nicholas Ginga – Lec I CSEP
• Laurah Klepinger-Mathew – Lec I ANT
• Robin McGuire – Lec I CSEP
• Mary Montie – Adjunct Lec PUB
• Joyce Piert – Lec I MTH
• Laurence Tarini – Lec I CSEP
• Delma Thomas-Jackson – Lec I for CAS

UM-Flint’s STEM-Focused Community Club for Girls NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS

The University of Michigan-Flint, in partnership with Longway Planetarium and Kettering University, is excited to announce the Curiosity Academy: a STEM-focused community club for girls.

The program will begin its first year in fall of 2014 and will be open to 7th and 8th grade girls living in Genesee County. Space is available for 20-30 girls and the program will run from October 20th to June 8th. Meetings will be held weekly on Mondays from 4-5:30pm. Applicants will be accepted from public, private, and charter schools, as well as from homeschool families. Acceptance to the program is based solely on interest and is open to students of all abilities and aptitudes. There is a program fee, although limited need-based scholarship funds are available.

The program aims to provide an opportunity to explore STEM concepts without the pressure of grades or standardized tests, and to encourage further studies in STEM fields. Curiosity Academy will promote a positive image of chemists and other scientists and demonstrate the strong role women play in advancing science by engaging the girls in exciting and meaningful activities.

The project’s first-year scenario will have the girls working as employees of a personal care company who must create a new product. They will take different roles in research and development as they move from conception to production of their chosen product. Their activities will be grounded in biology, chemistry, computer science, and engineering as they work to achieve the perfect formulation and packaging. Towards the end of the project, they will learn about business, promotion, and design principles as they consider how they would market what they’ve made.

Curiosity Academy participants will be using university labs and equipment, working with professors and undergraduate students, and engaging with industry and community members throughout the project. Regular weekly meetings will be held in order for the girls to develop the necessary thought processes, safety, and hands-on skills required to accomplish their goals.

By promoting a positive image of chemists and other scientists, as well as demonstrating the strong role women play in advancing science and society, the Curiosity Academy hopes to make an impact on the lives and futures of all participants.


The Curiosity Academy is NOW ACCEPTING APPLICATIONS! Complete this FORM and mail to the Longway Planetarium (1310 E. Kearsley St., Flint, MI 48503) by October 8, 2014. Questions? Contact Monique Wilhelm of the UM-Flint Chemistry Department at [email protected] or 810-762-3275.