Professor Of Chemistry Research Articles

Ungrading in organic chemistry: students assessing themselves and reflecting on their learning

The focus on grades has diminished the focus on learning. One strategy that aims to return students’ attention to what they are actually learning (and not just earning) is ungrading. Ungrading is thought of as any strategy in which instructors do not assign a number or letter grade to students’ assignments and assessments. Instead, faculty may (1) provide thorough feedback and engage in dialogue with students about their work, and perhaps, (2) allow students to assign their own grade. Whichever style of ungrading they choose, the scholars that have been forging the path for ungrading come from a variety of fields and perspectives, including STEM instructors in more recent years. The focus on incorporating ungrading practices into the organic chemistry curriculum provided here is adapted from a variety of practitioners, and especially the foundational work of chemistry professor Clarissa Sorensen-Unruh. In addition to discussing the current ungrading practices in various fields, we will use this perspective article to share our own experience with and lessons learned from beginning to incorporate ungrading in the undergraduate organic chemistry curriculum, both as it relates to the implementation of the practice and our own perceptions of the student experience and learning outcomes. Ultimately, the goal is to allow students to see the significance of the process of learning and to engage in some metacognitive work that they can apply to different assignments, whether in our class or not. If we want students to focus on learning, perhaps they should do the grading themselves.

The 2024 IUPAC-Richter Award Goes to Craig M. Crews

Abstract Craig M. Crews has been awarded the 2024 IUPAC-Richter Prize in Medicinal Chemistry. Crews is a Professor in the Department of Molecular, Cellular and Developmental Biology and Professor of Chemistry and Pharmacology at Yale University. His discovery and implementation of the PROteolysis TArgeting Chimeras (PROTACs) technology for removing specific unwanted proteins revolutionized the field by identifying a new method for affecting protein function. The fact that this technology has been widely adapted and investigated not only within the pharmaceutical industry, but also in academia, demonstrates the significance and impact of this work. While no drugs have yet been approved, several are in development and these molecules are progressing, because they are effective and safe. He also played a key role in the discovery of carfilzomib, an approved proteasome inhibitor for the treatment of multiple myeloma. The acceptance lecture will be held in Rome, Italy (1-5 September 2024) at the XXVIII EFMC International Symposium on Medicinal Chemistry.

Spanning Literacy Instruction: A Wikipedia Editing Assignment in an Upper-Level Biochemistry Course

abstract: The authors, a chemistry professor and a librarian, used a qualitative survey to assess student perceptions of a Wikipedia editing assignment that they included in a large upper-level biochemistry course. The assignment was initially intended as a public-facing alternative to a short research paper, emphasizing information literacy and scientific literacy. The goal of the survey was to use the results to enhance the assignment. The results of the survey and research for the literature review inspired a novel approach to the assignment using the perspective of metaliteracy. This approach encourages students to think critically about their role as scholars in a participatory environment.

How to Sell a Poison: The Rise, Fall, and Toxic Return of DDT

HOW TO SELL A POISON: The Rise, Fall, and Toxic Return of DDT by Elena Conis. New York: Bold Type Books, 2022. 388 pages. Hardcover; $30.00. ISBN: 9781645036746. *Suppose you were creating a new college course on the interaction between chemistry and public policy (this happens to be true for this reviewer). Elena Conis's How to Sell a Poison would be a nearly perfect book to read as you set your syllabus. The author presents a thorough historical context with sufficient, but still accessible, chemical detail. The book does not gloss over complexities in the interactions between politicians, industry, and environmental advocates, but it also manages to compel the reader with winsome writing and a peppering of human-interest narratives. And while the book inexplicably does not have a complete set of references, it is an excellent resource for a reader who wants to develop an understanding of the history of DDT and why there are some who are calling for its continued and increased usage to combat malaria. *The structure of How to Sell a Poison is mostly chronological, including some information of the early uses of DDT by Swiss potato farmers, the promotion of its use by the United States military in World War II, an explosion of usage in the 1950s and 1960s as both an agricultural and a consumer product, the mounting evidence of DDT's negative environmental impact, advocacy and legislative action in the 1960s and 1970s, and the ongoing debate regarding continued or increased use of DDT to keep malaria in check. This historical structure is written in a compelling way, with most chapters headed by an account of one of the primary actors in an ongoing drama created by benefits and dangers of the pesticide's use. Going far beyond the well-known story of Rachel Carson and her seminal Silent Spring (1962), we meet chemists, soldiers, physicians, patients, agricultural workers, government scientists, politicians, supreme court justices, concerned citizens turned plaintiffs, journalists, environmentalists, industry executives, and lobbyists. By the end of the book, the reader will feel that they have been inside the mind of all of the important actors in the multiact drama that was and is DDT. *Conis includes sufficient chemical detail even while she keeps the book accessible to a general audience. The reader comes to understand the molecular structure of DDT, how it is synthesized, why it is persistent in the environment, how it kills insects, and why it increasingly bioaccumulates going up the food chain. These details are not presented in a tacked-on chapter, but in the historical context as needed to understand the DDT narrative. *One of the greatest strengths of the book is that it does not gloss over the complexities or nuances in the DDT story. This is important to gain an authentic understanding of how DDT became ubiquitous and how it fell out of favor. Yes, the story of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is included, but so is the congressional testimony that followed and the ultimate lobbying of tobacco interests encouraging a DDT ban as part of a scapegoat campaign to cover up their own cancer problems. The reader also comes to understand the crucial role that the DDT controversy played in the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Defense Fund. A true historian, Conis gives you a compelling behind-the-scenes understanding of who held influence regarding DDT and how their influence was wielded. *Nearly every chapter begins with a narrative regarding one of the main actors in the DDT story. This feature makes the book easy to read and compelling. You see the promise and the problems of DDT from the point of view of a land developer, a chemist, a government scientist, a physician, a health department officer, a member of congress, an organic gardener caught in the overspray, an attorney, an immigrant agricultural worker, a bird enthusiast, the surgeon general, a university professor, a journalist, the EPA director, the mayor of a small town, and several others. As their stories are told, the reader is led to an understanding of the many facets of DDT in an organic and interesting way. Each story is backed up by references, as appropriate, to letters, articles, books, or government documents. But even as the stories are historically documented, they read more like a story than a history textbook. *The one frustrating aspect of the book for this reviewer is the lack of a comprehensive bibliography. The author refers to many documents in the chapters, but then does not include a complete reference to all of them so that the reader can find those documents. This will not bother most readers, but as an instructor designing a class, this reader is seeking primary documents (public laws, scientific journal articles) to give to my students to directly illustrate the connections between chemistry and public policy. *Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who is seeking a thorough and nuanced understanding of DDT. *Reviewed by Herb Fynewever, Professor of Chemistry, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.

How to Sell a Poison: The Rise, Fall, and Toxic Return of DDT

HOW TO SELL A POISON: The Rise, Fall, and Toxic Return of DDT by Elena Conis. New York: Bold Type Books, 2022. 388 pages. Hardcover; $30.00. ISBN: 9781645036746. *Suppose you were creating a new college course on the interaction between chemistry and public policy (this happens to be true for this reviewer). Elena Conis's How to Sell a Poison would be a nearly perfect book to read as you set your syllabus. The author presents a thorough historical context with sufficient, but still accessible, chemical detail. The book does not gloss over complexities in the interactions between politicians, industry, and environmental advocates, but it also manages to compel the reader with winsome writing and a peppering of human-interest narratives. And while the book inexplicably does not have a complete set of references, it is an excellent resource for a reader who wants to develop an understanding of the history of DDT and why there are some who are calling for its continued and increased usage to combat malaria. *The structure of How to Sell a Poison is mostly chronological, including some information of the early uses of DDT by Swiss potato farmers, the promotion of its use by the United States military in World War II, an explosion of usage in the 1950s and 1960s as both an agricultural and a consumer product, the mounting evidence of DDT's negative environmental impact, advocacy and legislative action in the 1960s and 1970s, and the ongoing debate regarding continued or increased use of DDT to keep malaria in check. This historical structure is written in a compelling way, with most chapters headed by an account of one of the primary actors in an ongoing drama created by benefits and dangers of the pesticide's use. Going far beyond the well-known story of Rachel Carson and her seminal Silent Spring (1962), we meet chemists, soldiers, physicians, patients, agricultural workers, government scientists, politicians, supreme court justices, concerned citizens turned plaintiffs, journalists, environmentalists, industry executives, and lobbyists. By the end of the book, the reader will feel that they have been inside the mind of all of the important actors in the multiact drama that was and is DDT. *Conis includes sufficient chemical detail even while she keeps the book accessible to a general audience. The reader comes to understand the molecular structure of DDT, how it is synthesized, why it is persistent in the environment, how it kills insects, and why it increasingly bioaccumulates going up the food chain. These details are not presented in a tacked-on chapter, but in the historical context as needed to understand the DDT narrative. *One of the greatest strengths of the book is that it does not gloss over the complexities or nuances in the DDT story. This is important to gain an authentic understanding of how DDT became ubiquitous and how it fell out of favor. Yes, the story of Rachel Carson's Silent Spring is included, but so is the congressional testimony that followed and the ultimate lobbying of tobacco interests encouraging a DDT ban as part of a scapegoat campaign to cover up their own cancer problems. The reader also comes to understand the crucial role that the DDT controversy played in the establishment of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Environmental Defense Fund. A true historian, Conis gives you a compelling behind-the-scenes understanding of who held influence regarding DDT and how their influence was wielded. *Nearly every chapter begins with a narrative regarding one of the main actors in the DDT story. This feature makes the book easy to read and compelling. You see the promise and the problems of DDT from the point of view of a land developer, a chemist, a government scientist, a physician, a health department officer, a member of congress, an organic gardener caught in the overspray, an attorney, an immigrant agricultural worker, a bird enthusiast, the surgeon general, a university professor, a journalist, the EPA director, the mayor of a small town, and several others. As their stories are told, the reader is led to an understanding of the many facets of DDT in an organic and interesting way. Each story is backed up by references, as appropriate, to letters, articles, books, or government documents. But even as the stories are historically documented, they read more like a story than a history textbook. *The one frustrating aspect of the book for this reviewer is the lack of a comprehensive bibliography. The author refers to many documents in the chapters, but then does not include a complete reference to all of them so that the reader can find those documents. This will not bother most readers, but as an instructor designing a class, this reader is seeking primary documents (public laws, scientific journal articles) to give to my students to directly illustrate the connections between chemistry and public policy. *Overall, this is an excellent book for anyone who is seeking a thorough and nuanced understanding of DDT. *Reviewed by Herb Fynewever, Professor of Chemistry, Calvin University, Grand Rapids, MI 49546.

Letter from the Editor

Dear Reader, We are excited to share The Columbia University Journal of Global Health Fall 2023 Issue  with you. As a journal we strive to uplift diverse perspectives that address the most pressing challenges to health equity faced by communities across the globe. This issue highlights the work of four academics, whose research explores themes of silence and confinement within healthcare systems. Ranging from the impacts of COVID-19 on incarcerated people to the overlooked struggles of obstetric fistulas among Ethiopian women, the articles critically examine the health environments of different marginalized groups. We hope you find their manuscripts to be insightful and thought-provoking.  We have continued to host events that promote health and wellbeing in our community, including a food and nutrition event that brought together the expertise of Dr. Jessica Bihuniak, Assistant Professor of Clinical Nutrition in the Department of Nutrition and Food Studies at New York University, and the cooking skills of Columbia Gormand to discuss affordable, nutritious meals for college students.  In our journal’s aim of highlighting student voices, we have been increasing our efforts in staff writing and publication. Our staff members have shared their perspectives on public health through our “What is Global Health?” blog and podcast, discussing important topics ranging from community health workers to asbestos in homes. Our most recent podcast features a discussion of careers in scientific research with Dr. Rachel Narehood Austin, Diana T. and P. Roy Vagelos Professor of Chemistry at Barnard College. On our blog, we were able to publish our first bilingual staff article “Obesity in Latine Communities in the U.S: What is at play? / Obesidad en Comunidades Latinas en Estados Unidos: ¿Qué está en juego?”. As we consider how to make our journal more accessible, we hope to continue to share staff perspectives across multiple subject areas and in multiple languages, furthering our journal’s mission of diversity and inclusivity.   The past year has been an exciting one for our journal: we published ten new articles that accumulated almost 22,000 downloads and were accessed by over 10,000 site users from 143 countries. We are honored to publish work that has reached such a wide, diverse community, and we hope to continue to expand this impact with the publication of our Fall 2023 Issue. We also recently welcomed two new faculty advisors, Dr. Julianna A. Bol, PhD and Dr. Ana Navas-Acien, MD, PhD, MPH, who will assist our journal in this growth while maintaining the academic rigor that we have always been proud of.  Our journal would not be possible without the dedication of our incredible team, which has grown in the past year. We are truly grateful for the support of our faculty advisor Esther Jackson, the resilience of our journal team, the insight of our peer reviewers, and the submissions from our authors. As always, thank you to our readers and listeners for engaging with our work and forming a vital part of The Columbia University Journal of Global Health community. Sincerely, Kairaluchi Oraedu & Ann Phan Co-Editors-in-Chief, The Columbia University Journal of Global Health

The impact of British chemistry and physics upon Japanese science in the late nineteenth century: the Williamson–Sakurai connection at University College London

The Meiji period between 1868 and 1912, when the introduction of Western science into Japan started in earnest, was also the time when specialization became an increasingly pressing and complex issue in natural science, especially in Victorian Britain where specialization went hand in hand with ‘interconnectedness’ between various fields of study. This article examines the impact of this complicated situation surrounding ‘specialization’ in nineteenth-century British science on Meiji Japan, taking chemistry and physics (natural philosophy) teaching at University College London (UCL) in the 1870s as an example. It reveals how chemistry and physics became interconnected with each other in UCL's science education by the presence of its chemistry professor, Alexander William Williamson (1824–1904), and the impact of this connection on Japanese science with a focus on Williamson's Japanese student, Sakurai Jōji. This paper argues that the interconnectedness of UCL's chemistry and physics significantly affected the disciplinary identity of the Department of Chemistry at the Imperial University of Tokyo through Sakurai.

Introduction to Editor in Chief

Prof. Maria Daglia obtained her PhD degree in Pharmaceutical Chemistry and Technology at the University of Pavia (Italy), and is currently a full professor of food chemistry at the University of Naples Federico II, Italy and visiting professor at the International Research Center for Food Nutrition and Safety, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang China.

El laboratorio de investigaciones bioquímicas de la Universidad de Zaragoza y los inicios de la Ciencia de Coloides e Interfases en España: un ejemplo de ciencia periférica, 1918-1936

This article presents a historical approach to the beginnings of Colloid and Interface Science in Spain. The pioneer in the colloidal domain research was Antonio de Gregorio Rocasolano, professor of General Chemistry, and founder of the Biochemical Research Laboratory of the University of Zaragoza in 1918. The pioneering work carried out by Rocasolano with silver and gold sols synthesized in his own laboratory and the use of the ultramicroscope to follow the colloidal aggregation processes turned the Biochemical Research Laboratory into a research center capable of obtaining interesting scientific-technical results that have remained valid to the present day. It is an example of high-quality research carried out in the periphery of Spanish science. To this end, Professor Rocasolano surrounded himself with brilliant young researchers such as Juan Martín Sauras, Jes.s Camón Cano, María Antonia Zorraquino Zorraquino and José María Albareda Herrera, establishing solid collaborative relationships with prestigious foreign researchers such as Richard Adolf Zsigmondy and Heinrich Jakob Bechhold. In November 1936 Rocasolano agreed to be the president of the Purging Committee of the University staff (Committee A). This Committee purged at least 40% of the Spanish university teaching staff. This repressive activity of Professor Rocasolano overshadowed his brilliant scientific career, which is unknown to the vast majority of Spanish scientists.

Cluster Preface: Modern Boron Chemistry: 60 Years of the ­Matteson Reaction

James P. Morken (left) was born in Concord, California (USA) and obtained his B.S. in chemistry in 1989 from UC Santa Barbara (USA) working with Prof. Bruce Rickborn. He obtained his Ph.D. from Boston ­College (USA) in 1995 with Prof. Amir Hoveyda and was an NSF ­Postdoctoral Fellow with Prof. Stuart Schreiber at Harvard University (USA). In 1997, he became an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (USA). He was promoted to Associate Professor in 2002 and in 2006 joined the faculty of Boston College (USA). In 2014, he was named the Louise and James Vanderslice and Family Chaired Professor of Chemistry at Boston College. Professor Morken’s research focuses on the development of transition-metal-­catalyzed asymmetric processes and their use in complex molecule synthesis. He is particularly interested in the study and development of catalytic enantioselective reactions involving organoboron reagents. Varinder K. Aggarwal (right) studied chemistry at Cambridge University and received his Ph.D. in 1986 under the guidance of Dr. Stuart ­Warren. After postdoctoral studies under Prof. Gilbert Stork at Columbia University (1986–1988), he returned to the UK as a lecturer at Bath University. In 1991, he moved to Sheffield University, where he was promoted to professor in 1997. In 2000, he moved to Bristol University, where he holds the Chair in Synthetic Chemistry. His research interests include the development of new catalytic processes for asymmetric synthesis, the development of chiral carbenoids and their use and subsequent applications in catalysis and synthesis, and the development of new methodology and its applications in synthesis and the total synthesis of biologically important targets.

The chemistry of a fossilised elephant tooth: Domenico Morichini and the discovery of dental fluoride.

On the occasion of the 250th anniversary of the birth of the Italian physician, Domenico Morichini (1773-1836), this study aims to commemorate this illustrious figure, who made a great contribution to the history of dentistry through his discovery of the presence of fluoride in dental enamel. Starting from a chemical analysis of the components of the enamel and osseous part of a fossilised elephant tooth discovered in Rome in 1802, Morichini demonstrated the presence of high amounts of fluoride, not only in these remains, but also in samples of human teeth. The Italian doctor, a Professor of Chemistry at the Sapienza University of Rome, also affirmed the importance of his discovery from a clinical perspective, as it enabled a better understanding of the chemical composition of enamel, changes in which he saw as the cause of most dental diseases. Morichini was a talented clinician and scientist, who also made contributions in other medical-scientific fields, as one of the first to suggest the electromagnetic nature of solar radiation based on experiments that were replicated internationally.

Studia medyczne Jana Jaśkiewicza na Uniwersytecie Wiedeńskim (1766/1767–1775)

Jan Jaśkiewicz’s Medical Studies at the University of Vienna (1766/1767–1775) During the Age of Enlightenment, many Poles pursued medical studies at various European universities. One of them was Jan Dominik Piotr Jaśkiewicz. Born on 6 July 1749 in Lviv to an Armenian family, he moved to Vienna in the late 1760s to study medicine at the university under the supervision of renowned professors: Anton de Haën, Heinrich Johann Nepomuk von Crantz, Nikolaus Joseph von Jacquin, and others. Jaśkiewicz graduated in 1775 with a Doctor of Medicine degree, based on the thesis titled “Dissertatio inauguralis medica sistens pharmaca regni vegetabilis”, in which he provided a list, description, and healing properties of some plant species, arranged according to the systematics of Carl von Linnè (Linnaeus). Through his dissertation, Jaśkiewicz popularized in Poland the views of the Viennese medical school, among others, on the medical use of digitalis. For some time he remained in Vienna, attempting to secure a suitable position. Between 1780 and 1783, Jaśkiewicz expanded his knowledge of nature through travels to Italy, Germany, and France. After presenting his mineralogical observations in Paris, Jaśkiewicz was appointed as a correspondent member of the Paris Academy of Sciences. It was during this time in Paris that Jaśkiewicz met Jan Śniadecki, who later became his friend, colleague, and patient. Subsequently, Hugo Kołłątaj appointed Jaśkiewicz as a professor of natural history and chemistry at the Crown’s Main School in Kraków (Jagiellonian University). He began his lectures in Kraków on 1 October 1783. It should be emphasized that Jaśkiewicz laid the foundations for Polish scientific vocabulary. He also played a crucial role in establishing a chemical laboratory and organizing a botanical garden and a cabinet of natural history. In February 1783, Jaśkiewicz took on the position of a hospital physician (director) at the St. Barbara Academic Hospital, where he focused on organizing the hospital’s finances and management. Around the same time, he declined additional remuneration for this role. In 1787, Jaśkiewicz assumed the duties of the house physician for the Wielopolski margrave in Pińczów. Jaśkiewicz died in Kraków on 14 November 1809. Throughout his life, he was an active physician and performed his medical career independently of other duties. Jaśkiewicz gained considerable recognition and popularity for his achievements in the medical field.

How has the pandemic accelerated the transformation of Analytical Chemistry education from Generation Z to Alpha?

Teaching Generation Z (Zs or Centennials) has become a great challenge since students arrived at the university classrooms meeting professors of different generations, from Baby Boomers, through Generations X and Y (Millennials) and even young assistants of the same generation. This became an interesting challenge to tackle, and we thought this transition was going to take a while. But suddenly, in the year 2020, a pandemic began, something totally unexpected that left us in shock, and without a reaction time for transitions, those of us who teach experimental sciences in universities were forced overnight by the most incredible challenges to improve our creativity to maintain the quality of teaching of Analytical Chemistry. There was no time to identify with any generation… suddenly we were all Zs (the digital generation) and additionally began to know about Generation Alpha. From my point of view, as a woman of Generation X (mavericks seeking success), and as a Professor of Analytical Chemistry, having started as an assistant in classes of this discipline in 1996, I would like to share my experience on how the pandemic irreversibly accelerated the use of digital tools, not to get closer to Generation Z, but without realizing it, reaching a transition to Generation Alpha (those born in the 2010s), despite the fact that they have not yet arrived at university. Generation X and earlier were used to face-to-face classes, to the university coexistence of many hours in the classrooms and in the libraries. Then we began to think about virtual classes, digital platforms, enabling work to be done with the help of internet resources, but suddenly... chaos! In 2020, there were worldwide restrictions on face-to-face access to university classrooms, and now what do we do? Thinking about Analytical Chemistry, we could teach the theoretical content online, but what about the experiments in the laboratory? The use of instruments? Exams and evaluations? It was real chaos; teachers experienced anxiety and higher levels of burnout. Communications via cell phones and messages became the form of contact and the number of e-mails skyrocketed. Teleworking, with the family around, work without a fixed schedule and an infringement of privacy, became the norm. Those were difficult times; those teachers closest to Generation Z adapted more quickly; for those of the Baby Boomer generation the situation accelerated their retirement processes; and for those of us from Generation X or Y... we could be considered survivors. Once the pandemic ended, at least in our university, we waited with great enthusiasm for the return to classrooms expecting to see them full of students; however, we went through another shock: the theoretical classrooms were empty. During the pandemic, a lot of recorded material was generated through digital platforms that the students themselves later requested to the authorities to be kept online, so they stopped attending theoretical classes. Now they say, “we are the owners of our time, and we can watch the videos at any time”. The first feeling was of great frustration, but we consider that this is already irreversible, so how do we adapt to these new times of post-covid teaching? In my opinion, the current teaching of Analytical Chemistry can be improved in several aspects. First, many programs focus on theory and memorizing concepts; this is rejected by the Z and Alpha generations who value focusing on the practical application of analytical methods. Furthermore, the teaching of Analytical Chemistry is often limited to traditional methods and does not focus enough on new technologies and trends in the discipline. This can leave students outdated and not well prepared for the professional world. These aspects are often the product of scarce economic resources that disable the access of undergraduate students to use sophisticated instruments; however, it is important to achieve such access, at least with several experiments throughout their careers. Based on the literature, some surveys carried out with students in our faculty, and my own experience, it is time to jump directly to what Generation Alpha will demand. Use interactive and visual materials, avoid extensive texts, and use short videos, animations, and simulations instead to explain complex chemical concepts. Relate chemistry to real-life situations since they will be interested and concentrated if they can see how it applies to their daily lives. If we explain how chemical reactions affect their heath, the food they eat, and the environment, with examples taken from the news, and generate social network content, we will catch their attention. Encourage experimentation so they can learn through hands-on experiences. Incentivize them to participate in peer-to-peer learning to promote collaboration. Another novelty is to “gamify learning” since these generation are “gamers”; for example, we can use rewards, badges, and leaderboards. This experience was used in courses of Instrumental Analysis in our faculty this year and it was a very successful strategy. The students also learn how to lead and negotiate with other students, which is very valuable because in terms of communication, Generation Alpha was diagnosed to be more closed and behave more individually than Zs; besides, they are known as “tech thumbs” (an individual action). It has been reported that this could be due to the behavior of their parents, depending on which generation the parents belong to. These are just some tips. Professors can try to make chemistry education more engaging and effective for these generations, tracking the characteristics of these generations, thus having a broad perspective to be prepared for the future. In summary, despite having been one of the teachers who suffered burnout during the pandemic, reinforced by belonging to Generation X, this crisis left, from my point of view, great learning, and adaptability. I believe that we can continue enjoying the teaching of Analytical Chemistry by adapting to new trends and that it is important to know the characteristics of the new generations. Finally, I leave my colleagues with one final question... are you ready for the era of ChatGPT and artificial intelligence?

Professor Manuel Miró, a researcher with an extensive and prestigious academic career, kindly spoke to BrJAC

Manuel Miró received his M.Sc. (1998) and Ph.D. (2002) in Chemistry from the University of the Balearic Islands, Spain. He has conducted post-doctoral research in several universities, including the Technical University of Berlin, Technical University of Denmark and University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences. He is currently Full Professor in Analytical Chemistry at the University of the Balearic Islands (since September 2017); Guest Professor at Charles University (Czech Republic) (since 2014); and member of the IUPAC Chemistry and Environment Division (Subcommittee on Chemical and Biophysical Processes in the Environment). He has completed and consolidated four teaching periods (each of 5 years) and three research periods (each of 6 years). Dr. Miró is the Reviews Editor of the journal Analytica Chimica Acta (Elsevier, IF: 6.91, the second highest IF across scientific journals for general analytical chemistry) and Associate Editor of the Encyclopedia of Analytical Science, 3rd Edition, Elsevier, positions that he has held since 2007 and 2016, respectively. His publication record shows over 220 refereed publications, including 14 book chapters and a foreword, with an h-index of 42 and over 5600 citations. He has published 24 articles in the prestigious journal ‘Analytical Chemistry’ from the American Chemical Society and is the corresponding author of 110 articles. Dr. Miró has delivered 70 oral presentations (60 as plenary, keynote, or invited lecturer) at international conferences on analytical chemistry, sample preparation, nanotechnology, environmental chemistry, and automation based on flow methodology. He has also presented over 180 poster communications in international conferences and symposiums. He has supervised 10 Ph.D. students in national and international universities (Technical University of Denmark, Mahidol University and Chiang Mai University in Thailand, University of the Balearic Islands in Spain, and Federal University of Bahia in Brazil). He has been actively engaged in 34 national and international research projects (e.g., University of Melbourne in Australia and Charles University in Czech Republic), including 16 as the Principal Investigator. Dr. Miró’s research interests are focused on the development of on-line sample processing strategies for isolation and/or preconcentration of trace levels of environmental pollutants, exploiting 3D printing in the generation of various flow injections, including 3D-printed µFIA and Lab-on-a-Valve mesofluidic platforms, in conjunction with modern analytical instrumentation.

Preface

A peer-reviewed International Conference on Engineering of Optical System and Precision Instruments (ICEOP 2023) was held on August 26-27 at the academic exchange center of Huazhong University of Science and Technology, in Wuhan, China.The conference was made stimulating and informative by three plenary keynote speeches by the pioneers of their fields. Prof. Haiming Luo, Professor of Wuhan National Laboratory for Optoelectronics, Huazhong University of Science and Technology (HUST), China; Prof. Jinbo Pang, Professor of Chemistry and Materials Science, Institute for Advanced Interdisciplinary Research (iAIR), University of Jinan (UJN), China; Prof. Martin Becker, Professor of Leibniz Institute of Photonic Technology, Germany, delivered their wonderful talks. There are also 10 oral presentations and 5 posters are presented at the ICEOP2023 conference. At the end of each presentation, there will be 5 minutes for a question-and-answer to facilitate communication among participants.This volume is a compilation of 18 selected papers from ICEOP 2023 and focuses on recent advances experiences, and emerging trends that have positively impacted our world in optical engineering and precision instruments, which has provided such a platform to researchers, engineers, industrial professionals, and practitioners of the optical engineering and precision instruments field from all over the globe. Four sections are divided: Modern Optical Engineering, Image Acquisition and Processing, Laser Technology, and Optoelectronic Engineering and Precision Control. It has kindled validated discussions on the technological advancements, recent trends, various issues of sustainability, and the solutions adopted to address these issues in the amalgamating field of engineering, technology and science by embodying innovative ideas and pivoting advanced technologies.The organizing committee addresses the thanks to esteemed associates of the conference, eminent speakers, the technical committee members, reviewers, participants, and all the members who have supported the conference. We are grateful for your attendance and contribution to a successful ICEOP 2023.Organizing Committee of ICEOP 2023Valery Tuchin (Conference Chair)Head of Optics and Biophotonics Chair, Director of Science Medical CenterSaratov State University, RussiaList of Editorial Board Members, Scientific Committee are available in this Pdf.

Professors’ retrospective views on chemistry career choices with a focus on gender and academic stage aspects

A decline in studying and choosing a career in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) varies by discipline. This change has adversely affected the field of chemistry, leading the chemistry educator's community to focus on research related to chemistry career choices to overcome the shortage of next generation chemistry researchers and the underrepresentation of women in the ranks of chemistry professors. The retrospective views of chemistry professors about their career paths, choices, and retention are hardly examined empirically. These views may explain young people's early choices of chemistry-related careers. Using the social cognitive career theory (SCCT), the current study explored chemistry professors' retrospective views on their career choice and what differences exist among these professors' views based on their gender and academic stage. Qualitative analysis of in-depth interviews with 12 men and 12 women chemistry professors yielded several categories within the personal, environmental, and behavioral SCCT themes that are related to the professors' career choice. The most mentioned categories in each of the three themes, respectively, were: (a) self-efficacy for scientific/chemistry learning, (b) teachers' or lecturers' influence, and (c) overcoming barriers. Gender and career-stage patterns emerged, e.g., women related more than men to the influence of their teachers or lecturers and of their family and friends. Women and junior-intermediate level men discussed overcoming barriers more frequently than senior level men. These retrospective findings facilitate understanding of enablers and impediments of chemistry professors' career trajectories. Recommendations offered to policymakers aim to promote encouragement of junior-intermediate chemistry professors, especially women, to advance their academic career in chemistry while maintaining work-family balance.

The 2023 Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award

This year’s Emerging Leader in Molecular Spectroscopy Award recipient is Dmitry Kurouski, an assistant professor of chemistry at the Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. From his early research days as a graduate student at State University of New York in Albany, Kurouski’s research has emphasized the development and application of innovative Raman spectroscopy methods for noninvasive, nondestructive analyses of biological materials.

Professor Petr Zuman: Life and Legacy

This lecture will address Prof. Zuman’s legacy and influence through the experiences of one of his scientific sons and one of his scientific grandsons. Petr was born and raised in the city of Prague during the rather tumultuous events of World War II. Early academic achievements after the war included a PhD in Physical Chemistry from Charles University in 1950, under future Nobel laureate Prof. J. Heyrovsky, who invited him to join the new Polarographic Institute in Prague in 1950. Shortly afterwards, Petr was appointed head of the Organic Electrochemistry Division of the Polarographic Institute and launched his research career in organic electrochemistry. He was both originator and major innovator in this area, which he focused on for the rest of his life. In 1967, he was awarded Dr. Science, Czech Acad. Sci. Also in this year, his influential monograph P. Zuman, Substituent Effects in Organic Polarography, was published.In 1966 Petr took up to a guest professorship at University of Birmingham in the UK. In 1970, he moved to Clarkson University as Professor of Chemistry. In 1991, he retired as Distinguished Emeritus Research Professor, but kept active in research into his 90’s. Over his long career, Petr published nearly 500 papers and dozens of books, and mentored 100s of undergrads, grad students, and postdocs and other researchers. He was the ultimate pioneer in development of the field of Organic Electrochemistry, which is now gaining renewed popularity. This talk will also illustrate Petr’s influence on the research efforts of the authors.

Karel Augustin Neumann, the First Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the Prague Polytechnic

Karel Augustin Neumann, the First Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Technology at the Prague Polytechnic

Joanna Szpunar, a great chemical researcher internationally recognized, kindly spoke to BrJAC

Joanna Szpunar graduated from the Warsaw University of Technology in 1986 and obtained her Ph.D. (1992) and D.Sc. (Habilitation) (2000) from the University of Warsaw. Since 1997, she works at the National Research Council of France (CNRS). In 2007, she obtained in Poland the title of professor of chemistry. She has broad experience in the field of mass spectrometry-based bio-inorganic speciation analysis and metallomics with a focus on the identification and quantification of trace element species in biological systems and in the chemistry of metal-biomolecule interactions. She is the co-author of a book and approximately 250 scientific publications in peer-reviewed international journals. Joanna Szpunar is a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (UK) and has been, for many years, a member of the boards of Journal of Analytical Atomic Spectrometry' and Metallomics. She regularly gives invited lectures at international analytical chemistry meetings and was the chairperson of the European Winter Conference on Plasma Spectrochemistry (Kraków, Poland) in 2013. The investigations carried out under her supervision and/or with her active participation resulted in the identification of a number of molecular targets of metals in biological systems, as well as contribute to selenometabolomics and selenoproteomics studies in bacteria and plants. In recent years, her interests were broadened to the environmental fate of metal-containing nanoparticles and nanoplastics. She has supervised 12 Ph.D. theses and several post-doctoral fellows. Joanna Szpunar is the laureate of the 2013 Jerzy Fijalkowski Award of the Committee of Analytical Chemistry of the Polish Academy of Sciences and the 2017 European Award for Plasma Spectrochemistry. In recent years, Joanna Szpunar has been involved in collaboration with analytical chemists in Brazil, hosting graduate students from the University of Campinas and the Federal University of Pelotas in the laboratory at the Institute of Analytical Sciences (IPREM) in Pau afiliated with the CNRS, lecturing at the Federal University of Santa Maria and co-supervising a Ph.D. student with work carried out at the University of Pau and the Federal University of Pelotas.