Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
School of Green Chemistry and Engineering
University of Toledo
GROUP NEWS
2020 - 2022
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July 2022: Young Scientist Visits the Mason Group
Future scientist Kieran Corwin, 9 years old, visited the Mason lab on July 25 to learn about endothermic reactions, extraction, and sublimation. Doctoral student Mollie Enright worked with Kieran to extract caffeine from a sample, purify the caffeine by crystallization and sublimation, and then check the purity of the caffeine by 1H NMR spectroscopy. Kieran also monitored the endothermic dissolution of citric acid by change in temperature. Kieran came prepared to work with his own lab jacket and goggles (top left with Mollie). This isn't the first time Kieran visited the Mason group. He toured the lab and the NSM Instrumentation Center before COVID in January 2020 when he was 6 years old (top center and top right). The Mason group encourages Kieran to continue his study of science, and we hope that he visits again in the future.
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May 2022: Additional Funding Received from a Corporate Sponsor
Professor Mason and three colleagues from the College of Engineering were awarded $437,133 to continue work for a corporate sponsor for an additional nine months. The contract work is anticipated to continue through January of 2023. The Mason group is very appreciative of the financial support and the sponsor's confidence in the capabilities of the UT team.
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May 2022: Mason Group Receives URAF Grant to Begin Work on Cationic Complexes of Aluminum
Professor Mason was awarded a $9,000 URAF grant from the University of Toledo in support of initial work on cationic complexes of aluminum. Doctoral student Leart Sedjarasi is the lead researcher on the new project, which runs through December of 2022. The Mason group thanks the UT Office of Sponsored Research for initial support of this new project.
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April 2022: Dr. Yasaman Saleh Joins Croda Pharma
Dr. Yasaman Saleh accepted a new position as Research Scientist at Croda Pharma in Princeton, New Jersey, where she will be working for UT graduate (Ph.D., Prof. Joe Schmidt) Dr. Sreejit Menon. Yasaman received her Ph.D. from the University of Toledo in 2020. We wish Yasaman great success in her new position at Croda.
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April 2022: Alex Vick Joins Par Pharmaceutical
Alex Vick started a new position at Par Pharmaceutical in Rochester, Michigan. Alex works on the regulatory side of pharmaceutical production and enjoys his new position. He previously worked at the Marathon Refinery in Detroit, Michigan. Alex was an undergraduate researcher in the Mason group for a few semesters as he finished his B.S. in Chemistry at the University of Toledo. The Mason group wishes Alex all the best in his new position
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April 2022: Dr. Mason Gives Green Chemistry Lecture at Lake Michigan College
Professor Mason visited Lake Michigan College in Benton Harbor, Michigan, and gave a general audience presentation on green and sustainable chemistry. He was invited and hosted by Department of Chemistry Chair, and former UT graduate, Dr. John Beck (Ph.D., University of Toledo, Prof. Joe Schmidt). Lake Michigan College had great facilities for undergraduate science education, and the audience members had many great questions. Thanks to Professor Beck and his colleagues for the invitation and a great visit.
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April 2022: Ashlee Bartlett-Niese Passes Ph.D. Candidacy Exam
Congrats to Ashlee on passing her doctoral candidacy exam! Ashlee will now have more time to devote to her research on the applications of alkylaluminophosphonate cage compounds to catalysis and materials synthesis.
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April 2022: Mollie Enright Participates in Finnegan's IP University
Congrats to Mollie Enright for being selected and participating in the IP University sponsored by the law firm Finnegan, Hendersen, Farabow, Garrett and Dunner. Students met once a week for five weeks to learn about intellectual property and patent practice. Mollie plans to attend law school after she completes her Ph.D. in Chemistry and ultimately plans to practice patent law. More details on Finnegan's IP University can be found here.
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December 2021: Dr. Tony Bova Speaks at The University of Toledo Commencement Ceremony
Kudos to Dr. Tony Bova for speaking at the commencement ceremony! Tony received his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Toledo and his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville. He is also co-founder of startup company Mobius. More information on Tony can be found in a July 2021 entry below, and information on the commencement ceremony can be found at the following link. Congrats again Tony!
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December 2021: Tim Beaudry Joins the Research Group of Dr. Matthew Conley at UC Riverside
Tim Beaudry has joined the research group of Dr. Matthew Conley at the University of California, Riverside. Tim is in his first year of doctoral studies after receiving his B.S. in Chemistry from the University of Toledo. Tim worked in the Mason group as an undergraduate researcher. The Mason group looks forward to reading the publications resulting from Tim's doctoral research.
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November 2021: Dr. Matt Healy, CTO of Pentagon Technologies, Visits Toledo
Professor Mason was very happy to receive a visit from an old friend, Dr. Matt Healy. Dr. Healy received his Ph.D. from Harvard University under the tutelage of Professor Andrew Barron. His graduate research focused on the chemistry of the group 13 elements, including the chemical vapor deposition of thin films. Dr. Healy and Professor Mason, while still a postdoctoral associate, overlapped in the Barron group for about two years and were coauthors on a publication in Dalton Transactions. Dr. Healy has led a productive career, and most recently became CTO at Pentagon Technologies. Pentagon Technologies "is a leading provider of mission-critical manufacturing support services, contamination detection, and protection products to the semiconductor, pharmaceutical, microelectronic, and solar industries." The Mason group wishes Dr. Healy continued success in his career and hopes that he visits Toledo again in the near future.
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October 2021: Christine Jette Starts New Job at Smith+Nephew
Congratulations to Christine Jette on her new job with Smith+Nephew in Andover, Massachusetts! Smith+Nephew is a global medical technology company that specializes in surgical devices and wound care products (https://www.smith-nephew.com/about-us/). Christine will work in the analytical group as Analytical Scientist 1 in support of medical device research and development. The Mason group wishes Christine great success in this new opportunity at Smith+Nephew.
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August 2021: Funding Received from a Corporate Sponsor
Professor Mark Mason and two colleagues from the UT College of Engineering were awarded an 8-month contract from a corporate sponsor for $367,887. Work on this new project began recently and is expected to be complete by April of 2022.
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July 2021: Ashlee Bartlett Marries John Niese
Congratulations to graduate student Ashlee Bartlett-Niese and John Niese! The two were married in Michigan on July 31. The Mason Group wishes Ashlee and John a very long and happy life together.
August 2021: Bingxu Song: Senior Partner, Managing Director of China Centric Associates
Congratulations to Bingxu Song on his current position as Senior Partner, Managing Director of China Centric Associates in Shanghai, China. Bingxu received his M.S. in Chemistry from the University of Toledo in 2005, and his thesis was on The Synthesis of Group 13 Compounds to Bind and Activate Carbon Monoxide. Bingxu's research in the Mason Group resulted in publications in the Journal of the American Chemical Society, Organometallics, and Inorganica Chimica Acta. The article in ICA was an invited article in recognition of Professor Robert J. Angelici's outstanding contributions to inorganic and organometallic chemistry. We wish Bingxu continued success in his position at China Centric Associates.
July 2021: First Group Cookout at New House
Some current and former group members gathered on July 22 at Professor Mason's new house for food, drink, and relaxation. A good time was had by all and the weather was perfect. Dr. Chris Gianopoulos discovered chanterelle mushrooms on the property, something that Professor Mason will take advantage of in the future. The group photo shows the following from left to right: Dr. Chris Gianopoulos, Ashlee Bartlett and soon to be husband John, Tim Beaudry and wife Kunie, Leart Sejdarasi, Mollie Enright, Dr. Yasaman Saleh, Lindsey Archibeque, Professor Mason and his dog Cooper. Tyler Miller was unable to attend due to a work conflict.
July 2021: Dr. Morteza Jandaghi Becomes a Father
Congratulations to Morteza Jandaghi and his wife Mahsa on the birth of their first son, Levine Sky Jandaghi, in June. Levine was 7 lbs 7 ounces and 21 inches at birth. Best wishes to the Jandaghi family!
July 2021: Tony Bova Receives his Ph.D. from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville
Congratulations to Dr. Tony Bova for completing his Ph.D. in Energy Science and Engineering from the University of Tennessee, Knoxville in May! His doctoral research was focused on lignin-based polymers, and his dissertation was on Stretching the Applications of Biomass: Development of Lignin Based Thermoplastic Elastomers and Composite Materials. His undergraduate research in the Mason group included the synthesis of biomass-derived monomers for sustainable polymers, the synthesis of a new chromium porphyrin complex, and some organoaluminum chemistry. Tony was also involved in many extracurricular activities at the University of Toledo, including Building Ohio's Sustainable Energy Future (BOSEF) and the Student Green Fund. Tony is a proponent of green chemistry and co-founder and CEO of Mobius, a company devoted to the creation of renewable chemicals, materials, and energy from waste. Best wishes to Tony on his continued success!
July 2021: Nick Kingsley Appointed Associate Dean at the University of Michigan, Flint
Congratulations to Professor Nick Kingsley on his appointment as Associate Dean for Research and Graduate Programs for the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Michigan, Flint! Nick starts his new administrative position on July 1. He will also continue to devote some of his time to scholarship and lectures on green chemistry and inorganic chemistry. Professor Kingsley received his Ph.D. from the University of Toledo in 2009. His dissertation was on the Synthesis and Characterization of Lewis Acidic Aluminum and Gallium Complexes. Nick also worked to establish the first B.S. Degree in Green Chemistry while a faculty member at the University of Michigan, Flint. Best wishes to Nick!
June 2021: Tim Beaudry to Join Ph.D. Program at University of California, Riverside
Congratulations to Tim Beaudry for being accepted into the doctoral program in Chemistry at UC Riverside! Tim plans to pursue inorganic, organometallic, and catalyst research during his graduate studies. We wish him the best of luck and look forward to reading the results of his research starting in the near future.
June 2021: Leart Sejdarasi Passes Ph.D. Candidacy Exam
Congrats to Leart on passing his doctoral candidacy exam! Leart is currently finishing up research on some dipyrromethene complexes of the heavier group 13 elements, and will pursue multiple areas of exploratory research on organoaluminum compounds.
June 2021: Article on a New Constrained Geometry Complexes Published in Journal of Organometallic Chemistry
Former Mason group member Ryan Rondo had his article on New Class of Trianionic Constrained Geometry Ligands: Representative Complexes of Zirconium published in the Journal of Organometallic Chemistry. Dr. Kristin Kirschbaum collaborated on the crystallographic analysis. The results reported in this publication constitute part of the initial work related to the patent Trianionic Ligand Precursor Compounds and Uses Thereof in Constrained Geometry Catalysts, US Patent 8,524,846 B1, issued to the Mason group. The article in JOMC can be found at the following link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jorganchem.2021.121830
May 2021: Lindsey Archibeque Graduates with B.S. Degree in Biochemistry
Congratulations to Lindsey on her graduation with a B.S. Degree in Biochemistry! Lindsey plans to pursue medical studies in the near future. The Mason group wishes her the best of luck and great success in her future endeavors.
April 2021: Mollie Enright Receives Student Travel Grant from ACS GCI Pharmaceutical Roundtable
Mollie Enright received a student travel grant from the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable to support travel to the 2022 ACS Green Chemistry and Engineering Conference or another conference sponsored by the American Chemical Society. The award will enable Mollie to present her work, as well as some of the results generated by Christine Jette, on iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of heterocycles. Congratulations to Mollie.
April 2021: Christine Jette Passes M.S. Thesis Defense and Ready to Graduate
Congratulations to Christine Jette for successfully defending her M.S. thesis on Iron-Catalyzed Cross-Coupling of Pyrrole with Nitrogen-Containing Heteroaryl Boronic Acids and Esters. Christine did a great job working with Mollie Enright to start this new project, the initial results of which will be submitted for publication soon. Seed funding for the project was provided by an ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable Ignition Grant. Christine has moved back to Massachusetts as she begins her job search. The Mason group wishes Christine great success in her career.
March 2021: Dr. Adam Keith Accepts Job as Operations Manager at Concept Alloys
Congratulations to Dr. Adam Keith (Ph.D. 2014) for moving to Concept Alloys, Inc. and accepting the position of operations manager. Concept Alloys is located in Whitmore Lake, Michigan and specializes in thermocouple wire and specialty metal alloys. Adam previously worked as senior chemist at Chem Trend in Howell, Michigan for the past six years. The Mason Group wishes Adam continued success in his career.
February 2021: Funding Received from the Office of Naval Research and Teledyne Brown Engineering
Dr. Mark Mason, Dr. Steve Huebner (Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering), Dr. Ana Alba-Rubio (Chemical Engineering) and Dr. Sorin Cioc (Mechanical, Industrial, and Manufacturing Engineering) were awarded a 10-month subcontract from Teledyne Brown Engineering for $652,840 to assist in developing hot, non-vitiated air for hypersonic testing. Dr. Chris Gianopoulos and Tim Beaudry are currently working on this project. More details can be found in the following press release:
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December 2020: Fatemeh (Yasaman) Saleh Awarded Ph.D. in Chemistry
Congratulations to Dr. Fatemeh Saleh for graduating with her Ph.D. in Chemistry. Her dissertation is entitled Synthesis and Characterization of Bulky Dipyrromethene Complexes of Boron through Improved Dipyrromethene Synthesis. The Mason Group wishes Yasaman continued success in her career.
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November 2020: Leart Sejdarasi and Ashlee Bartlett Join the Mason Group
Welcome to new group members Leart Sejdarasi and Ashlee Bartlett. Leart is a second-year doctoral student with B.S. and M.S. degrees from Oakland University. Ashlee is a first-year doctoral students with a B.S. degree in chemistry from Spring Arbor University. Leart and Ashlee will work on different aspects of organoaluminum chemistry.
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August 2020: Tim Beaudry and Dr. Chris Gianopoulos Rejoin the Mason Group
Tim Beaudry has rejoined the group as part-time research assistant, and Dr. Chris Gianopoulos (Ph.D. 2014) has rejoined the group as a research associate and Research Assistant Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry. Both Tim and Chris are working on a contract research project. More details will be released in the future.
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August 2020: Lindsey Archibeque and Tyler Miller Join the Mason Group
Welcome to new undergraduate group members Lindsey Archibeque and Tyler Miller. Lindsey and Tyler are working with Mollie Enright on the iron-catalyzed cross-coupling of heterocycles. Lindsey is a senior biochemistry major and Tyler is a junior chemistry major.
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June 2020: Vince Kowalski Joins Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Congratulations to Vince Kowalski on his move to Glenmark Pharmaceuticals in Monroe, North Carolina. Vince will work as a quality control analyst. The Mason group wishes Vince continued success in his new position.
June 2020: Mason Laboratory Reopens from COVID-19 Shutdown
After three months of mandatory laboratory shutdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Mason Group reopened the lab on June 8. We are working under a COVID Research Operation Plan submitted to, and approved by, the UT administration. We work in shifts to maintain social distancing, repetitively disinfect instrumentation, equipment, and lab surfaces, and mandate appropriate PPE be worn at all times to minimize transmission of the virus.
May 2020: Morteza Jandaghi Awarded Ph.D in Chemistry
Congratulations to Dr. Morteza Jandaghi for officially graduating with his Ph.D. in Chemistry. The Mason Group wishes Dr. Jandaghi continued success in his job at Procter & Gamble.
May 2020: Tim Beaudry and Alex Vick Graduate
Congratulations to undergraduate researchers Tim Beaudry and Alex Vick for graduating with their BS degree in Chemistry. We wish them the best of luck as they continue on in their careers.
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February 2020: Vince Kowalski Becomes a Father
Congratulations to Vince Kowalski and his wife Claire for the birth of their first son, Noah!