Research

Undergraduate research plays a vital role in the chemistry curriculum at Loyola University. All majors are encouraged to join a research group early in their academic studies. It is in the research lab where students have the opportunity to apply ideas learned in the classroom to real-world problems for which there are no solutions in the back of a book.

Students receive academic credit for participation in research projects during the academic year and over the summer. Students may also have the opportunity to receive stipends for their research activities. We encourage chemistry majors to contact faculty members to discuss research opportunities in their laboratories.

Kurt Birdwhistell, Ph.D.
Dr. Birdwhistell’s group applies the principles of “Green Chemistry” to design new environmentally benign synthetic pathways to inorganic and organic molecules. Green chemistry involves the application of a set of principles to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous materials in the synthesis of chemical products. His group’s current projects in “Green Chemistry” involve the application of four synthetic strategies: (1) Reducing energy requirements of reactions by applying Microwave Assisted Synthesis (MAS); (2) Eliminating organic solvents in synthetic reactions by using an environmentally beneign solvent such as water, or no solvent; (3) Replacing hazardous mineral acids such as sulfuric or phosphoric acid with safer solid acid alternatives; and (4) designing new water-soluble catalysts for the replacement of catalysts normally used in organic solvents.  Check out Dr. Birdwhistell's website for more information.  

Lynn Vogel Koplitz, Ph.D.
Dr. Koplitz’s group does research in a number of areas of physical chemistry, especially spectroscopy, with applications to materials science, environmental studies, geochemistry, and photochemistry. Other interests include hydrogen bonding in cyanomethylpyridinium salts; computational chemistry; copper/zinc oxide surface science; sediments and aqueous solutions of environmental and geochemical interest.

Hoyt Meyer, Ph.D.
Dr. Meyer's research interests center around organic synthesis, a branch of chemistry that involves the construction of complex hydrocarbon-based molecules from simple, readily available precursors. Molecules of particular interest are synthetic amino acids which may bind to the γ–aminobutyric acid (GABA) and glutamate (Glu) receptors in the central nervous system or have activity against Plasmodium falciparum, one of the organisms causing malaria. Current collaborations also feature the synthesis of functionalized alkanethiols that form self-assembling monolayers (SAMs) upon metal surfaces. These monolayers are of interest for their electrochemical properties and as models for understanding the processing of organic material in the atmosphere.

Thomas Spence, Ph.D.
Dr. Spence is a physical chemist with extensive experience in design and construction of spectroscopic instrumentation. Research interests include laser-based trace-gas detection using cavity ring-down spectroscopy. His research group is currently developing a system to determine isotopic abundances using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Check out Dr. Spence’s Website for more information.

Joelle S. Underwood, Ph.D.
Dr. Underwood is an atmospheric physical chemist with research interests in two main areas. Undergraduate research students work with her to study the water uptake processes and chemical reactions of atmospherically relevant aerosol. Students are also involved in the development of analytical techniques for studying the physical and chemical properties of atmospheric aerosol.

William Walkenhorst, Ph.D.
Dr. Walkenhorst is a physical biochemist with research interests in the areas of molecular recognition, ligand binding, and protein folding and design. His research group frequently studies the secondary structure of large biomolecules using circular dichroism spectroscopy.