Undergraduate students conducting research with 10 different faculty members presented 21 posters at the 2013 Undergraduate Research Symposium.  The work of Shawn Sternisha, who conducted research with Dr. Marjorie Jones and Dr. David Cedeño, is highlighted on Illinois State University’s Stories web site. A full listing of presentations is available on the Graduate School’s web site.

Dr. Cary Supalo, a first-year faculty member in Chemical Education, was profiled in the Bloomington Pantagraph. Dr. Supalo’s research focuses on the development of technologies to make chemistry accessible to visually impaired students. The article can be found here: http://www.pantagraph.com/news/local/education/professor-at-isu-who-is-blind-a-testament-to-can/article_2cb3967c-9985-11e2-bdb8-001a4bcf887a.html

Que Viva Indiana Cover

Dr. David Cedeño, Associate Professor of Physical Chemistry, is featured in the January issue of ¡Que Viva! Indiana. Read about his research, international outreach, and involvement with the American Chemical Society’s Project SEED at http://quevivaindiana.com/12866/.

Jeremy Driskell

The Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Illinois State University Assistant Professor of Chemistry Jeremy Driskell a grant to help soldiers exposed to illness or bioterrorism.

The nearly $178,000 grant will fund two years of Driskell’s research with the goal of increasing the speed of detecting and identifying viruses. “We’re hoping to develop a real-time diagnostic assay, meaning when a soldier is exposed to a toxin or virus or shows symptoms, those in the field would be able to immediately tell what the virus is and whether or not the solider needs to be sequestered,” said Driskell.

The grant, titled Flow-through Capture Filters for Enhancing Antibody-Antigen Binding Kinetics, details Driskell’s aim to study how fast antibodies can bind to viruses. “The idea is to push the limit of how fast antigens and antibodies bind,” said Driskell. “The faster they bind, the faster we get a response.” His efforts will create the science the DoD will need to create a faster method of detection in the field.

Driskell and his team will work with influenza virus to test the limits of increased detection. While Driskell estimates the DoD’s Defense Threat Reduction Agency can use the method to assist soldiers who are ill in the field, he anticipates the work truly a building block for applied work in future bio-terrorism projects. “There are other viruses that are higher on the Department of Defense’s list of concerns,” he said, “but once we understand the methodology with the flu, it should be applicable to just about any other system we want.” He added areas from ecology to the medical field could find the study valuable.

This is not Driskell’s his first grant with DoD. He worked on detecting viruses’ unique signature or “fingerprints” with the use of lasers during his time with the University of Georgia, where he also earned a grant from the National Science Foundation. Driskell joined the faculty of Illinois State in 2011.

Cary Supalo

Cary Supalo is a new assistant professor in the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry. He holds a B.S. from Purdue University and an M.S. and a Ph.D. in chemistry from Pennsylvania State University. His area of expertise is chemistry education. Prior to coming to Illinois State, he taught courses Pennsylvania State University. In addition, he has served as an instructor for the National Federation of the Blind’s Youth Slam summer program and for summer workshops at both Masaryk University in Telc, Czech Republic and the Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Supalo’s research focuses on developing innovative methodologies and tools to assist blind and low-vision students and their teachers in chemistry and other science laboratory curricula. The education levels his work affects range from K-12 to postsecondary. He is also involved with developing an informal traveling chemistry and physics exhibit that will appeal to both people with disabilities and those without. Supalo’s work has been published in multiple journals, including the Journal of Science Education for Students with Disabilities, the Journal of Chemistry Education, and Assistive Technology Outcomes and Benefits.

Ruoshi Li of the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry will present a seminar at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 18, 2013, in Julian 225.

Patricia Higgins of the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry will present a seminar at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 20, 2013, in Julian 225.

Katrina Twaddle of the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry will present a seminar at 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, June 25, 2013, in Julian 225.

Jiayun Hu of the Illinois State University Department of Chemistry will present a seminar at 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 27, 2013, in Julian 225.

Dr. Anas El-Aneed of the College of Pharmacy and Nutrition at the University of Saskatchewan will present a seminar at 3:00 p.m. on Friday, July 5, 2013, in Julian 225.