| Biography: Kent Mann is a Morse-Alumni Distinguished
Teaching Professor of Chemistry at the University of Minnesota, Twin
Cities
Campus. He received his B. A. degree in
chemistry from the University of Illinois Champaign-Urbana and the Ph.D.
degree
from Caltech. In 1978 he arrived at the
University to live his life long dream to become a chemistry teacher.
He has directly mentored over 30
undergraduates and 30 graduate students that have studied
photochemistry,
electrochemistry and the development of sensor compounds. In addition
to these academic interests,
Professor Mann enjoys fishing, sailing, tennis and golf.
Prof. Mann's Abstract:
My talk will celebrate the accomplishments of the many talented
undergraduates
that have kept me excited about teaching and taught me so much about lab
development and research. I especially
hope to comment on the trials and tribulations involved with offering
over 400
students (spread out over more than 15 years) a research quality
experience in
a required upper level laboratory course.
| Meeting Schedule:
Executive Committee
Meeting, 5:00 - 6:00 pm, Cedar Room, Christensen Center, Augsburg
College.
Social Hour / Dinner
- 6:00 - 7:00 pm, East Commons, 2nd Floor Christensen Center. Dinner
features roasted boneless chicken breast, fennel and orange bib salad,
asparagus, and rosemary roasted potatoes; chocolate mousse for dessert
(vegetarian by request with RSVP).
Talk and Awards, 7:00
pm, East Commons, 2nd Floor Christensen Center.
The Christensen Center is at the corner of 22nd Ave. S and 7
1/2 St just northeast of the Riverside Ave exit on I-94 east of downtown
Minneapolis. Please park in Lot L after 4:30pm free by placing a sign on
your
dash reading "Mon., May 16, MN-ACS Meeting". Directions: See Lot L on
the Augsburg Campus Map at http://www.augsburg.edu/about/map.html
Meal Charge: Online $20 (student $15);
on-site $22 (Student $17) - RSVP required before Monday 9 May.
Please RSVP by 9 May online using PayPal at www.mnacs.org,
or to Ron Fedie, email, fedie@augsburg.edu, phone
612-330-1069.
|
Biography: Kenneth R. Leopold is a Taylor Distinguished Professor and
Morse-Alumni Distinguished Teaching Professor of Chemistry at the University
of Minnesota. He received
his B.S. Degree
in Chemistry from SUNY Stony Brook in 1977 and his Ph.D. in Chemistry
from
Harvard in 1983. Following an NRC postdoctoral appointment at the
National
Bureau Standards in Boulder, Colorado,
he joined the faculty of the University
of Minnesota in 1986.
Professor Leopold’s research is in high resolution spectroscopy and has
explored numerous topics including van der Waals and hydrogen bonding
interactions, partially formed chemical bonds, environmental molecular
complexes, and the chemical physics of proton transfer. Professor
Leopold is
the recipient of several prestigious awards in including the George
Taylor - IT
Alumni Society Distinguished Teaching Award of the Institute
of Technology and the Horace T. Morse
- University of Minnesota
Alumni Association Award for
Outstanding Contributions to Undergraduate Education.
Prof. Leopold's Abstract: Many students enter science
with noble
and, at times, narrowly focused goals of solving the world’s most
pressing
problems. Yet, the path to discovery is often indirect and serendipity
plays a
larger role than we may sometimes like to admit. This talk will describe
the
circuitous route that research has taken in my own laboratory, from
basic
studies of intermolecular forces to partially formed bonds, proton
transfer,
and atmospheric chemistry. This story reaffirms the unpredictability of
fundamental research and its ability to capture the interest of aspiring
scientists. As chemistry rightfully strives to tackle society’s
“relevant”
problems, let’s remember to continue to instill in our students the
sense of
awe that basic science can engender. Nature itself is “cool” and
fundamental
science still has a role to play, both in the laboratory and in the
classroom.
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