The Barking Electron
www.chemistry.msstate.edu
Winter 2013
Greetings from the Head
Dear Friends,
Welcome to the Winter 2013 semester. There’s a lot of news
to catch up on from the summer and lots of exciting events
looming on the horizon.
Fall saw quite a few new hires for the Chemistry Department.
Dr. T. Keith Hollis joined us as an Associate Professor; Dr.
Patrick Hillesheim, our new Freshman Laboratory Coordinator/
Instructor, came to us from Oak Ridge National Laboratories
and Dr. Laura Smith, a former scientist at ICET, is now our Upper Level Laboratory
Coordinator/Instructor. We also have plans to add one additional faculty member to the
department in 2014. In addition to these faculty, we welcomed three new staff members: Ms.
Kathy Johnsey and Ms. Cindy Williams, Office Associates, and Ms. Bethany Gunn, Accounting
Assistant.
This fall also saw an addition to our curriculum: Biological Chemistry I: The Molecular Structure
of Life & Biological Chemistry II: The Chemical Reactions of Life. Since first- and second-year
chemistry courses are composed of approximately 50% biology-oriented/pre-professional
students, we felt that we should add curriculum that it is most useful to them e.g. a number of
medical schools require a semester of biochemistry and an increasing number will likely add it as
a requirement in the future. The Biochemistry curriculum in the Department of Chemistry
emphasizes a distinctly chemical perspective, with a more quantitative approach. With four
professors in our department currently doing research in the structural biology/biophysics area,
this new course seems like a good fit.
Finally, our undergraduate and graduate programs continue to thrive. Our recruiting efforts have
brought us 42 new undergraduate Chemistry majors (121 total) and 14 new graduate students
this fall. I’m happy to say that these students bring an enthusiasm about chemistry that infects
all of us and makes us see the future in terms of unending possibilities.
With Warm Regards,
Ed Lewis
Professor & Head
Faculty & Staff
New Hires
Keith Hollis
B.S. Huntingdon College
Ph.D. University of Chicago
Dr. Hollis is our newest Associate Organic Chemistry
Professor. Keith has a huge research lab: he brought seven
grad students with him from Ole Miss and has since added
five more students. Is it his charisma? No, it’s the chemistry!
The Hollis group designs and develops next-generation
organometallic ligands and complexes that have a real-world
impact on energy and medicine. If synthesis is your passion, you’ve come to the right place.
Patrick Hillesheim
B.S. North Carolina State University
Ph.D. University of Florida
Dr. Hillesheim is our new freshman laboratory
coordinator/instructor and the main reason more students
have not caught on fire. Thanks to Patrick, teaching labs are
safer than ever and experiments are exquisitely organized.
Patrick’s wife, Christina, is a new graduate student in the
department---so there’s no getting away from chemistry
when he goes home.
Laura Smith
B.S. Mississippi University for Women
Ph.D. Mississippi State University
Dr. Smith is an Instructor of our upper division undergraduate
laboratories. Laura has been busy designing innovative
experiments that definitely catch the attention and imagination
of our Chemistry majors. And if you feel a hankering to discuss
politics with Laura, her husband happens to be the famous
Mississippi House Representative Jeff Smith.
Bethany Gunn
Accounting Assistant
Bethany is the newest member of our office staff. Ms.
Gunn graduated from Mississippi State University with a
Bachelor of Accountancy in 2010.
Kathy Johnsey
Office Associate
Ms. Johnsey has joined the staff of the Chemistry Department
to help with the day to day “fires” that need to be put out.
Whether it’s a computer snafu or an order that is hopelessly
lost, Kathy is here to help.
Cindy Williams
Office Associate
Mrs. Williams is a 2012 graduate of Mississippi State
University with a Bachelors of Science in Interdisciplinary
Studies. Cindy brings a friendly smile and a warm welcome
to all who enter the main Chemistry office.
Laura Lewis
Safety/Chemical Manager
Although Ms. Lewis is not a new face to the department,
she now serves in the role of Safety/Chemical Manager to
the Chemistry Department. Laura graduated with a
Bachelors of Science degree from the University of Alabama
and brings a wealth of experience to this position.
3rd Annual Department of Chemistry Scholarship Golf Tournament
With 68 players teeing it up, the department’s third annual golf tournament got off to a roaring
start on a chilly April 6, 2013. After a shot-gun start at 9am, a lunch from Starkville Cafe and
drinks from Clark’s Beverages awaited the players. Goodies bags included an Adidas golf shirt
(with a Mississippi State emblem, of course), a sleeve of Titleist golf balls and local retail
coupons. Sadly, no one won the hole-in-one 2013 Ford Focus.
Thanks in large part to our generous donors, over $12,000 was raised. Five scholarships,
funded by the golf tournament, supported these undergraduate summer researchers: Amber
Kay (Dr. Keith Mead), George Salomon (Dr. Dongmao Zhang), Patrice Simmons (Dr. Todd
Mlsna), Tam Vo (Dr. Nick Fitzkee) and Olivia Todd (Dr. Joe Emerson).
Our next tournament will be bigger and better than ever! The 4th Annual Chemistry Scholarship
Golf Tournament will be held on Saturday, April 26, 2014. Please check the Chemistry
Department website ( www.chemistry.msstate.edu) for details and registration.
Mississippi Regional Biophysical Consortium
Mississippi Regional Biophysical Consortium
Investigators using biophysical techniques in the Southeastern US have joined together into a user’s
consortium, the Mississippi Regional Biophysics Consortium, to facilitate the sharing of instrumentation,
expertise and analysis capabilities. MSU hosted the 6th Annual MRBC meeting on May 30-31.
Alumni
2013 Alumni Fellow for the College of Arts &Sciences
Fred Corley M.D.
The MSU Alumni Association welcomed the 2013 class of
Alumni Fellows on the weekend of November 15th, in
conjunction with the MSU vs. Alabama football game. Dr. Fred
G. Corley Jr. is a 1968 graduate in chemistry, who represented
the College of Arts and Sciences as 2013 Alumni Fellow.
Corley, a native of Yazoo City, is a professor of orthopedics
and an orthopedic surgeon at the University of Texas Medical
School in San Antonio, Texas. He has been employed with the
school for a number of years.
“Mississippi State University provided me the tools I needed
to succeed. These included discipline, time management, and
encouragement from my teachers to have a stimulated and
inquisitive mind,” he said.
Corley owes much of his success to his parents, church,
patients, and the great mentors that he has had the
opportunity to work with over the years.
“The friends I made and the many long relationships I gained while at MSU continue to fulfill my life,” he
said.
Corley will always hold Mississippi State dear to his heart.
“My fondest memory is of the genuine concern that the faculty had for the students and the campus
landscape, particularly with the trees in their fall foliage and the aroma of burning leaves,” he said.
Corley was previously honored by Mississippi State University as an Alumnus of the Year for the College
of Arts and Sciences. He currently serves as a member of the college’s advisory board and has been a
member of the MSU Foundation Board of Directors.
In addition to his degree from Mississippi State, Corley holds a medical degree from the University of
Mississippi School of Medicine.
Corley currently resides in San Antonio, Texas, continuing his career as a hand specialist.
Alumni Spotlight
Michael Edgeworth MD (BS 1995) After earning an MD at the University of
Mississippi, Dr. Edgeworth completed his internship, residency, and
fellowship at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in 2005. During training,
he was honored to serve as Chief Resident in Neurology. He remained on
faculty as Assistant Professor in Neurology at Vanderbilt Medical Center,
where he also served as Director of Clinical Trials in Vanderbilt's Division of
Neuro-Oncology. At the end of 2008, Dr. Edgeworth left Vanderbilt
University to start his practice at StoneCrest Medical Center, where he has
remained on active medical staff and serves as the Medical Director for the
StoneCrest Stroke Program. He has received the Patient's Choice Award
every year since arriving at StoneCrest.
Dr. Edgeworth has also served as team leader for Christian medical mission
trips to Ethiopia in 2005, 2008, and 2010. He continues to volunteer his services for underprivileged
patients at Siloam Family Health Center in Nashville. He has also served on the Board of Trustees of The
Covenant School and has served as a Sunday school teacher as well as deacon of Covenant Presbyterian
Church in Nashville.
But there’s another side to Dr. Edgeworth---he is the Co-Founder and Secretary of the Black Abbey
Brewing Company in Nashville, TN. This brewing company specializes in Belgian-style beer and
celebrates its local roots in Middle Tennessee. Please visit their website to really appreciate the scope of
this venture (blackabbeybrewing.com).
Alumni Briefs
Russell Betcher MD (BS 1988) Dr. Russell Betcher began his practice with the
Knoxville Orthopedic Clinic in 1998. Dr. Betcher specializes in Sports Medicine,
focusing on arthroscopy to include the shoulder, knee, hip and elbow. He is a
member of various Orthopedic organizations including the Arthroscopy Association of
North America and the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine. He is also a
Fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons. Dr. Betcher is very involved
within the local sports community: he is an orthopedic consultant to the University of
Tennessee Men’s and Women’s Athletic Departments, the Tennessee Smokies and
the Knoxville Ice Bears. In his spare time, Dr. Betcher enjoys snow skiiing and wake boarding.
Tisha Riggins (BS 1994) has been a Senior Quality Assurance Engineer at Secure Works in
Atlanta, GA for the past 5 years. Before that, she was a Quality Assurance Engineer at
IBM Internet Security Systems, after receiving her Masters degree at Stephen F Austin
State University. But Tisha’s real passion is animal welfare. She works tirelessly as a
volunteer for the Humane Society in Georgia and gives much of her free time to animal
rescue groups. As she so eloquently puts it, she speaks “for those with no voice”.
Donors
New Department Scholarship
Thanks to the generosity of Dr. David Wigley and his wife, Dr.
Dana Fox, the Dr. David E. Wigley Endowed Scholarship was
established this Fall, 2013. Dr. Wigley is a Partner at the law firm
of Sutherland, Asbill and Brennan in Atlanta, GA. Based in
Sutherland’s Intellectual Property Practice Group, he focuses
mainly on the IP rights of companies involved in chemical,
pharmaceutical, materials-related and polymer technologies.
David, a former professor of chemistry at the University of
Arizona, was research director of a program in chemical synthesis
and catalysis funded by the U.S. Department of Energy and the
National Science Foundation.
The first recipient of the Dr. David E. Wigley Endowed Scholarship is Torin Harrison, a Chemistry major
from Newnan, GA.
Emeritus Professor Dies
Every MSU graduate has a memory of his or her favorite professor. Maybe he is the reason you are in
your current profession. Maybe she helped you find your first job. Maybe he taught you lessons that
couldn’t be found in a book. For Douglas Crawford of Starkville, chemistry Professor Donald Emerich
made the difference. “Dr. Emerich was an excellent teacher who inspired by example. What separated
him was his involvement with the students. He would always come in and help us when we were
working on an experiment” said Crawford. “I had him when I was in graduate school, and to this day, I
remember he always quoted Plutarch by saying, “The mind is not a vessel to be filled, but a fire to be
kindled.” In December 2007, Crawford established the Donald W. Emerich Endowed Scholarship to
benefit deserving students majoring in chemistry. Crawford says he established the endowment because
he wanted to recognize Emerich for his excellence in teaching and motivation that brought forth the
best in his students. “He was almost like a second father. He was constantly encouraging and motivating
us. I want him to know how much I appreciate what he did for me and so many others.”
Dr. Donald Warren Emerich passed away due to congestive heart failure one day away from his 93rd
birthday on July 11, 2013. Don earned a BS degree in Chemical Engineering from Penn State University
and a Ph.D degree in Chemistry from Ohio State University. Don began teaching chemistry at Mississippi
State University as an Associate Professor in 1960. Don later became full professor and served as Acting
Department Head of the Chemistry Department at MSU for 2 years and Department Head for 10 years.
He is survived by his wife of 70 years. The Donald W. Emerich Endowed Scholarship is awarded each fall
to a deserving Chemistry major. This year’s recipient was Jayme Castillo.
Students
The 3rd Annual W. Lester S. Andrews Graduate Research Symposium
The 3rd Annual Lester Andrews Graduate Research Symposium was held May 16-17, 2013 at Mississippi
State University. Conference participants included graduate students from regional universities who
presented the results of their research projects. This symposium also allowed students to meet
Professor Peng Chen, the Peter J. W. Debye professor of chemistry, Department of Chemistry, Cornell
University and enjoy his lecture on “What can we learn by watching single molecules in action? I. Singlenanoparticle catalysis, and II. New mechanisms in transcription regulation.”
Fall 2013 Awards & Fellowships
Mary Remley – Don G. Wright Memorial Scholarship
Zachary Cuny, Glenn Crisler - Hach Scholarship
Jayme Castillo - Donald W. Emerich Endowed Scholarship
Terah Winborne - Ian Chen Scholarship
David Fulton, Jeffrey Johnston, Ashley Horn, Anna Robinson, Daniel Coats, Griffin St. Louis,
Rachael West, Sarah Hunter, Matthew Bacon, Andrew Hanna - Harry & Mary Simrall
Scholarship
Danielle Francis - Mary V. Simrall Undergraduate Research Scholarship
Torin Harrison – Dr. David E. Wigley Endowed Scholarship
Fall 2013 Undergraduate Welcome Back Picnic
Once again, Drs. Todd and Deb Mlsna hosted the annual welcome back picnic on October 14th. Between
the pool, the zipline over the pond and the firepit, it was hard not to have fun. This year there was a
little competition between the students and the faculty……. and the students were victorious!!!
Congratulations to MSU SAACS (Student Affiliate of the American
Chemical Society)
SAACS received a Commendable Award from the American Chemical Society for the hard work
done by the SAACS students in preparing undergraduates for a science career, fostering
fellowship among students, and introducing science to the community at large.
New Officers for 2013-2014 Academic Year:
President: Ashley Horn
Vice President: Anna Robinson
Treasurer: Patrice Simmons
Secretary: Amanda Holloway
SAACS Ambassadors
SAACS Ambassadors is an honor society for students that are fully active SAACS members who
meet a certain GPA requirement. They help with department recruiting, tours, and assistant
with department events. The 2013-2014 SAACS Ambassadors are:
Anna Turner
Carly Baker
Andrew Hanna
Jayme Castillo
Taylor Clark
Claylee Chism
Ashley Horn
Olivia Todd
Patrice Simmons
Tam Vo
Mary Linda Remley
Lauren Bosch
Amanda Holloway
Anna Robinson
Tyler Shack
Terah Winborne
Mary Jo Pakkala
Jessi Collier
Jay Ballard
SAACS Fundraiser
As a Thank You to people that donate funds to support the SAACS chapter the SAACS group has
designed Chemistry t-shirts that are given to those who give donations of $15.00 or more. For
more information go to http://www.chemistry.msstate.edu/undergraduate/saacs/
Chemistry Department Spring 2013 Awards Banquet
A Mexican Fiesta, aka the annual Spring Awards Banquet, was held April 24, 2013 at the Palmiero
Center. We can report that no one was killed during the blind-folded piñata beating. Awards given
included:
Integrated General Chemistry Award
Jayme Castillo
Integrated Organic Chemistry Award
Lee Mosley
Analytical Chemistry Award
Jeffrey Johnston
James Ballard
Inorganic Chemistry Award
Lydia Pickle
Physical Chemistry Awards
Kerry Barnett
Outstanding 1st Year Chemistry Major
Olivia Todd
Outstanding 2nd Year Chemistry Major
Jeffrey Johnston
Outstanding 3rd Year Chemistry Major
Ashley Horn
Outstanding 4th Year Chemistry Major
Kerry Barnett
Outstanding Undergraduate Researchers
Lydia Pickle
SAACS Awards
Ashley Horn
Amber Kay
Outstanding Researcher
Analytical Chemistry – Siam Ansar
Biological Chemistry – Venkata Machha
Inorganic Chemistry – Pieris Prangige
Physical Chemistry – Sasith Karunarathna
Outstanding Teaching Assistant
Lower Division – Venkata Machha
Organic – Yahaira Reyes
Upper Division – Sameera Gunatilake
Outstanding Tutor
Maria Cebada-Ricalde
Most Outstanding Faculty Member
Emily Rowland
Upcoming Events
4th Annual Chemistry Scholarship Golf Tournament April 26, 2014
5th Annual Spring Awards Banquet April 30, 2014
2014 Andrews Graduate Research Symposium May 20-21, 2014
Please find the details and registration info at www.chemistry.msstate.edu