Join us at our seminar series

For the current term, seminars are held each Friday afternoon and start at 3:30 PM in the Vernier Science Center, Room VSC 105, 1025 SW Mill St, Portland, OR 97201. Chemistry seminars are in person unless noted otherwise; seminars are free and open to the public. Light refreshments provided.

The Department of Chemistry hosts eminent scholars from throughout the field of chemistry at our weekly seminar series.

We have an exciting lineup of scientists who will be joining us. If you would like to be added to our seminar mailing list, please send an email to chemistry@pdx.edu and let us know!

Matthew Sigman, a white man with short wavy grey hair. There are chemical models scattered in the background behind him.

April 10th, 2026

Dr. Matthew Sigman

Distinguished Prof. of Chemistry, PhD, University of Utah

Presentation Title: Developing Data Science Tools for Synthetic Chemists

April 24th, 2026

Jake Nicholson
PSU Alumni, Texas A&M

Jake L. Nicholson was born and raised near Portland, Oregon and received his B.S. in Chemistry: Biochemistry from Portland State University in 2021. There, he performed undergraduate research on surface-functionalized nanoparticles under the supervision of Dr. Marilyn Mackiewicz (now Associate Professor of Chemistry at Oregon State University). He is currently in his final year of Ph.D. studies in Chemistry at Texas A&M University where he is researching the development and application of stereoselective Ru catalysts in various metathesis-based polymerizations. Amongst other awards, he was the recipient of a 2022 Hagler Institute for Advanced Study Graduate HEEP Fellowship at Texas A&M University.

Presentation Title: Precision Metathesis Polymerizations for Well-Defined Functional Materials

May 1st, 2026

Dr. Ashlie Kauffman Sarsgard

Educational Technology Specialist, Portland State University

Ashlie Kauffman Sarsgard has worked in the education and training field for over twenty-five years, with the majority of that time serving higher ed and adult learners. Her experience focuses on instructional design, online program development, and higher ed educational technology, with additional expertise as a web producer, Pre-K–12 educational product and curriculum developer, K–12 language arts teacher, and college and adult instructor of composition, creative writing, copywriting, and writing for health professions. She loves learning and teaching, and has strong interests in equity, accessibility, social justice, and student-centered, inclusive learning.

Presentation Title: Using AI for Teaching and Learning

A photo of Robyn Tanguay, a white woman with red hair cut into a bob.

May 8th, 2026

Dr. Robyn Tanguay
Univ Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University

Dr. Robyn Leigh Tanguay is a University Distinguished Professor in the Department of Environmental and Molecular Toxicology at Oregon State University. Dr. Tanguay, who directs both the Superfund Research Program and the Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory, has made significant contributions to the field of toxicology. After earning her Ph.D. in Biochemistry from UC Riverside and completing postdoctoral training at the University of Wisconsin-Madison, she began her academic career at the University of Colorado in 1999. Dr. Tanguay joined Oregon State University in 2003, where she has since pioneered the use of zebrafish as a toxicology model and developed innovative high-throughput screening methods. With over 350 peer-reviewed publications, she has established herself as a leading authority in her field, influencing policies on chemical safety and environmental protection. She serves on numerous advisory boards, Editor in chief for the journal Environmental Health Advances. She is the current vice-President for the Society of Toxicology and in 2023. Throughout her career, Dr. Tanguay has remained dedicated to mentoring the next generation of scientists.

Presentation Title: From Molecule structure to Mechanisms: Unraveling Chemical Bioactivity Using Zebrafish

May 15th, 2026

Morgan Balabanoff

Assistant Professor, University of Louisville

Morgan Balabanoff is an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at the University of Louisville, where she joined the faculty in January 2022 and established the department’s Chemistry Education division. Her research group focuses on chemistry education research, with particular emphasis on the development and implementation of assessments that help instructors evaluate students’ conceptual understanding, curricular changes, and instructional practices. In addition, her group uses qualitative methods to investigate students’ epistemic understanding of models across chemistry disciplines. This work is grounded in the view that modeling is a central scientific practice in chemistry and provides a productive context for examining how students explain and reason about the features of models.

Presentation Title: From Design to Use: Developing and Implementing a General Chemistry Assessment Instrument

WINTER 2026

Professional photo of Theresa McCormick, a white woman with midlength brown hair and glasses.

Michael Cohen, a white person with shorn black hair and a beard. They are leaning against a doorframe and smiling at the camera.

Professional head shot of Marilyne Stains, a white woman with short blonde hair and glasses.

"AI use: a curious approach"

Dr. Theresa McCormick, PhD, Professor and Chair of Chemistry
Portland State University

"Quantum computing for quantum chemistry"

Dr. Jonathan Gross, PhD, Senior Research Scientist
Google Quantum AI

"Decoding ADP-Ribosylation: Chemical Tools and Therapeutic Frontiers"

Dr. Michael Cohen, PhD, Professor
OHSU

"Is Specifications Grading Meeting Specs? It's Complicated."

Dr. Marilyne Stains, PhD, Professor
University of Virginia

"Detangling Energy and Stability in Organic Chemistry"

Dr. Lyniesha Ward, PhD, Assistant Professor
Indiana University Indianapolis

FALL 2025

Flyer for Making Bonds With The Chemistry and Physics Departments, includes the information listed below. Text is brightly covered and flyer includes clip-art images of shaved ice, electron rings and chemical vials.

A professional portrait of Irfan Rahman, a middle aged man with short dark hair, tan skin and brown eyes.

A professional portrait of Douglas Reed, a person with short black hair, light tan skin and brown eyes. He is wearing round black rim glasses and a periwinkle blue collared shirt.

A professional portrait of Eric Wiedner, a middle aged man with short dark hair, white skin and brown eyes.

"Making Bonds with Chemistry and Physics Departments (3rd Annual Event)"

"Toxicology, human health, and Emerging Tobacco-Nicotine and THC products"

Irfan Rahman, PhD, Assistant Professor
University of Rochester Medical Center

"Synthetic Studies Directed at the Polyketide Natural Products Mensacarcin and Chalaniline A"

Paul Blakemore, PhD, Professor of Chemistry
Oregon State University

"Supramolecular Approaches to New Porous Conductors and Magnets"

Douglas Reed, PhD, Assistant Professor
University of Washington

"Design Principles for Accelerating Hydride Transfer in Molecular Catalysis"

Eric Weidner, PhD, Team Leader for Molecular Catalysis
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL)

SPRING 2025

Gang Lin, an asian man with short black hair and glasses looking at the camera.

Akhilesh Tripathi, a brown skinned man smiling in front of a watery blue background.

Amanda Cook, a white skinned woman with long brown hair and wearing a floral top with a yellow backing is smiling at the camera.

A black and white photo of Hoby Wedler, a light skinned person with short dark hair.

Laurie Barge, a white skinned woman with long blonde hair and wearing a white long sleeve cardigan, smiling at the camera

"Treating Microbial Infections with Species-selective Proteasome Inhibitors"

Gang Lin, PhD, Assistant Professor
Weill Cornell Medicine

"Beyond the Peaks: Advanced Applications of Powder XRD in Science and Industry"

Akhilesh Tripathi, PhD
Rigaku Americas Corporation

"Transformations of Alkenes using Homogeneous and Heterogeneous Nickel-Hydride Catalysts"

Amanda Cook, Assistant Professor
University of Oregon

"Making Chemistry Accessible One Atom at a Time: A Journey through a Graduate Career in Chemistry as a Blind Scientist"

Hoby Wedler

"Obtaining Validity Evidence During the Development of Formative Assessments in Organic Chemistry"

Sachin Nedungadi, PhD, Assistant Professor
University of Nebraska - Omaha

"Searching for Signs of Life and its Origin on Other Planets"

Laurie Barge, PhD, Research Scientist
NASA Jet Propulsion Lab

WINTER 2025

Lei Wang, a young asian man with short black hair and glasses, is seated with a german shepard dog. Both are looking at the camera.

Molly Atkinson, a thin white woman with long brown hair is smiling at the camera in a grey dress.

Sieun Chae, a young asian woman with long brown hair pulled back from her face smiling a the camera.

James Frank, a white man with short red hair and beard.

Paul Kempler, a young white man with short brown hair and a puffy vest on.

"The Chemistry Behind Improved Surgical Outcomes with NIR Nerve-Specific Contrast Agents"

Lei Wang, PhD, Assistant Professor
OHSU

"Characterizing Student Understanding of Visual Chemistry Representations: Interpretation of Infrared Spectra"

Molly Atkinson, Assistant Professor
University of North Texas

"Integrated Theoretical and Experimental Materials-Design for Energy-Efficient Microelectronics"

Dr. Sieun Chae, Assistant Professor
Oregon State University

"Chemical biology approaches for controlling cannabinoid signaling pathways with light"

James Frank, Assistant Professor, PhD
Oregon Health & Science University

"Ions, interfaces, and ironmaking"

Paul Kempler, Assistant Professor
University of Oregon

FALL 2024

Three people stand in front of light colored brick work buildings and a low wall.

Professional photo of Dr. Tobi Odeleye, a black woman with long black braided hair. She is wearing a red, high-neck blouse with a black dot design. She is seated and smiling with a blurred outdoor background.

"My Sabbatical Year"

Dr. Tami Lasseter Clare
PSU

Dr. Oluwatobi Odeleye, Assistant Professor
West Virginia University

Hosted by Graduate Student Committee, Rachael Mayhew

Spring 2024

Andy McNally, a white man with short brown hair and glasses, looking toward the camera with his arms crossed. He is leaning against a glowing purple sphere in a black puffer jacket.

A placeholder image of a disembodied white hand sketching out a chemical formula on a clear surface facing the camera.

Recent Advances in Fe-Catalyzed Multicomponent Cross-Couplings
Professor Osvaldo Gutierrez
Texas A&M University

Seminar topic coming soon!
Professor Andy McNally
Colorado State University

Porphyrins and Hyperporphyrins
Professor Carl Wamser
Portland State University

Undergraduate Honors Symposium

WINTER 2024

3M Graphic Films and Sustainability

Ryan Carns
3M Director Business Supply Chain

Representational competence under the magnifying glass: Instructional landscape, student competence, and a refined model of representational competence skills

Professor Maia Popova
University of North Carolina - Greensboro

Synthetic strategies toward fluorosulfurylation of organic molecules and sulfur-fluoride exchange (SuFEx)

Professor Nicolas Ball
Pomona College

FALL 2023

Anne Bentley, a white woman with short red hair, smiling.

Professor Mooring, a black person with short black hair, smiling and wearing a black blazer.

Lattice Planes, Crystal Facets, and Nanoparticle Shape Control

Professor Anne Bentley
Lewis & Clark College

Adventures in Aryne Chemistry

Professor David Stuart
Portland State University

Chemistry-specific mindset beliefs of undergraduate students: measurement and implications

Professor Suazette Mooring
Georgia State University

SPRING 2023

Robert Knowles is smiling for the camera standing in front of a light colored wall wearing a white polo shirt

Developing a coherent practical curriculum

Dr. Michael Seery
Head of Digital Learning
Cardiff Metropolitan University

Organic Synthesis Away from Equilibrium

Dr. Robert Knowles
Professor of Chemistry
Princeton University

Electrocatalytic reduction of nitrate: insight from manipulating adsorbate affinity

Dr. Kelsey Stoerzinger
Assistant Professor
Oregon State University

Transformation, reaction and organization of functional nanostructures using microreactor-assisted nanomaterial deposition processes

Dr. Chih-Hung Chang
Professor of Chemistry
Associate Head for Undergraduate Programs
Oregon State University

WINTER 2023

view of Mt. Hood downtown Portland, Oregon

Natural Product Inspired Novel Antimalarials

Dr. Papireddy (Reddy) Kancharla
Research Assistant Professor
Portland State University

Imaging research at NTNU Colourlab and its applications in cultural heritage

Dr. Jon Y. Hardeberg
Professor, Department of Computer Science
Norwegian University of Science and Technology

Measurement, Modeling, and Mountain Biking: How I Spent My Sabbatical Year

Dr. Jack Barbera
Professor of Chemistry
Portland State University

A Pictorial History of Hookah Tobacco Use and Hookah Devices

Dr. Nada Kassem
Research Scientist
Director & Founder, Hookah Tobacco Research Center
Associate Director, Center for Behavioral Epidemiology and Community Health
San Diego State University School of Public Health

Developing a versatile contrathermal Cope rearrangement platform for enantioselective synthesis

Dr. Alex Grenning
Associate Professor
University of Florida

FALL 2022

Integrating rehearsal training in a mixed-reality teaching simulator to support graduate teaching assistants in active learning environments

Dr. Erin Saitta, Assistant Professor
University of Central Florida

My Chemical Adventures with Crystals and Nanocrystals

Dr. Andrea Goforth, Associate Professor
Portland State University

Documentary screening: Chilkat Dye Project

Dr. Tami Lasseter Clare, Associate Professor
Portland State University

Brief introduction to energy system modeling methodology and results

Dr. Pat DeLaquil, Chief Executive Officer
DecisionWare Group, LLC

Pulling oxygen from air, the story of a start-up

Dr. Theresa McCormick, Associate Professor
Portland State University

SPRING 2022

Controlled self-assembly of peptides for cancer detection and therapy

Dr. Adem Yildirim
Assistant Professor of the Division of Oncological Sciences and CEDAR, OHSU Knight Cancer Institute, School of Medicine

An Alum's Tale: EXAFS, silent kinetics, and tackling the bioinorganic chemistry of Te!

Dr. Kelly Chacón
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Reed College

Design of Advanced Functional Surfaces using Oxygen-tolerant Photopolymerization

Dr. Christian Pester
Thomas K. Hepler Early Career Professor in Chemical Engineering, The Pennsylvania State University

Promoting Student Engagement in Active Learning Environments:
Characterizing Task Design and Implementation

Dr. Renée Cole
Professor & Associate Chair
Chemistry Department, University of Iowa

Luminescent polymer nanoparticles for diagnostics and imaging

Dr. Zachary Hudson
Associate Professor, The University of British Columbia

Directed α-C(sp3)–H lactonization of acid-tethered lactams: Direct access to [3-2-1] bicyclic lactam-lactones

Dr. Timothy Beng
Associate Professor of Organic Chemistry
Central Washington University

Volatile organic compounds in urban buildings: sources, removal, transformation

Dr. Elliott Gall
Assistant Professor, Mechanical and Materials Engineering
Portland State University

Roles of Electrostricted and Structural Hydration in Modified DNA Duplex Stability

Dr. Luis A. Marky
Professor, Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences
College of Pharmacy, University of Nebraska Medical Center

WINTER 2022

New Synthetic Methods for C–F Bond Formation: From Fundamental Science to Applications

Dr. Melanie Sanford
Professor, University of Michigan

Nanomaterial structure and induced toxicity: A review of structure-activity relationships in nanotoxicology

Dr. Christie Sayes
Associate Professor, Baylor University

The Molecular Chemistry of Extended Solids

Dr. Hemamala Karunadasa
Associate Professor, Stanford University

Things Fall Apart: The Surprising Photochemical Fragility of Paul Cézanne’s and Edvard Munch’s Masterpieces

Dr. Jennifer Mass
Andrew W. Mellon Professor of Cultural Heritage Science, Bard Graduate Center, Carnegie Mellon
President of the Scientific Analysis of Fine Art, LLC

View seminar

Molecular Chemistry at the Intersection of Self-Assembly and Renewable Energy

Dr. Timothy R. Cook
Associate Professor, University at Buffalo

Elucidating Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Mechanisms Underpinning the Catalytic Generation of Renewable Fuels

Dr. Jillian Dempsey
Professor, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Do We Ask Students to Do What We Want Them to Learn? An Investigation of the General Chemistry Laboratory Course

Dr. Erin Duffy
Assistant Professor, Western Washington University

Fall 2021

Robert Fitzmorris holding glowing test tube

Nanoparticle Design Rules for Colorimetric Plasmonic Sensors

Dr. Paige Hall
Assistant Professor
University of Portland

Technology Trends and Challenges Driving Nano-Electronics Scaling

Dr. Nabil Mistkawi
Senior Staff Engineer/Technologist, Samsung

View Dr. Mistkawi's seminar presentation

Safety and Inclusivity through Access

Ashley Neybert
Curriculum Designer, Independence Science

View Ashley's seminar presentation

The Power of Mindset: Making Chemistry Accessible One Atom at a Time

Dr. Hoby Wedler
Chemist & Entrepreneur

View Dr. Wedler's seminar presentation

Novel Interactions of DNA Oligomers with Gemini Surfactants

Dr. Richard D. Sheardy
Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
Texas Woman's University

Quantum Dots as Narrow Bands Emitters in Solid State Lighting

Dr. Robert Fitzmorris
Research Scientist

View Dr. Fitzmorris's seminar

An exploration of chemistry students' conception of light and light-matter interactions in the context of fundamental experiments

Dr. Alena Moon
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
University of Nebraska Lincoln

Dynamic ensembles: novel features of multivalent IDP assemblies in Hippo signaling

Dr. Afua Nyarko
Assistant Professor, Department of Biochemistry and Biophysics
Oregon State University

Physical organic chemistry models for synthetic organic chemistry applications

Dr. David R. Stuart
Associate Professor, Chemistry Department
Portland State University

SPRING 2021

Hybrid Organic Electro-optics: Computational Chemistry to Commercialization

Dr. Lewis Johnson
Research Scientist, Department of Chemistry
University of Washington
View Dr. Johnson's seminar

Inflammasome assembly - an example of balance control in the immune system

Dr. Liman Zhang
Assistant Professor
Department of Chemical Physiology and Biochemistry
Oregon Health & Science University

Next generation computing enabled by organic electro-optic materials and other real-world applications of materials chemistry

Dr. Stephanie Benight
Founder, President, and Principal Scientist
Tactile Materials Solutions

Course-level social belonging: Effects on student performance and persistence in General Chemistry

Dr. Gina Frey
Ronald and Eileen Ragsdale Professor of Chemical Education and professor in chemistry
University of Utah
View Dr. Frey's seminar

Generation and Application of Novel Chemically Induced Dimerization Domains

Dr. Zachary Hill
Chief Scientific Officer and Co-founder
Soteria Biotherapeutics

Shining a light on biology

Dr. Sally Plush
Associate Professor of Bioinorganic Chemistry
University of South Australia

How do cells sense force and why is it important?

Dr. Swetha Murthy
Assistant Scientist & Assistant Professor
Vollum Institute, Oregon Health & Science University
View Dr. Murthy's seminar

Large Isotope Effects, Reclaimed Catalysts, and Air Exclusion in Organometallics

Dr. Miriam Bowring
Assistant Professor of Chemistry
Reed College
View Dr. Bowring's seminar

De-freebasing: The Chemical Secret behind the Fabulous Success of both Traditional Cigarettes and JUUL

Dr. Robert Proctor
Professor of the History of Science
Stanford University

WINTER 2021

ariel view Portland State University campus

4th year graduate student presentations

Avik Bhattacharjee, McCormick Lab
Computational study of hydrogen gas production mechanism by nickel (II) tris-pyridinethiolate catalysts

Dayalis Santiago-Vazquez, McCormick Lab

4th year graduate student presentations

Megha Gupta, Strongin Lab
Elucidating the role of copper and homocysteine-related free radical and oxidative damage to biomolecules

Russell McFarland, Reichow Lab
Molecular shapeshifters: Novel Fibrillar Aggregates of the Lens Alpha-Crystallins

FALL 2020

Supporting the generation of high-quality data within chemistry education research

Dr. Jack Barbera
Associate Professor, Chemistry Education Research
Portland State University

Slowing the spread of COVID-19: using aerosol metrology to understand parameters affecting cloth face covering performance

Dr. James Radney
National Institute of Standards and Technology
U.S. Department of Commerce

Speaking for Science

Dr. Nathan Allen
Principal Scientist
Ascensus Specialties, LLC

View Dr. Allen's seminar
Seminar PowerPoint slides

Towards a Molecular Understanding of Dynamic Fe-based Oxygen Evolution Catalysts

Dr. Shannon Boettcher
Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
University of Oregon

Short and longterm effects of POGIL in large enrollment General Chemistry course

Dr. Paulette Vincent-Ruz
Post-Doctoral Associate, Chemistry Education
University of Michigan
View Dr. Vincent-Ruz's seminar

Supporting students' chemistry self-efficacy: why does it matter?

Dr. Sachel Villafañe
Assistant Professor, Chemistry Education
California State University, Fullerton
View Dr. Villafañe's seminar

Sabbatical tales: How I Learned Climate Science, Law and Policy, Became a Climate Advocate, and Wrote a Book About It All

Dr. John Perona
Professor, Environmental Chemistry
Portland State University
View Dr. Perona's seminar

From Zombie Viruses to COVID-19: Adventures in vaccines

Dr. Ken Stedman
Professor, Biology
Portland State University

Join us at our seminar series

April 10th, 2026Dr. Matthew SigmanDistinguished Prof. of Chemistry, PhD, University of Utah

April 24th, 2026Jake NicholsonPSU Alumni, Texas A&M

May 1st, 2026Dr. Ashlie Kauffman SarsgardEducational Technology Specialist, Portland State University

May 8th, 2026Dr. Robyn TanguayUniv Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University

May 15th, 2026Morgan BalabanoffAssistant Professor, University of Louisville

WINTER 2026

FALL 2025

SPRING 2025

WINTER 2025

FALL 2024

Spring 2024

WINTER 2024

FALL 2023

SPRING 2023

WINTER 2023

A Pictorial History of Hookah Tobacco Use and Hookah Devices

FALL 2022

SPRING 2022

WINTER 2022

New Synthetic Methods for C–F Bond Formation: From Fundamental Science to Applications

Nanomaterial structure and induced toxicity: A review of structure-activity relationships in nanotoxicology

The Molecular Chemistry of Extended Solids

Fall 2021

SPRING 2021

WINTER 2021

4th year graduate student presentations

4th year graduate student presentations

FALL 2020

April 10th, 2026

Dr. Matthew Sigman

Distinguished Prof. of Chemistry, PhD, University of Utah

April 24th, 2026

Jake Nicholson
PSU Alumni, Texas A&M

May 1st, 2026

Dr. Ashlie Kauffman Sarsgard

Educational Technology Specialist, Portland State University

May 8th, 2026

Dr. Robyn Tanguay
Univ Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University

May 15th, 2026

Morgan Balabanoff

Assistant Professor, University of Louisville