Department of Chemistry

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!  

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April 10th, 2026

Dr. Matthew Sigman

Distinguished Prof. of Chemistry, PhD, University of Utah 


Presentation Title: Developing Data Science Tools for Synthetic Chemists

A headshot of Jake Nicholson, a white man with short red hair and beard.

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

A professional headshot of Ashlie Sarsgard, a white woman with long black and grey hair sitting outside amongst some greenery.

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

Biomarker detecting dyes

May 8th, 2026

Dr. Robyn Tanguay
Univ Distinguished Professor, Oregon State University


Presentation Title: TBD

A professional headshot of Morgan Balabanoff, a white woman with long dark hair and light brown eyes.

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

"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

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FALL 2025

 "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)

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SPRING 2025

"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

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WINTER 2025

"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

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FALL 2024

"My Sabbatical Year"

Dr. Tami Lasseter Clare
PSU

Dr. Oluwatobi Odeleye, Assistant Professor
West Virginia University 

Hosted by Graduate Student Committee, Rachael Mayhew

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Spring 2024

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

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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

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FALL 2023

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

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SPRING 2023

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

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WINTER 2023

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

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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

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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

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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

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Fall 2021

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

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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

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WINTER 2021

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

Name of the Game: supporting transgender authors in a technologically biased world

Irving Rettig, McCormick Lab
View Irving's seminar

The Phenomena of Interview Assessments in an Undergraduate Biochemistry Lab

Dr. Nikita Burrows
Assistant Professor, Monmouth University

Plasmonic Electricity: Fluorophore-Induced Plasmonic Current

Dr. Christopher D. Geddes
Professor, University of Maryland, Baltimore County
View Dr. Geddes's seminar

Cross-disciplinary practice focused undergraduate laboratory transformation (X-labs)

Dr. Joi Walker
Assistant Professor of Chemistry Education
East Carolina University

Equity & Inclusion Frameworks for Human-Centered Practice

Jaime Wood
Program Manager for Educational Initiatives
Office of Academic Innovation, Portland State University

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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

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