Joined the faculty in 1999
Postdoctoral, Pennsylvania State University
Ph.D., University of Manitoba
B.S., University of Winnipeg
Read Christine de Denus' Curriculum Vitae
Courses Routinely Taught:
Molecules that Matter (CHEM 110)
Chemical Reactivity (CHEM 280)
Introductory Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 218)
Advanced Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 436)
Forensic Science (CHEM 302)
Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 240)
Organic Chemistry II (CHEM 241)
Current Scholarly Interests:
Inorganic, Organometallic and Polymer Chemistry
Synthesis and Characterization of Molecular Wire Candidates
The Impact of Science Education in Elementary Schools
Current Research Students:
Paige Myers 2009
Christopher Hurley 2009
Jessica Cook 2010
Janelle Walkley 2010
Kristen Kush 2012
Recent Peer-Reviewed Publications:
(Note: HWS Undergradute co-authors in bold)
P. Hazendonk, C. R. de Denus, A. Iuga, P. Cahoon, B. Nilsson, D. Iuga. "A
Morphological Study of Poly[Bis(Trifluoroethoxy)phosphazene] Using Solid-State NMR: Introducing Domain Selective 1H and 19F Decouples 13C MAS NMR", J. Inorg. and Organomet. Polym. 2006, 16, 343-357.
H. R. Allcock, E. S. Powell, A. E. Maher, R. L. Prange and C. R. de Denus. "Telechelic Polyphosphazenes: Reaction of Living Poly(dichlorophosphazene) Chains with Alkoxy and Aryloxy Phosphoranimines," Macromolecules, 2004, 37, 3635-3641.
C. R. de Denus, P. Baker, J. Toner, S. McKevitt, E. K. Todd and A. S. Abd-El-Aziz. "Electrochemical Investigations of Oligomers and Polymers Containing Ruthenium- and Iron-Arene Complexes," Macromol. Symp. 2003, 196, 113-123.
External Grants:
NSF-MRI, $342,000 (2007-2010)
ACS-Petroleum Research Fund, Type G, $35,000 (2004-2007)
CUR Summer Student Research Fellowship, $3,500 (2002)
NSF-MRI, $85,395 (2001-2005)
Awards:
Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Postdoctoral
Fellowship (1997-1999)
NSERC PGS-B Postgraduate Scholarship (1995-1997)
NSERC PGS-A Postgraduate Scholarship (1993-1995)
Sigma Xi, Scientific Research Society, Award for Excellence in Science (1993)
Professional Activities:
Member, American Chemical Society
Member, Council of Undergraduate Research
Member, Sigma Xi, The Scientific Research Society
Member, The Chemical Institute of Canada
Member, The Canadian Society of Chemistry
Reviewer, Journal of Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers
Reviewer, International Journal of Science and Technology
Reviewer, Macromolecules
Reviewer, American Chemical Society-Petroleum Research Fund
Reviewer, National Science Foundation
Reviewer, John Wiley and Sons
Personal Statement:
Research in my group is directed toward the synthesis and characterization of inorganic molecular wire candidates. These materials may find applications in the molecular electronics industry where they could some day be used to replace the silicon chip technology currently found in computers. It is well known that materials that contain metals and/or aromatic rings are able to conduct electricity. My research group has been investigating how the construction of
materials that contain large aromatic terpyridine groups held together with Ru, Fe, or Os metal centers behave. We are investigating the preparation of a number of small molecular wire candidates that can be characterized by multinuclear NMR, IR, mass spectrometry, elemental analysis, and electrochemistry.
In addition to the above project, I also teach a 12-week after-school program (once per week for 3 hours) at the local elementary school in Geneva to third grade students. This program allows students to engage in structured hands-on science experiments that further their education beyond what can be covered in the classroom. During the final month, children choose an independent research project that they are passionate about exploring. They have 3 weeks to conduct their research and perform the necessary experiments. Their projects include data analysis, synthesis, and application of the concepts learned in the first nine weeks of the program. As the culminating experience, students do an evening presentation of their final project for their families.