Sabbatical Proposal BES 2021
The following projects can be done under the current COVID restrictions:
- EPR Analysis of Diphenols
- Advance my understanding of the hemp processing and analysis:
- HPLC Cannabinoid analysis
- hemp material processing/shredding/extraction
- Potential travel to visit Pure Hemp processing facilities in Ft. Lupton, CO.
- HT Project
The following projects will be limited if COVID restrictions still in affect. - Collect LC-MS data on phenol oxidation products at Western Illinois university
Statement for Trustees:
The Chemistry Department has acquire quite a few new resources, thanks in part to the LeSuer (Instrument) Endowment (~38k/year). In 2015, we finalized the NIH surplus acquisition of an "Electron Paramagnetic Resonance" spectrometer (~$150k); in 2016, the LeSuer Endowment funded the purchase of a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) instrument (~$28k); in 2017 the Dept was awarded a PittConn grant for $10k and used the LeSuer Endowment to match these funds to purchase an Ion Chromatography instrument ($20k); in 2019, my chemistry colleague Audra Gouch was a co-PI on an NSF award to purchase a Liquid Chromatography - Mass Spec (LC-MS) instrument ($300k) housed on the campus of Western Illinois University; and in 2020 we purchased a robotic liquid handling system ($10k) to educate our students about COVID related testing procedures. During the academic years it is difficult to allocate time to fully integrate these into the curriculum/research. During the summer months the Department engages in the Kieft Summer Research Program and is able to allocate some time to these instruments. During my sabbatical, I am planning on allocating significant time to refine my operational skills related to this new instrumentation so as to more efficiently use these tools to train our students.