Recognition & Honors
The research paper of Maurice Brookhart, Olafs Daugulis, and postdoctoral fellow Xing-Wang Han (Chemistry) was highlighted in Spotlights on Recent JACS Publications. The group has developed a clever and straightforward strategy to incorporate a reactive aldehyde group on the terminus of polyethylene in a single step. As a small trial, they demonstrated that the terminal aldehyde could be used to couple polyethylene with dyes, which opens the door for future modifications with unlimited possibilities.
Full paper: “Unsaturated Alcohols as Chain-Transfer Agents in Olefin Polymerization: Synthesis of Aldehyde End-Capped Oligomers and Polymers.”
Zhifeng Ren (Physics, TcSUH) and colleagues have created an inexpensive and non-toxic nanofluid that can be used to efficiently recover even heavy oil with high viscosity from reservoirs. The nanofluid, made in a common household blender using commercially available sodium, allowed for recovery in lab tests of 80% of extra-heavy oil with a viscosity of more than 400,000 centipoise at room temperature. Recovery in the field is expected to be less than the 80% shown in the lab; how much less will depend on oilfield conditions. The work, published in Materials Today Physics, suggests a breakthrough in the use of nanotechnology to provide cost-effective and environmentally sustainable ways to produce oil.
Judy Wu’s (Chemistry) research was highlighted in Chemistry World on September 3 in a feature article, “Antiaromaticity relief mechanism linked to DNA photostability.” The article covers the work of Wu’s research group in collaboration with Henrik Ottosson of Uppsala University in Sweden. The researchers have put forward a theory to explain the intrinsic photostability of DNA that is based on relieving antiaromaticity.
NSM Staff Service Awards
Thirty-six NSM staff members were recognized for reaching service milestones at the end of the academic year. Congratulations to all and special recognition to three employees with 30+ years of service to UH – May Lew (Computer Science): 39 years, Jim McGee (NSM-IT): 34 years, and Debbi Loya (NSM Business Office): 30 years!
Biology & Biochemistry
- Hoang Hoang, Systems Administrator 2 - 15 years
Chemistry
- Seth Evans, Financial Coordinator 2 – 5 years
- Hao Li, Research Associate 2 – 5 years
- Mauricio Perez, Office Coordinator – 5 years
- Crystal Gonzalez, Assistant Business Administrator – 10 years
- Tatyana Makarenko, Research Tech 2 – 10 years
- Jerry Do, Assistant Manager, User Services Support – 15 years
- Hans Hofmeister, Instrumentation Director – 20 years
Computer Science
- Babu Sundaram, Systems Administrator 3 – 20 years
- May Lew, Financial Coordinator 2 – 39 years
Center for Nuclear Receptors & Cell Signaling (CNRCS)
- Heidi Scheier, Financial Coordinator 2 – 5 years
- Aiwu Jin, Research Lab Manager – 10 years
- Lihua Tao, Researcher 1 Nat Phys Science – 10 years
Dean’s Office
- Eduardo Cerna, Program Manager 2, Scholar Enrichment Program – 5 years
- Gerardo Cervantes, Skilled Trades Tech 3 – 5 years
- Brianna Johnson, Assistant Business Administrator – 5 years
- Antoinette Marvels, Financial Coordinator 1 – 5 years
- Ryan Nguyen, Systems Analyst 1 – 5 years
- Rebecca Pryor-Oestreicher, Academic Advisor 2 – 5 years
- Stacy Smeal, Research Liaison Officer – 5 years
- M. David Stewart, Research Liaison Officer – 10 years
- Gosfrey Gutierrez, Application Developer 4 – 15 years
- Debbi Loya, Financial Manager – 30 years
- Jim McGee, Application Developer 4 – 34 years
Earth & Atmospheric Sciences
- Jennifer Dowell, Financial Coordinator 2 – 5 years
- Jim Parker, Academic Advisor 1 – 5 years
- Smita Ketkar, Assistant Business Administrator – 20 years
- Laura Bell, Program Manager 2 – 25 years
Mathematics
- Callista Brown, Program Manager 2 – 5 years
- Avani Dave, Departmental Business Administrator – 15 years
- Minh Nguyen, Program Director 1 – 15 years
- Treina McAllister, Communications Manager – 20 years
- Cindy Nguyen, Program Director 1 – 20 years
- Emilio Ontiveros, Financial Coordinator 1 – 25 years
Physics
- Candace Guy-Anzaldua, Office Assistant 2 – 5 years
- LaTonya McQuillon, Financial Assistant 2 – 5 years