Mark Kobrak
Professor
Chemistry
Location: 359 Ingersoll Hall Extension
Phone: 718.951.5458
Fax: 718.951.4607
Email:
Mark Kobrak's Web site
Mark Kobrak was appointed to the faculty of Brooklyn College and the CUNY Graduate Center in September 2001. Prior to that, Kobrak was a postdoctoral fellow at the University of Notre Dame and Pennsylvania State University, with Sharon Hammes-Schiffer, Department of Chemistry (January 2000-August 2001); and at the University of Houston, with Eric R. Bittner, Department of Chemistry (1998-January 2000). His thesis was "Aspects of Selective Photochemistry."
Education:
Ph.D., University of Chicago - 1997 (Chemistry, General)
Areas of Expertise:
Kobrak uses theoretical and experimental methods to study the properties of liquids and interfaces. The work considers fundamental questions related to liquid structure and the behavior of solvents as well as applied problems such as the extraction of toxic or valuable metals from water. Key to this work is the connection of basic physics to emergent chemical properties such as hydrophobicity and solvent polarity.
Details may be found at his website, http://userhome.brooklyn.cuny.edu/mkobrak.
Books and Publications
Mark N. Kobrak, Dmytro Nykypanchuk, and Camiel H. C. Janssen, "Protic amine/acid mixtures as solvents for the extraction of aqueous zinc salts: A mechanistic study," J. Mol. Liquids 380, 121662 (2023)
(Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2023
Authored Thinking Organically, a 400-page textbook for Chem 2110: Principles of Chemical Reactivity. The book is an Open Educational Resource prepared under the auspices of the CUNY Zero Textbook Cost project. (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2021
Mark N. Kobrak, Dmytro Nykypanchuk, and Camiel H. C. Janssen, "Relationship between liquid nanoscale structure in solvents and the strength of the Hofmeister effect in extraction experiments," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 23, 6266-6277 (2021) (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2021
N. Patsos, K. Lewis, F. Picchioni, and M. N. Kobrak, "Extraction of Acids and Bases from Aqueous Phase to a Pseudoprotic Ionic Liquid," Molecules 24, 894 (2019); invited contribution to special issue on Ionic Liquids in Chemical Separations: Promises and Prospects (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
Nanoscale viscosity of confined polyethylene oxide, Z. Zhang, J. Ding, B. M. Ocko, A. Fluerasu, L. Wiegart, Y. Zhang, M. Kobrak, Y. Tian, H. Zhang, J. Lhermitte, C.-H. Choi, F. T. Fisher, K. G. Yager, and C. T. Black, Phys. Rev. E, 100, 062503 (2019). (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2019
M. N. Kobrak and K. G. Yager, "X-Ray Scattering and Physicochemical Studies of Trialkylamine/Carboxylic Acid Mixtures: Nanoscale Structure in Pseudoprotic Ionic Liquids and Related Solutions," Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 20 18639-18646 (2018). (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2018
Editor, "Experiments in General Chemistry, 4th ed.," Kendall-Hunt, Dubuque, 2017. (Books and Publications: Book (Edited)) 2017
C. H. C. Janssen, N. A. Macias-Ruvalcaba, M. Aguilar-Martinez, and M. N. Kobrak, "Copper Extraction Using Protic Ionic Liquids: Evidence of the Hofmeister Effect," Sep. Pur. Tech. 168, 275-283 (2016). (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2016
M. N. Kobrak, "Laboratory Manual: General Chemistry for the Health Professions," Kendall-Hunt, Dubuque, IA 2016. (Books and Publications: Book (Authored)) 2016
Janssen, C. H. C., N. A. Macias-Ruvalcaba, M. A. Aguilar-Martinez and M. N. Kobrak, "Metal extraction to ionic liquids: the relationship between structure, mechanism and application," International Reviews in Physical Chemistry, 34 591-622 (2015). (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2015
"An Improved Model of the Grand Canonical Ensemble Description of an Electrolyte Confined in a Mesoscale Pore." ECS Transactions 58: 73-80. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2014
Janssen, C.H., A. Sanchez and M.N. Kobrak. "Selective extraction of metal ions from aqueous phase to ionic liquids: A novel thermodynamic approach to separations." ChemPhysChem 15: 3536-43. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2014
Kobrak, M.N. and K. Babatunde. "Application of a Thermodynamic Model for Charged Interfaces to Lipid Membranes." ECS Transactions 61: 31-43. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2014
"A Proposed Voltage Dependence of the Ionic Strength of a Confined Electrolyte Based on a Grand Canonical Ensemble Model." Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter 25: 095006. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2013
Janssen, C.H.C., A. Sanchez, G.-J. Witkamp and M. N. Kobrak, "A Novel Mechanism for the Extraction of Metals From Water to Ionic Liquids." ChemPhysChem 14: 3806-13. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2013
Li, H. and M.N. Kobrak. "Instantaneous Normal Mode Analysis of a Series of Model Molten Salts." ChemPhysChem. 13: 1934-41. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2012
Li, H. and M.N. Kobrak. "The Influence of Charge Distribution on Ion Diffusion in Molten Salts: A Model Study." ECS Transactions 41: 13-21. (Books and Publications: Forthcoming Publications) 2012
"Notes on the Application of the Kornyshev Model for Capacitance in Ionic Liquids." ECS Transactions 218: 411-19. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Kobrak, M.N. and H. Li. "Electrostatic Interactions in Ionic Liquids: The Dangers of Dipole and Dielectric Descriptions." Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics 12: 1922-43. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2010
Li, H. and M.N. Kobrak. "A Molecular Dynamics Study of the Influence of Ionic Charge Distribution on the Dynamics of a Molten Salt." Journal of Chemical Physics 131: 194507. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2009
"Coupled Ion Complexation and Exchange Between Aqueous and Ionic Liquid Phases: A Thermodynamic Interpretation." Solvent Extraction and Ion Exchange 26: 735-48. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
"The Chemical Environment of Ionic Liquids: Links between Liquid Structure, Dynamics and Solvation." Advances in Chemical Physics 139: 85. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2008
"The Relationship Between Solvent Polarity and Molar Volume in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." Green Chemistry 10: 80. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
Laboratory Manual in General Chemistry. Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall-Hunt. (Books and Publications: Book (Edited)) 2008
Li, H., M. Ibrahim, I. Agberemi and M. N. Kobrak. "The Relationship between Ionic Structure and Viscosity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." Journal of Chemical Physics 129: 124507. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2008
"A Comparative Study of Solvation Dynamics in Room-temperature Ionic Liquids." Journal of Chemical Physics 127: 184507. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
"Electrostatic Interactions of a Neutral Dipolar Solute With a Fused Salt: A New Model for Solvation in Ionic Liquids." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 111: 4755. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
Harrow, K., R. Eckhardt, D. Kopec, M. Kobrak and P. Whitlock. "SmartTutor: A Unified Approach for Enhancing Science Education." Journal of Comp. Science in Coll. 22: 29. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2007
Hirsch, W. and M. Kobrak. "Lewis Structure Interpretation of Free Radicals Similar to ClO." Journal of Chemical Education 84: 1360. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2007
"A Mathematical Proof that Nothing Is True." Journal of Irreproducible Results 50: 22. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
"Characterization of the Solvation Dynamics of an Ionic Liquid via Molecular Dynamics Simulation." Journal of Chemical Physics 125: 064502. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2006
Harper, J.B. and M.N. Kobrak. "Understanding Organic Processes in Ionic Liquids: Achievements So Far and Challenges Remaining." Mini-Reviews in Organic Chemistry 3: 253. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2006
Kobrak, M.N. and N. Sandalow. "An Electrostatic Interpretation of Structure-Property Relationships in Ionic Liquids." Molten Salts XIV. Pennington, N.J.: The Electrochemical Society. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2006
Kobrak, M.N. and V. Znamenskiy. "Solvation Dynamics of Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Evidence for Collective Motion on Sub-Picosecond Timescales." Chemical Physics Letters 395: 127. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
Znamenskiy, V. and M.N. Kobrak. "A Molecular Dynamics Study of Polarity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." Journal of Physical Chemistry B 108: 1072. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2004
"Error Estimation in Histogram-based Free Energy Calculations." Journal of Computational Chemistry 24: 1437. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2003
Hirsch, W. and M.N. Kobrak. "Doppler Shift and Energy Transfer to a Solar Sail." Physics Education 37: 422. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2002
Bittner, E.R. and M.N. Kobrak. "Quantum Simulations of Polaron Recombination Dynamics in Linear Polyenes." Synthetic Metals 121: 1635. (Books and Publications: Article (Other)) 2001
Kobrak, M.N. and S. Hammes-Schiffer. "Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer in Solution." Journal of Physical Chemistry A 105: 10435. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2001
Hu, H., M.N. Kobrak, C. Xu and S. Hammes-Schiffer. "Reaction Path Hamiltonian Analysis of Dynamical Solvent Effects for a Claisen Rearrangement and a Diels-Alder Reaction." Journal of Physical Chemistry A 104: 8058. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Kobrak, M.N. and E. R. Bittner. "A Dynamic Model for Exciton Self-Trapping in Conjugated Polymers II: Implementation." Journal of Chemical Physics 112: 5410. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Kobrak, M.N. and E. R. Bittner. "A Quantum Molecular Dynamics Study of Exciton Self-Trapping in Conjugated Polymers: Temperature Dependence and Spectroscopy." Journal of Chemical Physics 112: 7684. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Kobrak, M.N. and E. R. Bittner. "A Quantum Molecular Dynamics Study of Polaron Recombination in Conjugated Polymers." Physical Review B 62: 11473. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Kobrak, M.N. and E.R. Bittner. "A Dynamic Model for Exciton Self-Trapping in Conjugated Polymers I: Theory." Journal of Chemical Physics 112: 5399. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 2000
Kobrak, M.N. and S.A. Rice. "Coherent Population Transfer via a Resonant Intermediate State: The Breakdown of Adiabatic Passage." Physical Review A 57: 1158. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Kobrak, M.N. and S.A. Rice. "Selective Photochemistry via Adiabatic Passage: An Extension of StiRAP for Degenerate Final States." Physical Review A 57: 2885. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Kobrak, M.N. and S.A. Rice. "The Equivalence of Photoselective Adiabatic Passage and the Strong Field Brumer-Shapiro Approach." Journal of Chemical Physics 109: 1. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1998
Kobrak, M.N. and S.A. Rice. "The Influence of High-Frequency Modes on Two Pulse Spectroscopy." Journal of Chemical Physics 107: 4091. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1997
Kobrak, M.N., E.M. Hiller and S.A. Rice. "The Influence of High-Frequency Modes on Ultrashort Pulse Absorption Initiated Processes," Journal of Chemical Physics 105: 9403. (Books and Publications: Article (Peer-reviewed)) 1996
Creative Work
Scientific adviser, A Man Full of Days film, a Related Parts production. 2013
Contributed Poster: "Structure Property Relationships in the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids", 4th Annual Conference on Ionic Liquids, Washington, DC, July 2011. 2011
Awards, Honors and Fellowships
Jacques E. Levy Professorship in Analytical Chemistry. (Awards and Honors) 2019
Small Angle X-ray Scattering of Amine/Alkanoic Acid mixtures. Facility time awarded at Center for Funcational Nanomaterials, Brookhaven National Laboratory. (Awards and Honors) 2019
Small Angle X-ray Scattering of Amine/Alkanoic Acid mixtures. Facility time awarded at National Synchrotron Light Source II, Brookhaven National Laboratory. (Grants and Fellowships) 2018
Levy-Kosminsky Professorship in Physical Chemistry. (Awards and Honors) 2015
Levy-Kosminsky Professorship in Physical Chemistry. (Awards and Honors) 2014
Levy-Kosminsky Professorship in Physical Chemistry. (Awards and Honors) 2013
PSC-CUNY Collaborative Incentive Grant, for "Combined Experimental and Theoretical Investigation of Electrodeposition in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." $40,000; September 2009-Feburary 2011. (Grants and Fellowships) 2009
Petroleum Research Fund grant, for "A Comparative Study of Solvation Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids," 2005-07. (Grants and Fellowships) 2005
Faculty mentor, Department of Energy Faculty and Student Team Fellowship, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Summer. (Grants and Fellowships) 2004
Faculty mentor, Department of Energy Faculty and Student Team Fellowship, Brookhaven National Laboratory. (Grants and Fellowships) 2003
Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums
Oral presentation, "Spectroscopic evidence of cooperative ionization in concentrated organic acids," Northeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, June 2023. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2023
Oral presentation, "Nonstoichiometric pseudoprotic ionic liquids as media for liquid-liquid extraction of
aqueous ions," Northeastern Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, June 2023. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2023
Conference Presentation: "Amine/acid mixtures: Their nanostructure and its role in extraction processes," American Chemical Society Spring 2020 Meeting, April 2020 (online). (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2020
Presented talk titled "Nanostructure in Liquid Mixtures and its Link to Physical and Solvent Properties" at Robert Engel Symposium on November 1st, 2019, at Queens College -- CUNY. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2019
Oral presentation, "Pseudoprotic ionic liquids and protic mixtures: Strange cousins of ionic liquids," 255th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Orleans, March 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2018
Poster, "Protic mixtures: Bulk liquids incorporating self-assembling nanodomains," presented at MARM 2018, Lehigh University, June 3, 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2018
Seminar, "Models The Behavior of Solutions and Colloids at Interfaces: Free Energy and Hydrodynamic Concerns," Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, September 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2018
Seminar, "Solvation in Ionic Liquids and Protic Mixtures: Re-Thinking 'Like Dissolves Like' for New Environments," Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, September 2018. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2018
"Alternative Solvents for Green Chemistry: Getting Past Like Dissolves Like," invited speaker, Lyceum series, New York Academy of Sciences, Jan 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
Oral presentation, "Driving Forces for Metal Extraction to Ionic Liquids: The Interplay of Thermodynamics, Mechanism, and Yield," Wetsus Congress 2017, Leeuwarden, Netherlands, October 2017. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2017
M. N. Kobrak, Thermodynamics of the interphase: Theoretical description and experimental observation of the concentration gradient at a solid/solution interface," Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical society, Binghamton, NY, October 2016. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2016
"Concentration Gradients at Interfaces: A Thermodynamic Approach to the Interphase," Departmental Seminar for Queens College -- CUNY, Queens, NY, October 2016. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2016
M. N. Kobrak, "A grand canonical ensemble approach to solution interfaces: Inference of
the concentration gradient," 44th Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Riverdale, NY, June 2016. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2016
M. N. Kobrak, "Evidence of the Hofmeister effect in the extraction of copper from aqueous
to ionic liquid phase," 44th Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Riverdale, NY, June 2016. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2016
M. N. Kobrak, "Thermodynamic approach to interfacial concentration gradients," 250th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, August 2015. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2015
"Understanding Solvation in Room Temperature Ionic Liquids." Initiative for the Theoretical Sciences. CUNY Graduate Center and the Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemists joint seminar. March 4. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2014
"A Grand Canonical Ensemble Model for Electrolytes Confined in Mesoporous Domains" (contributed talk). 224th Electrochemical Society Meeting. San Francisco, October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2013
"Analysis of the Influence of Ionic Charge Distribution on the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids." National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"Analysis of the Influence of Ionic Charge Distribution on the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids." National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. San Diego, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2012
"Structure Property Relationships in the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids." 4th annual Conference on Ionic Liquids. Washington, D.C., July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"Thermodynamic Model for the Extraction of Metal Ions From the Aqueous Phase Using Room-temperature Ionic Liquids." National Meeting of the American Chemical Society. San Diego, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2012
Contributed oral presentation: "A Thermodynamic Model for the Extraction of Metal Ions from the Aqueous Phase Using Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids, " Mark N. Kobrak, National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, March 2012. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
Invited oral presentation: "Analysis of the Influence of Ionic Charge Distribution of the Dynamics of Ionic Liquids," Mark N. Kobrak, National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, March 2012. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2012
"Collective Dynamics and Charge Transfer in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." National Meeting of the Electrochemical Society. Boston, October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2011
Contributed oral presentation: "Collective Dynamics and Charge Transfer in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids", Mark N. Kobrak, National Meeting of the Electrochemical Society, Boston, October 2011. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2011
"Chemistry in Ionic Liquids: Conventional Behavior from Exotic Systems." University of Delaware. Newark, Del., October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2010
"Notes on the Application of the Kornyshev Model for Capacitance in Ionic Liquids." 218th meeting of the Electrochemical Society. Las Vegas, October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
"Solvation in Ionic Liquids: Restocking the Conceptual Toolbox." The Richard Stockton College of New Jersey. Pomona, N.J., September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2010
"Theoretical Analysis of the Molecular Dynamics of Ionic Liquids." Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Wilmington, Del., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2010
"Solvent Polarity and Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Life Without the Dipole Moment." College of Staten Island (CUNY). September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2009
"Solvent Polarity and Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Life Without the Dipole Moment." Susquehanna University. Selinsgrove, Pa., October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2009
"The Chemical Environment of Ionic Liquids: Conventional Behavior from Exotic Systems." West Virginia University. October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2009
"A Comparative Simulation Study of Solvation Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." American Conference on Theoretical Chemistry. Evanston, Ill., July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2008
"Analysis of the Ultrafast Solvation Dynamics of Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." American Chemical Society National Meeting. Philadelphia, August. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2008
"Improving Student Writing." Center for Teaching, Brooklyn College. November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2008
"Solvent Polarity and Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: Life Without the Dipole Moment." Michigan Technological University. Houghton, Mich., February. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2008
"Molecular Solvation in Ionic Liquids: Restocking the Conceptual Toolbox." American Chemical Society National Meeting. Boston, August. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"The Nature of Polarity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." NYRAIL's Ionic Liquid Workshop. November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2007
Li, H., M. Ibrahim, I. Agberemi and M.N. Kobrak. "The Relationship Between Ionic Structure and Viscosity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." American Chemical Society National Meeting. Boston, August. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2007
"Structure-Property Relationships in Ionic Liquids: An Electrostatic Approach." Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Milwaukee, June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2006
"The Electrostatics of Ionic Liquids: Life Without the Dipole Moment." American Chemical Society National Meeting. San Francisco, September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"The Electrostatics of Ionic Liquids: Life Without the Dipole Moment." Pennsylvania State University. October. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2006
"The Marcus Coordinate of an Ionic Liquid: Analysis of Collective Motion." Great Lakes Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. Milwaukee, June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2006
"Solvation Dynamics in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." Gordon Research Conference on the Chemistry and Physics of Liquids. New Hampshire, July. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2005
"Solvation Phenomena in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids: The Need for a New Cartoon." City College of New York (CUNY). November. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2005
"Structure-Property Relationships in Ionic Liquids: Rebuilding Chemical Intuition." Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society. New Brunswick, N.J., May. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2005
"Understanding Ionic Liquids: Links Between Chemical Structure and Solvation Properties." Second International Conference on Green and Sustainable Chemistry. Washington, D.C., June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2005
"Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids as Inherently Safe Solvents for Chemical Processing" poster. Ninth Annual Conference on Environmental Issues. Medgar Evers College. Brooklyn, N.Y., March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
"Solvation and Solvation Dynamics in a Room-Temperature Ionic Liquid" poster. First Annual Symposium on Ionic Liquids and Their Applications. Brookhaven National Laboratory. Upton, N.Y., April. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Conference Presentation) 2004
"Understanding Polarity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." American Chemical Society National Meeting. New Orleans, March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2003
"Understanding Polarity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." American Chemical Society National Meeting. New York, September. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2003
"Understanding Polarity in Room-Temperature Ionic Liquids." Departmental Seminar. Queens College (CUNY). March. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Invited Talk) 2003
"Systematic and Statistical Error in Histogram-Based Free Energy Calculations" poster. American Conference on Theoretical Chemistry. Seven Springs, Pa., June. (Conferences, Seminars and Symposiums: Contributed Talk) 2002
Professional Leadership
Served on search committee for Assistant Professor in Organic Chemistry or Biochemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2023
Served on search committee for Lecturer in Organic Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2023
Served on the Executive Committee of the Brooklyn College Auxiliary Services group. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2023
Service as Chair for Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2023
Service as Chair for Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2022
Alternate representative to the Committee on Review. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
CAP Liaison Committee Representative on Policy Council (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Served on search committee for Lecturer in Organic Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Service on the Academic Enrichment Program planning committee of the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Service on the Committee on Academic Planning Academic Liaison Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2022
Service as Chair for Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2021
Service as Chair for Master Planning Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2021
Alternate representative to the Committee on Review. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2021
Committee member on Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2021
Service on the Academic Enrichment Program planning committee of the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2021
Committee member on Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2020
Service as Chair for Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2020
Service as Chair for Master Planning Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2020
Service as Deputy Chair for Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2020
Chair, Department of Chemistry Curriculum Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Deputy Chair, Department of Chemistry (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2019
Member, Brooklyn College Master Planning Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Member, CAASS Committee for the development of Meta-Majors (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Member, Department of Chemistry Awards Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2019
Performed scientific demonstrations for department's annual High School Day. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2018
Alternate, Brooklyn College Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Chair, Department of Chemistry Curriculum Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Divisional Representative, Brooklyn College Faculty Council (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Interviewed candidates for Brooklyn College BAMD program. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, Brooklyn College Master Planning Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, Brooklyn College Master Planning Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, Department of Chemistry Awards Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, Natural and Behavioral Sciences Strategic Plan Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, Policy Council Subcommittee on Community Relations (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Promotion and Tenure Review Committee (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, search committee for a new College Laboratory Technician for the Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Member, search committee for the Eric Steinberg Award for College Citizenship (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Reader, applications to Macaulay Honors College at Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2018
Alternate, Brooklyn College Policy Council (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Departmental Representative, Promotion and Tenure Committee, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Member, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences Promotion and Tenure Review Committee
(Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2017
Chair, Department Curriculum Committee. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2016
Member, Brooklyn College Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2016
Performed scientific demonstrations for department's annual High School Day. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2016
Continued service as department's industrial internship coordinator. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2016
Member, Appointments Committee, Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2016
Served on Search Committee for Zicklin Chair, Brooklyn College. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2016
Member, Brooklyn College Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Chair, ad hoc Committee on Strategic Planning for the Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Chair, Department Curriculum Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Faculty Fellow, Office of the Dean of the School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2015
Member, Appointments Committee, Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2015
Performed scientific demonstrations for department's annual High School Day. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2015
Presided over session titled, "Basic Research in Colloids, Surfactants and Nanomaterials," 250th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Boston, August 2015. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2015
Chair, department Curriculum Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Chair, Department of Chemistry ad hoc Committee on Doctoral Education. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Faculty fellow, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2014
Member, Appointments Committee, Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2014
Chair, department Curriculum Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Chair, Department of Chemistry ad hoc Committee on Doctoral Education. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Faculty fellow, School of Natural and Behavioral Sciences. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2013
Member, Appointments Committee, Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, Brooklyn College Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, CUNY Pathways Life and Physical Science Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, CUNY Pathways Scientific World Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Member, organizing committee, Association of Theoretical and Computational Chemistry of CUNY. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2013
Served on thesis defense committee for Rodney Versace, Department of Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2012
Chairman, Department of Chemistry Curriculum Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Member, Department of Chemistry Appointments Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Served in curriculum working group of STAR High School. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2011
Served on CUNY Core Review Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Served on New York Theoretical and Computational Chemistry Consortium organizing committee. (Professional Leadership: Public Service) 2011
Served on Policy Council. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2011
Chairman, Department of Chemistry. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2010
Deputy executive officer, Department of Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2010
Chairman, Chemistry Department. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2009
Coordinator, Brooklyn College Sustainability Roundtable. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2009
Deputy executive officer, Department of Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2009
Member, departmental Summer Research Awards Committee. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Panel participant, PSC-CUNY grant proposal review panel for the chemistry section. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Participant, departmental task force for revision of the teacher education curriculum, including preparing curriculum documents for revised undergraduate and master's programs. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Particpant, departmental task force for revision of the master's program, including writing and overseeing the administration of a survey of local industry. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2009
Coordinator, Brooklyn College Sustainability Roundtable. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2008
Department liason to Brooklyn College's branch of the Teacher Academy. (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2008
Deputy executive officer, Department of Chemistry, CUNY Graduate Center. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2008
Member, College Committee for Curriculum and Degree Requirements (Undergraduate). (Professional Leadership: Committee Service) 2008
Coordinator, Brooklyn College Sustainability Roundtable. (Professional Leadership: Organizational Leadership Position) 2007
Pedagogical Achievements
Coordinated pre-chemistry program for first-semester general chemistry courses (Chem 1050 and 1200) as part of college retention effort. 2023
Mentored Brooklyn College undergraduate student Rebecca Turay in research. 2023
Co-taught first offering of Chemistry 3900: Professional Readiness for Chemists. 2022
Mentored Brooklyn College undergraduate student Eddie Louz in research. 2022
Served as mentor for rotation of Chemistry doctoral student Jingheng Yuan. 2022
Served on doctoral thesis committee for Michael J. Keating of the Graduate Center program in Chemistry. 2022
Served on doctoral thesis committee for Tawhid Pranto, a candidate for a doctorate degree in Physics at the Graduate Center of CUNY 2022
Served on doctoral thesis committee for Daili Peng, a candidate for a doctorate degree in Chemical Engineering at University of Groningen (Netherlands). 2021
Served on thesis committee for Graduate Center Chemistry doctoral student Laurance Beaton. 2020
Member of doctoral thesis committee for Esteban Araya, doctoral student at University of Groningen 2019
Member of doctoral thesis committee for Esteban Araya, doctoral student at University of Groningen 2018
Added subtitles to laboratory demonstration videos, and updated a video on the use of scientific notation on a calculator. 2018
Mentored, and served on thesis committee for, Bart Geelen, masters student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Groningen 2018
Member of doctoral thesis committee for Esteban Araya, doctoral student at University of Groningen 2017
Mentored, and served on thesis committee for, Karin Lewis, Masters student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Groningen 2017
Mentored, and served on thesis committee for, Nikolas Patsos, bachelors student in Chemical Engineering at the University of Groningen. 2017
Served on thesis committee for Brooklyn College Masters student, Noof Naif Al Duaiq . 2016
Served on thesis committee for Brooklyn College Masters student, William Fang. 2016
Continued service as department's industrial internship coordinator. 2015
LSAMP research mentor for Yassine Mouaddab. 2015
Continued service as department's industrial internship coordinator. 2014
Continued service as department's industrial internship coordinator. 2013
Implemented an expanded three-week hands-on summer course, Quantitative Reasoning for High School Courses. Course ran in summer 2013 for 12 students, under the auspices of the STEP program. 2013
Designed and implemented a three-week hands-on summer course, Quantitative Reasoning for High School Courses. Course ran in summer 2012 for 20 students, under the auspices of the STEP program. 2012
Served on doctoral committee for Nilesh Ingale (Chemical Engineering, City College). 2011
Served on doctoral thesis committee for Sufia Khatun (Physics, Hunter College). 2011
Served on doctoral thesis committee for Yi He (Biochemistry, City College). 2011
Co-coordinator, Focused Review Program, an intervention program supporting student retention in Chemistry 1 and 1.1. 2010
Member, thesis committee for biochemistry doctoral student Yi He (Hunter College). 2010
Member, thesis committee for chemical engineering doctoral student Nilesh Ingale (City College of New York). 2010
Member, thesis committee for chemistry master's student Michelle Maison (Brooklyn College). 2010
Member, thesis committee for physics doctoral student Sufia Khatun (Hunter College). 2010
Wrote and administered Cumulative Examination for Physical Chemistry, October. 2010
"A Brief Introduction to Green Chemistry" seminar. Macaulay Honors College. New York, September. 2009
Co-coordinator, Focused Review Program, an intervention program supporting student retention in Chemistry 1 and 1.1. 2009
Coordinator, departmental internship program. 2009
Member, curriculum working group of the STAR High School. 2009
Member, thesis committee for chemistry doctoral student Yi He (Hunter College). 2009
Created and implemented a new Department of Chemistry program to offer students internships at local companies. 2008
Participant, science working group with STAR high school teachers to improve student preparation for college-level chemistry courses. 2008
Participant, Transformations XI, a campus-wide program to improve the teaching of writing to second-language students. 2008
Community Activities
"Urban Sustainability" panel. Symposium organized at the Silhouette, a green residential building in Brooklyn, N.Y., October. 2009
Other Professional Activities
Co-promotor for Camiel Janssen, of the University of Delft, who completed his doctoral degree at that institution in September. 2013
Deputy chairman, Department of Chemistry. 2008
Undergraduate adviser, Department of Chemistry. 2008
