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ACADEMICS:
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| The Department of Chemistry offers a program leading to a Master’s degree in Chemistry, and a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Applied Chemistry. The department is housed in a four-story building (214,000 square feet) with modern facilities for teaching and research which has 40 research and 20 teaching laboratories as well as 10 classrooms, a computer center, a visualization center, and cold and dark rooms. Research facilities include a large variety of sophisticated instrumentation, including systems for femtochemistry (laser system), NMR spectroscopy, atomic force microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and electrochemistry. The department hosts several research groups and two research centers: the Center for Protein Characterization and Function, and the Center for Development of Chemical Sensors. An outreach program, Science on Wheels, is also housed within the departmental facilities. Approximately thirty faculty members with PhD. degrees have on-going research projects in the areas of polymers, organic synthesis, environmental chemistry, molecular spectroscopy, material characterization, computational chemistry, electrochemistry, and biochemistry. M.S. in Chemistry Program In addition to the admission requirements of the Graduate Studies Office, a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry or its equivalent, as determined by the departmental graduate committee, is required. Although there are no formal options, students are able to specialize in these areas:
The requirements for the Master’s Degree in the Department of Chemistry are met with the approval of at least eighteen credit hours of graduate courses in Chemistry, exclusive of the thesis. Three of the following core courses are required: Advanced Inorganic Chemistry I (Quim 6011), Advanced Organic Chemistry I (QUIM 6401), Advanced Physical Chemistry (QUIM 6605), Advanced Analytical Chemistry (QUIM 6215), and Advanced Biochemistry (QUIM 6715). In addition, students are required to take QUIM 6005 and QUIM 6006, (Graduate Seminar I and II), and write a thesis. Ph.D. in Applied Chemistry The PhD Program in Applied Chemistry started at the University of Puerto Rico – Mayagüez on January of 2004. The program started with emphasis in two principal fields of research: biophysics, and chemistry of materials. The Department’s web site: http://www.uprm.edu/wquim/, offers additional information on the program and the research interests of the professors involved in the program. Admission Requirements: 1. A bachelor’s or master’s degree in chemistry from a recognized university or its equivalent, with a minimum grade point average of 3.00 in a scale of 0 to 4.00. Applicants, who have a bachelor’s degree which is not in chemistry will be evaluated based on their own merits. 2. Take the aptitude Graduate Record Examination (GRE). 3. Master Spanish and English. If there are deficiencies in either one of the languages the student must take remedial courses when they enter the program. Placement Tests: Placement tests will be offered to the students who have been accepted to the Doctoral Program before beginning their studies. These consist of five placement tests which will evaluate the student’s knowledge at the undergraduate level in the following areas: Organic Chemistry, Inorganic Chemistry, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Chemistry and Biochemistry. For students with an MS in chemistry, the Graduate Committee may accredit up to fifteen credits of the previous graduate level courses towards the Ph.D. degree. Program Requirements: Research Proposal –The student will present a written proposal for research that defines his/her doctoral thesis project and will defend it orally in front of the thesis committee. Doctoral Exam –The Student will take a Doctoral Exam which will measure his/her knowledge at the graduate level. This should occur during the third year of studies. The exam will involve both a written and oral part. Internship or Practicum – Every student will work one semester in an academic, industrial, or government lab outside the UPR-Mayagüez campus where students will conduct research related to their research project. Experience in industry may be substituted for the practicum if the student requests it. Publications–Students will be required to obtain two accepted publications before defending their doctoral dissertation. The academic requirements to grant the degree are: A. A minimum of 52 credits, of which no more than 9 can be at the 5000 level and no less than 43 at the 6000 level or higher. Of the previous 43 credits, 18 credits will be thesis. A minimum of nine credits will be required in areas outside of the specialty. B. The minimum grade point average required for graduation will be 3.00. Course Distribution Core Courses (3 courses @ 3 credit hours) – 9 credit hours Grade Requirements – 28 credit hours Recommended Courses and Electives by Area of Specialty – 15 credit hours QUIM 5065. CHEMISTRY OF SYNTHETIC DRUGS (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3032 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3463 or authorization of the Director of the Department. The chemistry of synthetic organic compounds of medical and physiological interest. Topics to be covered will include anesthetics, antispasmodics, antipyretics, analgesics, hypnotics, sedatives, anticonvulsants, anticoagulants, antihistamines, tranquilizers, antimalarials, and anthelmintics. QUIM 5066. TOXICOLOGICAL CHEMISTRY (II). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3032 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3062 or QUIM 3463 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Chemical properties, reactions, origin, and use of toxic substances, including chemical aspects of their effects upon biological systems, and their transformation and elimination. QUIM 5071. GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY I. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3463 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3062 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Chemical characterization of proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, and nucleic acids; principles of enzymology and bioenergetics; biological membranes and transport; recombinant DNA techniques; biological oxidations. QUIM 5072. GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY II. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 5071. Biosynthesis and biodegradation of carbo¬hydrates, lipids, amino acids, and nucleic acids; integration and regulation of animal metabolism; chemistry of genetic expression and regulation. QUIM 5073. GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY I. One credit hour. One four-hour laboratory per week. Corequisite: QUIM 5071. Isolation and characterization of proteins, lipids, and nucleic acids; enzymatic processes; the use of recombinant DNA techniques. QUIM 5074. GENERAL BIOCHEMISTRY LABORATORY II. One credit hour. One four-hour laboratory per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 5073. Corequisite: QUIM 5072. Characterization of carbohydrates, molecular modeling, and spectroscopic analysis of biomolecules. QUIM 5085. FOOD CHEMISTRY (On demand). Four credit hours. Three hours of lecture and four hours of laboratory per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3072 and (QUIM 3463 or QUIM 3062) or authorization of the Director of the Department. A study of the chemistry of the principal food resources and food additives, their role in nutrition, and the effect of processing treatment on their chemical composition. QUIM 5095. NUCLEAR CHEMISTRY (II). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: QUIM 3042 or QUIM 3002 and MATE 3031 or MATE 3183 or MATE 3144. A course describing the fundamental concepts of nuclear science. Selected topics on nuclear properties, nuclear forces and structure, radioactivity, mathematical relations of radioactive decay, statistics, nuclear reactions, effects of nuclear radiations and transitions, application of nuclear phenomena of chemistry and other related fields. QUIM 5105. PRINCIPLES OF QUANTUM CHEMISTRY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 4042 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Conceptual development, postulates, and models of quantum mechanics. Approximation methods to the solution of the time-independent Schrödinger equation. QUIM 5125. CHEMICAL THERMODYNAMICS (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 4042 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Systematic analysis of the fundamental concepts of chemical thermodynamics and their applications. QUIM 5135. PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisites: QUIM 4042 and QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3463. A mathematical and quantitative study of organic chemical phenomena. Applications of modern theoretical concepts to the chemical and physical properties of organic compounds, and to the kinetics and mechanisms of organic reactions. QUIM 5145. HETEROCYCLIC COM¬POUNDS (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3032 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3463 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Structure, synthesis, and reactions of ring systems containing other atoms besides carbon. Alkaloids will be given special consideration. QUIM 5150. SPECTROSCOPIC IDENTIFICATION OF ORGANIC COMPOUNDS (I). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3032 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3463 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Elucidation of the structure of organic compounds by spectroscopic methods, including infrared, ultraviolet, nuclear magnetic resonance, and mass spectrometry techniques. QUIM 5165. POLYMER CHEMISTRY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: QUIM 3450 or QUIM 3072 or QUIM 3032 or QUIM 3463 or authorization of the Director of the Department. Structure, properties, syntheses, reactions, and physical behavior of polymers. Experimental methods used in their analysis. QUIM 5175. EXPLOSIVES DETECTION AND ANALYSIS. Four credit hours. Three hours of lecture and one four-hour laboratory period per week. Prerequisites: QUIM 4041 and, or QUIM 3065 or QUIM 3055. General aspects, chemical and physical properties, and analytical techniques for the detection and analysis of explosives. Graduate Courses QUIM 6005-6006. GRADUATE SEMINAR (I, II)-(I, II). One credit hour per semester. One hour of lecture per week each semester. Lectures, discussions, and reports on selected topics in chemistry. QUIM 6007. SPECIAL TOPICS I. From one to three credit hours. From one to three hours of lecture per week. Selected topics in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry. QUIM 6008. SPECIAL TOPICS II. From one to three credit hours. From one to three hours of lecture per week. Selected topics in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry. QUIM 6009. SPECTROSCOPY OF BIOLOGICAL MOLECULES. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Spectroscopy techniques to study the structures and conformational changes of biological molecules. QUIM 6011. ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY I (I). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Electronic properties; theories of bonding and structures of inorganic compounds, including metals and their complexes; reactions and applications of acid-base, coordination, and bioinorganic systems. QUIM 6012. ADVANCED INORGANIC CHEMISTRY II (II). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Physical and chemical properties of elements; kinetics and reaction mechanisms of coordination compounds; organometallic chemistry. QUIM 6016. BIOPHYSICAL CHEMISTRY. Three credit hours. Three credit hours of lecture per week. Spectroscopic methods, molecular simulation, bioenergetics, reaction kinetics, and solution thermodynamics applied to nucleic acids, protein and other biological molecules. QUIM 6026. SPECIAL TOPICS IN INOR¬GANIC CHEMISTRY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Corequisite: QUIM 6011 or authorization of the Department Director. Discussions of areas of inorganic chemistry that are expanding very rapidly or that have developed recently, including newly developing areas of inorganic chemical research. QUIM 6035. NUCLEAR MAGNETIC RESONANCE SPECTROSCOPY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: Authorization of the Department Director. Fundamental concepts and practice of high-resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy emphasizing instrumentation with Fourier transform, pulse methods, and the information these provide. QUIM 6215. ADVANCED ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Advanced topics in chemical analysis including various electrochemical, chromatographic, and complexometric methods. QUIM 6216. SURFACE ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Analytical and spectroscopic methods for characterization of surfaces and of chemical and electrochemical reactions on surfaces. QUIM 6218. CHEMICAL SEPARATIONS. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Advanced techniques of chemical separations, and their analytical and preparative applications, recent methods of extraction, chromatography, electrophoresis and sedimentation. QUIM 6335. FOOD ANALYSIS (II) (On demand). Four credit hours. Two hours of lecture and eight hours of laboratory per week. Theory and practice of methods used in food analysis. QUIM 6395. INFRARED SPECTROSCOPY AND MICROSCOPY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Instrumentation and recent applications of infrared spectroscopy and microscopy. QUIM 6401. ADVANCED ORGANIC CHEMISTRY (I). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Electronic theory, condensation reactions, molecular rearrangements, stereochemistry, reaction mechanisms, and free radicals. QUIM 6605. ADVANCED PHYSICAL CHEMISTRY (II). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Chemical applications of statistical thermodynamics, selected topics in kinetic theory of gases, quantum chemistry and chemical thermodynamics. QUIM 6606. ELECTROCHEMISTRY (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Theory of weak and strong electrolytes, activity coefficients, potentials, reference electrodes, electrochemical cells, etc. Consideration is also given to ionic transport phenomena and electro-deposition of metals. QUIM 6705. SUPERVISED CHEMISTRY TEACHING. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Corequisites: Teach a Chemistry course. QUIM 6815. PLANT BIOCHEMISTRY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Chemistry of plant constituents. Chemical processes occurring during the growth and development of plants; biochemistry of photosynthesis. QUIM 6915. ENZYMES (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Fundamental principles of enzymatic reactions, including topics such as: mechanisms, kinetics, inhibitors, and activators. QUIM 6994. SPECIAL TOPICS: LABORATORY. From one to three credit hours. From one to three laboratories of two to four hours per week. Selected laboratory topics in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry, physical chemistry, and biochemistry. QUIM 6998. CHEMISTRY RESEARCH (I, II, S). Six credit hours. The student will choose a member of the faculty as his adviser. Presentation of a thesis is required for credit. QUIM 8008. SCIENTIFIC COMMUNICATION IN CHEMISTRY. Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. Prerequisite: twelve credits in chemistry graduate courses. Topics related to the preparation and organization of an effective presentation, and to the writing of proposals, scientific articles, and technical reports. Development, presentation and defense of an original research proposal required. QUIM 8615. CHEMICAL KINETICS (On demand). Three credit hours. Three hours of lecture per week. The discussion of measurements of reaction rates and theories of chemical reactions, study of gas phase and solution kinetics, and rates of biochemical, inorganic and organic reactions. QUIM 8995. SPECIAL TOPICS IN APPLIED CHEMISTRY. One to three credit hours. One to three hours of lecture per week. Selected topics in applied chemistry. MARIA A. APONTE HUERTAS, Professor, Ph.D., 1982, University of Florida. Research Interest: Biodegradable polymers for controlled released technology. MAYRA E. CADIZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1985, University of Puerto Rico. Research Interests: Synthesis of derivatives of cisplatin; synthesis and interaction of platinum drugs with DNA; Synthesis of metal complexes as potential antitumor compounds. ARNALDO CARRASQUILLO, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1995, Texas A&M. Research Interests: Understanding the role played by electrode surface composition and structure in determining and controlling the electrochemical reactivity of species present at the electrode-solution interfaces. Study of electrocatalysis and of biosensor technologies by using XPS, AES, LEDD, TDMS, thin layer and classical electrochemical method. MIGUEL E. CASTRO, Professor, Ph.D., 1991, University of Texas at Austin. Research Interests: Synthesis and characterization of electronic materials; application of heterogeneous catalysis to drug synthesis; time resolved mass and infrared spectroscopy; time-of-flight measure¬ments of oriented molecules. JOSE E. CORTES, Professor, Ph.D., 1989, University of North Texas. Research Interests: Synthesis and characterization of fulerene-transition metal complexes. Electronic and geometric structure of fulerene-transition metal complexes and the relationship of their structure with the complexes chemical reactivities. Integration of high school biology, chemistry, mathematics, and physics using calculator-based laboratory technology. ASTRID J. CRUZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1993, University of Massachusetts. Research Interests: Theoretical studies of molecular scattering phenomena by means of wave packets and fast Fourier Transform techniques. Quantum finite temperature studies of molecule-surface energy transfer processes. MARCO DE JESUS, Assistant Professor, Ph.D., 2004, University of Tennessee, Knoxville. Research Interests: Study the potential health threats posed by exposure to trace aromatic pollutants, in particular pesticides, and PPCP's, in the environment. Use advanced air and water monitoring technologies in combination with information rich spectroscopies to evaluate the bioavailability of these chemicals in P.R. MARITZA DE JESUS, Professor, M.S., 1984, University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus. Research Interests: Optimization of GC-MS and GC-FID tropical analysis of thermally labile essential oils in plants. Development of methodologies for the analysis of samples of environmental origin. EMILIO DIAZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Research Interests: Isolation and characterization of oxidative enzymes from fungi; study of the role of oxidative enzymes on fungal pathogenicity. Isolation and inhibition studies of histidine decarboxylase from microorganisms which contaminate fish and dairy products. Study of the effects of antioxidants on the development of rancidity in frozen tilapia. SAMUEL P. HERNANDEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, Johns Hopkins University. Research Interests: Molecular spectroscopy of crossed molecular beams and jets; Laser Raman and surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy of biomolecules and their interactions with heavy metal ions and carcinogenic compounds; molecular spectroscopy of coordination compounds, superconductors and explosives; theoretical calculations correlating measured spectroscopy properties. AIDALU DE LOS A. JOUBERT-CASTRO, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1998, Washington State University, Pullman. Research Interests: Evaluation of liquid chromatography- particle beam mass spectrometry as a technique for the analysis of vanadyl geoporphyrins. Implementation and development of new teaching techniques that relate chemical concepts and the direct application of such concepts to the classroom. JORGE LABOY, Professor, Ph.D., 1993, University of Cincinnati. Research Interests: Mid-infrared FT-IR spectroscopy of transient species and reaction intermediates, mainly radicals using matrix-isolation. Photochemical reactions and reactions dealing with semiconductor materials. JUAN LOPEZ-GARRIGA, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, Michigan State University. Research Interests: Study of the structure and function relationships in heme proteins using site directed mutagenesis, FT-IR, resonance Raman vibrational analysis, and NMR spectroscopy. Kinetic study of the reaction between hemoglobin and ligands (for example, O2, CO, NO, and H2S) using time-resolved infrared and resonance Raman techniques. Ultrafast geminate chemical dynamics analysis using time-resolved picosecond and femtosecond spectroscopy. Development and implementation of a coherent link between pre-college education and the university. GUSTAVO E. LOPEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1992, University of Massachusetts. Research Interests: Classical and Path integral Quantum Monte Carlo simulations of the thermodynamic properties of condensed matter systems; ab-initio calculations of weakly bound systems. ENRIQUE MELENDEZ, Professor, Ph.D., 1992, University of Utah. Research Interests: Synthesis, kinetics, and metal-DNA interactions of titanocenes. Bonding and reactivity of transition metal diene complexes. NAIRMEN MINA, Professor, Ph.D., 1996, Baylor University. Research Interests: FT-IR, Near IR, VIS and photoacustic spectroscopy of organic compounds at cryogenic temperatures. Chemical kinetics and spectroscopy of CFC’s. LUIS A. MORELL, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1993, University of California, Riverside. Research Interests: Organic synthesis and development of hetero Diels-Alder reaction. Conformational analysis of sugar derivatives. ELSIE I. PARES-MATOS, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 2000, Purdue University, Indiana. Research Interest: Regulation of gene expression by DNA-protein and protein-protein interactions. BELINDA PASTRANA, Professor, Ph.D., 1995, Rutgers University, New Jersey. Research Interests: Use of recombinant DNA technology to express proteins for the biophysical study of protein-peptide and protein-ligand interactions. Molecular modeling studies of biological molecules. FRANCIS PATRON, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1997, Purdue University. Research Interests: Chemistry education research on the teaching and learning of chemistry with particular interest in physical chemistry. DORIS RAMIREZ-SOTO, Professor, Ph.D., 1989, Rutgers University. Research Interests: Isolation and characterization of gibberellins in tropical crops. ROBERT RIOS, Professor, Ph.D., 1995, Rutgers University, New Jersey. Research Interests: Chemotherapeutic approach to the treatment of tumors and the chemistry involved in the synthesis of ligands. Methodology development for the synthesis of useful intermediates to be used in the construction of novel chemotherapeutic drugs. JORGE L. RIOS-STEINER, Associate Professor, Ph.D., 1991, University of Puerto Rico. Research Interests: Analysis and structural studies of macromolecules, natural products, organic and inorganic molecules, utilizing X-ray crystallography as the main analytical tool.
LUIS A. RIVERA, Researcher, Ph.D., 1990, University of Puerto Rico. Research Interests: Synthesis, spectroscopic studies and theoretical correlations of heterocyclic and substituted polycyclic aromatic compounds with potential activity. Analytical method development for trace detection of energetic compounds. Thermal stability studies of substituted polycarbonates, polyesters and other polymeric substances with potential applications as insulation materials in aircraft.
CYNTHIA ROBLEDO-LUIGGI, Professor, Ph.D., 1981, University of Florida. Research Interests: Synthesis of oligopeptides containing one or more aromatic amino acids; study of small molecule-nucleic acid interactions; synthesis of oligopeptides with unusual amino acids. LOLITA RODRIGUEZ, Professor, M.S., 1985, University of Puerto Rico-Mayagüez Campus. Research Interests: In vitro evaluation of decoctions from plants of reputed ethnopharmaceutical activity to treat kidney stones disease. The project includes measurements of free and complex Ca+2 in solution, dissolution of calcium oxalate or calcium phosphate by plant decoctions, and inhibition of crystal or stone growth by plant extracts. FELIX ROMAN, Professor, Ph.D., 1989, University of Nebraska. Research Interests: Development of analytical method for the determination of trace levels of metals and pesticides in biological and environmental matrices. RODOLFO ROMAÑACH, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, University of Georgia. Research Interests: Development of near infrared, spectroscopic methods for use in the pharmaceutical industry. Development of analytical methods to study interactions between excipients in solid oral dosage forms and tablet surfaces. Continuing education and professional/personal development of chemists. Use of polarized light microscopy in chemical education. ISMAEL SCOTT, Professor, Ph.D., 1985, University of Florida. Research Interests: Infrared and Laser-Raman spectroscopic studies of RNA and DNA bases, including both experimental and theoretical work; toxicological and environmental effects of chemicals. FERNANDO A. SOUTO, Professor, Ph.D., 1978, University of Alberta. Research Interests: Association of organic dyes in solution, equilibrium polymerization, electronic absorption and emission spectra, excitation energy transfer, photochemistry of alkaloids. N-oxides, amperometric glucose biosensor, solid-state impedance immunological biosensors. In addition, there is on-going work with Lippia dulcis Trey: Formation and growth in tissue culture; initiation, growth, and viability of calli and cell suspension cultures; production and biosynthesis of terpenes and terpenoids by in vitro cell cultures. CARMEN A. VEGA, Professor, Ph.D., 1975, University of Florida. Research Interests: Thermodynamics, electrochemistry and spectroscopy of solutions. HPLC studies of limits of detection of drugs in physiological fluids. Studies of the interaction of platinum drugs with amino acids and DNA. MARISOL VERA, Professor, Ph.D., 1986, Purdue University. Research Interests: Characterization of oligonucleotide structures and small molecule-nucleic acid complexes by NMR; analytical applications of multinuclear NMR Evaluation of pesticides in soils amended with compost. RENE S. VIETA, Professor, Ph.D., 1984, Texas A&M University. Research Interests: Synthesis and mass spectrometric studies of saturated nitrogen heterocycles. Mechanisms of oxazoline formation. Synthesis of diamines that are precursors of cyclic ureas. |