Vibrational spectroscopy, which is Leverette’s area of expertise, isone form of spectroscopy. In general, spectroscopy is the study of the interaction of light with matter. According to Leverette, “Vibrational spectroscopy is one of the most widely used analytical techniques that allows scientists to identify, quantify, and characterize a wide variety of chemical systems. It is used in applications that include forensics, homeland security efforts, pharmaceuticals, and hydrogen research to name a few.”
The special issue of Vibrational Spectroscopy featuring the complete list of scientists chosen will be released in December 2008. Vibrational Spectroscopy only names scientists to this list every four years. The 2004 issue was the second time the journal’s editorial board named the list, and in that issue only 17 were featured. Of the 17, only three were from the United States; other countries represented were: United Kingdom, Germany, Austria, China, Japan, Netherlands, Italy, and Greece. To be included, the scientist must be 38 years of age or under, conduct a novel experiment in the field, submit an original manuscript of work, and have his or her work successfully pass the peer-review process for publication.
According to Chancellor Tom Hallman, “Chad embodies the true ‘teacher-scholar’ that we expect of our faculty. Chad has some outstanding accomplishments, and he’s done it all while teaching a full load of courses. His students benefit not only from his excellent instruction, but also his involvement of them in the research process.”
Leverette joined the faculty at USC Aiken in 2004. Since, he has acquired more than $216,000 from grants to fund research and equipment in the Department of Chemistry and Physics. Leverette is an active scholar, with six peer-reviewed manuscripts, one peer-reviewed book chapter, two provisional patent applications, 11 research reports, and 20 oral presentations at international, national, and regional scientific meetings to his credit since arriving at USC Aiken.
Last year, Leverette successfully acquired a GLAD (glancing angle vapor deposition) system for the campus. It is one of only 25 systems in the world, and is the only system of its kind at an undergraduate institution. Leverette acquired the GLAD system through funding from a Research Equipment Program Award in 2007 from the University of South Carolina and a grant from the American Chemical Society. The equipment is not only used by Leverette and his students on the USC Aiken campus, but is also used by scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory and at the University of South Carolina NanoCenter, which is the University’s focal point for science and engineering studies of nanometer-scale structures. The NanoCenter fosters multidisciplinary research and education efforts involving faculty whose combined expertise spans the disciplines of a comprehensive research university. The NanoCenter includes 80 members who are actively involved in research at the University of South Carolina. Currently, Leverette is the only one from outside the USC Columbia campus.
According to the Editor’s comments about the special issue of Vibrational Spectroscopy, “The issue is devoted entirely to the works of promising and prominent young vibrational spectroscopists, who, in the opinion of the Board members, have emerged on the scene of applied and theoretical vibrational spectroscopy as potential future leaders in their field.”
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