chemistry Archives - University of West Florida Newsroom

UWF chemistry professor awarded grants to advance energy storage research and workforce training

University of West Florida — Thu, 25 Sep 2025 13:30:00 +0000

UWF chemistry professor awarded grants to advance energy storage research and workforce training

The University of West Florida has been awarded two grants totaling nearly $90,000 to advance energy storage research and strengthen workforce development in Northwest Florida. Dr. Jacob Tracy, assistant professor in the UWF Department of Chemistry, received a $69,600 grant from the National Science Foundation Division of Chemistry and a $20,000 grant from the NextEra Energy Foundation Northwest Florida Community Grants Program, the charitable arm of Florida Power & Light Company. Together, these awards will expand research capacity, create hands-on training opportunities for undergraduate students and high school teachers, and prepare a local workforce of highly trained energy storage chemists and engineers to meet local and state energy needs.

UWF awarded a nearly $1.7 million grant to train biomedical students

University of West Florida — Wed, 01 May 2024 15:30:00 +0000

UWF awarded a nearly $1.7 million grant to train biomedical students

The University of West Florida has earned an approximately $1.7 million, five-year renewal grant from the National Institutes of Health to mentor and train the next generation of biomedical scientists. The undergraduate research training initiative for student enhancement, known as U-RISE, scholars program promotes broader participation in the biomedical research workforce by expanding the pool of well-trained scientists earning a Ph.D.

UWF announces $150,000 gift to establish the Elizabeth S. Calhoun Endowment for Industrial Careers

University of West Florida — Tue, 30 Apr 2024 14:30:06 +0000

UWF announces $150,000 gift to establish the Elizabeth S. Calhoun Endowment for Industrial Careers

A $150,000 gift to the University of West Florida established the Elizabeth S. Calhoun Endowment for Industrial Careers and named the Elizabeth S. Calhoun Analytical Lab, which will benefit undergraduate chemistry majors in UWF’s Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering. The endowment will focus on supporting women and Pell-eligible students.

Lifelong scientist and accomplished businessman the late Dr. Frank Silver established Dr. Frank and Dale Silver Distinguished Chemistry Endowment

University of West Florida — Tue, 28 Nov 2023 14:37:17 +0000

Lifelong scientist and accomplished businessman the late Dr. Frank Silver established Dr. Frank and Dale Silver Distinguished Chemistry Endowment

The University of West Florida Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering recently received a $100,000 gift from the late Dr. Frank Silver to establish the Dr. Frank and Dale Silver Distinguished Chemistry Endowment. Named after himself and his wife, the endowment will provide operational and scholarship support to students in the Department of Chemistry. Dr. Frank Silver was a longtime supporter of the college, helping with the costs of students’ travel to conferences, research supplies and seminar attendance, until his passing on Nov. 13.

UWF’s Chemistry Scholars Program receives 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM award

University of West Florida — Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:06:14 +0000

UWF’s Chemistry Scholars Program receives 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM award

The University of West Florida’s Chemistry Scholars Program was awarded the 2021 Inspiring Programs in STEM Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. The recognition honors institutions that encourage and assist students from underrepresented groups to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering and mathematics, known as STEM.

UWF chemistry department achieves high acceptance rate for students attending top 25 doctoral programs

University of West Florida — Wed, 30 Jun 2021 14:12:17 +0000

UWF chemistry department achieves high acceptance rate for students attending top 25 doctoral programs

Students in the University of West Florida Department of Chemistry are proving that success is possible despite unprecedented challenges. Nine Spring 2021 chemistry graduates are heading to a doctoral program this fall. Additionally, 45% of students were accepted to top 25 graduate programs and another 10% accepted to top 50 ranked programs. This marks the highest percentage of a graduating class from the chemistry department moving on to doctoral programs since 2017.

STEM Success program dramatically improves students’ pass rates

University of West Florida — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:55:38 +0000

STEM Success program dramatically improves students’ pass rates

First-year results from the STEM Success program reveal drastic improvements in chemistry course pass rates for University of West Florida students. The STEM Success program launched in Fall 2019 and students enrolled in Chemistry I passed at a 263% higher rate than students in the same course during the 2016-17 academic year. The pass rate increased 125% for students in Chemistry II when comparing 2019-20 to 2016-17.

UWF alumnus named NSF Graduate Research Fellow

University of West Florida — Mon, 29 Jun 2020 14:29:29 +0000

UWF alumnus named NSF Graduate Research Fellow

University of West Florida alumnus Joseph “Joey” Yount was awarded a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship. The fellowship will allow Yount to pursue a Ph.D. in materials engineering at Purdue University.

UWF announces $200k gift for first named lab in Laboratory Sciences Annex

University of West Florida — Mon, 27 Jan 2020 21:10:11 +0000

UWF announces $200k gift for first named lab in Laboratory Sciences Annex

The University of West Florida announced today a $200,000 gift from Roger and Dot Hemminghaus to name the Roy and Henrietta (Etts) Hemminghaus Chemistry Lab in the new Laboratory Sciences Annex. The gift will support scholarships for students in the Department of Chemistry.

UWF celebrates opening of state-of-the-art Laboratory Sciences Annex

University of West Florida — Thu, 19 Sep 2019 20:23:37 +0000

UWF celebrates opening of state-of-the-art Laboratory Sciences Annex

The University of West Florida Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering celebrated the grand opening of the Laboratory Sciences Annex, a state-of-the-art facility that provides additional space for wet teaching labs and offices for faculty and staff.

UWF NIH-funded MARC Scholars Program earns five-year renewal, expansion

University of West Florida — Mon, 22 Jul 2019 13:30:07 +0000

UWF NIH-funded MARC Scholars Program earns five-year renewal, expansion

The University of West Florida has been renewed by the National Institutes of Health to support the Maximizing Access to Research Careers, or MARC Scholars Program. With an anticipated five-year budget of $1.44 million, the MARC Scholars Program was funded for eight scholars per year. The first five-year grant was awarded in 2014 and totaled $979,000, which supported six scholars per year.

Chemistry success starts at UWF

University of West Florida — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 20:29:27 +0000

Chemistry success starts at UWF

Two students who were part of the first group of UWF Chemistry Scholars have recently earned their doctorate in biochemistry. Janae Baptiste, ’13 and Josh Brown, ’12 both attended the University of Maryland, Baltimore County for their doctoral studies.

UWF and IHMC to host Dr. Richard McCullough for William D. Smart lecture series

University of West Florida — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 17:07:37 +0000

UWF and IHMC to host Dr. Richard McCullough for William D. Smart lecture series

The University of West Florida Department of Chemistry and the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition will host Dr. Richard D. McCullough for two lectures Feb. 8-9 as part of the William D. Smart Seminar Series in Chemistry.

UWF breaks ground on state-of-the-art teaching laboratory facility

University of West Florida — Fri, 05 Jan 2018 16:51:52 +0000

UWF breaks ground on state-of-the-art teaching laboratory facility

The University of West Florida Hal Marcus College of Science and Engineering broke ground today on a Laboratory Sciences Annex, which will be connected to the Life Sciences Laboratory on the Pensacola campus to provide additional space for classroom and wet research lab needs.

UWF chemistry department achieves high acceptance rate for students attending top 25 professional doctorate programs

University of West Florida — Wed, 07 Jun 2017 18:38:23 +0000

UWF chemistry department achieves high acceptance rate for students attending top 25 professional doctorate programs

The University of West Florida Department of Chemistry recently announced an 88 percent acceptance rate among graduates who applied to doctorate programs. Of those who applied, 43 percent were accepted to top 25 ranked programs.

UWF chemistry student accepted into top-ranked graduate visitation programs

University of West Florida — Mon, 21 Nov 2016 19:30:06 +0000

UWF chemistry student accepted into top-ranked graduate visitation programs

Aaron Mena, a senior chemistry major at the University of West Florida, was recently accepted into visitation programs at three of the top-ranked graduate chemistry programs in the United States.

Three UWF chemistry students receive National American Chemical Society scholarships, named ACS Scholars for 2016-17

University of West Florida — Mon, 22 Aug 2016 14:00:51 +0000

Three UWF chemistry students receive National American Chemical Society scholarships, named ACS Scholars for 2016-17

Three students from the University of West Florida Department of Chemistry were recently selected to join the National American Chemical Society Scholars Program. A total of 12 UWF students have been named ACS Scholars since 2013, receiving more than $100,000 in renewable scholarship funds.

UWF chemistry professor Dr. Karen Molek receives distinguished mentoring award

University of West Florida — Wed, 06 Jul 2016 14:00:46 +0000

UWF chemistry professor Dr. Karen Molek receives distinguished mentoring award

The American Chemical Society Scholars Program has selected University of West Florida Assistant Professor of Chemistry Dr. Karen Molek as the 2016 recipient of the Zaida C. Morales‐Martinez Prize for Mentoring.

Chemistry Student Creates Quantum Dots in Lab

ballport — Mon, 14 Mar 2016 10:15:27 +0000

Chemistry Student Creates Quantum Dots in Lab

Pensacola – Aaron Mena, a University of West Florida junior, majoring in chemistry will travel to California for the 252nd American Chemical Society National Meeting & Exposition. He will make a presentation about quantum dots.

UWF Chemistry Scholars explore post-graduate opportunities at MIT

University of West Florida — Wed, 20 Jan 2016 15:00:46 +0000

UWF Chemistry Scholars explore post-graduate opportunities at MIT

Three University of West Florida Chemistry Scholars students recently attended the DOW-MIT ACCESS program at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

UWF students two of 13 nationwide selected to receive endowed scholarship from the American Chemical Society Scholars Program

University of West Florida — Tue, 08 Dec 2015 15:00:37 +0000

UWF students two of 13 nationwide selected to receive endowed scholarship from the American Chemical Society Scholars Program

Two University of West Florida seniors, Pristine Kirkconnell (left) and Chiena Whitt (below), were recently selected to receive endowed scholarships from the American Chemical Society Scholars Program, an honor bestowed to only 13 students nationwide.

UWF chemistry department prepares graduates for success

University of West Florida — Wed, 12 Aug 2015 14:00:03 +0000

UWF chemistry department prepares graduates for success

Graduates of the University of West Florida’s Chemistry Department know a great deal about statistics, and now their own numbers are speaking for themselves.

UWF announces first class of MARC Scholars

University of West Florida — Mon, 09 Feb 2015 15:41:13 +0000

UWF announces first class of MARC Scholars

Four students at the University of West Florida were recently selected to join the Maximizing Access to Research Careers, or MARC, Scholars Program. The new program was recently funded as part of a multi-year National Institutes of Health grant totaling more than $960,000.

UWF senior named Student of the Year by National Collegiate Honors Council

University of West Florida — Mon, 24 Nov 2014 15:19:27 +0000

UWF senior named Student of the Year by National Collegiate Honors Council

A University of West Florida student was recently named Student of the Year by the National Collegiate Honors Council during the council’s 2014 Conference in Denver, Colorado. Jini Curry, a senior biochemistry major, Kugelman Honors Scholar and president of the UWF Honors Council, was chosen from students enrolled at colleges and universities across the country for the prestigious honor.