Bernadette Donovan-Merkert

Related People
James Amburgey
Colleen Eade
Michael Murphy

Positions Held at UNC Charlotte

  • Interim Dean, College of Science (since August, 2023)
  • CLAS Interim Divisional Dean for BIOL, CHEM, MATH, PHYS (January-July, 2023)
  • Chair, Department of Chemistry (2004-22)
  • Director (2011-23; Interim Director (2007-11)), Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Program
  • Professor of Chemistry (since 2003)
  • Associate Professor of Chemistry (1998-2003)
  • Assistant Professor of Chemistry (1992-98)

Postdoctoral Fellowships

  • University of Texas at Austin (1990-92, Electrochemistry)
  • Dartmouth College (1988-90, Organometallic Chemistry)

Education

  • Ph.D., University of Vermont (Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry)
  • B.S., Duke University (Chemistry) 

Distinctions and Honors                                                       

  • Chair (2018), Chair-Elect (2017), Division of Inorganic Chemistry, American Chemical Society
  • Chair (2014), Chair-Elect (2013), Gordon Research Conference on Organometallic Chemistry
  • Fellow, American Chemical Society (2011)
  • Bonnie Cone Fellowship, UNC Charlotte (2010)
  • UNC Charlotte Nominee, U.S. Professor of the Year Award (2004)
  • Camille and Henry Dreyfus Scholar-Fellow Award (2003)
  • Harshini V. de Silva Graduate Mentor Award, UNC Charlotte (2003)
  • Finalist, Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence, UNC Charlotte (2002)
  • US Young Observer, IUPAC Meeting, Brisbane, Australia (2001)
  • 40 Under 40 Award, Charlotte Business Journal (2000)
  • POWRE Award, National Science Foundation (1999)
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1998)
  • Chair (1996), Chair-Elect (1995), Carolina-Piedmont Local Section, American Chemical Society

Research Overview
My research program focuses on electron-transfer reactions of organometallic complexes. By oxidizing or reducing these compounds we often generate species that undergo interesting reactions or form complexes in unusual oxidation states. In many cases redox activation of organometallic complexes accelerates known reactions of these compounds, activates otherwise inert complexes, or allows reactions to occur under milder conditions. We study the reactions and their products using electrochemical methods and other instrumental techniques including, but not limited to, NMR, IR, ESR and GC/MS.  A major area of current investigation involves the use of electrochemistry to promote asymmetric transformations.

Courses Taught:
Freshman Seminar (ARSC 1000)
Science, Technology and Society (LBST 2219)
Quantitative Analysis (CHEM 3111)
Survey of Instrumental Methods of Analysis (CHEM 3113)
Instrumental Methods (CHEM 4111)
Advanced Analytical Chemistry – Practical NMR Spectroscopy (CHEM 6115)
Advanced Analytical Chemistry – Electrochemistry (CHEM 6115)
Organometallic Chemistry (CHEM 6126)
Perspectives at the Nanoscale (NANO 8001)
Introduction to Instrumentation and Processing at the Nanoscale (NANO 8101)