BROOKLYN COLLEGE
Brooklyn College
2900 Bedford Avenue
Brooklyn, NY 11210
The Department of Chemistry at Brooklyn College is a dynamic and diverse academic department (40% female) with a recently expanded faculty whose research interests focus on organic, inorganic and theoretical chemistry, biochemistry and electroanalytical chemistry. Challenges in biomedical research, in catalysis and new materials, and spectroscopy applied to biological systems are being addressed by scientists at all levels in their careers in our research laboratories. Thesis research in a variety of specialties is mentored in a student friendly environment housing state-of-the-art equipment for measurement, analysis and computation. The Department also offers Master degrees in Chemistry or Chemistry Teacher (for high school).
The doctoral program in the Department of Chemistry runs within a center of excellence in science education and research serving in the heart of the borough of Brooklyn for over 75 years. The college, the third oldest of The City University of New York, is located on a 26-acre, landscaped campus in a residential area of Brooklyn and was elected as the country's most beautiful in 2003 (Princeton Review). The many cultures of Brooklyn contribute to the wide ethnic diversity of the college. Cultural resources nearby include the Brooklyn Academy of Music, the Brooklyn Museum, the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, Prospect Park and an extensive public library system. Manhattan's legendary attractions and downtown Brooklyn's shopping are within easy access by public transportation. Within a short distance of the campus are ocean fishing piers, Gateway National Recreation Areas, beaches, public golf courses and the New York Aquarium at Coney Island.
Ph. D. students conduct thesis research with a faculty mentor in the research areas outlined below and also gain experience as teaching assistants. Research laboratory space exceeds 50,000 square feet in a five-story science building and planning is underway for a completely new science facility for education and research. A broad range of state-of-the-art research instrumentation is available including steady-state UV resonance Raman and surface-enhanced Raman systems, steady-state and time resolved fluorescence systems, gas and liquid chromatographs, GC/MS, Bruker X-band EPR, MicroCal ITC, atomic absorption spectrometers, rapid kinetics instruments and UV-Vis, IR and NMR spectrometers. Computer facilities are extensive including The City University Computer Center, the Brooklyn College Computer Center, the Chemistry Department Computational Center and personal computers in research groups. Access to all 20 CUNY library collections is available through interlibrary loan.
The doctoral specializations in Chemistry available at Brooklyn College include Analytical, Inorganic, Organic, Physical/Theoretical, and Biochemistry through The Graduate Center's Ph. D. Program in Biochemistry.
Doctoral Faculty and Research Interests
Stacey E. Brenner
Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Stanford University, 2005
Organic Chemistry: Synthesis and new reaction methodology; development of new transition metal-free catalysts for organic reactions; development of new organic reactions using these catalysts; synthesis of small bioactive molecules using new catalysts and/or new reactions.
Malgorzata (Maggie) Ciszkowska
Professor, Ph.D., University of Warsaw, 1992
Analytical Chemistry: Electrochemistry; conformational transitions of polymeric "smart" gels; biopolymeric gels as selective sorbents; electroanalysis of organic and inorganic compounds; trace analysis.
Maria Contel
Assistant Professor, Ph.D., Public University of Navarra, Spain, 1996
Synthetic inorganic/organometallic chemistry: Specialization in homogenous catalysis (green chemistry), medicinal chemistry and reaction mechanisms. Synthesis of new gold compounds as recoverable homogenous catalysts and anticancer drugs.
Lesley Davenport
Professor, Ph.D., University of Salford (UK), 1981
Biochemisty/Molecular Biophysics: Fluorescence spectroscopy; conformation, dynamics and interactions of complex biomolecules and assemblies; DNA-quadraplex structures; lipid bilayer dynamics; protein folding and conformation.
Terry Lynne Dowd
Associate Professor, Ph.D., Syracuse University, 1986
Analytical and Biochemistry; Structural Biology: Structural and in-vivo functional studies of the effect of lead on the bone protein osteocalcin; NMR structural studies of connexin N-terminus
Alexander Greer
Professor, Ph.D., University of Wyoming,1996
Organic Chemistry: Mechanistic organic chemistry using preparative, physical organic, theoretical, bioorganic and photochemical methods; factors which influence the reactivity of oxygen and sulfur containing compounds, and extending this knowledge to biological mechanisms.
Paul Haberfield
Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., University of California at Los Angeles, 1960
James M. Howell
Professor, Ph.D., Cornell University, 1971
Physical Chemistry: Evaluation of molecular energies, dipole moments and excitation energies using quantum chemistry.
Andrzej Jarzecki
Assistant Professor, Ph.D., University of Arkansas, 1997
Theoretical Chemistry: Prediction of molecular and spectroscopic properties (UV, IR, Raman and resonance Raman) of molecules - special focus on transition and heavy metals; understanding structure and function of native metals in proteins and the toxicity of heavy metals using electronic structure calculations; computation in modern chemistry, biochemistry, geochemistry and environmental science.
Laura J. Juszczak
Assistant Professor, Ph.D., New York University, 1992
Biophysical Chemistry: protein solution-to-solid state phase transformation, especially with respect to neuropathological diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and transmissible spongiform encephalopathies; Protein conformation at metal surfaces. Primary techniques: UV and surface-enhanced Raman, FTIR and steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy.
Mark Kobrak
Assistant Professor, Ph.D.,University of Chicago, 1997
Theoretical: Quantum and classical dynamics studies of condensed matter processes. Current interest focuses on the properties of room-temperature ionic liquids, with the goal of elucidating structure-property relationships relevant to solvation in ionic liquids. The methodology includes both computer simulation and analytic theory.
Richard Magliozzo
Professor, Ph.D., City University of New York, 1981
Biochemistry/Bioinorganic Chemistry: EPR spectroscopy applied to enzymology/rapid reactions/radicals in enzymes; special focus on catalase-peroxidase from Mycobacterium tuberculosis and antibiotic resistance in TB infection.
Roberto Sanchez-Delgado
Associate Professor, Ph.D., University of London, Imperial College of Science and Technology, 1976
Inorganic, Organometallic Chemistry: Development of new catalysts derived from transition metal complexes or nanoparticles for reactions related to the production of cleaner fossil fuels; discovery of novel potential metal-based drugs against parasitic diseases and cancer.
Martin Telting-Diaz
Associate Professor, Ph.D., Dublin City University, Ireland, 1990
Analytical/Bioanalytical Chemistry: Design and characterization of ionophore- based recognition chemistries for optical and electrochemical ion sensing; fundamentals of flourescent ion-sensing microspheres and their application to multiplexed clinical and biomedical analysis, microflow systems, in vitro and in-vivo sensor approaches.
Micha Tomkiewicz
Professor, Ph.D., Hebrew University, 1969
Physical: Electrochemistry; photoelectrochemistry; solar energy; solid-liquid interfaces.
Herman E. Zieger
Professor Emeritus, Ph.D., Pennsylvania State University, 1961