Chemistry and Biochemistry

Retired Faculty

Oberlin College recognizes its faculty members with emeritus status who have provided distinguished service to their academic department during their tenure.

The following professors from the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry have retired from Oberlin College, although some continue to do research, write, and remain connected to the department.

Educational Background

  • BS, Carnegie Mellon University (1963)
  • PhD, University of California at Berkeley (1966)
     

Research Interests:

Synthesis and characterization of transition-metal organometallic complexes of nitrogen-containing ligands, principally diazenes and hydrazines
 

Courses Taught:

Inorganic Chem, General Chem, Synthesis Laboratory
 

Contact Information:

mackerma@oberlin.edu
 

Representative Works:

  • M.N. Ackermann, M.P. Robinson*, I.A. Maher*, E.B. LeBlanc*, R.V. Raz*, "Synthesis and Characterization of cis-Mo(CO)4(L-L') and cis-Mo(CO)2(L-L')2 Complexes of N(1)-methyl-2-(arylazo)imidazoles (L-L'). Correlations of Spectroscopic Data with Substitutent Effects", J. Organometal. Chem., 2003, 682, 248.
  • M.N. Ackermann, K.B. Moore*, A.S. Colligan*, J.A. Thomas-Wohlever*, K.J. Warren*," Tetracarbonylmolybdenum Complexes of 2-(Phenylhydrazino)pyridine Ligands. Correlations of Spectroscopic Data with Pyridyl Substituent Effects.", J. Organometal. Chem., 2003, 667, 81.

Educational Background

  • BS, Duke University (1960)
  • PhD, University of California at Berkeley (1963)
     

Research Interests:

Theoretical chemistry; Intermolecular forces; Quantitative structure-property relationships; Thermodynamics of water and aqueous solutions; Quantum theory

Focus was on understanding causes of hydrophobic effects, especially thermodynamic ones, associated with the dissolving of nonpolar molecules in water.
 

Courses Taught:

Physical Chem, General Chem
 

Contact Information:

tcarlton@oberlin.edu
 

Representative Publications:

  • T.S. Carlton, "Using Heat Capacity and Compressibility To Choose among Two-State Models of Liquid Water", J. Phys. Chem. B, 2007, 111, 13398-13403
  • T.S. Carlton, "Why the Lower-Energy Term of Singlet Dioxygen Has a Doubly Occupied π* Orbital," J. Chem. Edu., 2006, 83 (3), 477-479.
  • T.S. Carlton, "Choosing and Searching", Oberlin Alumni Mag., Spring 2004, 99 (4), 11.
  • T.S. Carlton, T.N. Nguyen*, "Orbital-based Interpretation of Electron Density Differences in Ne2 and Polarized Ne and Ne6+", J. Phys. Chem. A, 1999, 103, 8870-8874.

Educational Background

  • BA, Oberlin College (1953)
  • MA, Harvard University
  • PhD, Harvard University (1957)
     

Research Interests

His research at Oberlin centered on molecular spectroscopy with an emphasis on vibrational spectroscopy supported by the synthesis of many isotopomers. Raman spectroscopy and infrared spectroscopy were the principal experimental methods. Coordinate calculations and, later, quantum chemical calculations played central roles. In the mid-1980s, Craig’s work focused on high-resolution infrared spectroscopy and microwave spectroscopy with the goal of determining accurate molecular structures.

Over 130 undergraduate students have done research with Professor Craig and 83 are coauthors of research publications.
 

Courses Taught

General Chem, Environmental Chem, Physical Chem
 

Awards

  • 1987, received an ACS/Chemical Manufacturers Association Catalyst Award for teaching.
  • 1996, received the ACS Award for Research in an Undergraduate Institution
  • 2004, elected chair of the Cleveland Section
  • 2010, received the Edward W. Morley Medal from the Cleveland Section of the American Chemical Society for his contributions to chemistry though research, teaching, engineering, research administration and public service

 

Educational Background

  • BA, Harvard University (1963)
  • PhD, Johns Hopkins University (1967)
     

Research Interests:

Biochemistry, hemeprotein biochemistry, porphyrin chemistry
 

Courses Taught:

Bioorganic Chem, Biochemistry

Educational Background

  • BA, Bard College (1977)
  • MS, Yale University (1979)
  • MPhil, Yale University (1979)
  • PhD, Yale University (1982)
     

Research Interests:

Metalloenzyme mimics; Mechanistic and synthetic organic photochemistry
 

Courses Taught:

Organic Chem, Synthesis Laboratory, General Chem
 

Contact Information:

amatlin@oberlin.edu
 

Educational Background

  • BS, University of Santa Clara (1977)
  • PhD, California Institute of Technology (1981)
     

Research Interests:

Synthetic and mechanistic studies of oxidation catalysts, including iron porphyrins and chiral manganese TACN complexes
 

Courses Taught:

General Chem, Organic Chem

Educational Background

  • BA, College of Wooster (1978)
  • PhD, Michigan State University (1982)
     

Research Interests:

Laboratory experiments for the analytical chemistry course
 

Courses Taught:

Analytical Chem, Trace Analysis, General Chem
 

Contact Information:

rthompso@oberlin.edu