Tandy Grubbs
Department of Chemistry
Stetson University, Unit 8271
DeLand, FL 32720; (386) 822-8184
Education:
Duke University, Durham, North Carolina
Ph.D., Physical Chemistry, August 1993
Research Adviser: Dr. Richard A. MacPhail
Dissertation Title: High-Resolution Stimulated Brillouin Gain
Spectroscopy of Liquids, Supercooled Liquids and Glasses
High Point University, High Point, North Carolina
Bachelor of Science Honors, magna cum laude, May 1989
Major: Chemistry
Experience:
Professor (8/07 - present)
Current position in the department of chemistry at Stetson University teaching physical
chemistry and other courses.
Associate Professor (8/01 -8/07)
Assistant Professor (8/95 - 7/01)
NIST Postdoctoral Fellow (8/93 - 7/95)
Research at the National Institute of Standards and Technology using transient infrared
spectroscopy to evaluate chemical reaction dynamics and ultrafast energy flow in liquid
phase polyatomic molecules.
Duke University (8/89 - 8/93)
Graduate research using stimulated Brillouin gain spectroscopy to study collective molecular
motions in condensed phases. Evaluation of intermolecular dynamics and relaxational
processes in simple and glass-forming liquids.
Courses Taught:
Physical Chemistry I & II (CY351-2) - sequence taught every academic year. Includes lab.
General Chemistry I & II (CY101-2) - sequence taught every academic year;
includes separate laboratory sections each semester.
Homebrewing - course taught every Spring
University Service:
Committee Time Period
1. Honors Council 1996-99
2. Academic Technology Committee 1996-2001
- Chair 1999-2001
3. Undergraduate Scholarship and Performance Day Committee 1998-2001
4. Undergraduate Council 1999-present
5. Information Technology SACS subcommittee (Chair) 1999-2001
6. Faculty Senate – A&S Natural Science representative 1998-2001
- Educational Policies subcommittee 1998-1999
- Senate Rep. to the Academic Technology Committee 1998-2001
- Honorary Degrees subcommittee 1999-2000
- Vice Chair of Senate 2000-2001
- Bylaws Revision subcommittee 2000-2001
7. Faculty Senate - Sabbatical replacement 2005.
8. Faculty Senate - Natural Science representative 2007-2011.
9. Professional Development Committee - 2005 - 2007 (chair, 2005-2007)
Grants Funded:
National Science Foundation (DUE) scholarships for chemistry and physics students ($597,000), 2007-2013, Principle Investigator.
National Science Foundation (NSF-MRI) instrument development grant involving undergraduate students ($134,215), 2002 - 2006, Principle Investigator.
Research Corporation grant to fund undergraduate research ($66,200), 1998, Principle Investigator.
ACS-PRF grant to fund undergraduate research ($20,000), 1998, Principle Investigator.
Stetson Faculty development grants, summers of 1997, 1998, 2002
Honors and Affiliations:
Hand Faculty Research Award, Stetson University, 1999
Member, Gamma Sigma Epsilon Chemical Honor Society 1996
NIST/NRC Postdoctoral Fellowship 1993
Member, Sigma Xi 1992
Member, American Chemical Society 1987
Research Focus:
My current interests include an ongoing study of polymerization cure kinetics optical polymer properties using a novel laser interferometric technique. An optical laser-based apparatus has been developed that allows one to follow refractive index changes in polymers and also to measure how much these materials contract when they are cured. In addition to attracting external funding, the project has been of interest to industrial groups who have indirectly supported the project through the donation of materials and accessories. I have also devoted time to the development of a new research focus involving the synthesis and characterization of polymers using a relatively new pathway called Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization. This mechanism, in comparison to previous pathways, affords a great deal of control over the molecular weight and chemical architecture of the polymer chain.
My professional activities extend beyond polymer chemistry and include chemical education, where I have published articles and presented invited talks at National and Regional ACS meetings on topics such as new laboratory experiments, incorporating computational chemistry into the chemical curriculum, and how to establish a research program at a predominately undergraduate institution. I have also been active as a peer reviewer in the chemical education community, reviewing articles for the Journal of Chemical Education over a ten year period, reviewing general chemistry and physical chemistry textbooks, and reviewing grant proposals for the ACS-PRF program and the NSF. Finally, I participated on a national ACS committee that worked over a two-year period to develop a second-term general chemistry standardized examination.