Alumni News
2008
10/17/2008 Bernadette McGann (B.S., 2002; M.S., 2003, Parker)
I wanted to wish everyone at Stony Brook a Happy Chemistry Day!
I also wanted to post an update about myself. My background: I graduated from Stony Brook undergraduate in 2002 and graduate, MS, in 2003. I conducted research with Dr. Dale Drueckhammer during my time as an undergraduate and with Dr. Parker as a graduate student. As of August 2008, I began working at Westerman, Hattori, Daniels & Adrian, LLP of Washington, DC as a first year associate. The focus of my career is on patent law, although the firm handles all types of intellectual property issues. As of Friday October 10th, I found out I passed the Connecticut Bar Exam and am awaiting my final results of the New York Bar Exam.
10/07/2008 Michael Duffy (B.S., 1964)
Michael writes to inform us that he now is teaching in the Chemistry Department at
Villanova U.
08/31/08 Francois Dejean (M.S., 1999, Millar)
Browsing through the Chem dept website, from where I graduated almost 10 years ago,
I figured I would send some news. I graduated in 1999 with a M.S. in inorganic chemistry.
My professor was Michelle. .... I am working now at the European Environment Agency
in Copenhagen, Denmark, specifically on climate change and greenhouse gas emissions.
There is not much chemistry involved in my work anymore (well, none actually), but
my time at Stony Brook was a great scientific training experience.
European Environment Agency
Kongens Nytorv 6
1050 Copenhagen K - Denmark
Tel.: +45 33 36 72 59
www.eea.europa.eu
08/15/2008 Ramnath Iyer (Ph.D., 1985, Helquist)
My novel “One Equal Eternity” has been published and is available for purchase at
BookSurge which is a print-on-demand publishing company. The link for the purchase
of the same .... [is] copied below. Enjoy reading the novel. Feel free to forward
the URL for the purchase of the novel to family, friends and souls that like a story
that warms the cockles of their heart while also challenging and stimulating the mind.
The URL link to the E-store for the purchase of my novel is http://www.createspace.com/3342182
08/15/2008 Steve Shire, (B.S. 1968)
After I got my Ph.D, in Frank Gurd's lab at Indiana I went on and did a post doc
in Todd Schuster's lab at the University of Connecticut where I studied virus assembly
and also obtained my training in analytical ultracentrifugation. I joined Genentech
in 1980 as a research protein chemist and set up an analytical ultracentrifugation
facility. Eventually I joined the newly formed formulation group and was promoted
to Sr. Scientist. Since then I was promoted to the rank of Staff Scientist, and currently
I am a group leader in the Late Stage Pharmaceutical and Device Development Department.
My group works on all phases of late stage development of our protein pharmaceuticals
which entails formulation and delivery. Over the last few years my group has been
contributing to investigation and development of monoclonal antibody formulations
at high concentrations (~150 mg/mL) for sub cutaneous administration.
Also graduating in 1968 was Alan Nigen, who also went to Indiana University and worked in the same group as Steve. After a productive graduate and postdoctoral research career, Al got his M.D. from Miami, and now practices internal medicine in Fort Lauderdale FL. Their classmate, Paul Feuerstein, then known as "Tall Paul," got his D.M.D. from NJ College of Medicine and Dentistry, and now practices in North Billerica MA. His webpage is http://www.dentalcompare.com/dentist_profile.asp?expertid=35.
08/13/2008 Pamela Cooper Shepard (M.S. 1989)
Pamela is currently teaching Honors Chemistry and College Preparatory Chemistry at
Moorestown High School in Moorestown, NJ.
08/05/2008 Candice Foley (Ph.D., 1985, Lauher)
Candice has been appointed Associate Dean of Curriculum Development at Suffolk County
Community College where she is Professor of Chemistry. She writes
..... we have an NSF S STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) scholarship grant here at SCCC (2006-2011) of which I am the PI, along with 4 of my talented SCCC colleagues. Our website is: http://department.sunysuffolk.edu/NSFSTEM/index.asp, .... We finished our first year with a cohort of 28 students funded in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) majors, and are currently in our second year with a cohort of talented SCCC students who will be bridging to 4 year schools after completing their first two years of STEM education here. This is a needs-based scholarship (as determined by FAFSA), and most of our students bridge to .... Stony Brook University!!
08/04/2008 Mitchell Koppelman (B,S,, 1972)
Believe my profile is now quite old and outdated, so I thought I'd update fellow
chemistry alums. I remain employed by Minerals Technologies, but have a much less
(daily) technology role than I did as VP R&D. Am currently VP Strategic Planning,
and have been same for the past 7 years. Work out of our New York City (Chrysler Building)
and Bethlehem PA sites, and am a member of our Technology Leadership Council. Work
to identify new market and product directions for the corporation, as well as acquisition
and licensing opportunities. MTI is a $1 billion+ publically traded (NYSE) company,
serving the basic global process industries of paper, steel, polymers and building
materials offering mineral (natural and synthetic) and refractory based products and
solutions. Received my Ph.D. from Virginia Tech in 1976 in Chemistry, focussing on
XPS of minerals and surface reactions. Still serve on the Board of the College of
Science at Virginia Tech, and was chair of the Chemistry Department Alumni Advisory
Board for five years, still serving as a Board member.
I still live in North Plainfield NJ with my wife Debbie and our 23 y/o daughter Tani. Hope to join fellow SUSB Chemistry alums at the 50th Anniversary of Chemistry at Stony Brook.
04/09/2008 Swati Bal-Tembe (Ph.D., 1981, Helquist)
The New Chemical Entity Research Unit of Nicholas Piramal India Limited was recently
demerged to a new Company, "Piramal Life Sciences Limited". My new contact details
are as follows:
Dr. Swati Bal-Tembe
Vice President & Head, Patents Department
Piramal Life Sciences Limited
1, Nirlon Complex
Off Western Express Highway, Goregaon (East)
Mumbai 400 063, India
E-mail: swati.bal-tembe@piramal.com Home e-mail address: baltembe@yahoo.com
02/26/2008 Steven Goodman (B.S., 1971)
Steven Goodman has been named VP for Research and Dean of the College of Graduate
Studies at SUNY Upstate Medical University.
02/25/2008 David R. Walt (Ph.D., Francis Johnson, 1979)
David R. Walt, Robinson Professor of Chemistry, Tufts University, Medford, Mass.
was elected to the National Academy of Engineering. He is cited for the development
of revolutionary sensors that can simultaneously image and perform biochemical analyses.