Faculty Research
Gabriela Chilom
Office: SET 427 | Phone: 435-652-7766 | Research Area: Environmental Chemistry
Current Projects:
∙ Quantifying the interaction between soil and organic amendments.
∙ Carbon storage potential of desert soils.
∙ Analytical methods for measuring contaminate in soils.
Rico Del Sesto
Office: SET 425 | Phone: 435-652-7767 | Research Area: Materials Chemistry
Current Projects:
∙ Design and synthesis of new liquids that exhibit responses to optical and magnetic fields for applications in chemistry and materials science.
∙ Development of amphiphilic pharmaceutical- and biomolecule-based materials to improve efficacy and bioavailability, including materials based on cannabinoids and similar naturally-occurring terpene-based compounds.
Jennifer Meyer
Office: SET 428 | Phone: 435-879-4283 | Research Area: Biochemistry
Current Projects:
∙ Synthesis of Pterostilbene derivatives to improve antioxidant capacity and/or reduce cell proliferation.
∙ The potential synergistic effects of dabrafenib and pterostilbene on melanoma cell proliferation.
∙ The effect of pterostilbene and its derivatives endothelial function under hyperglycemic conditions
Diana Reese
Office: SNOW 218 | Phone: 435-652-7774 | Research Area: Computational Chemistry
Current Projects:
∙ Structure and dynamics of cyclic amino-borane complexes
Wendy Schatzberg
Office: SET 426 | Phone: 435-879-4374 | Research Area: Chemical Education
Current Projects:
∙ Investigation into nanomaterial properties and structures formed in biological and vacuum systems using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM).
∙ Chemistry education research into metacognition prompts, relationships between learning gains and student acheivement, misconceptions, and assessment
Md Motiur Mazumder
Office: Snow 219 | Phone: 435-879-4377 | Research Area: Inorganic Chemistry
Current Projects:
∙ Synthesis, characterization, and analysis of materials (ion membranes, organic/inorganic molecules) for redox flow batteries and electro catalysis.
∙ Renewable energy harvesting and storing are the greater interest of my research.
Conference Reports
Utah Tech students Easton Eddie, Wyatt Legas, Jacob Mead, Reno Blackmore, and Gabe Matthews represented the Chemistry & Biochemistry Department at the 2026 Annual Meeting of the American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology in National Harbor, just outside Washington, D.C. This prestigious event brought together scientists from around the world to share research, explore new technologies, and engage in cross-disciplinary collaboration, shaping the future of biochemistry and molecular biology.
National Conference on Undergraduate Research, Long Beach, April
The Emerald Conference: The 9th Annual Interdisciplinary Cannabis Science and Psychedelics Even in San Diego, CA, April
National American chemical society (ACS) meeting in New Orleans, LA in March.1
ACS Regional Meeting Las Vegas, October
Chicago National ACS Meeting August
West Coast Biological Sciences Undergraduate Research Conference in San Diego, CA at Point Loma Nazarene University on April 9, 2022.
Presenting on The Oxidative State of Red Blood Cells under Hyperglycemia Conditions and the Impact of Pterostilbene advised by Jennifer Meyer
Sanyah Garcia-Nava is a chemistry student studying biochemistry, she presented at the DSU Symposium for Research, Innovation, and Creativity in Spring of 2021 with Richard Warner. She learned how to culture human T-cells and performed a co-immunoprecipitation to confirm the interaction of proteins.
M. Holden*, C. Spiller, D. Johnson, G. Chilom, Comparative study of humic acids from soils and from leaves, ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (March 2020).
M. Dustin*, M. Holden, R. Peterson, G. Chilom, Heavy Metals Analysis of Particulate Matter Removed by Trees, ACS National Meeting, Philadelphia, PA. (March 2020).
Archive
2019
2018
M. George*, D. Warner, G. Chilom, Investigating the antimicrobial activity of humic acids.