Much or our synthetic work has been guided by computational chemistry - hence the 3dz2 AO
About Me.
I was born in Saint John, New Brunswick
BSc Honours Chemistry - Queen's University
PhD Organic Synthesis - UNB
Post Doctoral Fellow (x2) - UofT
Researcher - Marion Merrill Dow - Gerenzano, Italy
Assistant Professor - University of Winnipeg
Associate Professor of Chemistry - Mount Allison University
Education
!976 - 1981
I did my BSc Honors work exploring the synthesis of the natural product Acivicin with Professor Ralph Whitney.
1981 - 1987
I came back to my home province of New Brunswick and did a PhD with Professor Denny Valenta. Working with 2 great colleagues, we synthesized an advanced intermediate directed towards the total synthesis of Bruceatin.
1987 - 1991
University of Toronto
I did Post Doctoral work with Professor Ron Kluger and Professor Jerry Kresge. I worked on biotin, artificial blood, and the synthesis and hydrolysis of ynamines.
Work / Academics
!1991 - 1993
Marion Merrill Dow Pharaceutical Company
I worked for 2 years in northern Italy for what was known at the time as Marion Merrill Dow - which is now Sanofi-Aventis. The Gerenzano research centre was devoted to the discovery of antibiotics thru screening of soil microorganism broths. I worked as a computational chemist / molecular modeler, in support of the medicinal chemists who were modifying some of the compounds being discovered.
1993 - 1995
York University
I worked with Professor Ed Lee-Ruff, who had a really neat idea for synthesizing 'buckybowl', half of buckyball. We didn't succeed, but we did some interesting chemistry.
1995 - 1999
University of Winnipeg
I accepted a term appointment at the University of Winnipeg. I had some great students and great colleagues there, and really enjoyed the city.
1999 - present day
I moved to Sackville, and the Best Undergraduate University in Canada in 1999. I have been teaching organic courses, and conducting research for all of that time.
2015
Kasis Environmental Ltd
Co-founded Kasis Environmental Ltd with Travis Osmond. On the strength of some fascinating redox-active materials we discovered in the lab, that showed a high affinity for gold in aqueous solutions. We are currently optimizing this extraction process.