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Summer Learning: Chemistry Professor Dan Morris Leads Students in Scientific Discovery
July 11, 2011
Dan Morris combines his love for teaching with
the inquisitive nature of research to open new worlds of scientific
discovery for Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology undergraduate
chemistry and biochemistry students.
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Dan Morris
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Besides teaching courses in general chemistry,
analytical chemistry, and engineering chemistry, Morris has helped
a long list of students complete research projects for industry
clients and developed presentations/papers for national science
conferences.
"There's a balance between teaching and research at
Rose-Hulman that I enjoy and find very rewarding," says the
professor of chemistry.
This summer, Morris is supervising chemical
engineering student William Hart in a project to better understand
how selenium compounds act as anti-oxidants and prevent oxidative
DNA damage. This research will provide a better understanding of
how selenium works as an anti oxidant, provide a better
understanding of how to prevent and treat certain diseases, and
offer a possible partnership with the University of Cincinnati for
further research into oxidative damage.
"We have exceptional students who desire
undergraduate research experiences that complement their classroom
studies," states Morris, who earned the Board of Trustees'
Outstanding Scholar Award in 2010. "Research opens opportunities
for me, but students also benefit greatly . . . summer is a great
time for students to get totally immersed in an area in which they
might be interested for a career or graduate studies."
Morris joined a group of Indiana University (IU)
faculty on a project examining the nanoscale assembly of
biomolecular complexes. This project was funded through the
National Science Foundation's Collaborative Research in Chemistry
Program. The grant included summer support for Rose-Hulman
undergraduate students to be involved in the project.
One of the students, Steve Marczak, received a
travel grant from IU to present his research at the Second Annual
Undergraduate Research Symposium in Chemistry and Biochemistry at
Florida State University.
In other projects, Morris supervised chemistry
students to help Beckman Coulter Inc. investigate current
microfluidics technology for potential future products. A
literature search into soybean processing helped the Central Soya
Company determine ways to reduce or eliminate sulfur emissions
during processing. Another project developed a prototype to help
CSL Limited determine ionic cleanliness of circuit boards.
Morris, who joined the Rose-Hulman faculty in 1996,
has also been an Innovation Fellow at Rose-Hulman Ventures, a
visiting scientist at Eli Lilly & Company, West Virginia
University, and University of Virginia. He has one patent and
projects funded by NSF, the W.M. Keck Foundation, the Camille and
Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and Joseph and Reba Weaver Undergraduate
Research Program.
"Research provides valuable insight through a student's
exploration into new areas of science," Morris says. "It might be
tedious at times, but I find myself enjoying the research
experience, especially when I'm engaged with students."