Full Curriculum Vitae
 
Geoffrey Mark Bowers Detailed Curriculum Vitae Education Ph.D., Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, 2006. • Dissertation title: Characterization of Strontium Interactions in Environmental and Inorganic Systems with Solid-State 87Sr NMR B.S., Chemical Engineering, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN, 2002. • Chemistry Minor • Co-operative Education Certificate Indiana Academic Honors Diploma, Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School, Indianapolis, IN, 1997. Professional History Visiting Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, 2008-present. • Fall Course: General Chemistry Lecture, 3 sections of General Chemistry Lab • January Term: Chemistry of the Manhattan Project • Spring Courses: Environmental Chemistry, Environment Studies, General Chemistry Lab, Special Topics: Applications of Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Chemistry, Michigan State University, 2007-present. • Solid-state and liquid-state 39K, 43Ca, 23Na, 35Cl, 133Cs, 1H, 31P, 27Al, and 29Si NMR of silicate minerals and Ca-compounds in the research group of Prof. R. James Kirkpatrick • Dynamics at the mineral-water interface through relaxation measurements • Computational analysis of NMR spectra (SIMPSON, Octave, Materials Studio) • Collaborations with Prof. David L. Bish, Indiana University, and Prof. Sridhar Komarneni, Penn State University Post-Doctoral Research Associate, Department of Geology, The University of Illinois, 2006-2007. • Solid-state and liquid-state 39K, 75As, 2H, 23Na, 35Cl, 1H, 27Al, and 29Si NMR of silicate minerals and crystalline As compounds in the research group of Prof. R. James Kirkpatrick • Investigation of dynamic behavior at the mineral-water interface through 39K and 2H VT-NMR and 23Na, 35Cl, and 39K relaxation measurements • Computational analysis of NMR spectra (SIMPSON, DECRA, Octave, Cerius 2) • SEM/EDS analyses of mineral surfaces and morphology • Hydrothermal synthesis of phyllosilicate minerals • High-field NMR at the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (750 and 900 MHz instruments) Graduate Student, Department of Chemistry, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002-2006. • Solid-State 87Sr, 27Al, 29Si, 1H, and 23Na NMR of strontium compounds, silicate minerals, zeolites, and amorphous oxide systems in the research group of Prof. Karl T. Mueller • Application of sensitivity-enhancing static NMR techniques (QCPMG, DFS-QCPMG) • Computational analyses of NMR spectra (SIMPSON, DECRA) • Pulse sequence programming (Varian P-code, MacNMR) • High-field NMR at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (750 and 900 MHz instruments) • Taught and graded one make-up lab session of General Chemistry Lab (synthesis and identification of aspirin) three semesters • Assisted with operation of atomic absorption spectrophotometer for Ca2+ and Mg2+ determination in water for two lab sections of 215 students each of five semesters Supervising Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 2003/2004 Academic Year. • Management position involving training and weekly supervision of ~40 teaching assistants • Developed and ran a freshman honors chemistry research project involving synthesis and characterization of silica nanospheres Teaching Assistant, General Chemistry Laboratory, The Pennsylvania State University, 2002/2003 Academic Year. • Supervised 2 four-hour laboratory classrooms each week (54 students) and held office hours Research and Development Co-op Student, Raytech Composites, 1998-2001. • Development, optimization, formulation, and analytical/mechanical analysis of friction materials and material processing techniques • Maintained, operated, and interpreted results from TGA, DMA, TMA, DSC, FTIR, GC/MS, SEM, SEM/EDS, Instron tensile, SAE #2 dynamometers, and CAT dynamometers Distinctions • Cover Art, Journal of Magnetic Resonance, vol. 188, 2007. • Dalalian Research Fellowship, Penn State University, 2005/2006. • Co-chair, PSU CECG Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium, 2006. • Best Oral Presentation, PSU CECG Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium, 2005. • Center for Environmental Chemistry and Geochemistry Summer Fellowship, 2005. • Dan Waugh Memorial Teaching Award, Penn State University, 2003. • Roberts Graduate Fellowship, Penn State University, 2002/2003 and 2003/2004. • Omega Chi Epsilon, National Chemical Engineering Honors Fraternity, 2001. • Dean’s List, Purdue University, All Semesters 1997-2002. • National Merit Finalist, 1997. • National Merit Scholarship, Washington University/St. Louis, 1997. • Dean’s Engineering Scholarship, Purdue University, 1997. • Freshman Engineering Honors Program, Purdue University, 1997. Professional Affiliations • American Chemical Society, Member 2002 - present. • Clay Mineral Society, Member 2004 - present. • American Institute of Chemical Engineers, Member 1998-1999. Professional Development • Workshop attendee, “Carbon Stabilization by Clays in the Environment: Process and Characterization Methods”, 44th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, June 2007. Academic Service • Symposium Co-organizer, “Reactions at Clay Surfaces”, 235th National American Chemical Society Meeting and 45th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, April 2008. • Initiator and Organizer, Solid-State NMR Focus Group, University of Illinois, 2007. • Co-chair, 9th Annual Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium, Penn State University, 2006. • Teaching Consultant for General Chemistry Laboratory, Penn State University, 2004-2005. • Student Representative, Chemistry Safety Committee, Penn State University, 2003/2004 and 2005/2006 A.Y.s. • Peer reviewer, 5 publications and 1 grant proposal. o Journal of Porous Materials o Zeitschrift fur Krystallographie Peer-Reviewed Publications 1. Geoffrey M. Bowers and R. James Kirkpatrick. Natural abundance 43Ca NMR of calcium oxalate hydrates, in preparation. 2. Geoffrey M. Bowers and R. James Kirkpatrick. Natural abundance 43Ca NMR spectroscopy of tobermorite and jennite: Model compounds for C-S-H, Journal of the American Ceramic Society, in press, October 2008. 3. Geoffrey M. Bowers, David L. Bish, and R. James Kirkpatrick. Cation exchange at the mineral-water interface: pH dependence of K+ displacement at the surface of nano-muscovite. Langmuir, 24 (2008), 10240-10244. 4. Geoffrey M. Bowers, David L. Bish, and R. James Kirkpatrick. H2O and Cation Structure and Dynamics in Expandable Clays: 2H and 39K NMR Investigations of Hectorite. Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 112 (2008) 6430-6438. 5. Geoffrey M. Bowers and R. James Kirkpatrick. High-field NMR Study of Arsenic Oxysalts. Journal of Magnetic Resonance, 188 (2007) 311-321. 6. Geoffrey M. Bowers, Michael C. Davis, Ramesh Ravella, Sridhar Komarneni, and Karl T. Mueller. NMR Studies of Heat Induced Transitions in Structure and Cation Binding Environments in a Strontium Saturated Swelling Mica. Applied Magnetic Resonance, 32 (2007) 595-612. 7. Geoffrey M. Bowers, Ramesh Ravella, Sridhar Komarneni, and Karl T. Mueller. NMR Study of Strontium Binding by a Micaceous Mineral. Journal of Physical Chemistry B, 110 (2006) 7159-7164. 8. Geoffrey M. Bowers, Andrew S. Lipton, and Karl T. Mueller. Strontium Quadrupolar Parameters in Strontianite and Celestine as Determined by QCPMG NMR at 21.14 T. Solid State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance, 29 (2006) 95-103. 9. Geoffrey M. Bowers and Karl T. Mueller. Electric Field Gradient Distributions about Strontium Nuclei in Cubic and Octahedrally Symmetric Crystal Systems. Physical Review B, 71 (2005) 224112, 7 pages. Invited Seminars Geoffrey M. Bowers. NMR of Oxide Materials: Dynamics at Environmental Solid-Fluid Interfaces, Pacific Lutheran University, Tacoma, WA, December 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers. NMR of Oxide Materials: Dynamics at Environmental Solid-Fluid Interfaces, Alfred University, Alfred, NY, November 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers. NMR of “Sensitivity Challenged” Nuclei: Dynamics in Environmental Chemistry, Utica College, Utica, NY, October 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers. NMR of “Sensitivity Challenged” Nuclei: Structure and Dynamics in Environmental Chemistry, Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN, April 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers. Advanced Solid-State NMR Techniques for Quadrupolar Nuclei: Case Studies of 87Sr and 75As, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA, November 2007. Professional Presentations Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter). Toward Useful Single-Field 75As NMR: Case Studies of Arsenic Oxyanion Materials, 50th Annual Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Breckenridge, CO, July 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Primary Author/Presenter), David L. Bish, and R. James Kirkpatrick. Molecular-Scale Dynamics and Structure of Ions and H2O at the Surfaces of Hectorite: A Solid-State NMR Approach, 235th Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society and 45th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, New Orleans, LA, April 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter) and R. James Kirkpatrick. Feasibility of 75As NMR for Studying Arsenic Oxyanion Structure and Dynamics at Clay Surfaces, 235th Annual Meeting of the American Chemical Society and 45th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, New Orleans, LA, April 2008. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter) and R. James Kirkpatrick. 39K NMR Investigation of Potassium Binding and Dynamics on Hectorite, 44th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, Santa Fe, NM, June 2007. Andrey G. Kalinichev, Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Contributing Author), and R. James Kirkpatrick. Dynamics of Aqueous Species at Interfaces with Hydroxylated Mineral Surfaces: MD Simulation and NMR Spectroscopy, 44th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, Santa Fe, NM, June 2007. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter), Michael C. Davis, Ramesh Ravella, Sridhar Komarneni, and Karl T. Mueller. Heat-Induced Structural Transformations and Cation Re-ordering in a Synthetic Swelling Mica, 44th Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, Santa Fe, NM, June 2007. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Primary Author/Presenter), Micheal C. Davis, Karl T. Mueller, Ramesh Ravella, and Sridhar Komarneni. Strontium Binding Structures in Designer Swelling Micas, 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 2007. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter) and R. James Kirkpatrick. Ion Dynamics at the Quartz-Water and Clay-Water Interfaces, 233rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 2007. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter), Michael C. Davis, Ramesh Ravella, Sridhar Komarneni, Karl T. Mueller. Interlayer Strontium Binding in Fluoro-Phlogopite Micas: A 87Sr and 19F Solid-state NMR Approach, 48th Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Breckenridge, CO, July 2006. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter), Ramesh Ravella, Sridhard Komarneni, and Karl T. Mueller. Strontium Binding in a Micaceous Phyllosilicate, 9th Annual Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium, Penn State University, March 2006. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Primary Author/Presenter), Andrew S. Lipton, and Karl T. Mueller. 87Sr QCPMG-NMR Analyses of Salts and Natural Minerals at 21.14 T, 47th Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Denver, Colorado, August 2005. Karl T. Mueller and Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter). MAS NMR and Relaxation Rates of Strontium Nuclei, 47th Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Denver, Colorado, August 2005. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Primary Author/Presenter), Andrew S. Lipton, Karl T. Mueller. Local electromagnetic environments of strontium nuclei in strontianite and celestine, 8th Annual Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium sponsored by the Center for Environmental Chemistry and Geochemistry, Penn State University, April 2005. Karl T. Mueller, Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Co-author). Advances and applications of 87Sr solid-state NMR, Spring National ACS Meeting, San Diego, California, March 2005. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter), Sunkyung Choi, Jon Chorover, Karl T. Mueller. Strontium in the Environment: Kinetic Effects and Sequestration as Monitored by Solid-State Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy, 228th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 2004. Karl T. Mueller, Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Co-author), Garry S. Crosson, Sunkyung Choi, Jon Chorover. Strontium in the Environment: Kinetic Effects and Sequestration Monitored by Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy, 45th Rocky Mountain Conference on Analytical Chemistry, Denver, Colorado, August 2004. Karl T. Mueller, Garry S. Crosson, Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Co-author), Sunkyung Choi, Jon Chorover. Solid State NMR Studies of the Transformation of Clay Minerals in the Environment, 41st Annual Meeting of the Clay Mineral Society, Richland, Washington, June 2004. Karl T. Mueller, Garry S. Crosson, Geoffrey M. Bowers (Talk, Co-author), Sunkyung Choi, Jon Chorover. Environmental Weathering of Aluminosilicate Clay Minerals: Solid-State NMR Investigations of Transformations Leading to Radionuclide Sequestration, Spring National ACS Meeting, Anaheim, California, March 2004. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Poster, Primary Author/Presenter), Sunkyung Choi, Jon Chorover, Karl T. Mueller. Molecular Level Understanding of Strontium Sequestration and Mobility in the Hanford Vadose Zone, Environmental Chemistry Student Symposium sponsored by the Center for Environmental Chemistry and Geochemistry, Penn State University, March 2004. Funded Peer-Reviewed Research Proposals Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Authro), Andrey G. Kalinichev, and R. James Kirkpatrick. Structure and Dynamics of Ca in Clays, Mineral Phases of Concrete, and Ca-NOM Complexes: Natural Abundance 43Ca NMR and Molecular Modeling Studies, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, August 2008. Three-year renewable proposal to obtain natural abundance 43Ca NMR data of cement minerals, CSH, Ca-NOM complexes, and Ca-exchanged clay minerals using the 900 MHz spectrometer for 21 days each year. Instrument time valued at ~ $630,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author), Andrey G. Kalinichev, and R. James Kirkpatrick. Structure and Dynamics of Ca in Clays, Mineral Phases of Concrete, and Ca-NOM Complexes: Natural Abundance 43Ca NMR and Molecular Modeling Studies, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, June 2007. Rapid access proposal to obtain preliminary natural abundance 43Ca NMR data of cement minerals, CSH, Ca-NOM complexes, and Ca-exchanged clay minerals using the 900 MHz spectrometer for 21 days. Instrument time valued at ~ $210,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and R. James Kirkpatrick. Arsenic Coordination in Natural Minerals and Salts, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, January/February 2007. Proposal to study 75As in natural arsenic minerals, sodium salts of arsenite and arsenate, and arsenic sorbed to mineral phases using the 900 MHz spectrometer for seven days and 750 MHz spectrometer for fourteen days. Instrument time valued at ~ $112,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. Strontium Binding in Hydrated Phyllosilicate and Titanosilicate Minerals, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, January 2007. Proposal to study 87Sr in hydrated minerals using variable temperature NMR experiments on the 900 MHz spectrometer. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. High-resolution 27Al MAS NMR of Weathered Clays and Hanford Sediments, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, Summer 2006. Proposal to study aluminum in weathered Hanford sediments and specimen clays on the 900 MHz instrument for ten days. Instrument time valued at >$100,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. Binding Environment of Strontium-87 Nuclei in DOE Waste Remediation Materials, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, Summer 2006. Proposal to study strontium nuclei in titanate and silicotitanate strontium sorbants with DFS-QCPMG at 900 MHz for eighteen days. Instrument time valued at >$180,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. Sensitivity Enhancing NMR of Strontium-87 Nuclei in Clays, Zeolites, and Waste Cleanup Technologies, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, November 2005. Proposal to study strontium nuclei in aluminosilicate minerals and proposed clean-up technologies with DFS-QCPMG at 900 MHz for twenty-eight days. Instrument time valued at >$280,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. Sensitivity Enhancing NMR of Strontium-87 Nuclei in Environmental Samples, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, July 2005. Proposal to study strontium salts and environmental systems with RAPT- and FAM-QCPMG at 900 MHz for fourteen days. Instrument time valued at > $140,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. High-field Aluminum-27 NMR of Simulated Tank Waste Precipitates, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, Nov. 2004. Proposal to study simulated nuclear tank waste precipitate samples with 27Al MAS NMR at 750 MHz for five days. Instrument time valued at > $15,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. High-field MAS NMR of Strontium-87 in Environmental Samples, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, Nov. 2004. Proposal to study strontium salts and environmental systems under MAS conditions at 900 MHz for ten days. Instrument time valued at > $100,000. Geoffrey M. Bowers (Primary Author) and Karl T. Mueller. High-field NMR Investigations of Strontium-87 in Environmental Samples, US Department of Energy Environmental and Molecular Sciences Laboratory High Field Magnetic Resonance Facility, Richland, Washington, Sept. 2004. Proposal to study strontium salts and environmental systems under static NMR conditions at 900 MHz for ten days. Instrument time valued at > $100,000. Community Service and Outreach Habitat for Humanity • Collegiate Challenge, 1999 – Spent spring break in Denver, Colorado building houses for the needy. • Various weekend sessions in the counties surrounding the Lafayette area in central Indiana, 1999 and 2001. Brebeuf Jesuit Preparatory School • Leader for KAIROS senior retreat, 1997. • Tutor, Carmel United Methodist Church, 1996. – Tutored young children at daycare, particularly focusing on reading and vocabulary practice two hours a week, 1996. • Habitat for Humanity, Indianapolis Area, 1995.