9.16.2014 – While visiting his friend Xiao Xiao, Jun Chang Yeo from the Academy of Art University in CA drew a fantastic drawing of our lab (see above) with Xiao as the centerpiece. Visit Jun Yeo's art page at The Art of Jun Yeo at: https://www.facebook.com/theartofjunyeo?fref=photo.
7.18.2014 – Ball research lab summer 2014 photos!
Chemistry Department's Summer Research 2014 R&R Day at Lake Arcadia (photo by Shamira Shariffudin '15).
6.13.2014 – The Amherst College Chemistry department's new Bruker Ascend 400 MHz NMR spectrometer has arrived!
This spectrometer replaced our previous JEOL 400 NMR instrument. It has a 64 position autosampler. In addition to 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy we are able to run experiments observing 19F, 31P, 15 N, and many more nuclei. The spectrometer also has low and high temperature capabilities. This new Bruker instrument will have profound implications on our research and teaching at Amherst.
This spectrometer replaced our previous JEOL 400 NMR instrument. It has a 64 position autosampler. In addition to 1H, 13C NMR spectroscopy we are able to run experiments observing 19F, 31P, 15 N, and many more nuclei. The spectrometer also has low and high temperature capabilities. This new Bruker instrument will have profound implications on our research and teaching at Amherst.
6.13.2014 – Prof. Ball was awarded an American Chemical Society PRF UNI grant!
This nationally competitive grant will help support the organometallic mechanistic research currently underway in the lab. This generous $55,000 two-year grant will fund research for undergraduate student stipends, conference travel, and research supplies.
This nationally competitive grant will help support the organometallic mechanistic research currently underway in the lab. This generous $55,000 two-year grant will fund research for undergraduate student stipends, conference travel, and research supplies.
5.25.2014 – Christine Bierema honors thesis was awarded Summa Cum Laude.
The Chemistry Department recommended and the Amherst College Committee of Six approved awarding Christine Summa Cum Laude for her thesis work. Congrats Christine!
The Chemistry Department recommended and the Amherst College Committee of Six approved awarding Christine Summa Cum Laude for her thesis work. Congrats Christine!
4.1.2014 – The Ball Lab welcomes three new laboratory members !!
Stuart McKenzie is from Jamaica and will be joining us for the summer.
Shamira Shariffudin (thesis student) is from Singapore and a member of the Class of 2015.
John Stockman (thesis student) is from Waterford, CT and a member of the Class of 2015.
Welcome John, Shamira, and Stuart!
Stuart McKenzie is from Jamaica and will be joining us for the summer.
Shamira Shariffudin (thesis student) is from Singapore and a member of the Class of 2015.
John Stockman (thesis student) is from Waterford, CT and a member of the Class of 2015.
Welcome John, Shamira, and Stuart!
4.26.2014 – Conner Reilly and Xiao Xiao present research posters at the Connecticut Valley ACS Meeting
The Ball Lab attended its first research conference at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst. The Amherst College chemistry department was represented by our lab as well as the Collins and Jaswal Lab. It was a great day of chemistry!
The Ball Lab attended its first research conference at the University of Massachusetts- Amherst. The Amherst College chemistry department was represented by our lab as well as the Collins and Jaswal Lab. It was a great day of chemistry!
3.28.2014 – Inorganic Mini-Review
In our department's on-going effort to introduce writing in our curriculum, last fall I introduced a writing assignment in my Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 371) upper level course. The students had to write a mini-review of a research paper that was of interest to them. A part of this process was a peer-review system that allowed student to obtain feedback from their peers. The student's writing goal was to have a review where a fellow student could read the review and understand the key concepts and data from the paper. Below is a link highlighting some great examples of my students' mini-reviews.
In our department's on-going effort to introduce writing in our curriculum, last fall I introduced a writing assignment in my Inorganic Chemistry (CHEM 371) upper level course. The students had to write a mini-review of a research paper that was of interest to them. A part of this process was a peer-review system that allowed student to obtain feedback from their peers. The student's writing goal was to have a review where a fellow student could read the review and understand the key concepts and data from the paper. Below is a link highlighting some great examples of my students' mini-reviews.
11.15.2013 – The Ball Lab welcomes two new laboratory members!!
Conner Reilly is from Kingston, Massachusetts and a member of the Class of 2016.
Xiao Xiao is from Singapore and a member of the Class of 2016.
Conner and Xiao will join Prof. Ball and Christine Bierema (thesis student) in developing new catalytic methodologies to incorporate small molecule pollutants into organic molecules. Welcome Conner and Xiao!
Conner Reilly is from Kingston, Massachusetts and a member of the Class of 2016.
Xiao Xiao is from Singapore and a member of the Class of 2016.
Conner and Xiao will join Prof. Ball and Christine Bierema (thesis student) in developing new catalytic methodologies to incorporate small molecule pollutants into organic molecules. Welcome Conner and Xiao!
6.22.2015 – The Ball Lab welcomes a new laboratory member !!
Joyce Wamala'18E is from Kampala, Uganda but grew up in Zimbabwe. She is a sophomore in the Ball Lab. Joyce is a Gregory S. Call Academic Intern for the Spring 2014 semester.
Welcome Joyce!
Joyce Wamala'18E is from Kampala, Uganda but grew up in Zimbabwe. She is a sophomore in the Ball Lab. Joyce is a Gregory S. Call Academic Intern for the Spring 2014 semester.
Welcome Joyce!
12.01.2014 – The Ball Lab is featured by Amherst College highlighting the importance of undergraduate summer research
http://www.amherstannualfund.info
8.12.2013 – Sublimation of 2-Napthol
Many times when working with older chemicals, exposure to light, air, and other environmental conditions promote side reactions that compromise the purity of the substance. This was the case with an old bottle of 2-napthol found in the department. The 2-napthol we found was a purple-brown crystalline material, a stark difference from the off-white crystalline material you see in the picture to your left. The good news was that 2-naphtol, a derivative of naphthalene (think mothballs), was a substance that sublimes quite readily.
What is sublimation?
It is the process in which a substance goes from the solid phase directly to the gas phase. When the vapor comes in contact with a cool surface, heat is lost and the substance recrystalizes.
We sublimed 2-napthol by taking a Petri dish and in one side placed the impure 2-napthol. Covering with the lid, the dish was gently heated and a few hours later we had our purified 2-napthol. This process was repeated to yield a higher purity compound. Want to see it in action? Check out the gallery below!
Many times when working with older chemicals, exposure to light, air, and other environmental conditions promote side reactions that compromise the purity of the substance. This was the case with an old bottle of 2-napthol found in the department. The 2-napthol we found was a purple-brown crystalline material, a stark difference from the off-white crystalline material you see in the picture to your left. The good news was that 2-naphtol, a derivative of naphthalene (think mothballs), was a substance that sublimes quite readily.
What is sublimation?
It is the process in which a substance goes from the solid phase directly to the gas phase. When the vapor comes in contact with a cool surface, heat is lost and the substance recrystalizes.
We sublimed 2-napthol by taking a Petri dish and in one side placed the impure 2-napthol. Covering with the lid, the dish was gently heated and a few hours later we had our purified 2-napthol. This process was repeated to yield a higher purity compound. Want to see it in action? Check out the gallery below!
7.24.2013 – New Glovebox Has Arrived
Arriving today was our lab's new MBraun Labmaster glovebox. This glovebox is an excellent way for us to conduct oxygen and water sensitive reactions in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) environment. It is essentially an oxygen and moisture free bench and hood.
Arriving today was our lab's new MBraun Labmaster glovebox. This glovebox is an excellent way for us to conduct oxygen and water sensitive reactions in an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) environment. It is essentially an oxygen and moisture free bench and hood.
