18 March 2004:  Our GK-12 Program is ready to accept applications for the first cohort of Graduate (11 positions) and Undergraduate (7 positions) Fellows.  A web site with details has been established at http://chemed.chem.pitt.edu/gk-12.

10 March 2004:  We are actively reviewing applications for this summer's REU program; over 160 applications have been received to date!  Note, this year we will also have 1 or 2 K-12 teachers participate in the program.

21 February 2004:  Joe will participate in the CCLI Conference (http://www.ccliconference.com), April 16-18, including presenting a poster on the VMSL and  participating in leading a workshop with Jeff Bell (Cal State-Chico) and Franklin Wattenberg (US Military Academy) on Virtual Laboratories.

12 February 2004:  The University has released a press release on our National Science Foundation funded GK12 Grant.  Click here for the details.

24 January 2004:  The VMSL is featured in the Extra Credit section of the Winter 2004 Pitt Magazine, p. 34.

23 January 2004:  The Computing across the Chemistry Curriculum (CaCC) project has started the creation of a web site in support of the CAChe-adoption project.

16 January 2004:  JJG (as PI), with Associate Dean Beeson (as coPI) has submitted a proposal to NSF (in response to Program Announcement NSF 03-595) titled A Center for Undergraduate Research in the Chemical Sciences for Western Pennsylvania.  Stop by if you want to read or discuss the plans to create a consortium involving all University of Pittsburgh campuses, CCAC, and local industrial or government labs, to enhance the chemistry research opportunities for freshmen and sophomores.

9 January 2003:  The NSF-REU Leadership Group, of which Joe is a member, has submitted a renewal proposal for group activities.  Stop by JJG's office if you want to learn more about this group which is focused on promoting undergraduate research in the chemical sciences in particular, and all STEM fields in general.

20 December 2003:  "High Marks for Creative Thinking" - Joe is featured in UMBC's Generations Alumni Newsletter.

13 December 2003:  Good news!  The NSF proposal submitted on 4 June 2003, GK-12: The Pittsburgh Partnership for ENERGIZing Science in Urban Schools, has been funded!  Stop by JJG's office if you would like to read about a project that will be attractive to senior graduate students (and senior undergraduates) interested in an academic career.

1 December 2003:  Three of our REU students from this past summer, Lisa Park (worked with Prof. Siska), Mandy Valco (worked with Prof. Chapman) and Annette Welty (worked with Prof. Nelson), have all won travel awards from the NSF-REU-LG (Leadership Group) to present posters at the ACS-Anaheim meeting. 

21 November 2003:  The ETD (Electronic Thesis and Dissertation) project is moving forward.  Click here for an update.  In early November, the UCGS has unanimously approved the recommendation from the ETD Steering Committee that ETDs become a University Requirement by the December 2004 graduation.  This recommendation will now be sent to the Provost for final approval.

1 November 2003:  Andrew G. "Jack" Sharkey Jr. passed away on Monday 17 November 2003 at age 84 and after an admirable life and career.  Jack overlapped with our group as an active member of the Pittsburgh mass spec community.  Additional details are here.

20 November 2003:  Prof. John Brauman (Stanford Univ.) received the National Medal of Science from the President on Nov. 6, 2003.  Congratulations to one of my heroes of science!

5 November 2003:  I have received some very sad news. Linda Sweeting, a friend for many years, has passed away.  Further information is available from the Towerlight newspaper and at a remembrance web site.

1 November 2003:  Teaching Chemistry in the Computer Age, a 1-credit, graduate, mini-course, to be taught by Joe Grabowski and George Bandik, in Spring 2004.  Click here to see the posted flyer and click here to see the course description.

21 October 2003:  Joe gave a 40 minute invited talk at the FACSS (Federation of Analytical Chemistry and Spectroscopy Societies) meeting today, in Ft. Lauderdale; Mass Spectroscopy Experience for Everyone Using Case Studies and a Virtual Laboratory.

20 October 2003:  We had wonderful "Innovations in College Chemical Education" symposium at the ACS Central Regional Meeting today.  The morning speakers are listed here and the afternoon speakers here.  The morning abstracts are here and the afternoon abstracts are here.

20 October 2003:  Joe gave a 40 minute talk at the ACS Central Regional Meeting today, The Third Dimension in Visualization, the abstract of which is here.

20 October 2003:   Mark Bier gave a 40 minute talk at the ACS Central Regional Meeting today on our joint VMSL project, Protein Identification Using the Virtual Mass Spectrometry Laboratory, the abstract of which is here.

15 September 2003:  NSF proposal submitted!  Making, Measuring or Modeling Molecules:  A Research Experience for Undergraduates.  Stop by JJG's office if you would like to read the proposal to continue the REU program that the Department has organized for each of the past three summers.

27 August 2003:  I'm trying some new things in Honors Orgo including:
  -- Some Guided Inquiry activities based on Andrei Straumanis' book.
  -- Enhanced interaction via a Audience Response System (the eInstruction hardware)
(and continue old things like PLTL).

25 August 2003:  The semester begins!  JJG is teaching Honors Organic Chemistry I (web site here) and a Freshman Studies I section focused on The Research Community (web site here).  For both of these web sites, you'll need your Pitt username/password to gain access.

9 August 2003:  The Summer 2003 NSF-sponsored REU program is now over.  Click here to see pictures of the participants, including from the final oral symposium.

22 July 2003:  Joe presented a poster at the Gordon Research Conference on Visualization in Science and Education.  The abstract is here.  (See the actual poster here.)

28 June 2003:  Mirage Advertising has provided me with a copy of the video clip they created in conjunction with the Carnegie Science Center Award for Excellence 2003.  Click here to see this 12.5MB video clip.

20 June 2003:  Campus-wide, OEL-sponsored, REU picnic at 5:00pm on the William Pitt Union lawn.  Pictures here!

18 June 2003:  NSF proposal submitted!  Enhancing Chemistry Education by Adding the Third Dimension  Stop by JJG's office if you would to volunteer to get involved in a multi-institution, multiple investigator collaborative grant to develop and assess the 3D Projection System as a  Chemistry educational tool.

18 June 2003:  JJG is a co-Investigator on a grant submitted by Mark Bier (CMU) to continue the collaborative development of the Virtual Mass Spectrometry Laboratory web project.  Contact JJG if you want use this "tool" in your course or to discuss future directions.

4 June 2003:  NSF proposal submitted!  GK-12: The Pittsburgh Partnership for ENERGIZing Science in Urban Schools.  Stop by JJG's office if you would like to read about a project that will be attractive to senior graduate students (and senior undergraduates) interested in an academic career.

2 June 2003:  Our NSF-REU program (10 chemists!) starts today, as does the HHMI-REU program (2 chemists!).

31 May 03:   NIH proposal submitted!  Stop by JJG's office if you would like to read about a project that contains some unique aspects of the FA-SIFT.

16 May 03:  More than 30 jobs listed in the latest MS People Newsletter.

14 May 03:  "Online Spectrometry Lab Will Let Undergraduates Try Out Costly Equipment, from the Chronicle of Higher Education, 9 May 2003, page A31.

13 May 03:  Innovation in Chemical Education (pdf file) -- a full day symposium organized by Joe for the 35th ACS Central Regional Meeting.

3 May 03:  my.pitt.edu now available to Faculty and Staff as well as students.

29 April 03:  The VMSL project is reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education.  (click here for a pdf version)

27 April 03:  Joe has organized a full day (10 speakers) symposium on Modern Efforts in Chemical Education for the 35th American Chemical Society Central Regional Meeting, 19-23 October 2003.  Details on this one symposium will be published here in the near future.

17 April 03:  Joe to give invited lecture on "Using Technology in the Classroom for Chemical Education" at the Pittsburgh Chemistry Olympics, 7 May 2003.

6 Apr 03:  "EDUCATION: Mass Spec Without the Wait."   Science lists our VMSL project on their NetWatch page in Volume 300, Number 5616, Issue of 4 April 2003. (pdf version here).

5 Apr 03:  Chem Department Chair Ken Jordan's latest Departmental Update email (in pdf format)

27 Mar 03:  MS People notes:  "The job market seems to have improved slightly over the past month, although there continue to be layoffs by companies in difficulty or who are undergoing reorganization. Most large companies are hiring at least some new staff… even if they are laying off others at the same time. "

24 Mar 03:  Byron Spice, Post-Gazette Science Editor wrote a feature article ("Pitt chemistry professor aims to keep classes fun, innovative") about JJG related to the Carnegie Science Center Award for Excellence 2003. (The article can also be found here in pdf format:  Main article, VMSL, CSC Award List,  How MS Works)

23 Mar 03:  Mark Bier presented a VMSL case study at the Spring 2003 meeting in New Orleans (JJG is a co-author); the abstract is here.

18 Mar 03:  Mark presented his poster at the FAS-GSO Grad Expo 2003 today.

9 March 2003:  PittCon 2003 begins today.  Mark, Mingxiang, and Chris are attending.  Mark's poster abstract is viewable here and Mingxiang's abstract is here.

6 March 2003:  The proposal Joe wrote to NIH's SIG 2002 program, to acquire a Q-TOF for departmental service work, has been funded (at least according to oral sources at NIH).  Kasi and Greg will begin serious negotiations with Micromass and other vendors at PittCon 2003.

25 February 2003:  Contgrats to Xu on earning the Ph.D. degree!

18 February 2003:  Pitt Chronicle Story:  Chancellor Honors Faculty for Teaching,...(same story, in pdf format is here:  PartA, PartB)

16 February 2003:  Joe is to receive  the Carnegie Science Center Award for Excellence 2003 in the category "University/Post-Secondary Educator, at an Awards Banquet at the Hilton, Pittsburgh, 30 April 2003.

13 February 2003:  JOB POSTING:  Major Pharmaceutical Company near Boston Scientist or Principal Scientist, Analytical Chemistry, Physical Organic Chemistry.  Also see jobs posted in the "Mass Spec Employment Newsletter".

12 February 2003:  Joe's lecture in the Bio-Analytical Mass Spectrometry mini-course:  Fundamentals of Ions.

10 February 2003:  Bio-analytical mass spectrometry mini-course begins.

8 February 2003:  Interested in "Teaching Careers in Chemistry"?  Then join us for a Professional Development Workshop on 22 Feb 2003.  (Schedule)

8 February 2003:  Joe is to lead two breakout sessions during February 15, 2003 Grantspersonship Survival Skills Workshop with Walt Carson, on the topic of NSF Proposals. 

8 February 2003:  Seminar on Visualization coming soon!

6 February 2003:  Joe Grabowski announced as Director of Undergraduate Research in the College of Arts and Sciences.

3 February 2003:  David Clemmer, Indiana University at Bloomington to give the SACP Monthly Technical seminar:  "Development of Ion Mobility/Time-Of-Flight Techniques as a Rapid and Sensitive Probe of the Whole Proteomes" 8:00 pm at Duquesne.  (He will also give a Tuesday, 2:30 pm seminar in the Chemistry Department at Pitt.)

31 January 2003:  JJG presented a seminar to IUP's Chemistry Department on 3D Visualization for Chemical Education"

27 January 2003:  Prof. Grabowski honored with a 2003 Chancellor's Distinguished Teacher Award.

27 January 2003:  JJG's colleague, Prof. Sandy Asher, is feted on the occasion of his being honored with the Pittsburgh Award.

23 January 2003:  NSF-MRI grant proposal submitted.  Stop by JJG's office if you would like to read about a project that features opportunities for all segments of the University population.

14 December 2002: Len Kogut's presentation of the Jeopardy! project was featured in the University Times!, 21 November 2002

13 November 2002: Mark Bier to present VMSL at the International Conference on Multimedia and ICTs in Education.

31 October 2002: Abdil Ozdemir defends his thesis:  "STRUCTURAL STUDIES OF PEPTIDES BY UV RESONANCE RAMAN AND MASS SPECTROMETRY".  Congratulations Abdil! 

11 October 2002:  JJG gave the after-dinner, Plenary Address at the 36th Annual Meeting of The Middle Atlantic Association of Liberal Arts Chemistry Teachers.  The abstract of his talk, titled "3D Stereo Visualization in Large Lecture Halls" is by clicking on the above link.

9 October 2002:  John Fenn wins a portion of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry for his work creating and developing Electrospray Ionization Mass Spectrometry!  Click here to access a 13-page description of the 2002 Nobel Prize in Chemistry or here to access the Nobel web site. 

4 September 2002:  John Brauman, J.G. Jackson-C.J. Wood Professor of Chemistry at Stanford University has been name the recipient of the 2002 Linus Pauling Award.  

8 August 2002:  Our NSF-REU program (10 chemists!) ends tomorrow, as does the HHMI-REU program (4 chemists!).  Both programs have their oral symposia today - please feel free to stop by for several talks (Chemistry's schedule is posted here)!

31 July 2002:  JJG's oral presentation today at the 17th BCCE is titled:  3D Stereo Visualization in Chemistry in Large Lecture Halls.  Go to the 17th BCCE web site and use the Search Author function to read his abstract, or read it reposted locally here. 

25 July 2002:  Submitted to J. Chem. Ed.:  "Projecting Computer Generated 3D Molecular Images in a Chemistry Lecture Hall",  Michelle L. Price, Joseph J. Grabowski*, Kenneth D. Jordan, and Christian Schafmeister (abstract in pdf format).  This project will be presented next week at the 17th Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, next week, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA.

24 July 2002:  The Provost used the Grabowski group and lab for the picture used to decorate the Graduate Studies/Faculty web page.  The student with JJG in the foreground is Colette Handwerk, a summer NSF-REU student from Carroll College in Montana; the student in the background is Mingxiang Lin, a 3rd year, Analytical Chemistry graduate student.

23 June 2002:  Our 3D Projection System Displayed in the Nanoscience Booth at the Knowledge Showcase housed at the Peterson Event Center and sponsored by the Alumni Association.

12 June 2002: Submitted to J. Chem. Ed.:  "Simple HTML Templates for Creating Science Oriented Jeopardy! Games for Active Learning" Joseph J. Grabowski* and Michelle L. Price (abstract in pdf format or click here to get the complete manuscript). 

3 June 2002:  Our NSF-REU program (10 chemists!) starts today, as does the HHMI-REU program (4 chemists!).

 17 May 2002:  Sciences Jeopardy!  CIDDE Workshop as described in the University Times.