MSU chemistry faculty awarded patents for pioneering technologies
STARKVILLE, Miss.— Mississippi State University recognized three Department of Chemistry faculty members for their newly issued patents during the university’s annual Research Awards Celebration, held Oct. 8
Among the nation’s top 100 research universities, MSU is known for advancing discovery and innovation that improve lives and expand scientific understanding. President Mark E. Keenum, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble applauded the honorees for their groundbreaking work and commitment to mentoring the next generation of scientists.
“This celebration is always a highlight for me personally because I am so proud of the work that our scientists and researchers are doing for our state, nation and world,” Keenum said. “I also want to thank our faculty for being outstanding mentors to our graduate and undergraduate students who are aspiring to learn about science and research and giving them opportunities to get involved in the world-class research taking place at our university.”
Chemistry faculty who were recognized for patented discoveries include:
Dennis Smith and David Wipf — “Polymeric-Coated Electrodes for Sensing Analytes in Liquid and Methods of Making the Same”
Professor Dennis Smith, who joined MSU in 2008, received a patent, alongside Wipf, for developing polymeric-coated electrodes that improve the sensitivity and durability of electrochemical sensors for environmental, medical and industrial applications. His research focuses on polymer synthesis and materials design for energy, biomedical and composite applications. Smith earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry and mathematics from Missouri State University and a Ph.D. in chemistry from the University of Florida. He is a Fellow of the American Chemical Society and the International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry and he previously served as a senior research chemist and project leader at Dow Chemical.
Professor David Wipf, who joined MSU in 1992, received a patent, alongside Smith, for the development of polymeric-coated electrodes for enhanced electrochemical sensing. Wipf specializes in electrochemistry, scanning probe microscopy and materials applications, with research focused on developing new instrumentation and experimental methods, including scanning electrochemical microscopy (SECM) for mapping chemical and topographical features at the microscale. He earned a bachelor’s degree in chemistry from the University of South Dakota and a Ph.D. in analytical chemistry from Indiana University, followed by postdoctoral research at the University of Texas at Austin. Wipf’s work has been recognized with the Henry Family Dean’s Distinguished Professor of Chemistry title and the College of Arts and Sciences Faculty Research Award. He is a member of the American Chemical Society, Electrochemical Society, and Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry and serves on NSF advisory panels.
Colleen Scott —“Design, Synthesis, and Photophysical Properties of a Novel MIR II Dye for Biological Imaging and Optoelectronic Devices”
Associate Professor Colleen Scott, who joined MSU in 2015, earned a patent for designing a novel near-infrared dye with applications in biological imaging and optoelectronic devices. Her research combines organic chemistry and materials science to develop innovative materials for real-world applications. Current projects include creating redox-stable conducting polymers for biosensors, designing silicon-based polymers for electronic devices, developing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP) compounds for stable n-type materials, synthesizing near-infrared (NIR I and II) dyes for biological sensing and producing thermally stable, renewable thermoplastics. Scott earned her bachelor’s degree from Auburn University and a Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh. She received an NSF CAREER Award in 2020, the Southeastern Conference Visiting Faculty Travel Grant in 2018, and multiple awards for research and creative activity. Scott is a member of the American Chemical Society and the Materials Research Society.
For more information about MSU's College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Chemistry, visit www.cas.msstate.edu and www.chemistry.msstate.edu.
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