Education

Ph.D. candidate in Physical Chemistry: In Progress
University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder CO
Research Advisors: Prof. Veronica M. Bierbaum and Prof. W. Carl Lineberger

B. A. in Chemistry, Summa Cum Laude: Dec. 2001
University of Colorado at Denver, Denver CO
Dissertation Title:  Electrochemical Studies of Adsorbed Ferritin at Tin-Doped Indium Oxide Electrodes.
Research Advisor:  Prof. Donald C. Zapien

Research Experience

Graduate Research Associate, Dec. 2003 – Present University of Colorado at Boulder, Boulder CO.
Advisors: Prof. Veronica M. Bierbaum and Prof. W. Carl Lineberger
Reactivity studies and gas-phase kinetic measurements of organic anions using a flowing afterglow selected-ion-flow-tube mass spectrometer and photoelectron spectroscopy studies of organic anions.

Undergraduate Research Associate, Dec. 1999 – Dec. 2001 University of Colorado at Denver, Denver CO.
Advisor: Prof. Donald C. Zapien
Cyclic voltammetry studies and X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy of Ferritin adsorbed at tin-doped indium oxide electrodes.  

Teaching Experience

 

University of Colorado at Boulder

Physical Chemistry Laboratory I and II; Aug. 2003 – Dec 2004
Supervised students in laboratory, graded students lab reports, modification of lab reports, wrote and implemented TA manual and error analysis assignment.

University of Colorado at Denver

Organic Laboratory I; Jan. 2002 – May 2002
Instrumental Analysis Laboratory Jan. 2001 – May 2001
Supervised students in laboratory, graded students lab reports, wrote weekly quizzes for students.

Publications

S. M. Villano, A. J. Gianola, N. Eyet, T. Ichino, S. Kato, V. M. Bierbaum, and W. C. Lineberger, “Thermochemical Studies of N-methylpyrazole and N-methylimidazole,” J. Phys. Chem. A, In Press (2007)

N. Eyet, S. M. Villano, S. Kato, and V. M. Bierbaum, "Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effects in Microsolvated Gas-Phase E2 Reactions,” J. Am. Soc. Mass Spectrom., 18, 1046-1051  (2007).

J. C. Bopp, J. R. Roscioli, M. A. Johnson, T. M. Miller, A. A. Viggiano, S. M. Villano, S. W. Wren, and W. C. Lineberger, “Spectroscopic Characterization of the Isolated SF6- and C4F8- Anions: Observation of a Very Long Harmonic Progressions in Symmetric Deformation Modes upon Photodetachment,” J. Phys. Chem. A, 111, 1214-1221 (2007).

S. M. Villano, S. Kato, and V. M. Bierbaum, "Deuterium Kinetic Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase SN2 and E2 Reactions: Comparison of Experiment and Theory," J. Am. Chem. Soc., 128, 736-737 (2006).

K. C. Martin, S. M. Villano, D. C. Zapien, “Studies of Electrochemically Transformed Ferritin Adsorbed at Tin-Doped Indium Oxide Electrodes Using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy,” Langmuir, 19, 5808-5812 (2003).

Presentations

“Thermochemical Studies of N-methylpyrazole and N-methylimidazole.”  Gordon Conference on Gaseous Ions: Structure, Energetics and Reactions, Ventura, CA, Feb. 2007.

“Deutrium Kinetic Isotope Effects in Gas-Phase SN2 and E2 Reactions,” Chemistry Seminar, Denver, CO, April 2006.

“Flowing Afterglow Negative Ion Chemistry,” Methods in Chemistry Seminar, Boulder, CO, Nov. 2005.

“A Gas-Phase Study of SN2 Versus E2 Reaction Pathways Using Kinetic Isotope Effects,” American Society of Mass Spectrometry, San Antonio, TX, May 2005.

Grants and Awards

UGGS Travel Grant, 2007
Project SEED, 2001

Outreach Activities

CU Wizards – Chemistry demonstrations designed for 5th – 9th graders,
Oct. 2005 and 2006.