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CURRICULUM VITAE

William J. Skawinski
Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science
New Jersey Institute of Technology
University Heights
Newark, NJ 07102
Office: 973-596-5793
EMAIL:skawinski@adm.njit.edu
www-ec.njit.edu/~skawinsk

EDUCATION

1991 Ph.D. in Chemistry; Rutgers, The State University, Newark, NJ; Advisors‑Professor Frank Jordan and Professor Richard Mendelsohn; topic: 15N‑Nitrotyrosyl and 15N‑Aminotyrosyl Residues as NMR Reporter Groups of Proteins.

1980 M.S. in Chemistry; New Jersey Institute of Technology; Advisor‑Professor Joseph Bozzelli;  Topic:  Development of a computer program, using quantum mechanical techniques, to simulate infrared emission spectrum of nitric oxide.1970 B.S. in Chemistry; Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken, NJ

EXPERIENCE

Present Position

Currently Research Professor, Department of Chemistry and Environmental Science, New Jersey Institute of Technology.     1996-present- Instructor of undergraduate organic chemistry,  New Jersey Institute of Technology.

1991‑2000  Senior Research Associate; Advisor‑Professor Carol A. Venanzi, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ 07102; quantum mechanical and NMR studies of analogues of the sodium ion channel blocking drug      amiloride, computational investigations of drug-DNA interactions; Application of rapid prototyping to the    fabrication of accurate physical molecular models from computer images.

1978‑91 Macrolab Project on Laboratory Accessibility for Disabled Persons, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Mechanical   Engineering Department.  Initiated and supervised graduate and undergraduate student projects on   adaptation of laboratory instrumentation for independent use by physically disabled persons.  Developed computer software      interfaces for laboratory instrumentation.  Made presentations on the results of Macrolab projects.

       

RESEARCH INTERESTS

Characterization of interactions between biological macromolecules (proteins and nucleic acids), and small ligand molecules, such as drugs and toxins.
Application of spectroscopic and computational techniques to the investigation of intermolecular interactions.
Identification of structural features of molecules responsible for biological activity.
Application of rapid prototyping techniques for the construction of unique molecular models designed as research and teaching tools.

     

TEACHING INTERESTS

Introduction and evaluation of information technology into the classroom and laboratory with the goal of enhancing student access to relevant materials and augmenting classroom presentations.
    Incorporating modern computational techniques into traditional chemistry courses with the goal of introducing biomedical concepts into organic chemistry.

AWARDS AND GRANTS

  • Award, Excellence in Teaching by a Special Lecturer, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Academic Year 2000-2001.
  • Honorable Mention Award, Excellence in Teaching by a Special Lecturer, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Academic Year 1999-2000.
  • New Jersey Institute of Technology, Provost Challenge Grant for the Incorporation of Information Technology into the Organic Chemistry course, $6100, 1999.
  • National Science Foundation grant for The Fabrication of Accurate Plastic Molecular Models by the Use of Laser Stereolithography, Carol A. Venanzi and William J. Skawinski, $367,000, 1993-1996.
  • The Fales Award for Unique Achievement in Experimental Chemistry, Chemistry Department, Rutgers University, Newark, NJ, 1992.
  •  The Lighthouse Charles E. Dillman Career Incentive Award, New York Association for the Blind, $2500, 1985.
  • "Equipment Grant: Macrolab", State of New Jersey Excellence in Education Grant, $17,500, 1985.
  •  "Equipment Grant: Macrolab", State of New Jersey Excellence in Education Grant, $18,100, 1986.

 PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS 

Member, American Chemical Society (since 1970); Committee on the Handicapped (1979‑1990). Contributor to American Chemical Society Manual "Teaching Chemistry to Physically Handicapped Students".
Member, American Association for the Advancement of Science.
Listed in the AAAS "Resource Directory of Scientists and Engineers With Disabilities" as a source of information and advice on the adaptation of laboratory devices and general access for blind scientists and students.
Member, National Federation of the Blind.

PRE-COLLEGE EDUCATION PROGRAMS

 Lectured to the FEMME (Pre-college program for Women in Science and Engineering) and SMED (Science and Math Education for the Disabled) pre‑college students on how technology and human engineering approaches can be  applied to provide solutions to the problems encountered by physically disabled persons.  Provided the SMED program with adaptive devices and advice for participating visually disabled students.

    

TEACHING AND STUDENT SUPERVISION

  Currently Research Professor and lecturer of undergraduate organic chemistry.
  Currently integrating multi-media information technology and computational methods into classroom lectures in organic chemistry.
  Developed web site to augment organic chemistry lectures at New Jersey Institute of Technology.
Lectured to psychology classes at NJIT (1980-1991) on the attitudinal and physical barriers faced by disabled persons and the coping strategies that can be employed to overcome them.
  Supervised chemistry students under the Minority Biomedical Research Student grant program of the National Institutes of Health at Rutgers University, 1983‑1988, also served as a student mentor in this program.
  Supervised undergraduate and graduate student Macrolab research projects in mechanical and electrical engineering directed toward the design and construction of devices to aid physically disabled persons and heighten the awareness of engineering students to human factors in their design process.  Also worked with blind adults, undergraduates and professionals, supervising projects designed to solve problems encountered in their work.
  Supervised 4 graduate and 3 undergraduate students at New Jersey Institute of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, and Environmental Science on the application of stereolithography to the fabrication of accurate molecular models, Nuclear Magnetic Resonance spectroscopy in cryosolvents, and computational studies of DNA-ligand interactions.

PUBLICATIONS

  • "Quantum Mechanical Computations on Analogues of Amiloride. Electrostatic Potentials and Identification of Pharmacophores", (in preparation).
  • 1 H and 13 C NMR Structural Studies of Amiloride in Cryosolvents, William J. Skawinski, ; Ana Ofsievich,  and Carol A. Venanzi, Structural Chemistry (In Press).
  • "Nature of Intercalator Amiloride‑Nucleobase Stacking. An Empirical Potential and Ab Initio Electron Correlation Study." Dmitry A. Bondarev, William J. Skawinski, Carol A. Venanzi;  J. Phys. Chem. B, 104 (4), 815‑822, 2000.
  • "Molecular Models by Laser Stereolithography", C.A. Venanzi, W.J. Skawinski, and A.D. Ofsievich, in Physical Supramolecular Chemistry, L. Echegoyen and A. Kaifer, Eds., Kluwer, Dordrecht, The Netherlands, 1996, pp.127‑142.
  • "The Application of Stereolithography to the Fabrication of Accurate Molecular Models", Skawinski, William, J.; Busanic, Thomas, J.; Ofsievich, Ana, D.; Venanzi, Thomas, J.; Luzhkov, Victor, B.; Venanzi, Carol, A.; J. Mol. Graphics, (1995), 13, p126-135.
  • "The Use of Laser Stereolithography to Produce Three‑Dimensional Tactile Molecular Models for Blind and Visually Impaired Scientists and Students", Skawinski, William, J.; Busanic, Thomas, J.; Ofsievich, Ana, D.; Luzhkov, Victor, B.; Venanzi, Carol, A.; Venanzi, Thomas J.; Information Technology and Disabilities, (1994), 1(4), On-line Journal, URL:  http://www.rit.edu/~easi/itd/itdv01n4/article6.html.
  • "From Maps to Models: A Concerted Computational Approach to Analysis of the Structure-Activity Relationships of Amiloride Analogues", C.A. Venanzi, R.A. Buono, W.J. Skawinski, T.J. Busanic, T.J. Venanzi, R.J. Zauhar, and V.B. Luzhkov, in: Computer-Aided Design of Agrochemicals, Pharmaceuticals and Materials, , C.H. Reynolds, M.K. Holloway and H.K. Cox, Eds., ACS Symposium Series 589, American Chemical Society, Washington, D.C., 1995, pp. 51‑63.
  •   "From maps to models. A concerted computational approach to analysis of the structure‑activity relationships of amiloride analogues", Venanzi, Carol A.; Buono, Ronald A.; Skawinski, William J.; Busanic, Thomas J.; Venanzi, Thomas J.; Zauhar, Randy J.; Luzhkov, Victor B.; ACS Symp. Ser. (1995), 589(Computer‑Aided Molecular Design), 51‑63.
  • "Labeling of tyrosines in proteins with [15N]tetranitromethane, a new NMR reporter for nitrotyrosines", Skawinski, William J.; Adebodun, Foluso; Cheng, Jung T.; Jordan, Frank; Mendelsohn, Richard, Biochim. Biophys. Acta (1993), 1162(3), 297‑308.
  • "Preparation of 15N‑Labelled Tetranitromethane C(15NO2)4", W. J. Skawinski, J. Flisak, A. C. Chung, F. Jordan, and R. Mendelsohn; J. Labelled Compounds and Radiopharmaceuticals, 28, 1179‑83 (1990)
  • "Hearing is Believing", The Modified Spectroscope, L.V. Hinchliffe and W.J. Skawinski; The Science Teacher, 50, 53‑55 (1983).
 

PROFESSIONAL ACTIVITIES

Member, Committee for Persons with Disabilities, New Jersey Institute of Technology.

Invited Papers

  • Use of Multi Media for the Correlation of Static 2-Dimensional Symbols with Dynamic 3-Dimensional Images in Organic Chemistry Courses. 3rd Annual Best Practices Showcase at NJIT, November 9, 2001, NJEDge.Net Educational Activities Task Force (EATF).
  •   Panel discussion, guidance counselors and disabled students and careers in science, NJIT, May, 1996.
  •   "The Use of Novel Molecular Models Fabricated by Laser Stereolithography in the Interpretation of Structure-Activity Data", Carol A. Venanzi, William J. Skawinski, Ana D. Ofsievich, and Ronald A. Buono;  NATO Advanced Workshop on Physical Supramolecular Chemistry, Miami, FL, January, 1996.
  •   "Real Virtuality: The use of Laser Stereolithography for the Fabrication of Molecular Models", NJIT, Chemistry Dept. October 1995.
  •     Report on the Use of Rapid Prototyping to Fabricate Models of Molecular Structures for Blind Scientists and Students, Research and Development Committee, National Federation of the Blind, National Convention, Chicago, IL, July 1995.
  • "The Application of Stereolithography to the Fabrication of Accurate Molecular Models", William J. Skawinski and Carol A.Venanzi; Society of Manufacturing Engineers, Engineering Week, New Jersey Institute of Technology, February, 1995.
  •    Employment of Blind Persons in Science, National Federation of the Blind, National Convention, Charlotte, NC, July, 1992.
  •   Parents of Blind Children of New Jersey, panel discussion on careers available to disabled persons, March, 1992.
  •   New Jersey Association of College Admissions Counselors, Conference Panel on Barriers to Handicapped Students, June, 1985.
  • New Jersey Commission for the Blind "Employer Awareness Day", June, 1985.
  •   "Readily Available Technology Can Make the Laboratory Environment Accessible To Physically Handicapped Persons", Symposium on High School High Tech, Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, May, 1984.
  •     "Science Careers for Physically Handicapped Persons", Career Counseling Workshop for Chemical Educators, Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, May, 1984.
  •   "Saving and Using Our Human Scientific Resources, The Handicapped Scientist", AAAS National Meeting, January, 1982.
  •    American Chemical Society Workshop on Teaching Chemistry to Physically Handicapped Students, April, 1980.
 

Contributed Papers

  •   "Novel Tactile Models by Laser Stereolithography", W. j. Skawinski, A. D. Ofsievich, C. A. Venanzi;  Meeting of the North American Chemical Society, Can Cun , Mexico, Nov., 1997.
  •    "Novel Molecular Models by Laser Stereolithography", Carol A. Venanzi, William J. Skawinski, Ana D. Ofsievich, and Ronald A. Buono;  reception for projects funded by the National Science Foundation; sponsored by the Coalition for National Science Funding, Cannon House Congressional Caucus Room, Washington, DC, March, 1996.
  •   "The Use of Novel Molecular Models Fabricated by    Laser Stereolithography in the Interpretation of Structure-Activity    Data", William J. Skawinski, Ana D. Ofsievich, Ronald A. Buono, and Carol A. Venanzi;  Third Panamerican Chemical Congress, San Juan, Puerto Rico, September, 1995.
  •    "Molecular Modeling by Laser Stereolithography", Jean Simeon, Ana D. Ofsievich, William J. Skawinski, Ronald A. Buono, and Carol A. Venanzi;  NSF Alliance for Minority Participation Undergraduate Research Symposium, New Jersey Institute of Technology, July, 1995.
  •   "Fabrication of Phenyl Acetate Models by Laser Stereolithography", Michael Jaffar, Ana D. Ofsievich, William J. Skawinski, Ronald A. Buono, and Carol A. Venanzi;  American Chemical Society Undergraduate Research Symposium, Barnard College, NY, May, 1995.
  •   "The Fabrication of Accurate Molecular Models by Laser Stereolithography", Ana D. Ofsievich, William J. Skawinski, Ronald A. Buono, and Carol A. Venanzi;  Mini-Tech Conference, New Jersey Institute of Technology, May, 1995.
  • "The Fabrication of Accurate Molecular Models by Laser Stereolithography", Ana D. Ofsievich, William J. Skawinski, Ronald A. Buono, and Carol A. Venanzi;  Middle Atlantic Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Washington, DC, May, 1995.
  •   "Molecular Modeling of Amiloride Analogs", Carol A. Venanzi, Ronald A. Buono, William J. Skawinski, Randy J. Zauhar, Thomas Busanic, Victor B. Luzhkov, and Thomas J. Venanzi;  Symposium on the Application of Computer-Aided Molecular Design to Agrochemicals, Materials, and Pharmaceuticals; National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA, March, 1994 .
  •  "Molecular Modeling of Amiloride Analogs", Carol A. Venanzi, Ronald A. Buono, Thomas J. Venanzi, William J. Skawinski, and Christopher Plant;  Third Biennial Workshop on Molecular Mechanics and Dynamics, Florida State University, April, 1992.