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Katherine (Katie) Smith

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kjsmith

Katherine (Katie) Smith

Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Department/Office Information

Chemistry

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My broad teaching experience includes general, organic, organometallic, and analytical chemistry, as well as chemical instrumentation and bioinorganic chemistry. I am dedicated to building a learning environment in my classroom, office hours, and via email that makes students comfortable enough to ask questions, and to keep asking questions until they understand. So often students will come up and say “sorry, I have a quick question.” But not knowing something is nothing to apologize for. If they knew everything already, they wouldn’t be taking the class. The experience of learning can be fun and fulfilling, and I strive to make that the chemistry experience my students have.

My research experience includes organic and inorganic synthesis and analysis of pyridinophane-type macrocycles, metalation with transition metals, and thorough analysis of macrocycles and metal complexes, resulting in multiple publications. My new research interests include the development of new 5-HT1a agonists as drugs to increase SSRI anti-depressant efficacy, and development of organometallic pincer complexes as catalysts for nitrogen fixation at ambient conditions. I believe humility and a willingness to learn from all sources are key to scientific discovery. I am deeply application-motivated and passionate about working to improve our society and planet through targeted chemistry. 

BS 2018, Wheaton College IL
PhD 2024, Texas Christian University

Smith, K. J., Schwartz, T.M., Johnston, H.M., Freire, D.F., Pota, K., Green, K.N. Effect of 4-Position Pyridine Ring Substitution on Zn(II) Complexes of 4-substituted Py2N2 Pyridinophane Macrocycles. Journal of Coordination Chemistry, 2025, 78, 1-3, 225-232.  

Smith, K. J., Schwartz, T.M., Freire, D.M., Bowers, C.J., Dunn, S.K., Bonnell, J.F., Mekhail, M.A., Akkaraju, G., Green, K.N. Rings of Power: Controlling SOD Mimic Activity by the Addition of Pyridine Rings within the Pyridinophane Scaffold. Inorganic Chemistry, 2024, 62, 50, 2354423553.

Freire, D.M., Johnston, H.M., Smith, K.J., Pota, K., Mekhail, M.A., Kharel, S., Green, K.N. Hydrogen Peroxide Disproportionation Activity is Sensitive to Pyridine Substitutions on Manganese Catalysts Derived from 12-Membered Tetra-Aza Macrocyclic Ligands. Inorganic Chemistry, 2023, 62, 39, 15842–15855.

Mekhail, M.A., Smith, K.J., Freire, D.M., Pota, K., Nguyen, N., Green, K.N. Highly Efficient Functional SOD Mimic Achieved with Pyridine Modification on a Pyclen-based Copper(II) Complex. Inorganic Chemistry, 2023, 62, 14, 5415–5425.