Curriculum Vitae
Grace Y. Stokes
University of Utah
Department of Chemistry
315 S. 1400 E. Room 2020
Salt Lake City, UT 84112-0850
Phone: 847-899-8868
EDUCATION
Northwestern University, 2004-2009
Ph. D. in Physical Chemistry
Advisor: Franz M. Geiger
Stanford University, 1998-2002
B. S. in Chemistry
Advisor: Robert M. Waymouth
HONORS
Camille and Henry Dreyfus Environmental Chemistry Postdoctoral Fellowship, 2009-2011
NASA Earth and Space Science Graduate Student Fellowship, 2006-2009
US Dept. of Education Graduate Assistance in Areas of National Need Fellowship, 2004-2005
Myrna B. Freeman Scholarship, Stanford University, 2001-2002
WORK EXPERIENCE
Postdoctoral Fellow, University of Utah, 2011-present
Studied interactions of proteins and pharmaceuticals with biological membranes (lipid microarrays) using second harmonic and sum frequency imaging techniques.
Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University, 2009-2011
Investigated chemical reactions pertaining to oxidative breakdown of lignin, including action of enzymes such as manganese peroxidase, lignin peroxidase and versatile peroxidase. Probed reaction kinetics and stoichiometries of oxidations by monomeric manganese(III) complexes in environmentally-relevant solutions.
Research Assistant, Northwestern University, 2004-2009
Heterogeneous ozonolysis of chiral and achiral olefins studied by vibrational sum frequency generation
Organic Chemistry Teaching Assistant, Northwestern University, 2004-2005
Taught undergraduate organic chemistry laboratory and evaluated students
Analytical Chemist, Biokey Inc., 2003- 2004
Performed dissolutions and drug assay tests of prospective tablet formulations for analysis by UV-Vis and HPLC; developed standard procedures for operation and calibration of analytical instruments
Biotech Intern, Takeda Chemical Industries Ltd., 2001
Researched metabolic properties of Cytochrome P450 3A4 by growing cell cultures, performing HPLC, UV-Vis, SDS-PAGE, Western blots, pH dependent testosterone oxidation analyses
Chemistry Intern, Texas Instruments Inc., 1998
Mentored by a Ph.D. chemist and observed research and development in a commercial semiconductor fabrication clean room
PROFESSIONAL PRESENTATIONS
Poster presentation, Environmental Sciences: Water GRC, Holderness, NH, June 2010, “Understanding the chemical pathways of lignin degradation by white rot fungi”
Poster presentation, Metals in Biology GRC, Ventura, CA, February 2010, “Mechanism of tyrosine oxidation in heme oxygenase”
Poster presentation, Atmospheric Chemistry GRC, Waterville Valley, NH, August 2009, “Heterogeneous cyclohexene ozonolysis under tropospherically relevant ozone conditions”
Oral presentation, Atmospheric Chemistry Colloquium for Emerging Senior Scientists, Brookhaven National Lab, NY, August 2009, “Heterogeneous ozonolysis of chiral and achiral olefins studied by sum frequency generation”
Oral presentation, 238th ACS National Meeting, Washington, DC, August 2009, “DNA hybridization studied by SHG and SFG”
Poster presentation, Chemical Reactions at Interfaces GRC, Ventura, CA, February 2009, “Reactions of atmospherically relevant organic surfaces with ozone characterized by sum frequency generation”
Poster presentation, AGU Fall Meeting, San Francisco, CA, December 2008, “Nonlinear optical studies of terpene-functionalized silica and their interactions with ozone as models for tropospheric aerosol chemistry”
Oral presentation, APS March Meeting, New Orleans, LA, March 2008, “Heterogeneous oxidation reactions relevant to atmospheric aerosol chemistry studied by sum frequency generation”
Oral presentation, 234th ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 2007, “Tropospheric aerosol surface oxidation reactions studied by sum frequency generation”
Oral presentation, 62nd International Symposium on Molecular Spectroscopy, Ohio State University, June 2007, “DNA functionalized surfaces studied by nonlinear optical spectroscopy”
Invited oral presentation, 2nd Chautauqua on Nonlinear Optics, Purdue University, May 2007, “Making friends with IGOR: Time-saving tools for data acquisition, analysis, and spectral fitting”
Poster presentation, 233rd ACS National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 2007, “DNA at interfaces studied by sum frequency generation”
Poster presentation, Chemical Reactions at Interfaces GRC, Ventura, CA, February 2007, “Heterogeneous atmospheric oxidation chemistry on tailor-made surfaces probed by sum frequency generation”
Oral presentation, 232nd ACS National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, September 2006, Probing chirality of DNA at interfaces using sum frequency generation”
Poster presentation, Vibrational Spectroscopy GRC, Biddeford, ME, July 2006, “Tailor-made organic surfaces and their reactivities studied by vibrational sum frequency generation”
Oral presentation, 37th ACS Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Milwaukee, WI, June 2006, “Heterogeneous
Organic Oxidation Reactions Relevant to Tropospheric Chemistry
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE
Science in the classroom (SITC), Hayt Elementary School, 2008-2009
In association with PLU honor society, taught hands-on monthly science lessons to fourth grade students at diverse, low-income Chicago public school
Futures Unlimited workshop leader, Oakton Community College, 2008
Planned and executed two workshops on “The Chemistry of Cosmetics” to encourage eighth grade girls to pursue science and math careers
Science fair judge, 2007-2008
2nd Annual Science Fair, North-Grand High School, December 2008
30th Annual Area 24 Math/Science Fair, Chicago State University, January 2007
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Chemical Society, 2006-present
American Geophysical Society, 2007-present
American Physical Society, 2008-present