NSF Grant Funds Brain and Health Monitoring Research

Mirroring the support he received as an undergraduate chemistry major at SUNY Oswego, Jason Bennett ’01, Ph.D., mentors students at Penn State Erie, the Behrend College. A three-year National Science Foundation award of $243,462 that began July 2013 will advance their research.

The NSF grant will help fund development of a material that can selectively oxidize hydrogen sulfide over both nitric oxide and carbon monoxide, three chemicals produced in the body, Bennett explains on his website. Seven undergraduate chemistry majors will work with Bennett on the project, which may lead to new methods for monitoring brain and heart health.

At Oswego, Bennett was inspired by Professor Emeritus, Raymond O’Donnell, Ph.D., to “think and not just memorize.” He credits Martha Bruch, Ph.D., who engaged him to help renovate a donated spectrofluorimeter, with showing him the allure of instrumentation.

“They encouraged me to pursue graduate studies and inspired my interest in the field of electrochemistry,” Bennett says.

While working to complete his doctorate at Michigan State, Bennett met his wife, Sarah. He says his time away from the university is now spent “being a dad” to two preschoolers and playing hockey.

—Linda Loomis ’90 M ’97

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