Student Outcomes

Graduate students trained in the Bellert group learn how to build and modify instrumentation to make unique measurements.  Students learn how to use the principles of physical chemistry (quantum mechanics, statistical mechanics, chemical kinetics, spectroscopy) to interpret their measurements.  Students learn how to think critically and use literature precedence to defend their results. 

Current Students

Graduate

Tucker Lewis
  • Tucker Graduated from Florida Atlantic University in 2016 with a B.S in Chemistry.  He is now in his 2nd year in the Bellert research group

Undergraduate

Evan Mastin
  • Evan started working with the group in summer 2018 following his freshman year at Baylor. Evan is pursuing his Science Research Fellows degree with an emphasis in Chemistry

Former Students

Graduate

Michael G. Gutierrez, Ph.D. 2018

  • Dissertation: Characterization of the Single Photon Initiated Dissociative Rearrangement Reaction (SPIDRR) Technique and its Application in the Study of Transition Metal Cation Bound Organic Cluster reactions
  • Current Position: Assistant Professor at Harding University 

Zachry C. Theis, Ph.D. 2018

  • Dissertation: Chemical Kinetics and Dynamics of M+(organic) Molecules Using Single Photon Initiated Decomposition and Dissociative Rearrangement (SPIDDR) Measurements
  • Current Position: Air Force Research Labs as an NRC postdoctoral fellow

Adam Mansell, Ph.D. 2016

  • Dissertation: Unimolecular Decomposition Kinetics at Resolved Internal Energies
  • Current Position: Lecturer and Undergraduate Research Director, University of Florida

Vanessa A. Castleberry, Ph.D. 2010

  • Dissertation: Construction and Calibration of a Custom Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometer and its use in Measuring the Reaction Kinetics of Transition Metal Ion-Organic Interactions
  • Current Position: Senior Lecturer at Baylor University

Ivanna E. Laboren, Ph.D. 2011

  • Dissertation: Kinetics and Mechanistic Detail of Ni+ Assisted Organic Decomposition Reaction at Low Internal Energies
  • Current Position:  Senior Lecturer at McLennan Community College

Otsmar J. Villarroel, Ph.D. 2011

  • Dissertation: Metal Ion Assisted Unimolecular Decomposition of Gaseous Organometallic Complexes: Acquisition of Reaction Rate Constants and Dynamics of the Dissociative Mechanism
  • Current Position:  Senior Lecturer at McLennan Community College

S. Jason Dee, Ph.D. 2010

  • Dissertation: Rates of Photon Induced, Metal Ion Assisted, Unimolecular Decomposition of Gaseous Organometallic Complexes Using a Custom Built Molecular Beam Apparatus
  • Current Position:  Laboratory Lead at Phillips 66 

Undergraduates that authored thesis

Shelby L. Brantley

  • Graduated: 2016
  • Thesis: Computational Study of Nickel Cation Clusters, Nin (n = 1-4), and Their Binding Energies to Acetone
  • Current Position: graduate student, Ph.D. program, Notre Dame University

Katie L. Benjamin

  • Graduated: 2013
  • Thesis: A Computational Examination of the Transition Metal Cation Assisted Decomposition of Acetic Acid
  • Current Position: Regulatory Specialist at Nalco Champion