Education
1995 - Ph.D. Organic/Polymer Chemistry
Carnegie Mellon University
Dissertation Title: “Ring Opening Polymerization of Cyclotetrasilanes: A
Versatile Route to Linear Polysilylenes”
Thesis Advisor: Kryzstof Matyjaszewski
1990 - B.S. Chemistry
University of Wisconsin at Stevens Point
Avocations:
American Chemical Society, Polymer Chemistry Division
American Chemical Society, Polymeric Materials, Science and
Engineering Division
Manuscript Reviewer (since 1999): Macromolecules
EPA Proposal Review Panel: Exploratory Research in Nanotechnology (2001)
Reviewer Research Corporation,
Teaching Experience:
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, August 1999 – present
Wright State University, Dayton, OH. Teaching responsibilities include graduate level Physical Organic, the General Chemistry sequence, and supervision of undergraduate Organic Chemistry laboratories.
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Aug. 1996 – June 1999
Winona State University, Winona, MN. Teaching responsibilities included organic and polymer chemistry courses along with supervision of general and organic chemistry laboratories. Developed and taught two new polymer courses during Spring Quarter, 1997. Polymer Chemistry consisted of six short courses on contemporary topics in polymer science. Polymer Synthesis and Characterization exposed students to the laboratory preparation and characterization of a variety of polymers.
Postdoctoral Associate, June 1995 -August 1996
Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX. Fully responsible for general chemistry for science majors in Spring, 1996. Other informal teaching duties included the instruction of research techniques and chemical principles to several undergraduate and masters students in the research group.
Graduate Teaching and Research Assistant, January 1991 – May 1995
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA. Teaching assistant for one semester each of freshman chemistry lab, organic chemistry lab, and advanced organic chemistry lab.
Research Experience:
Wright State University, Dayton, OH, 1999 – present
Synthesis, characterization, and utilization of triarylphosphine oxide-based hyperbranched polymers as thermally stable rheological modifiers and precursors to macromolecular ligands. Block and graft copolymers with conducting polymers as a key component. Easily processed unsaturated polyester resin systems for environmentally-friendly composite materials synthesis.
Winona State University, Winona, MN, 1996 – 1999
Synthesis and characterization of phosphorus containing monomers for dendritic and hyperbranched macromolecules. Design and synthesis of star polymers containing photo-degradable cores. Hyperbranched polymers based on thiophene and silicon.
Southwest Texas State University, San Marcos, TX, 1995 - 1996
Post-Doctoral research involved the synthesis and characterization of a series of fluorinated polyamides and N-methylated fluorinated polyamides for high thermal stability applications. A secondary project synthesized a variety of polysiloxanes with highly electron deficient silicon atoms in the main chain and as pendant groups.
Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA, 1991 – 1995
Synthesis and characterization of a variety of cyclotetrasilanes as precursors to polysilylenes. Preparation of well-defined polysilylene homopolymers by the anionic ring opening polymerization of cyclotetrasilanes. Preparation of polystyrene/ polysilylene and polyisoprene/ polysilylene block copolymers with controlled structures. Preparation of polysilylene copolymers by the anionic copolymerization of cyclotetrasilanes and masked disilenes. Characterization of the prepared materials by numerous techniques.
University of Ulm, Ulm, Germany, Spring 1995.
Spent 10 weeks as a visiting scientist with Professor Martin Moeller’s group studying the microphase separation behavior of polysilylene and polystyrene block copolymers. Samples were analyzed with transmission electron microscopy and atomic force spectroscopy.
University of Wisconsin Stevens Point, Stevens Point, WI, 1988-1990
Synthesized and characterized variously substituted diamines as precursors to polyimides. Synthesized polyimide precursors with nadic endgroups. Thermally cured pre-polymers and performed thermogravimetric analysis of the products under the direction of Professor John Droske,
North Dakota State University, North Dakota, Summer 1989.
Studued the extensional viscosities of the hydrophobically modified ethoxylated urethane associative thickener dispersions under the direction of Professor J. E. Glass as a PPG fellow.
Research Skills:
1H, 13C, 19F, 29Si, and 31P NMR Spectroscopy
Variable Temperature NMR
DSC, TGA, and DMA (Seiko, Mettler, Perkin Elmer, and TA instruments)
FTIR
Fluorescence Spectroscopy
UV-VIS Spectroscopy
GC and GC/MS
GPC (Waters and Viscotek Instruments) including light scattering techniques
High Vacuum Techniques
Inert Atmosphere Synthesis (Schlenk and glove box)
Microscopic Analysis (TEM and AFM)
Funding/Awards:
ACS-PRF Type B, 2001-2003 ($30,000)
Air Force Research Laboratories Summer Faculty Fellowship, 2001 ($12,500)
Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award, 1998-2002 ($35,800)
Wright State University Research Incentive Funds, 2001 – 2002 ($7,995)
Wright State University Foundation, 1999 – 2002 ($25,000)
Graduate Research Fellowship – Office of Naval Research, 1993-1995
Sigma Xi Undergraduate Research Award, 1989
PPG Undergraduate Research Fellowship, 1989
Avocations
American Chemical Society, Polymer Chemistry Division
American Chemical Society, Polymeric Materials, Science and
Engineering Division
Manuscript Reviewer (since 1999): Macromolecules
EPA Proposal Review Panel: Exploratory Research in Nanotechnology (2001)
Reviewer Research Corporation,
Consulting Experience
RTP Company, Winona, MN
Phoenix Biocomposites, St. Peter, MN
Composite Technology Polymers Group, Plymouth, WI
Daychem, Dayton, OH
Scitex Digital Printing, Dayton, OH
Presentations
"Hyperbranched Poly(arylene ether phosphine)s with Controlled Molecular Weights for Use as Macromolecular Ligands" Laura Bedrossian*, Kelly Collins, and Eric Fossum; presented at the 1st Annual Miami Valley Organic Symposium, Frontiers in Combinatorial Chemistry, Miami University, Oxford, OH, December 2002.
"Triarylphosphine Oxide-Based Hyperbranched Polymers" presented at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, September 2002.
"Functionalized Narrow Molecular Weight Distribution Hyperbranched Poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s" presented at the ACS National Meeting, Boston, MA, August 2002.
"A Study of the Suzuki Coupling Reactions of (4-X-Ph)Ph2P=O" Michaela Czupik* and Eric Fossum, presented at the American Chemical Society Dayton Section Poster Session, March 2002.
"A Study of the Suzuki Coupling Reactions of (4-X-Ph)Ph2P=O" Michaela Czupik* and Eric Fossum, presented at the 2nd Annual Kentuckiana Undergraduate Research Symposium, Louisville, KY, March 2002.
“Exploration of Routes to Polythiophene-Based Graft Copolymers” Jack Koussa** and Eric Fossum, Presented at the Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001.
“Studies Directed Toward the Synthesis of Narrow Molecular Weight Distribution Hyperbranched Poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s” David P. Bernal** and Eric Fossum presented at the Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001.
“Hyberbranched Poly(arylene ether phosphine)s for Use as Macromolecular Ligands” presented at the Great Lakes Regional Meeting, Grand Rapids, MI, 2001.
“Synthesis, characterization, and polymerization of ABx triarylphosphine oxide monomers” presented at the American Chemical Society Meeting, San Francisco, CA, 2000.
“Synthesis of Dendrimers and Hyperbranched Macromolecules Based on Triarylphosphine Oxides” Michael J. Grapenthien* and Eric Fossum. Minnesota Undergraduate Research Symposium, St. Mary’s University, Winona, MN 1997
Synthesis and Characterization of Star Polymers With Degradable Cores” Jessica Peschl* and Eric Fossum. Minnesota Undergraduate Research Symposium, St. Mary’s University, Winona, MN 1997
“The Chemistry of Some Silicon Derivatives of Hexafluorocumyl Alcohol” Presented at the 29th Organosilicon Symposium, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, March, 1996.
“Preparation of Well-Defined Polystyrene-block-Poly(methylphenylsilylene) Copolymers” Presented at the American Chemical Society National Meeting, Washington, D.C. 1994.
“Regiochemistry of Polysilanes Prepared by Ring Opening Polymerization” Presented at the American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, CA 1994.
“Towards Identification of the Stereoisomers of Me4Ph4Si4” Presented at the American Chemical Society National Meeting, Denver, CO 1993.
*denotes undergraduate student; **denotes masters level student
Publications
1. Bernal, D. P.; Bedrossian, L. B.; Collins, K.; Fossum, E. "The Effect of Core Reactivity on
the Molecular Weight, Polydispersity, and Degree of Branching of Hyperbranched
Poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s" Macromolecules 2003, 36, 333-338.
2. Bankey, N. B.; Bernal, D. P.; Cockayne, R. C.; Fossum, E. “Fluoride-Terminated Hyperbranched Poly(arylene ether phosphine oxide)s via Nucleophilic Aromatic Substitution” J. Polym. Sci. Part A. Polym. Chem. Ed. 2002, 40, 1456-1467.
3. Fossum, E.; Ketcha, D.M.; Weintraub, P.M.; Turnbull, K.; McMills, M. Annual Reports in
Organic Synthesis - 2000, Academic Press, 2000.
4. Schwegler, L. A.; Sheiko, S. S.; Moller, M.; Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Preparation of
Telechelic Polysilylenes: A General Methodology for the Synthesis of Polysilylene-based
Triblock Copolymers” Macromolecules 1999, 32, 5901.
5. Matyjaszewski, K.; Miller, P. J.; Fossum, E.; Nakagawa, Y. “Synthesis of Block, Graft, and
Star Polymers from Inorganic Macroinitiators” Applied Organometallic Chemistry 1998,
12(10-11), 667.
6. Rulkens, R.; Resendes, R.; Verma, A.; Manners, I.; Murti, K.; Fossum, E.; Miller, P. J.;
Matyjaszewski, K. “Ring-Opening Copolymerization of Cyclotetrasilanes and Silicon-
bridged [1]Ferrocenophanes; Synthesis and Properties of Polysilane-poly(ferrocenylsilane)
Random Copolymers” Macromolecules 1997, 30, 8165.
7. Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K.; Sheiko, S. S.; Moller, M. “Morphology of Polystyrene-
block-Poly(methylphenylsilylene)” Macromolecules 1997, 30, 1765.
8. Fossum, E.; Love, J. A.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Synthesis and Characterization of Polystyrene-
block-Poly(methylphenylsilylene) and Polyisoprene-block-Poly(methylphenylsilylene)” J.
Organomet. Chem. 1995, 499, 253.
9. Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Ring-Opening Polymerization of Cyclotetrasilanes:
Microstructure and Mechanism” Macromolecules 1995, 28, 1618.
10. Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K.; Rulkens, R.; Manners, I. “ Polysilane-Poly(ferrocenylsilane)
Random Copolymers” Macromolecules 1995, 28, 401.
11. Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Microstructure in the Ring Opening Polymerization of
Cyclotetrasilanes” Phos. Sulf. and Silicon 1994, 93(1-4), 129.
12. Fossum, E.; Chrusciel, J.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Stereostructure of Polysilanes by Ring
Opening Polymerization” in Inorganic and Organometallic Polymers II, ACS Symposium
Series, 1994, vol. 572, 32.
13. Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “Synthesis and Properties of Polysilanes Prepared by Ring
Opening Polymerization” in Polymeric Materials for Microelectronic Applications, ACS
Symposium Series, 1994, vol. 579, 433.
14. Fossum, E.; Gordon-Wylie, S. W.; Matyjaszewski, K. “ Identification of the Stereoisomers of
1,2,3,4-Tetrmethyl-1,2,3,4-tetraphenylcyclotetrasilane” Organometallics 1994, 13, 1695.
15. Cypryk, M.; Chrusciel, J.; Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “ Ring-Opening Polymerization of
Strained Cyclotetrasilanes as a New Route Towards Well-Defined Polysilylenes” Makromol.
Chem. – Macromol. Symp. 1993, 73, 167.
16. Chrusciel, J.; Cypryk, M.; Fossum, E.; Matyjaszewski, K. “19F Studies of the Reaction of
Octaphenylcyclotetrasilane with Triflic Acid” Organometallics 1992, 11, 3257.
Department of Chemistry
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