Julio C. de Paula

PhD 1987 Yale University

BA 1982 Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey 

I have taught courses in general chemistry, physical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, instrumental analysis, biophysical chemistry, bioinorganic chemistry, environmental chemistry, nanoscience, and writing.

During the 2017-2018 academic year I will teach General Chemistry I (CHEM 110), General Chemistry I Laboratory (CHEM 110L), Chemistry Seminar (CHEM 405), Physical Chemistry Laboratory (CHEM 365), and Analytical Spectroscopy (CHEM 370).

To date I have mentored 52 undergraduate students in research supported by over $3 million in single-investigator and collaborative grants. Current projects in my laboratory include:

• Assembly and characterization of nanowires that conduct electricity when activated by solar radiation. Our hope is that these wires can lead to a new generation of solar energy conversion devices, such as environmental sensors, solar cells, solar paint, and optical computers.
• Design and construction of inexpensive, solar-powered devices for water purification. Our goal is to provide point-of-use water purification stations to families without access to electricity.
• Characterization of artifacts from archaeological sites. Working with collaborators at the University of Portland and the University of Barcelona, we are investigating soil, bones, and artifacts recovered from the ancient Roman city of Pollentia, just outside the current city of Alcudia, in Mallorca, Spain.

News from the de Paula group

• July 2018: I received a grant from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement to develop a free online textbook.
• July 2018: Along with colleagues from the University of Portland and the University of Barcelona, I participated in an archaeological research project in Mallorca, Spain.
• February 2018: The 11th edition of Physical Chemistry is now available.

Recent publications

• Physical Chemistry, 11th Edition, P.W. Atkins, J.C. de Paula, and J. Keeler, Oxford University Press (2018).
• Elements of Physical Chemistry, 7th Edition, P.W. Atkins and J.C. de Paula, Oxford University Press (2017).
• Photoconductivity of Nanofilaments that are Self-assembled from a Porphyrin with Long Alkyl-chain Substituents, A.P. Schall, P. Iavicoli, Z.J. Qi, J. Menko, Y. Lu, M. Linares, J.C. de Paula, D.B. Amabilino, A.T. Johnson, and W.F. Smith, Journal of Physical Chemistry C 119, 26154-26163 (2015).

Recent theses by undergraduates from Prof. de Paula’s research group

• Hanna Varga (2018) “Investigating the Kinetics of Photocatalysis by Titanium Dioxide Under Natural Conditions” (co-supervised with Prof. Barbara Balko)
• Lauren Heald (2016) “Kinetic and Spectroscopic Investigations of Porphyrin Nanorods”
• Raymond Craddock (2015) “Photocatalytic Purification of Drinking Water”
• Henry Kreiman (2015) “A Multi-computational Investigation of Theoretical Porphyrin Nanoassemblies”
• Kyle Marcano (2014) “A Theoretical Investigation of the Optical Properties of Porphyrin Nanorods”

After 16 years at Haverford College, I moved to Lewis & Clark College in 2005. While on professional leave from 2010 to 2012, I was a Program Director in the Chemistry Division of the National Science Foundation.

I have received a Christian and Mary Lindback Award for Distinguished Teaching and a Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award. In 2015 I was named a Cottrell Scholar by the Research Corporation for Science Advancement.