Kevin W. Glaeske

Education

B.S. Beloit College – Chemistry & Classical Literature
Ph.D. University of Utah – Organic Chemistry

Background

For the last two decades I have been privileged to teach chemistry here at WLC. Even though my background includes study of both the humanities and the sciences I have largely taught only chemistry here at WLC. With the advent of the Honors program, I have been given an opportunity to “walk the walk” concerning the liberal arts and its role in developing young minds. I relish the chance to model the interconnectedness of the liberal arts to undergraduate students and how valuable the western canon is to modern 21^st century society. When I am not playing baseball with my sons, I like to consider the intricacies of the Corsi number or take twenty young men and pay a visit to Nestor, the redheaded king of Sparta.

Teaching

• CHE 101 Fundamentals of Chemistry
• CHE 221 Organic Chemistry I
• CHE 222 Organic Chemistry II
• CHE 228 Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• CHE 420 Advanced Organic Chemistry
• CHE 428 Advanced Organic Chemistry Laboratory
• ESS  182 Environmental Science
• HON 101 The Ancient World

Research Interests

My formal scholarly training is in the area of synthetic organic chemistry; particularly trying to synthesize derivatives of α-amino acids. This has manifested itself in me trying to synthesize these molecules by reacting copper catalysts with α-diazocarbonyls. The resulting morphonlones can be converted into α-amino acids by trivial means. Even though more students have worked on this project, I have mentored students on projects as diverse as ecology or assaying the biological activity of sulfa drugs.

Scholarly Works

Review Article: Kevin W. Glaeske, and William A. Donaldson; “Recent Applications of the Simple Hydrocarbon Cyclooctatetrene as a Starting Material for Complex Molecule Synthesis,” Mini-reviews in Organic Chemistry, 2012, 9, pp.31-43.

Poster presentation: Sulfonamides:  A Very Interdisciplinary class of Molecules!  Kimberly A. Haley, Kevin W. Glaeske, Jarrod L. Erbe, Jordan E. Liesener, and Andrew A. Mundt, CHED 82, presented at 238^th ACS National Meeting Washington, D.C. August 16-19, 2009.

Journal Article: The Design of God in a Rose, Glaeske, K.W., The Lutheran Educator, 2004, 44, 110-112,

Journal Article: Stereoselective formation and rearrangement of morpholinium ylides derived from copper carbenoids, Glaeske, K.W.; Naidu, B.N.; West, F.G., Tetrahedron:  Asymmetry 2003, 14, 917-920.

Journal Article: Making sense of Terpenes:  A look into Biological Chemistry, Glaeske, K.W.; Boehlke, P. E., The American Biology Teacher, 2002, 64, 208-211.

Poster Presentation: Making Sense of Terpenes:  A Biological Chemistry lab project for Liberal Arts Chemistry, Glaeske, K.W.; Boehlke, P.R., SCI-MIX, 222^nd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL.  August 27, 2001 (Abstract #CHED 84).

Journal Article: Chirality Transfer from Carbon to Nitrogen to Carbon via Cyclic Ammonium Ylides, Glaeske, K.W.; West, F.G., Org. Letters, 1999, 1, 31-33.

Journal Article: Substituted Aminoketones and a-Amino Esters Via Ammonium Ylide [1,2]-Shifts, West, F.G.; Glaeske, K.W.; Naidu, B.N., Synthesis, 1993, 977.

Poster Presentation:  Direct Synthesis of Amino Acid Derivatives fromTertiary Amines and Diazocarbonyl Compounds, 203^rd  American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA.  April 5-10, 1992 (Abstract #ORGN 462).

Service

• Co-Director of Honors Program (2015-present)
• Chair of Chemistry Department (2010-present)
• Councilor of American Chemical Society (ACS) (2009-present)
• Chemist Circle (2001-present)
• Faculty Athletic Representative (1996-present)