USCA asst. professor recognized for work

Dr. Chad L. Leverette, a USC Aiken assistant professor of chemistry, was recently named a "Prominent Young Vibrational Spectroscopist" by the international journal Vibrational Spectroscopy.

Only 20 scientists in the world were selected to this list.

Vibrational spectroscopy, which is Leverette's area of expertise, is one form of spectroscopy. In general, spectroscopy is the study of the interaction of light with matter.

"Vibrational spectroscopy is one of the most widely used analytical techniques that allows scientists to identify, quantify and characterize a wide variety of chemical systems," said Leverette in a press release. "It is used in applications that include forensics, homeland security efforts, pharmaceuticals and hydrogen research, to name a few."

The special issue of Vibrational Spectroscopy featuring the complete list of scientists chosen will be released next month. To be included, the scientist must be 38 years of age or younger, conduct a novel experiment in the field, submit an original manuscript of work and have his or her work successfully pass the peer-review process for publication.

"Chad embodies the true 'teacher-scholar' that we expect of our faculty," said USCA Chancellor Dr. Tom Hallman. "Chad has some outstanding accomplishments, and he's done it all while teaching a full load of courses. His students benefit not only from his excellent instruction, but also his involvement of them in the research process."

Leverette joined the faculty at USC Aiken in 2004. Since then, he has acquired more than $216,000 from grants to fund research and equipment in the Department of Chemistry and Physics. Leverette is an active scholar, with six peer-reviewed manuscripts, one peer-reviewed book chapter, two provisional patent applications, 11 research reports, and 20 oral presentations at international, national and regional scientific meetings to his credit since arriving at USC Aiken.

Last year, Leverette successfully acquired through grants a GLAD (glancing angle vapor deposition) system for the campus. It is one of only 25 systems in the world and is the only system of its kind at an undergraduate institution. The equipment is not only used by Leverette and his students on the USCA campus but is also used by scientists at the Savannah River National Laboratory and at the University of South Carolina NanoCenter, the university's focal point for science and engineering studies of nanometer-scale structures.