Jeff Spraggins completes Dissertation (Fall 2009): Click here to view a PDF version of his work (Spraggins Dissertation)

Ridge group publishes paper on peptide fragmentation mechanisms (July 2009): Our goal was to address the fundamental question of how peptide oxidation affects dissociation mechanisms during MS/MS experiments. The project was a collaborative effort between our group at UD and Julia Laskin at Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL).

Una ARRIVES!! (June 2008): Una Kim, our newest group member, has joined our research team. Una is an biochemstry undergraduate student here at UD.

Nick joins the group (June 2008): Nick Zeringo, an biochemstry undergraduate student here at UD, has joined our research group for the upcoming acedemic year. Nick enjoys long walks on the beach, romantic movies, and fine wine.

Jeff Spraggins accepts the GK-12 Fellowship (June 2008): Begining June 1, 2008 Jeff will be participating in the Graduate Teaching Program in K-12 Education (GK-12), a program funded through the National Science Foundation. Jeff was asked to return to the program for a second year. Fellows will work with local VoTech High School science teachers to address critical needs in high school science education.

GK-12 Home Page

The Group is growing (Dec. 2007): Kaitlin Papson, our long awaited new graduate student, has joined our group. Kaitlin completed her undergraduate studies at the College of New Jersey and is an analytical chemistry Ph. D. student.

Laboratory renovation project (March 2007): Our laboratory is currently undergoing a few upgrades. Courtesy of the National Science Foundation a new 7T Bruker Apex-70Qe FT-ICR mass spectrometer with CID, ECD and IRMPD fragmentation capabilities was installed and our 3T ThermoFinnigan T3 FT-ICR mass spectrometer is being updated with a new data processing system. Both systems are networked to a 1.6 terabyte data storage system and two new computer workstations.

Jeff Spraggins receives 25th Annual Dyer Award (March 2007): Jeff was awarded the 25th annual Elizabeth Dyer Excellence in Teaching Award at the departmental graduate recruitment seminar March 2, 2007. Jeff received the award for his work as a teaching assistant under Dr. Murray Johnston in CHEM 438: Instrumental Methods Laboratory.

UDaily Article

EPSCoR Funds Undergraduate Research (June 2007):  In addition to funding our groups interests in environmentally significant metal sulfide clusters, the Delaware Biotechnology Institute and the Department of Energy's EPSCoR program has allowed us to fund Marla Gilreath, an undergraduate biochemistry major at the University of Delaware.  Marla has been contributing to our groups scientific efforts since June 2007.

Scott Robinson gets a teaching gig! (Aug. 2006): Scott was hired this summer as a teacher at the Perkiomen School in Pennsburg, Pennsylvania. He will be teaching Chemistry and AP Chemistry this term in addition to coaching baseball and golf for the Perkiomen Indians. Good luck Scott!

2006 EPSCoR proposal accepted (Aug. 2006): Our proposal to perform metal cluster research in collaboration with Dr. George Luther’s group in the College of Marine Studies was accepted this summer. The proposed research project involves the determination of the chemical and physical properties CdS metal clusters using FT-ICR mass spectrometry.