Dr. Tracy Brown-Fox

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

tbrown2@jcsu.edu

I am an assistant professor of chemistry at Johnson C. Smith University (JCSU) in the Department of Natural and Behavioral Sciences (NBS) in Charlotte, North Carolina. I have been teaching organic chemistry for over eight years. I have an ongoing cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Forest Products Laboratory, in Madison, Wisconsin. Through this agreement, NBS has supplied cellulose nanomaterials for the development of research projects centered on studying cellulose nanomaterials and their applications. To date, I have developed several undergraduate research projects on cellulose nanomaterials for students as well as served as a research advisor on senior investigative projects (SIPs) – a requirement necessary for graduation. Furthermore, these undergraduate research projects have led to oral and poster presentations at national conferences, including National Organization for Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers (NOBCChE) and the American Chemical Society (ACS). As a junior faculty member, I have been awarded several institutional research grants to explore research interests in improving student education and research experiences in STEM disciplines. I have also had research experiences with faculty and scientists at the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, GA, and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in Cleveland, OH, where I had conducted research on modifying the chemistry and/or improving upon the physical and mechanical properties of high-performance polymeric matrices and high-molecular-weight polymers with the addition of nanomaterials (e.g. carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, or nanoporous zeolites) at both places. I have been awarded 700K as the Principal Investigator on two National Science Foundation (NSF) grants, #1818708 and #2101209, to provide and support undergraduate research opportunities at JCSU. These grants have also helped to establish the Thermal Analysis Instrumentation (TAI) suite. The suite consists of a differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), a thermomechanical analyzer (TMA), and a rheometer. To ensure that our students are marketable upon graduation, I have developed a TAI technical certificate program to complement student learning through course undergraduate resource experiences (CUREs) and/or r esearch projects utilizing the equipment in the TAI suite. Currently, I have two research programs, NSF Student Minigrant Program and Minority – Polymer Undergraduate Research Experiences (M-PURE) program, with nearly 20 students currently participating in research activities and projects. To date, nearly 50 students have participated in research opportunities, and 25+ students have received technical certificates through the TAI certificate program. I plan to continue to work hard for my students to bring research opportunities the JCSU because there “cannot be growth if there are no opportunities.” #mpureresearch #polymers