Willis Weigand

Notable Achievements

Director of General Chemistry Labs Willis Weigand and Professor of Chemistry Emily Niemeyer went with six Southwestern students to the American Chemical Society National Meeting in New Orleans, La., on March 19, 2018. The following students presented their research:

    • Tyler Adams , class of 2018, presented a poster on his research with Weigand titled “Synthesis and characterization of a copper (II) ethylene amine complex by an improved reaction methodology.”
    • Ryan Peraino , class of 2018, presented a poster on his research with Weigand titled “Synthesis and characterization of new thiadiazole sulfonamide ligands reacted with copper (II) salts.”
    • Margaret Rowand , class of 2018, presented a poster on her research with Weigand titled “Synthesis and characterization of a novel copper (II) thiosemicarbazone complex.”
    • Triston Beadle , class of 2018, presented a poster on his research with Niemeyer titled “Anthocyanin concentrations, antioxidant properties, and phenolic contents among commercially available acai berry supplements.”
    • Jillian Bradley , class of 2018, presented her poster “Surface functionalization of silicone films using click chemistry: synthetic strategies for designing mechanically tunable surfaces” based on her Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
    • Alison Riggs, class of 2018, presented a poster, “Effects of oxidative stress on non-B DNA structures in a yeast model system,” based on her research with Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Maha Zewail-Foote and Part-time Assistant Professor of Chemistry Michael Douglas.
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Willis Weigand

Director of General Chemistry Labs

Expertise

Chemistry of copper, cobalt and some of the main group elements; Cement and concrete chemistry and the additives used in those products; Reuse and recycling of waste materials and intellectual property issues.

Dr. Weigand started teaching at Southwestern in 1994, and after a few years at Penn State Altoona, and working at an intellectual property firm, came back to teach full-time at Southwestern. Prior to his academic career, he was an industrial chemist at W.R. Grace and Halliburton Services working in product development and technical service and with Radian Corporation, an environmental consulting firm.

Dr. Weigand’s research is primarily focused on the chemistry of copper, cobalt and some of the main group elements. He has extensive experience in cement and concrete chemistry and the additives used in those products. Other experience includes reuse and recycling of waste materials and intellectual property issues.

He received his PhD from the University of Arkansas in 1982 and his BS from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1977. 

  • Biography

    Dr. Weigand started teaching at Southwestern in 1994, and after a few years at Penn State Altoona, and working at an intellectual property firm, came back to teach full-time at Southwestern. Prior to his academic career, he was an industrial chemist at W.R. Grace and Halliburton Services working in product development and technical service and with Radian Corporation, an environmental consulting firm.

    Dr. Weigand’s research is primarily focused on the chemistry of copper, cobalt and some of the main group elements. He has extensive experience in cement and concrete chemistry and the additives used in those products. Other experience includes reuse and recycling of waste materials and intellectual property issues.

    He received his PhD from the University of Arkansas in 1982 and his BS from Southwestern Oklahoma State University in 1977. 

  • Research

    The synthesis and structure of copper (I) and cobalt (II) compounds and their interactions with DNA. The compounds may provide useful cancer treatments.

    The environmental fate and clean-up of heavy metals.

    Main group chemistry.

    Fellowships

    • Phillips Petroleum Fellowship, University of Arkansas
  • Publications

    Dorris, M. (SU undergraduate), Weigand, W.A., “Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Diacetato bis(N,N’-dibenzylethane-1,2-diamine)copper(II),” American Chemical Society National Meeting, March 28, 2011, Anaheim, CA, Undergraduate Poster Session.

    Weigand, W., Salazar, T. (SU undergraduate), Synthesis and Crystal Structure of Bis-(N,N’-dibenzylethane-1,2-diamine) cobalt(II) acetate, Journal of Chemical Crystallography, 2010, 40, 1040-1043.

    Poster presentation at Texas Academy of Sciences, March 2, 2007, Chemistry Connections, In fulfillment of a grant from the W. M. Keck Foundation of Los Angeles through the Associated Colleges of the South.

    Spring 2000 CONFCHEM: The Role and Nature of Research by Undergraduates in Chemistry, April 3 to May 5, 2000, organized by Tim Champion and Willis Weigand. On-line conference under the auspices of the ACS Division of Chemical Education’s Committee on Computers in Chemical Education.

    Weigand, W.A., Determining the EDTA Content in a Consumer Shower Cleaner, J. Chem. Ed., 2000, 77, 1334.

    Weigand, W. A., Using Discovery-Based Laboratories in an Introductory Chemistry Class, ACS 31st Central Regional Meeting, The Ohio State University, June 21-23, 1999.

    Weigand, W.A., “Progress Toward a Standard Procedure for Point- Counting the Phases in Cement Clinker with Reflected Light Microscopy,” Petrography of Cementitious Materials Symposium, Atlanta, GA, June 1993. ASTM STP 1215.

    Weigand, W.A., J.A. Salter, “Use of Shell Slag in Cement Manufacture,” Portland Cement Association Symposium, Chicago, IL, March 1993.

    Weigand, W.A., A.G. Eklund, D. Golden, “Use of Advanced SO2 Control By-Products Technologies in Road Construction,” Air and Waste Management Association Annual Meeting, Kansas City, KS, June 1992.

    Weigand, W.A., A.G. Eklund, M. McLearn, Isolation and Containment of Advanced SO2 Control Wastes, Air and Waste Management Association Annual Meeting, Kansas City, KS, June 1992.

    Weigand, W.A., A.G. Eklund, M. McLearn, “Chemisorptive Liners for Isolation and Containment of Spray Dryer and AFBC By-Products,” Presented at Eighth Annual International Pittsburgh Coal Conference, October 14-18, 1991.

    Weigand, W.A., A.W. Cordes, W. T. Pennington, J. T. Shore, “Structure of Tetra-tert-butylcyclotetraphosphane Monosulfide (C4H9P)4S,” Acta. Cryst. C45, 89-91, 1989.

    Weigand, W.A., W.J. Caveny, “Use Cement Microscopy to Quickly Check Product Quality,” World Oil, 79-82, October 5, 1985.

    Weigand, W.A, W.J. Caveny, “Practical Oilwell Cement Microscopy,” Proceedings of the Seventh International Conference on Cement Microscopy, March 1985.

    Weigand, W.A., W.J. Caveny, D.E. Bailey, “Microscopic Method Helps Assess Cement Performance,” Oil and Gas Journal, 90-92, September 26, 1983.

    Weigand, W.A., A.W. Cordes, P.N. Swepston, “Tetrakis(t-butyl) cyclotetraphosphane (PC4H9)4,” Acta. Cryst. B37, 1631-1634, 1981.