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Mary Robert Garrett
Dr. Mary Robert Garrett
Professor of Chemistry; Mabel D. Worth Chair in Science; Chair of Division I|Chemistry
Mary Robert Garret
Contact
Office Location
MAC 420
Office Hours
  • Tue: 9 – 10 a.m., 1 – 2 p.m.
  • Wed: 1 – 2 p.m.
  • Thur: 10 – 11 a.m.
Class Schedules
  • CHM 222 A (Thur: 8:30 am – 11:30 am) (Mon/Wed/Fri: 10:40 am – 11:50 am)
  • CHM 452 (Mon/Wed/Fri: 8:00 am – 9:10 am)
  • CHM 222 B (Mon/Wed/Fri: 10:40 am – 11:50 am) (Thur: 12:00 pm – 2:50 pm)
Courses
  • CHM 101: Foundations of Chemistry
  • CHM 131: Accelerated General Chemistry
  • CHM 221: Organic Chemistry I
  • CHM 222: Organic Chemistry II
  • CHM 371: Advanced Lab II-Spectroscopy
  • CHM 452: Advanced Organic Chemistry
  • CHM 471: Advanced Lab IV-Polymers and Green Chemistry
  • GSTR 332: Scientific Inquiry and Knowledge
  • GST 186: Connecting with Science (2015 Berea Bridge-In Program; team-taught with colleague, Dr. Megan Hoffman, Berea College Biology Department, intertwining introductory chemistry and biology concepts around the theme of “Identity”)
  • GST 186GA: The Chemistry of Art (2016 and 2017 Berea Bridge-In Program; team-taught with colleague, Prof. Lisa Kriner, Berea College Art and Art History Department, exploring the chemistry that makes art)
Bio

Mary Robert Garrett earned her B.A. in Chemistry, with a minor in French, from Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota in 2002. She earned her Ph.D. in organic chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill under Jeff Johnson in 2007 developing new chemical reactions. Immediately after graduation, Mary Robert began teaching in a tenure-track assistant professor position at Centenary College in Shreveport, Louisiana. When a position in organic chemistry opened up at Berea College in 2009, she seized the opportunity to move back to Kentucky and enthusiastically support the College’s mission. Mary Robert has taught both introductory and advanced chemistry courses, as well as team-taught interdisciplinary courses in the summer Berea Bridge-In Program, such as, “The Science of Identity,” and “The Chemistry of Art.” Mary Robert strives to make chemistry classes inviting and approachable for non-chemists, so she has incorporated activities in her lectures, such as the chemistry of brass etching, or green (environmentally-friendly) chemistry techniques and practices. Mary Robert earned promotion to associate professor, and tenure from Berea College in 2014, and promotion to the rank of professor in 2023. She held a research associate sabbatical position at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, during the 2016-2017 academic year, supported by an Appalachian College Association faculty fellowship. Mary Robert has worked with a number of students in faculty-mentored research projects, most recently focusing on the improvement of solar panel materials in an effort to achieve renewable energy.

Mary Robert has been a member of the Executive Council, Faculty Status Council, and the Institutional Review Board. She has chaired the Academic Program Council and Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program. In her current role as Division, I Chair (which houses Biology, Chemistry, Math, Nursing, and Physics), she is a member of the Division Council, advisory board to the Dean.

Division I Chair 2023-present; Department Chairperson 2020-2023; Coordinator of Advising 2019-2023; Professor of Organic Chemistry; Paul C Hagar Excellence in Advising Award, 2015; sabbatical leave for 2016-2017 academic year doing work at the chemistry program at the University of Nottingham in England; started at Berea College in Fall 2009.

Degrees
  • Ph.D., University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2007
  • B.A., Macalester College, St. Paul, Minnesota, 2002
Publications & Works

  • Honors and Awards

    • Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program Award-“Synthesis of Electron Deficient Tetracenes and TTTs in an Effort to Access Renewable Energy” (2019)
    • The Chemistry Collaborations, Workshops and Communities of Scholars program (cCWCS) travel award to present at the 2019 National American Chemical Society meeting in Orlando, Florida-$1490 (2018)
    • Kentucky’s National Science Foundation Established Program to Stimulate Competitive Research—Research Scholars Program (KY NSF EPSCoR-RSP)-$17,544 (2018)
    • Appalachia College Association Faculty Sabbatical Fellowship (2016)
    • US-UK Fulbright Scholar Award Alternate (2016)
    • Certificate of Appreciation from the Berea College Mortar Board (Alpha Sigma Chi Honor Society) for “her outstanding exhibition of scholarship, leadership and service in and out of the classroom.” (2016)
    • Paul C. Hager Excellence in Advising Award at Berea College, “in recognition of her commitment to excellence in advising” (2015)
    • Scaling-up the Introductory Undergraduate STEM Courses at Berea College, Hodge, T., Saderholm, J. C., Ortquist-Ahrens, L., Garrett, M. R., & Kohl, P.-$296,388 from National Science Foundation Widening Implementation & Demonstration of Evidence-Based Reforms (WIDER) Program (Award #1347645) (2013)
    • Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program Award (2013)
    • Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program Award (2012)
    • Berea College Faculty of the Month (November) (feature highlighted in the November 16, 2011 issue of the Pinnacle) (2011)
    • Undergraduate Research and Creative Projects Program Award (2011)
    • Research Corporation Cottrell College Science Award-$48,771 (2008)
    • Centenary College Student/Faculty Summer Research Award-$6,500 (2008)
    • Centenary College Summer Research Award-$1,250 (2008)
    • Southwest Affiliate of College and University Residence Halls Faculty/Staff of the Month (June 2008)
    • Francis P. Venable Fellow (UNC) (2002)
    • Associate of Chemistry Graduate Students First-Year Representative (UNC) (2002)
    • Iota Sigma Pi National Honor Society (2001)

    Courses

    • Chemistry Courses
      • CHM 101: Foundations of Chemistry
      • CHM 131: Accelerated General Chemistry
      • CHM 221: Organic Chemistry I
      • CHM 222: Organic Chemistry II
      • CHM 371: Advanced Lab II-Spectroscopy
      • CHM 452: Advanced Organic Chemistry
      • CHM 471: Advanced Lab IV-Polymers and Green Chemistry
    • General Studies Courses
      • GSTR 332: Scientific Inquiry and Knowledge
      • GST 186: Connecting with Science (2015 Berea Bridge-In Program; team-taught with colleague, Dr. Megan Hoffman, Berea College Biology Department, intertwining introductory chemistry and biology concepts around the theme of “Identity”)
      • GST 186GA: The Chemistry of Art (2016 and 2017 Berea Bridge-In Program; team-taught with colleague, Prof. Lisa Kriner, Berea College Art and Art History Department, exploring the chemistry that makes art)

  • Affiliations

    • American Chemical Society
    • American Chemical Society Division of Chemical Education Organic Chemistry Committee
    • Kentucky Academy of Sciences
    • Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society

  • Papers and Publications

      • Garrett, M. R.; Duran-Pena, M. J.; Lewis. W.; Pudzs, K.; Uzulis, J.; Mihailovs, I.; Tyril, B.; Shine, J.; Smith. E. F.; Rutkis, M.; Woodward, S. “Synthesis and thermoelectric properties of 2- and 2,8-substituted tetrathiotetracenes.” J. Mater. Chem. C 2018, 6(13), 3403-3409.
      • Mio, M.; Duffy-Matzner, J.; Garrett, M. R. N.; Hollis, G.; Maloney, K.; Paige, M.; Priest, O. P. “American Chemical Society Organic Chemistry Exam,” prepared by the Examinations Institute of the American Chemical Society, Form 2017, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.
      • Garrett, M. R.; Saderholm, M. J. “Bridging the Gap Between Technique-Building Experiments and Independent Research Projects: A One-Step Synthesis Project for First-Semester Organic Chemistry Students.” Chem. Educator 2017, 22, 104-107.
      • Woodward, S.; Ackermann, M.; Ahirwar, S.; Burroughs, L.; Garrett, M. R.; Ritchie, J.; Shine, J.; Tyril, B.; Simpson, K.; Woodward, P. “Straightforward Synthesis of 2- and 2,8-Substituted Tetracenes.” Chem. Eur. J. 2017, 23(32), 7819-7824.
      • Hofmeister, G. E.; Bergbreiter, D. E.; Caran, K. L.; Cottone, K. E.; Field, K. W.; Ford, W. T.; Garrett, M. R. N.; Grant, K.; Kalyani, D.; Klein, D.; Maloney, K.; Mio, M. J.; Peters, J.; Raker, J. R..; Thomsen, M. W.; Unger, J. “American Chemical Society Organic Chemistry Exam,” prepared by the Examinations Institute of the American Chemical Society, Form 2016, University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, Milwaukee, WI.
      • Howell, B. A.; Arrey, L. N.; Balanda, P. B.; Bergbreiter, D. E.; Bosch, E.; Campbell, M. J.; Cottone, K. E.; Ford, W. T.; Fryhle, C. B.; Garrett, M. N.; Hofmeister, G. E.; Miller, S. A.; Mio, M. J.; Myers, D. R.; Thomsen, M. W.; Woosley, R. S. “American Chemical Society Organic Chemistry Exam,” prepared by the Examinations Institute of the American Chemical Society, Form 2012, Iowa State University, Ames, IA
      • Garrett, M. R.; Tarr, J. C.; Johnson, J. S. “Enantioselective Metallophosphite-Catalyzed C-Acylation of Nitrones.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2007, 129(43), 12944-12945.
      • Nahm, M. R.; Potnick, J. R.; White, P. S.; Johnson, J. S. “Metallophosphite-Catalyzed Asymmetric Acylation of a,b-Unsaturated Amides.” J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2006, 128(8), 2751-2756.
      • Nahm, M. R.; Linghu, X.; Potnick, J. R.; Yates, C. M.; White, P. S.; Johnson, J. S. “Metallophosphite-Induced Nucleophilic Acylation of a,b-Unsaturated Amides:  Facilitated Catalysis by a Diastereoselective Retro [1,4] Brook Rearrangement” Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2005, 44, 2377-2379.

  • 2024--Sherman Fairchild Foundation Summer Stipend Grant, (co-author, Rachelle Bouchat)-$294,836 to support 30 students in exploratory lab/field summer research