The Chromatography Forum

of Delaware Valley

Abstract:

The 21st century dawned with a new emphasis on terrorism response.  One area where the transition from 20th to 21st century chemical analysis capabilities was important was the ability to rapidly assess human exposure to chemical warfare agents in mass casualty terrorism events.  The new technologies available transformed slow GC-MS analysis to rapid LC-MS/MS analysis with some interesting stops along the way.

About the Speaker:

Bob’s career has spanned over forty years working in organizations from 40 to over 2 million employees.  Starting with a BS in organic chemistry from Fordham University and an MS from the University of Vermont, Bob saw the error of his ways and completed a PhD in Analytical Chemistry with Janet Osteryoung at SUNY Buffalo conducting research into gas phase electrochemistry, GC-FID, and the more challenging vacuum electrochemistry, GC-MS. Bob has formulated latex paint for DuPont, conducted active deodorant research for Johnson & Johnson, characterized ink fired from nozzles of inkjet printers for HP, and lead the CDC’s chemical component of the Laboratory Response Network with labs from Maine to Hawaii and Puerto Rico to Alaska.  In the company of chromatographers, Bob is a mass spectrometrist, and a chromatographer when surrounded by mass spectrometrists.

Since his retirement from CDC in 2014 Bob has created and delivered training classes in chromatography and mass spectrometry, including spectrum interpretation, has visited four continents, raced automobiles, skied the Rockies, played the occasional round of golf and learned ballroom dancing.