Dr. Jeremiah Gassensmith, associate professor of chemistry and biochemistry at The University of Texas at Dallas, has been elected a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC).
The RSC, whose origins date back to 1841, is the world’s oldest professional society of chemists and is dedicated to advancing the chemical sciences and enhancing the role that chemists play in the world. The organization is the European counterpart to the American Chemical Society.
Fellows of the RSC are recognized leaders in the chemical sciences who have made exceptional contributions to the field and are committed to promoting the global value of chemistry.
“I am certainly very honored to have been selected as a fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry,” Gassensmith said. “I feel that this recognition is best seen as a reflection on my research group, which comprises some of the most dedicated graduate and undergraduate students in the world.”
Gassensmith’s research focuses on the intersection of organic and solid-state chemistry, with an emphasis on biomaterials and engineered viruslike particles. His work has applications in the development of vaccines for viral and bacterial infections, new types of contrast agents for use in MRI, and precise methods to deliver therapeutic drugs to the body. In addition to more than 60 published papers, Gassensmith has seven patents and has launched a startup company based on some of his lab’s work.
Gassensmith’s research has been funded by the National Science Foundation — including a 2017 Faculty Early Career Development Program (CAREER) award – as well as by The Welch Foundation and the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas. He is the recipient of UT Dallas’ 2021 President’s Teaching Excellence Award in Undergraduate Instruction and the 2015 Outstanding Faculty Educator Award from the School of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.
UEMR Team Receives National Honors
The University of Texas at Dallas University Emergency Medical Response (UEMR) team recently received two national awards that recognize the organization’s contributions to campus safety.
UEMR earned HeartSafe and EMS Ready campus recognitions at the National Collegiate Emergency Medical Services Foundation’s annual conference in Pittsburgh — honors that acknowledge the group’s commitment to safety on campus.
“The students, staff and faculty on our campus should feel confident that they are in good hands when an emergency occurs,” said Sheila Elliott, UEMR director. “We have an amazing first responder organization on campus.”
The HeartSafe Campus award recognizes the preparedness of UT Dallas to respond to cardiac arrest emergencies. To earn the recognition, UT Dallas had to demonstrate the following capabilities:
- Rapid response by first responders (UEMR) and rapid public access to defibrillation.
- Early access to advanced care.
- Public CPR and automated external defibrillator training for the community.
- Engagement in preventative cardiovascular health care activities.
The EMS Ready award recognizes how collegiate EMS organizations are prepared for emergencies and disasters.
“We have an amazing team of student volunteers who are dedicated to making our campus a safe place,” Elliott said. “We look forward to assisting with future medical emergencies while helping the greater Dallas-Fort Worth community in CPR training and emergency preparation.”