Scott Dorman

Professor of Chemistry

Scott Dorman Office:

Stephens Science Center 332

Contact Information:

Birmingham-Southern College
Box 549022
900 Arkadelphia Rd
Birmingham, AL 35254
Office Phone: (205) 226-4878
Office Fax: (205) 226 3078
E-mail: [email protected]

Brief Career Background:

Dr. Dorman obtained his Ph.D. in analytical chemistry using high gradient magnetic fields to separate weakly paramagnetic particles. Separation efficiency was determined using Mössbauer spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction. Following graduate school, he taught for 3 years at Shepherd College in Shepherdstown, West Virginia, and then for 7 years at the University of South Alabama in Mobile, Alabama. Dr. Dorman began teaching at BSC in 2001.

Educational Background:

B.S. in Chemistry, Florida State University 1985
Ph.D. in Chemistry, North Carolina State University 1992

Research Summary:

For many years, my laboratory has been using spectroelectrochemistry to characterize oxygen carrying proteins from primitive organisms that do not have red blood cells. These proteins serve as model systems for developing artificial oxygen carriers (blood substitutes) in humans. In mammals, hemoglobin is normally inside red blood cells and protected by cell membranes. However, an artificial oxygen carrier must be able to function outside of a cell since this is how it will be administered. An important finding from our group is that the formal reduction potential (E°´) of several naturally occurring acellular hemoglobins is considerably more positive than intracellular human hemoglobin. This finding could prove to be quite significant for the design of heme-based oxygen carriers (HBOC) as blood substitutes.

Archaeometry and archaeological chemistry has become a developing interest of mine since taking a field course in Mayan archaeoastronomy in 2006. I have continued to take archaeology field courses focused on the ancient Maya for several years, including a sabbatical in Belize spring 2016. This interest has expanded to including students on projects in Guatemala, Mexico, and Honduras during January interim courses.

Courses Taught:

CH 111 SM Atoms and Molecules (1) – A first course in general chemistry that examines the structure of atoms and molecules. Topics include components of matter, atomic structure, periodic trends, bonding and molecular structure, chemical reactions, stoichiometry, behavior of gases, and thermochemistry

CH 112 Reactions and Mechanisms (1) – A continuation of general chemistry that builds on the foundations established in CH 111. Topics include intermolecular forces, colligative properties, thermodynamics, equilibrium, electrochemistry, and kinetics.

CH 220 Equilibrium and Analysis (1) – An examination of mixtures, oxidation-reduction, electrochemistry, and advanced equilibria. In addition, the theory and practice of volumetric, gravimetric, and spectroscopic chemical analyses will be studied.

GEN 299 Science and Culture of the Ancient Maya – Eterm travel course to various ancient Maya ruins in Mexico, Guatemala, or Honduras.

CH 299 Chemistry of Art Materials – Eterm course examining physical and chemical properties of paints, glazes, inks, dyes, paper, fibers, and other common art materials.

Various laboratories in general, analytical, and physical chemistry.

Publications From Research at BSC: *BSC student researcher

James H. Davis, Jr., Thomas Ruether, and Scott C. Dorman, "Boronium Based Ionic Liquids: Salts of Boron Centered Cations as Promising Salts for Electrochemical Applications," ECS Trans., 50(11), 2013.

Scott C. Dorman, Richard A. O’Brien, Adam T. Lewis, E. Alan Salter, Andrzej Wierzbicki, Paul W. Hixon, Richard E. Sykora, Arsalan Mirjafari and James H. Davis Jr., "A New Building Block for Electroactive Organic Materials? Synthesis, Cyclic Voltammetry, Single Crystal X-ray Structure, and DFT Treatment of a Unique Boron-based Viologen," Chemical Communications, 47, 2011.

Nadiezhda Cantu-Medellin, Dario A. Vitturi, Cilina Rodriguez, *Serena Murphy, Scott Dorman, Sruti Shiva, Yipin Zhou, Yiping Jia, Andre F. Palmer, Rakesh P. Patel, "Effects of T- and R-state stabilization on deoxyhemoglobin-nitrite reactions and stimulation of nitric oxide signaling," Nitric Oxide, 25, 2011.

John P. Harrington, Shiho Kobayashi, Scott C. Dorman, *Samantha L. Zito, and Rhoda E. Hirsch, "Acellular Invertebrate Hemoglobins as Model Therapeutic Oxygen Carriers: Unique Redox Potentials," Artificial Cells, Blood Substitutes, and Biotechnology, 35(1), 2007.

A. Brent McKinley, Clare F. Kenny, Melinda S. Martin, *Eduardo A. Ramos, Andrew T. Gannon, *Timothy V. Johnson, and Scott C. Dorman, "Applications of Absorption Spectoelectrochemistry in Artificial Blood Research", Spectroscropy Letters, 37(3), 2004.

Scott C. Dorman, John P. Harrington, Melinda S. Martin, and *Timothy V. Johnson, "Determination of the Formal Reduction Potential of Lumbricus terrestris Hemoglobin Using Thin Layer Spectroelectrochemistry", Journal of Inorganic Biochemistry, 98, 2004.