James Martin
Professor of Chemistry
Education
- B.A. in Chemistry and Biology, Goshen College, Goshen, IN
- Ph.D. in Inorganic Chemistry (major) and Physical Chemistry (minor), Indiana University
- Postdoctoral Research, Theoretical Solid State Chemistry, University of Paris (France)
- Postdoctoral Research, Synthetic Solid State Chemistry, Iowa State University
Area of Research / Academic Expertise
- Condensed Matter Inorganic Chemistry
- My expertise is in chemical structure and reaction mechanisms. We are one of the leading research groups in the world working on understanding reaction mechanisms in condensed matter, i.e. liquid-liquid, liquid-solid, and solid-solid reaction mechanisms. (See J. Phys. Chem. C, 2020, 124, 18724.)
Questions & Answers
Why did you choose Chemistry as a field of study?
I have always enjoyed building things, and figuring out how things worked. As I learned more about chemistry, I discovered it to be that “architectural science” where I build things and figure out how they work at the atomic and molecular levels.
What interests do you have outside of chemistry?
I always keep my eyes open for ways in which my fundamental scientific research might find “real-world” applications. As such I am working with a colleague in Animal Science to test materials we discovered as nutritional supplements. We are in the early stages of forming a start-up company based on this technology.
I also believe that the most creative scientists have broad interests across many disciplines. I have strong artistic interests in dance (I have competitively danced ballroom) and theater (I periodically design and build sets for local theaters). I also have strong interests in both science and education public policy. As such I serve on the Wake County Board of Education and provide chemistry professional development opportunities for high school chemistry teachers.