Faculty and Staff Profiles

GARY LYNN EMMERT
Professor, Chemistry
Email: gemmert@memphis.edu
Office Location: 108 Scates Hall
Education
  • B.S. Chemistry - Tennessee Technological University - 1988
  • M.S. Chemistry - Tennessee Technological University - 1992
  • Ph.D. Chemistry - Miami University (Ohio) - 1999

Work Experience

  • Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry & Physics/Program of Environmental Sciences - Arkansas State University - 8/98-5/02
  • Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 8/02-08/07
  • Assistant Professor and Graduate Coordinator, Department of Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 08/01/04-08/01/07
  • Founding Director, Mobile Analytical Monitoring and Miniaturization Laboratory - The University of Memphis - 08/01/04-present
  • Associate Professor and Graduate Coordinator, Department of Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 08/07-08/07/10
  • Founder and CEO,   - Foundation Instruments, Inc. - 08/09 - present
  • Professor of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 2010-2014
  • Professor and Interim Chair of Chemistry, Department of Chemstry - The University of Memphis - 08/1/14 - 07/31/15
  • Professor & Chair of Chemistry, Department of Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 08/01/15 - 08/31/19
  • Associate Dean of Natural Sciences & Professor of Chemistry, College of Arts & Sciences and Chemistry - The University of Memphis - 09/1/19 to 06/30/22
  • Interim Dean, Colleage of Arts & Sciences - University of Memphis - 07/01/22 - present
Honors/Awards
  • Graduate Student Achievement Award - Miami University Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry - 1994
  • Graduate Student Achievement Award - Miami University Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry - 1995
  • Graduate Student Achievement Award - Miami University Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry - 1996
  • R.Thomas Davidson Scholar - Miami University Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry - 1996-1997
  • College of Arts and Sciences Early Career Research Award - The University of Memphis College of Arts & Sciences - 2008
  • First Tennessee Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fellow - First Tennessee Bank and The Fed Ex Institute for Technology - 2010
  • Dunavant Professor 2010-2013 - The University of Memphis College of Arts & Sciences - 2010
  • CAS Distinguished Research Award in Natural Sciences and Mathematical Sciences. - The University of Memphis College of Arts & Sciences - 2013
  • The W. Russell Smith Award in Teaching Excellence - The University of Memphis College of Arts & Sciences - 2018

Student Advising/Mentoring

  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Sam R. Cron - 2002
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Mostafiz Rahman (Co Advised with Tom Sutter) - 2006
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Gija Geme - 2007
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Paul Simone Jr. - 2008
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Michael A. Brown - 2008
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Lucy J. Thurston - 2008
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Patricia L. Ranaivo - 2011
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Meggan L. Larson - 2011
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Jill P. Williamson - 2013
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Yin Yee (Cynthia) Choo - 2013
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Aaron W, Brown (Co-Advised with P. Simone) - 2014
  • Graduate (Ph.D.) - Christina M. Henson (Co Advised with P. Simone) - 2014

Support

  • Improved Methods of Analysis of Chemicals in Drinking Water, Emmert, G.L., Duty, C.N., Puckett, S.D., Funded-Inactive - NASA-Arkansas Space Grant Consortium - $32,232. - 02/98-10/98
  • Acquisition of a HPLC / IC Chromatograph, Nave, P (PI)., Russ, J.L.(Co-PI), Hannigan, R. (Co-PI), Grippo, A. (Co-PI), Emmert, G.L.(Co-PI), Funded-Inactive - National Science Foundation Instrumentation Grant - $79,900. - 01/00-01/03
  • New and Improved Methods for Measuring Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products in Drinking Water, Emmert, G.L, (PI) Funded-Inactive - Arkansas Science and Technology Authority - $75,688. - 01/00-05/02
  • Developing Automated Methods for Measuring Disinfectants in Drinking Water, Emmert, G.L., Cron, S., Steyer. H., Funded-Inactive - NASA-Arkansas Space Grant Consortium. - $26,462 - 2/01-2/02
  • Monitoring Organic and Inorganic Compounds in Extraterrestrial Environments, G.L. Emmert (PI), D. Sears, University of Arkansas-Fayetteville, (Co-PI), - NASA-Arkansas Space Grant Consortium Collaborative Research Grant, - $39,085/yr for 3 years. Funded but declined—not portable to University of Memphis - 2/03 -5/05
  • AWWARF 2873: Methods for Real-Time Monitoring of Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water Distribution Systems, G.L. Emmert (PI), Torrence Myers, MLG&W (Co-PI) and Ying Wei, City of Houston, (Co-PI) Funded - American Waterworks Research Foundation and the United States EPA, MLGW, and City of Houston - $297,000 (AWWARF) $15,180 (MLG&W, In kind support) $7,100 (Houston, In kind support) - Phase One: 1/03-10/04 ; Phase Two 1/04 -10/06
  • Evaluating the Feasibility of Using Gas Chromatography on a Valve for Security Monitoring, G.L. Emmert, PI. - Radiance Technologies Inc. - $95,000 - 01/18/06 - 5/30/07
  • AwwaRF 2873: Project Extension- Methods for Real-Time Monitoring of Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water Distribution Systems, G.L. Emmert, PI - American Water Works Association-Research Foundation - $81,402 - 05/06 - 08/07
  • BAFST Project, G.L. Emmert, PI - Radiance Technologies, Inc. - $95,000 - 1/06 - 5/30/07
  • TCAA Project, G.L. Emmert, PI - Hydroqual Inc. - $68,000 - 1/07 to 6/08
  • NSF-MRI- Acquisition of a HPLC-MS, NSF-MRI Program, G.L. Emmert, Co-PI - National Science Foundation - $365,600 - 8/06-8/10
  • NSF-MRI: Acquisition of a Spectrapolorimeter for Teaching and Research, NSF-MRI Program, G.L. Emmert Co-PI - National Science Foundation - $137,600 - 08/07-08/08
  • Development and Automated Drinking Water Disinfection System Offering On-Line Analysis of Disinfectants and Disinfection By-Products to Optimize Treatment Practices for Higher Water Quality, G.L. Emmert, Science PI - NASA-EPSCoR/TN EPSCoR/Vanderbilt University - $305,000 - 08/01/08 - 12/31/11
  • Developing a sensitive and selective method for the speciation of chloramines in treated drinking water, G.L. Emmert, PI - Buckman International Laboratories, Inc. - $41,753 - 08/01/09 – 4/30/10
  • Post-column HPLC for Inorganic Chloramines - Buckman International Laboratories, Inc. - $52,214 - 01/15/2010-12/31/2010-
  • Survey of THMs and HAAs in Bleach Feedstocks used for Drinking Water Disinfection - American Waterworks Association/Water Research Foundation - $125,116 - 08/01/2011 - 12/31/2012
  • Evaluating the Feasiability of Capillary Membrane Sampling for Measuring Trihalomethanes and Haloacetic Acids in Drinking Water - National Science Foundation-SBIR Program - Foundation Instruments Inc, $100K/ U of Memphis $50K - 07/01/14 - 07/31/15 (includes extension)
  • NSF SBIR Phase II: Commercilization of a Post Column Reaction-Ion Chromatograph for HAAs Analysis - National Science Foundation/Foundation Instruments, Inc - $750K (Foundation Instruments, Inc); $250K (U of Memphis) - Funded March 2016-September 31 2019
  • NIFA USDA-SBIR-Development of Rural Cooperatives for Improving Drinking Water Quality - US Dept of Agriculture - $100K - Aug 2016-March 2018
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences SBIR Phase I: Evaluating the feasibility of the TotalTHM-NOW for drinking water plants to improve water quality, reduce costs, and lower cancer risks. - NIH - $150K - 08/01/19- 02/ 28/21
  • “University of Memphis Contribution to the Spencer TN Task Force.” Tennessee Department of Environment and Conservation (TDEC) & Tennessee College/Underserved Community Participation Program (TN CUPP) - Tennessee Department of Environmental Quality - $149,991 - 05/1/20 - 05/30/22
  • National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences SBIR Phase II: Evaluating the feasibility of the TotalTHM-NOW for drinking water plants to improve water quality, reduce costs, and lower cancer risks. - NIH - $1.4M - 07/01/21 - 06/30/23
  • Partnership to Develop a Commercial Prototype of the Capillary Membrane Sampler-Flow Injection Analyzer, G.L. Emmert, PI - U of Memphis VP of Research and MAMML - $55,000 - 05/01/08 – 08/31/09
  • Commercialization of the Capillary Membrane Sampler-Flow Injection Analyzer - The University of Memphis-Fed Ex Technology Institute - $68,000 - 08/01/2008 – 03/31/09
  • Fast-Tracking the Commercialization of a Instrument for Drinking Water Monitoring - The University of Memphis, President’s Recovery Funding Award - $50,000 - 07/01/09 – 06/30/10
  • First Tennessee Entrepreneurship and Innovation Fellow - First Tennessee and Fed Ex Institute of Technology - 22,500 - 08/15/10-08/14/11
Service
  • Department - Full Membership to the Graduate Faculty at the University of Memphis - 08/02-present
  • Department - Chemistry Department Steering Committee - 05/04-07/31/08
  • Department - Graduate Coordinator of Chemistry M.S. and Ph.D. Programs - 05/04-07/31/12
  • University - Three Term Elected College of Arts & Sciences Representative of the University Graduate Council - 05/01/10 - 2016
Journal Articles
  • 1. Gordon , G., Gauw, R.G., Emmert, G.L., Bubnis, B., "The Kinetics and Mechanism of  ClO3- Formation Following the Electrolysis of Salt Brine: What Role do ClO2 and/or O3 Play?", Analytica Chemica Hungaria: Models in Chemistry, 135, (5), p 799-810, 1998.   
  • 2. Gordon, G., Emmert, G.L., Gauw, R.G., Bubnis, B., "Can Ozone and Ozone Oxidative By-Products be Formed During the Electrolysis of Salt Brine", Ozone Science and Engineering, 20, pp 239-249, 1998.  
  • 3. Gauw, R.D., Emmert, G. L., Bubnis, B., Gordon, G. "High Resolution Spectrophotometry for Identification of Chlorine Dioxide in Concentrated Chlorine Solutions", Talanta, 50, 1073-1078, 1999.  
  • 4. Emmert, G.L., Coutant, D. E., Sweetin, D. L., Gordon , G., Bubnis, B., "Studies of Selectivity in the the Amaranth Method for Chlorine Dioxide", Talanta, 51, 879-888, 2000.  
  • 5. Gordon, G., Gauw, R.D. , Emmert, G.L., Walters, B.D., Bubnis, B., "Chemical Reduction Methods for Bromate Ion Removal", Journal of American Water Works Association, 94(2) 2002 91-98.  
  • 6. Emmert, G.L., Puckett, S.D., Zhang, H., "A Survey of Alternative Colorimetric Reagents for Measuring Chlorine Dioxide Concentrations in Drinking Water", A invited review article appearing in Recent Research Developments in Pure and Applied Analytical Chemistry, Vol 4, 2002, 77-87.  
  • 7. Gordon, G., Gauw, R.D. , Emmert, G.L., Walters, B.D., Bubnis, B., "Measuring Oxidant Species in Electrolyzed Salt Brine Solutions," Journal of American Water Works Association, 2002, 94(10), 111-120.  
  • 8. Emmert, G.L., Cao, G., Duty, C.N., Wolcott, W., "Measuring Trihalomethane Concentrations in Water Using Supported Capillary Membrane Sampling-Gas Chromatography", Talanta, 63 (2004) 675-682.   
  • 9. Geme, G., Brown, M.A., Simone, P.S., Emmert, G.L., "Measuring the Concentrations of Drinking Water Disinfection By-Products Using Capillary Membrane Sampling-Flow Injection Analysis", Water Research, 2005, 39 (16), 3827-3836.   
  • 10. Brown, M.A., Simone, P.S., Emmert, G.L., "On-Line Monitoring of Trihalomethane Concentrations Using Capillary Membrane Sampling-Gas Chromatography", Analytica Chimica Acta, 2006, 555 (1) 75-83.      
  • 11. Emmert, G.L., M.A. Brown, Liao, Z., Cao, G., Duty, C.N., "Supported Capillary Membrane Sampling-Gas Chromatography on a Valve with a Pulsed Discharge Photoionization Detector", Analytica Chimica Acta, 2006, 560, Issues 1-2, 197-206.    
  • 12. Rahman, M., Sutter, C. H.,  Emmert, G. L., Sutter, T. R., ¡§Regioselective 2-hydroxylation of 17<beta>-estradiol by rat cytochrome P4501B1" Toxicology and Applied Pharmacology, 2006, 216, 3, 469-478.     
  • 13. Simone, P.S., Anderson, G.T., Emmert, G.L., "On-Line Monitoring of microgram/L Levels of Haloacetic Acids using Ion Chromatography with Post-Column Nicotinamide Reaction and Fluorescence Detection", Analytica Chimica Acta, 2006, 570, 2, 259-266.   
  • 14. Brown, M. A.; Miller, S.; Emmert, G. L., “On-line purge and trap gas chromatography for monitoring of trihalomethanes in drinking water distribution systems.    Analytica Chimica Acta, 2007,  592(2),  154-161. 
  • 16. Rahman, M., Lax,  S.F,  Sutter, C. H., Tran,  Q. T., Stevens, G.L.,  Emmert, G. L. Russo, J.,  Santen, R. J., Sutter, T. R., “CYP1B1 Is Not a Major Determinant of the Disposition of Aromatase Inhibitors in Epithelial Cells of Invasive Ductal Carcinoma,” Drug Metabolism and Disposition, 2008, 2008 36: 963-970.     
  • 17. P. S. Simone Jr ., P.L. Ranaivo, G. Geme, M. A.  Brown, G. L. Emmert, “On-line Monitoring of Nine Haloacetic Acid Species at the mg L–1 Level Using Post-Column Reaction-Ion Chromatography with Nicotinamide Fluorescence”,  Analytica Chimica Acta, 654 (2009) 133-140.   
  • 18. Emmert, G. L., G. Geme, M. A.  Brown, and P. S. Simone Jr ., A Single Automated Instrument for Monitoring Total Trihalomethane and Total Haloacetic Acid Concentrations in Near Real-Time,  Analytica Chimica Acta, 656 (2009) 1-7. (FEATURE ARTICLE).       
  • 19. Ranaivo, P.L., Henson, C.M., Simone Jr., P.S., Emmert, G.L. “Analysis of haloacetic acids in drinking water using post-column reaction ion-chromatography with on-line internal standardization.” Analytical Methods, 2011, 3, 2873 – 2880. DOI: 10.1039/C1AY05398A 
  • 20. Singh, W.M., Pegram, D.J., Duan, H., Kalita, D., Simone, P.S., Emmert, G.L., Zhao, X. “Hydrogen Production Coupled to Hydrocarbon Oxygenation from Photocatalytic Water Splitting.” Angewandte Chemie, On-line Nov 16, 2011. DOI: 10.1002/anie.201106494. 
  • 21. Williamson, J.P., and Emmert, G.L., A flow injection analysis system for monitoring silver (I) ion and iodine residuals in recycled water from recovery systems used for spaceflight, Analytica Chimica Acta, 792 (2013) 72– 78.
  • 22. Henson, C.M., Emmert, G.L., Simone, P.S., A fully automated analyzer for determining haloacetic acids concentrations in drinking water, Chemosphere, 117 (2014) 586-595.
  • 23. Brown, A.W., York, J.C., Simone, P.S., Emmert, G.L., A device for fully automated on-site process monitoring of trihalomethane concentrations in drinking water, Analytica Chimica Acta, 2015, 853, 351-359.
  •  Patents/Patents Pending/Invention Disclosures 
  • 1. Emmert, G.L., Brown, M.A., Geme, G., Simone Jr., P.S. Real-time, on-line analysis for the quantification of total haloacetic acids and trihalomethane species in drinking water supplies. Patent # 7,987,701 – Awarded Aug. 2, 2011

  • 2. Emmert, G.L., Simone Jr., P.S. Real-time, on-line analysis of haloacetic acid species and amounts thereof in drinking water supplies. Patent # 8,076,652 – Awarded Dec. 13, 2011
  • 3. Emmert, G.L., and Brown, M.A. (2008).  Real-time, on-line analysis for the quantification of trihalomenthane species within drinking water supplies. US Patent 8,336,371 - Awarded December 25, 2012.