Faculty Profile for Dr. Bill Brittain

profile photo for Dr. Bill Brittain
Dr. Bill Brittain
Regents' Professor — Chemistry and Biochemistry
CHEM CHEM 238
phone: (512) 245-3308
Scholarly/Creative Work
Awards
Grants
Service

Biography Section

Biography and Education

 Bill Brittain holds a PhD in chemistry from Caltech. The sequence of positions he has held since postdoctoral work at Duke include: DuPont Central Research, University of Akron Polymer Science Department, Vice President Research at Bausch & Lomb, Program Officer at National Science Foundation and my current position at Texas State University

Teaching Interests

 chemistry for non-science majors, supramolecular chemistry and advanced organic

Research Interests

 photoactive organic compounds including synthesis, characterization and incorporation into hybrid systems.

Selected Scholarly/Creative Work

  • Rastogi, S. K., Dunnigan, J. K., Towne, A. C., Zhao, Z., Du, L., & Brittain, W. J. (2021). Photopharmacology of Azo-Combretastatin-A4: Utilizing Tubulin Polymerization Inhibitors and Green Chemistry as the Key Steps. Current Organic Chemistry, 25, 2457. https://doi.org/10.2174/1385272825666210526151222
  • Rastogi, S. K., Zhao, Z., Gildner, M. B. C., Shoulders, B. A., Velasquez, T. L., Blumenthal, M. O., … Brittain, W. J. (2021). Synthesis, optical properties and in vitro cell viability of novel spiropyrans and their photostationary states. Tetrahedron, 80, 131854.
  • Rastogi, S. K., Anderson, H. E., Lamas, J., Cantu, T., Zauscher, S., Brittain, W. J., & Betancourt, T. (2018). Enhanced Release of Molecules upon Ultraviolet (UV) Light Irradiation from Photoresponsive Hydrogels Prepared from Bifunctional Azobenzene and Four-Arm Poly(ethylene glycol). ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 10, 30071–30080. https://doi.org/10.1021/acsami.6b16183
  • Brittain, W. J., Rastogi, S. K., & Zauscher, S. (2018). The enduring utility of azobenzene as a photocontrol unit in hybrid macromolecular systems. In ABSTRACTS OF PAPERS OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY (Vol. 256).
  • Brittain, W. J., Rastogi, S. K., Rogers, R. A., & Rinaldi, P. (2018). Phenyl rotation barrier in Z-azobenzene: A physical organic problem in honor of JDR. JOURNAL OF PHYSICAL ORGANIC CHEMISTRY, 31(8). https://doi.org/10.1002/poc.3847

Selected Awards

  • Award / Honor Recipient: ACS POLY Fellow, American Chemical Society Polymer Chemistry Division. March 2010
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Distinguished Service, American Chemical Society Polymer Chemistry Division. April 2002
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Outstanding Researcher of the Year, University of Akron. 2001
  • Award / Honor Recipient: Elected Chair of ACS Polymer Chemistry Division, American Chemical Society Polymer Chemistry Division. January 1, 2001 - December 31, 2001
  • Award / Honor Recipient: GenCorp Signature Research Award. 1997

Selected Grants

  • Lewis, Karen A (Principal), Luxford, Cynthia J (Co-Principal), Wheeler, Brittany Marie (Co-Principal), Webre, Whitney Ann (Co-Principal), Holland, Cory Lee (Co-Principal), Betancourt, Tania (Supporting), Brittain, William J (Supporting), Hudnall, Todd W (Supporting), Irvin, Jennifer A (Supporting), Kerwin, Sean Michael (Supporting), Kornienko, Alexander Vladimir (Supporting), Peterson, Ryan Loren (Supporting), Rhodes, Christopher Peter (Supporting). REU Site: A Chemistry REU on Molecular Innovation and Exploration (CheMIE), National Science Foundation, Federal, $378188. (Submitted: August 25, 2021, Funded: April 15, 2022 - Present). Grant.
  • Betancourt, Tania (Principal), Brittain, William J (Co-Principal), Irvin, Jennifer A (Co-Principal), Theodoropoulou, Nikoleta (Co-Principal), Martin, Benjamin (Co-Principal), Rhodes, Christopher Peter (Co-Principal), Wistey, Mark A (Co-Principal), Miyahara, Yoichi (Co-Principal), Kerwin, Sean Michael (Co-Principal). TxState-UT PREM Center for Intelligent Materials Assembly (CIMA), National Science Foundation, Federal, $3822000. (Funded: July 1, 2021 - June 30, 2027). Grant.
  • Brittain, William J. $2.1M Extramural Support from University of Akron (1990-2006), $2115000. (Funded: 2006). Grant.
  • Brittain, William J. Supplemental Funding to Organize 2017 PREM Director's Meeting, Nattional Science Foundation, Federal, $50000. (Funded: August 2017 - March 2018). Grant.
  • Brittain, William J. Sixth Year Supplement to PREM Center: Interfaces in Materials, National Science Foundation, Federal, $200000. (Funded: June 1, 2017 - October 1, 2018). Grant.

Selected Service Activities

Chair
University Safety Committee
2012-Present
Member
Texas State Distinguished Professor Committee
2013
Chair
Texas State Involvement at SACNAS National Meeting in San Antonio
October 2013
panel member and site visitor
NSF Science and Technology Centers
2012
Co-organizer
Symposium on “Polymers in Organized Assemblies"
April 2012