F. James Holler

Professor of Chemistry
Analytical Chemistry and Chemical Education

Office: 209 Chemistry-Physics Building
Phone: (859) 257-5884
FAX: (859) 323-1069
Email: holler@pop.uky.edu

1977 Ph.D., Michigan State University
1973 M.S., Ball State University
1968 B.S., Ball State University

The Comic Book Periodic Table

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Our research has involved reaction-rate methods of analysis, flow techniques including stopped-flow mixing and flow injection for rapid analysis, laboratory automation, and the application of microcomputer and electronics technologies to the development of new instrumentation for rapid analysis.

Projects have included the development of the theory of temporal optimization, the application of droplet production technology to mixing of reagents on the microsecond time scale, the design, construction and evaluation of a completely automated conductometric titrator based on the bipolar pulse technique, the design, construction, and application of an automatic stopped-flow mixing system with on-line analysis of reaction-rate data, and kinetic investigations, equilibrium studies, and analytical applications of pentacyanoferrate(II) chemistry.

We are interested in the use of visual pattern recognition methodology such as Chernoff faces for application to chemistry and cosmology. We are collaborating with Professor Suketu P. Bhavsar of the UK Department of Physics and Astronomy to use Chernoff faces to confirm models for large-scale structure of the universe.

Much of our effort is now directed toward chemical education. We are involved in the writing of textbooks for analytical chemistry and in the use of computer and video technologies in chemistry instructions. In addition, we are developing various ways to use popular culture in teaching chemistry.