Dr. ​Uruthira Kalapathy

Dr. Kalapathy teaches analytical chemistry and instrumental method classes and has a wide range of research experience in Electrochemistry, Food chemistry, and silica based materials.

Biography

With the work experience in hydro-geochemistry and research background in theoretical and experimental electrochemistry, Dr. Kalapathy worked as a researcher at University of Arkansas in the area of Food Science which helped to build experience in applied chemistry relevant to food industry. Since he joined Claflin in 2002, he has been an active faculty member of the chemistry department. He served as an interim chair for one year, and currently serving as a campus director of the SC Space Grant Consortium (NASA). A REAP grant from SCSGC allowed him to initiate his research in the area of silica based nanomaterials at Claflin.

Education

• North Dakota State University, North Dakota, USA. Chemistry, Ph. D. 1992
• University of Colombo, Srilanka. Chemistry, M. S. 1982,
• University of Jaffna, Srilanka, B. S. Chemistry and Physics 1979
• North Carolina State University, North Carolina, USA, Electrochemistry, Post-Doctoral Research, 1992 to 1993

Research Interests

• Silica nanoparticles as a substrate for developing optical probes and composite materials.
• Application of vibrational spectroscopy in studying kinetics of enzymatic hydrolysis
• Chemical process for producing pure silica from rice hull, thermal insulation material from silica, and refining vegetable oil using silicate films

Experience

Working experince in hydrogeochemistry and Food chemistry combined with research experience in electrochemistry have helped to transform Dr. Kalapthy’s analytical chemistry courses into application oriented courses with an integrated approach that. provides a multidisiplinary scope to his classes .

Activities and Honors

• Associate editor, J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc .
• Reviewer, J. Amer. Oil Chem. Soc., J. Agric. and Food Chem., Cereal Chemistry
• Member, American Chemical Society, American Oil Chemists’ society,
• Campus Director for South Carolina Space Grant Consortium (SCSGC)
• Director of Supplemental Instruction for chemistry and physics (SI), 2004-2012

Recent Publications

• Latoya, W., Woods, R and Kalapathy U. 2015, Antioxidants from Soy hull, INFORM. American Oil Chemists’ Society (AOCS) 26(10):628-631.

Recent Presentations

• J. Kadejah Johnson, C. Hudson, A. Boone, and U. Kalapathy, Forensic Application of Raman Spectroscopy for the Analysis of Pen Inks, SERMACS 2015, Knoxville, TN
• R. Blackwood, I. Simpson, and S. Kuriyavar, H. Fan-Hagenstein, U. Kalapathy, Application of vibrational Spectroscopy for monitoring Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Soy hull, SERMACS 2014, Nashville, TN.
• A. Payne, M. Patel, W. Jones, S. Kuriyavar, H. Fan-Hagenstein and U. Kalapathy, The effect of counter ions and hydrogen bonding on the vibrational spectra of anions , SERMACS 2014, Nashville, TN.
• E. Trapp, S. Kuriyavar, H. Fan Hagenstein, , U. Kalapathy: Preparation and Characterization of Ag coated silica nanoparticles. SERMACS 2013 ,Raleigh, NC.
• Mary O. Olagunju and Uruthira Kalapathy, Silica Nanoparticles as a carrier of fluorescence molecule. SERMACS, October 2012, Raleigh , NA.