Kristin Bowman-James

{{Short description|American chemist}}

{{Infobox scientist

| name = Kristin Bowman-James

| birth_name = Kristin Susan Bowman

| workplaces = Ohio State University
University of Kansas

| alma_mater = Temple University

| thesis_title = I. Azido complexes of nickel (II), palladium (II), and platinum (II). II. Iron (II) complexes as models for myoglobin

| thesis_url = http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/80128141

| thesis_year = 1974

}}

Kristin Susan Bowman-James is an American chemist who is a distinguished professor at the University of Kansas. Her research makes use of host–guest chemistry to design new molecules for biology and the environment. She was awarded the 2021 American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry.

Early life and education

Bowden-Jones is from Philadelphia.{{Cite web|title=Kristin Bowman-James|url=https://archive.chicagoacs.net/WCC/bowman-james.html|access-date=2021-04-18|website=archive.chicagoacs.net}} She earned her bachelor's and doctoral degree at Temple University. Whist she was originally considering majoring in astronomy, her freshman advisor recommended she tried a class in chemistry, and Bowman-James was instantly inspired. Her doctoral research considers azado complexes as models for myoglobin.{{Cite thesis|title=I. Azido complexes of nickel (II), palladium (II), and platinum (II). II. Iron (II) complexes as models for myoglobin|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/80128141|date=1974|place=Philadelphia|language=English|first=Kristin Susan|last=Bowman|oclc=80128141 }} She spent a year as a postdoctoral fellow at the Ohio State University, where she worked with Daryle H. Busch.

Research and career

In 1975, Bowman-Jones joined the faculty at the University of Kansas.{{Cite web|title=Distinguished chemistry professor Kristin Bowman-James helping plot KU's path for future|url=https://www2.ljworld.com/news/2011/aug/14/distinguished-chemistry-professor-kristin-bowman-j/|access-date=2021-04-18|website=LJWorld.com|language=en-US}} Bowman-James is interested in host–guest chemistry for the design of supramolecular assemblies and ions that are relevant for biology and environmental science. This chemistry allows the design of molecules that can capture two guests: chemical mustards and negatively charged ions (anions).{{citation needed|date=April 2021}}

Chemical mustards can be used as chemical blistering agents or in chemotherapy.{{Cite web|date=2013-03-01|title=Kristin Bowman-James|url=http://distinguishedprofessors.ku.edu/professor/bowmanjames-k|access-date=2021-04-18|website=Distinguished Professors|language=en}} Bowman-James has designed molecules that can bind to and neutralise the toxicity of mustard gas, allowing for it to be identified and decommissioned. She has made use of the concepts of transition metal coordination chemistry to coordinate anions.{{Cite web|title=Extracting inorganic ions, organically|url=https://cen.acs.org/articles/94/i42/Extracting-inorganic-ions-organically.html|access-date=2021-04-18|website=cen.acs.org}} Bowman-James was the first to recognise that anions and transition metals had many similarities. She makes use of the anions for environmental applications, including selective sensing, separation and catalysis. Her early work considered polyammonium macrocycles as enzyme mimics, whilst her later research evaluated the structural motifs of halides and oxoanions.

In 1997, Bowman-Jones co-edited the first book on anion chemistry, Supramolecular Chemistry of Anions, published by Wiley.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36430692|title=Supramolecular chemistry of anions|date=1997|publisher=Wiley-VCH|others=Antonio Bianchi, Kristin Bowman-James, Enrique García-España|isbn=0-471-18622-8|location=New York|oclc=36430692}} She published the sequel, Anion Coordination Chemistry, in 2011.{{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/768230384|title=Anion coordination chemistry|date=2012|publisher=Wiley-VCH|others=Kristin Bowman-James, Antonio Bianchi, Enrique García-España|isbn=978-3-527-63950-2|location=Weinheim|oclc=768230384}}

From 1995 to 2001, Bowman-Jones served as chair of the faculty of chemistry at the University of Kansas.{{Cite web|title=St. Louis Section–American Chemical Society » Dr. Kristin Bowman-James: 2003 Midwest Award Winner|url=https://www.stlacs.org/awards/midwest-award/dr-kristin-bowman-james-2003-midwest-award-winner/|access-date=2021-04-18|language=en-US}} She was made a University Distinguished Professor in 2007.{{citation needed|date=April 2021}} She led the National Science Foundation Program to Stimulate Competitive Research. In 2021, she became the second woman to win the American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry.{{Cite web|title=ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry|url=https://www.acs.org/content/acs/en/funding-and-awards/awards/national/bytopic/acs-award-in-inorganic-chemistry.html|access-date=2021-04-18|website=American Chemical Society|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-08-27|title=Distinguished professor wins major national chemistry award|url=https://today.ku.edu/distinguished-professor-wins-major-national-chemistry-award|access-date=2021-04-18|website=The University of Kansas|language=en}}{{Cite web|date=2020-09-10|title=American Chemical Society Recognizes the Work of Kristin Bowman-James|url=https://www.wiareport.com/2020/09/american-chemical-society-recognizes-the-work-of-kristin-bowman-james/|access-date=2021-04-18|website=Women In Academia Report}}

Awards and honors

  • 2002 American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee Award for Diversity
  • 2003 American Chemical Society Midwest Award Winner{{Cite web|title=BER Research Highlights|url=https://public.ornl.gov/site/printable/search_news_action.cfm?webid=SBR&hlyear=2003|access-date=2021-04-18|website=public.ornl.gov}}
  • 2010 Elected Fellow of the American Chemical Society"[https://www.acs.org/content/dam/acsorg/funding/fellows/acs-fellows-list-20.xlsx List of all ACS Fellows]", American Chemical Society. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  • 2011 University of Kansas Leading Light Award"[https://chem.ku.edu/people/faculty/bowman-james Kristin Bowman-James]", Department of Chemistry, The University of Kansas. Retrieved May 16, 2021.
  • 2021 American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry

Selected publications

  • {{Cite Q|Q34443597}}
  • {{Cite Q|Q79315081}}
  • {{Cite Q|Q37785770}}

= Books =

  • {{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/36430692|title=Supramolecular chemistry of anions|date=1997|publisher=Wiley-VCH|others=Antonio Bianchi, Kristin Bowman-James, Enrique García-España|isbn=0-471-18622-8|location=New York|oclc=36430692}}
  • {{Cite book|url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/768230384|title=Anion coordination chemistry|date=2012|publisher=Wiley-VCH|others=Kristin Bowman-James, Antonio Bianchi, Enrique García-España|isbn=978-3-527-63950-2|location=Weinheim|oclc=768230384}}

Personal life

Outside of science, Bowman-James is interested in fast cars. She owns a 1975 Corvette and a 2010 Corvette Grand Sport.

References