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David Kammler blue jacket tie

David Kammler


Associate Professor of Chemistry

Location: 230 McGregor Hall

Dr. David Kammler is interested in a wide variety of activities, disciplines, and modes of inquiry, especially: astronomy and space exploration, biochemistry, chemistry, cooking, gardening, history, philosophy, running, soccer, and teaching.  Dr. Kammler began to focus on chemistry and biochemistry in college, and graduated from Harvard University in 1994 with an AB, Cum Laude, in Chemistry.  During this time Dr. Kammler fell in love with teaching and the interdisciplinary modes of inquiry found within liberal arts colleges.  After a short hiatus for rest, recovery, cooking, and more teaching, Dr. Kammler attended graduate school at Indiana University, Bloomington, and was awarded a Ph.D. in Chemistry (Organic Chemistry major, Biochemistry minor) in 2002.  Dr. Kammler came to Antioch College as a Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry, and then an Assistant Professor of Chemistry, where he remained until the school’s closure in 2008.  During this time, he taught majors classes in chemistry and biomedical science, as well as interdisciplinary general education classes such as the science of cooking, chemistry and art, and fresh water chemistry, all of which included healthy doses of history, philosophy, and hands-on learning.  From 2008-2011, Dr. Kammler was an Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Wilberforce University, where he taught majors classes in biomedical science and health services administration, as well as general education classes.  In 2011, Dr. David Kammler was privileged to join the new Antioch College, where he currently teaches chemistry and chemistry-related classes for the biomedical science and environmental science majors, as well as general education classes, with the expected sprinklings of art, astronomy, history, philosophy and, of course, humor.  In 2012, Dr. Kammler became the Associate Dean of Academic Affairs, responsible for a wide variety of practical curricular mechanics, which increased when he became Dean of Academic Affairs in 2016.  According to sources that could just possibly be reliable, he continues to have a sense of humor, and still finds writing his own biographical sketches rather odd.  Dr. Kammler is a third-generation Eagle Scout, has written, received, and reviewed scientific grants and patents, has received three distinguished teaching awards since his teaching career began in 1992, and is most assuredly a foodie.

 

EDUCATION

  • Ph.D., Organic Chemistry, Indiana University, Bloomington
  • A.B., Chemistry, Harvard University

COURSES

  • Chem 105/160: General Chemistry I/II + Lab
  • Chem 205/330: Organic Chemistry I/II + Lab
  • Chem 340: Biochemistry (now a two-course series, Chem 341/342)
  • GS 110: Global Seminar: Water
  • GS 160: Global Seminar: Education

AREAS OF INTEREST

  • Organic and Biological Chemistry
  • Chemistry of Art
  • Science of Cooking

RECOMMENDED LIGHT READING

  • The Chronicles of Master Li and Number Ten Ox (Bridge of Birds, Story of the Stone, Eight Skilled Gentlemen) by Barry Hughart
  • The Mars Trilogy (Red Mars, Green Mars, Blue Mars) by Kim Stanley Robinson
  • Snow Crash by Neal Stephenson
  • The Diamond Age, or A Young Lady’s Illustrated Primer, by Neal Stephenson
  • Buck Godot: Zap Gun For Hire by Phil Foglio
  • On Food and Cooking: The Science and Lore of the Kitchen, 2nd Edition, by Harold McGee
  • Caveman Chemistry: 28 Projects, from the Creation of Fire to the Production of Plastics by Kevin M. Dunn

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS

  • Woehrle, J., Kammler, D., & Spirrison, H. (2016). Minimally Invasive Assessment.  Intersection, The newsletter of the Association for the Assessment of Learning in Higher Education, Fall Edition, 12-15.
  • “Studies of Azetidin-2-one as a Reactive Enolate Synthon of β-Alanine for Condensations with Aldehydes and Ketones”, Williams, D. R.; Donnell, A. F.; Kammler, D. C.; Ward, S. A.; Taylor IV, L. J. Org. Chem. 2016, 10463-10475; published on the Web (ASAP Article) September 14, 2016 DOI: 10.1021/acs.joc.6b01585
  • “A Service-Learning Project in Chemistry: Environmental Monitoring of a Nature Preserve”, Kammler, D.; Truong, T.; VanNess, G.; McGowin, A. J. Chem. Educ201289, 1384-1389.  Featured on the cover of the November 2012 issue.  Published on the Web 9/4/12. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/ed300109k