College of Arts & Sciences at Tennessee Tech University

08/06/2026

At the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans, Josh Hall was presented with the Semlitsch Research Award. This award honors an early-career faculty member conducting experimental research in applied ecology/conservation in Herpetology. One award is given annually, and the award comes with a $5000 research fund.

The namesake of the award is Dr. Raymond Semlitsch who was a towering figure in ecology/herpetology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Ray died in 2016 and the award was established in his honor.

The award is granted by a committee associated with the Herpetologists' League, which is an international society dedicated to the study of Herpetology, established in 1946.

08/06/2026

Research Highlight – Angewandte Chemie International Edition Publication
A common practice in covalent organic framework (COF) research is to assign crystal structures based primarily on qualitative powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern matching. While convenient, this approach can sometimes lead to structural overinterpretation and irreproducible structure-property relationships.
In the recent Perspective published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Dr. Nguyen examines common pitfalls in COF structure determination and discusses why PXRD agreement alone is often insufficient to validate a structural model. Through representative case studies, he highlights how combining crystallographic, spectroscopic, microscopic, adsorption, and computational evidence can lead to more reliable structural assignments.
The Perspective proposes a multi-level evidence framework and practical recommendations aimed at improving rigor, transparency, and reproducibility in COF structural characterization. More broadly, the article advocates stronger alignment between structural claims and experimental evidence across the field of reticular chemistry.
Article:
Beyond PXRD Pattern Matching: Toward Rigorous Structure Determination in Covalent Organic Frameworks

08/06/2026

Research Highlight – Angewandte Chemie International Edition Publication
A common practice in covalent organic framework (COF) research is to assign crystal structures based primarily on qualitative powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD) pattern matching. While convenient, this approach can sometimes lead to structural overinterpretation and irreproducible structure-property relationships.
In the recent Perspective published in Angewandte Chemie International Edition, Dr. Nguyen examines common pitfalls in COF structure determination and discusses why PXRD agreement alone is often insufficient to validate a structural model. Through representative case studies, he highlights how combining crystallographic, spectroscopic, microscopic, adsorption, and computational evidence can lead to more reliable structural assignments.
The Perspective proposes a multi-level evidence framework and practical recommendations aimed at improving rigor, transparency, and reproducibility in COF structural characterization. More broadly, the article advocates stronger alignment between structural claims and experimental evidence across the field of reticular chemistry.
Article:
Beyond PXRD Pattern Matching: Toward Rigorous Structure Determination in Covalent Organic Frameworks
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/anie.2132280
The original version of this article can also be found in Dr. Nguyen's website:https://sites.tntech.edu/lhnguyen/wp-content/uploads/sites/177/2026/07/2026_Structural-Rigor-in-COFs_Original-Version.pdf

08/05/2026

At the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans, Josh Hall was presented with the Semlitsch Research Award. This award honors an early-career faculty member conducting experimental research in applied ecology/conservation in Herpetology. One award is given annually, and the award comes with a $5000 research fund.

The namesake of the award is Dr. Raymond Semlitsch who was a towering figure in ecology/herpetology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Ray died in 2016 and the award was established in his honor.

Here is a link to info about the award: https://herpetologistsleague.org/raymond-d-semlitsch-research-award/

The award is granted by a committee associated with the Herpetologists' League, which is an international society dedicated to the study of Herpetology, established in 1946.

The Herpetologists’ League offers a competitive research award for early career faculty in memory of Raymond D. Semlitsch, a consummate field ecologist and experimental biologist who dedicated his life’s work to understanding the ecology and evolution of amphibians and reptiles. Ray Semlitsch sp...

08/05/2026

At the Joint Meeting of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists in New Orleans, Josh Hall was presented with the Semlitsch Research Award. This award honors an early-career faculty member conducting experimental research in applied ecology/conservation in Herpetology. One award is given annually, and the award comes with a $5000 research fund.

The namesake of the award is Dr. Raymond Semlitsch who was a towering figure in ecology/herpetology in the late 20th and early 21st centuries. Ray died in 2016 and the award was established in his honor.

Here is a link to info about the award: https://herpetologistsleague.org/raymond-d-semlitsch-research-award/

The award is granted by a committee associated with the Herpetologists' League, which is an international society dedicated to the study of Herpetology, established in 1946.

07/29/2026

Provost Latour had the pleasure of meeting with Arts and Sciences students over lunch during his tour of the colleges. The students spoke passionately about their experiences at Tennessee Tech, highlighting their appreciation for the university, both inside and outside the classroom. They shared how opportunities such as undergraduate research and conference travel have enriched their education and prepared them for future success.
Pictured from left to right are Dean Daren Snider, Steven Peyatt, Julia Judd, Chloe Alto, Provost Latour, Lily Dodson, Abby Morris, Katie Nelson, Emma Krebs, and Miranda Gaupp.

06/29/2026

Twelve Tennessee Tech University students recently traveled to Los Angeles for an immersive study-away experience designed to deepen their understanding of Guatemalan culture and the broader Spanish-speaking community in the United States.
Organized by Tech's Office of Access, Belonging and Community Outreach, the trip was led by Assistant Professor of Spanish Joshua Martin, Director of Intercultural Affairs Charria Campbell and recruitment specialist Maria Baltazar.
Originally planned as a trip to Guatemala, the experience shifted to Los Angeles after travel concerns prompted organizers to seek an alternative destination.
“A growing number of the Spanish-speaking community in the Upper Cumberland area are from Guatemala, and so we wanted to make sure students had the opportunity to engage in experiential learning so that they could better appreciate and understand more about Guatemalan culture,” explained Martin. “We quickly pivoted to a ‘study away’ opportunity that would allow students to encounter similar experiences.”
Martin said Los Angeles proved to be a natural fit because of its vibrant Guatemalan community.

06/18/2026

Tennessee Tech University student Juliette Brame has been named a recipient of the 2026 American Chemical Society (ACS) Student Leadership Award, a national honor recognizing outstanding student leaders in the field of chemistry.

Brame, a rising junior chemistry major from Nashville, was one of just 15 students selected from a competitive pool of applicants from around the world to receive the award. Recipients are chosen based on their leadership within their university’s ACS student chapter and their potential to become future leaders within the professional organization.

As part of the award, Brame attended the ACS Leadership Institute in Atlanta earlier this year. The invitation-only conference brings together ACS leaders, committee chairs, board members and emerging leaders from across the country for leadership development workshops and networking opportunities.

Brame’s selection continues a remarkable streak for Tech’s Department of Chemistry. A Tech student has now earned the ACS Student Leadership Award for nine consecutive years.

06/01/2026

Twelve students and two faculty members from the Department of Earth Sciences recently completed an unforgettable field trip across Arizona as part of a class. During the class, students explored iconic geologic sites including the Grand Canyon, Meteor Crater, Petrified Forest National Park, and the San Francisco Volcanic Field. The experience provided hands-on opportunities to study volcanism, planetary geology, stratigraphy, paleontology , geoarcheaology, and Earth history while building lasting memories. This trip was generously supported by the College of Arts and Sciences and the Department of Earth Sciences.

05/08/2026

Congratulations to our graduates! We are so proud of you and can't wait to see what you do next. Best of luck with future endeavors.