Joe Merola 2013-2014
Dr. Joseph S. Merola is a Full Professor in the Department Chemistry in the College of Science. He earned a B.S. degree in chemistry from Carnegie-Mellon University in 1974 and a Ph.D. from The Massachusetts Institute of Technology in chemistry in1978. Dr. Merola joined the faculty of Virginia Tech in 1987 following nine years in the Corporate Research Laboratories of Exxon Research and Engineering Company. He quickly rose through the ranks becoming full professor in 1995. He has held positions of Associate Dean in the College of Arts and Sciences, Acting Dean of the Graduate School, Senior Administrative Fellow for University Restructuring, and Chair of the Department of Chemistry.
Dr. Merola's research is in the area of transition metal chemistry both for their activity as catalysts and as antibiotics.
In the realm of catalysis, the research emphasis is on the creation of new metal systems that can produce chemicals with greater efficiency and greater specificity toward the desired product.
In the realm of antibiotics, recent discoveries have shown that the combination of certain metals, appropriate organic groups and amino acids can produce selective antibiotics. We refer to these compounds as TTMCs, or Tailored Transition Metal Complexes. Several such tailored compounds have shown antibiotic activity against mycobacteria, including tuberculosis, a significant world health problem. A different series of tailored compounds show activity against MRSA, methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus, which is also a huge public health issue.
Dr. Merola has won 3 Certificates of Teaching Excellence, the Alumni Award for Teaching Excellence and the Wine Award for Teaching Excellence. He is a member of the Academy of Teaching Excellence.
Below are links to remarks made by Dr. Merola to the Board of Visitors in 2013-14 in his role as Faculty Senate president and faculty representative to the Board of Visitors:
