Teaching (back to top)

Originally from Lima, Peru, Dr. Zavaleta joined the university's Lima campus as an Assistant Professor in the winter of 2007, and is responsible for teaching standard organic chemistry courses. Because we are an OSU regional center, our curriculum and required study materials match those used at the university's main campus (Columbus), where, occasionally, Dr. Zavaleta also teaches (summer terms). For a list of current and past courses taught in both Lima and Columbus campuses visit:https://pro.osu.edu/profiles/zavaleta.3

Prior to his current appointment, Dr. Zavaleta was a Temporary Assistant Professor (Franklin Fellow) at the University of Georgia, where he taught large classes (200-300 students), was involved in curriculum development, and where he also helped as Organic Chemistry Laboratory Coordinator, handling 44 laboratory sections and supervising 26 Teaching Assistants.

Research and Special Interests (back to top)

Currently, my research work is exclusively carried out at the OSU main campus and with Columbus campus students. Our interest is in the area of Supramolecular Chemistry, and particularly, in the design, development, and study of chemosensors, that is, molecules whose color and/or light-emitting properties (i.e. fluorescence) change in response to a specific input or analyte (see Figure below). A good chemosensor is capable of differentiating from a number of other possible analytes (i.e. molecular recognition occurs) and to bind to it, typically through hydrogen bonding interactions, to form a complex. Moreover, binding of the analyte causes a perturbation in the electronic properties of the chemosensor, an interference which is perceived as an optical change.

Because the intensity of the optical response is proportional to the amount of analyte present, chemosensors can be used to quantify the amount of a substance in a given mixture. Thus, research in this field can find application in medical diagnostics (i.e. What are the calcium or urea or creatinine, etc levels in this blood serum sample?), quality/security control (i.e. regulated substances, explosives detection, etc), and medical research. Chemosensors are ultimately immobilized on polymer surfaces. Since the formation of a chemosensor:analyte complex is a reversible process, analytes can be easily washed away and polymer-immobilized chemosensors reused immediately after an application. Our scientific investigations require extensive synthesis and spectroscopic analyses (NMR, UV-Vis, fluorescence). Columbus campus students interested in this field of chemistry may contact Dr. Zavaleta as indicated below.

Columbus campus contact information:

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