Wayne Bosma

Education

Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Rochester

B.S., Chemistry, Calvin College

Biography

Dr. Bosma earned a B.S. in Chemistry at Calvin College. During his undergraduate career, he worked on undergraduate research projects in the areas of computational chemistry and laser spectroscopy. He then earned his Ph.D. at the University of Rochester, where his research was done under the guidance of Dr. Shaul Mukamel in the area of theoretical predictions of optical and infrared spectroscopy. After earning his Ph.D., he worked as a postdoctoral fellow in the laboratory of Peter Rossky at the University of Texas at Austin. Prior to joining the Bradley University faculty in 1997, Dr. Bosma taught for a year at the U.S. Air Force Academy and for two years at Denison University.

Teaching

• Physical Chemistry 1 and 2
• Physical Chemistry Laboratory
• Molecular Modeling
• General Chemistry 1 and 2
• Chemistry and Civilization
• Science and Faith (Honors Seminar)

Scholarship

Dr. Bosma’s research is primarily in the area of computational quantum chemistry, with an emphasis on hydrogen bonded systems. Past research projects have included calculating the structures and vibrational spectra of carbohydrates and carbohydrate-water complexes, including showing the importance of explicit water molecules in modeling the conformation of cellobiose in aqueous solution.

Much of our recent research has been in collaboration with experimental groups, including colleagues at Bradley and at the USDA’s National Center for Agricultural Utilization Research (NCAUR) in Peoria. We have worked with Dr. Brad Andersh on the explanation of an unexpected pathway taken in the synthesis of an organic molecule, and with Drs. Edward Remsen and Dean Campbell on a study of molecules important in the manufacturing of silicon wafers for microprocessors.

SELECTED PUBLICATIONS (*undergraduate student, **graduate student):

N. M. Smiddy, N. M.**; Sedlacko, J.L.; Ramia, C. M.*; Schneider, P. E.*; Campbell, D. J.; Bosma, W. B.; Remsen, E. E. “Spectroscopic and Computational Characterization of the Adsorption of Quaternary Ammonium Ions on Ceria-Supported Colloidal Silica Particle Films.” Langmuir 2025, 41, 22048-22058.

Appell, M.; Jackson, M. A.; L. C. Wang, L. C.; Bosma, W. B. “Determination of Citrinin Using Molecularly Imprinted Solid Phase Extraction Purification, HPLC Separation, and Fluorescence Detection,” J. Liq. Chromatogr. Related Technol. 2015, 38, 1815-1819 (2015).

Andersh, B. J.; Nguyen, E. T**; Van Hoveln, R. J.*; D. K. Kemmerer, D. K.*; Baudo, D. A.**; Graves, J. A.*; Roark, M.*; Bosma, W. B. “Investigation of the Mechanism for the Preparation of 6-Phenyldihydro-2H-pyran-2,4(3H)-diones by the Potassium Carbonate Promoted Condensation between Acetoacetate Esters and Benzaldehyde,” J. Org. Chem. 2013, 78, 4563-4567.

Andersh, B. J.; Bosma, W. B.; Hammar, M. K*; Graves, J. A.*; Moon, K. N.*; Newborn, C. R.*; “Addition of “HOBr” to trans-Anethole: Investigation of the Regioselectivity and the Stereoselectivity of an Addition Reaction,” J. Chem. Educ. 2013, 90, 1504-1508.

Bosma, W. B.; Bartelt, R.; Momany, F. A. “Determination of the preferred conformation of the bicyclic Galerucella pheromone using density functional theory optimization and calculations of chemical shifts.” J. Org. Chem. 2006, 71, 4748-4758.

Appell, M.; Moravec, D*; Bosma, W. B. “Quantum chemical study of the structure and properties of citrinin,” Mol. Sim. 2011, 38, 284-293.

Campbell, D. J.; Bosma, W. B.; Bannon, S. J.*; Gunter, M. M.*; Hammar, M. K.* “Demonstration of Thermodynamics and Kinetics Using FriXion Erasable Pens,” J. Chem. Educ. 2012, 89, 526-528.

Bosma, W. B.; Schnupf, U.; J. L. Willett, J. L.; Momany, F. A. Density functional study of the infrared spectrum of glucose and glucose monohydrates in the OH stretch region. J. Mol. Struct. (Theochem) 2009, 905, 59-69.

Bosma, W. B.; M. Appell, J. L. Willett, and F. A. Momany, “Stepwise hydration of cellobiose by DFT methods: 1. Conformational and structural changes brought about by the addition of 1-4 water molecules.” J. Mol. Struct. (Theochem) 2006, 776, 1-19.

Bosma, W. B.; Appell, M.; Willett, J. L; Momany, F. A. “Stepwise hydration of cellobiose by DFT methods: 2. Energy contributions to relative stabilities of cellobiose·(H₂O)_1-4 complexes.” J. Mol. Struct. (Theochem) 2006, 776, 21-31.

Momany, F. A.; Appell, M.; Willett, J. L.; Bosma, W. B. “B3LYP/6-311++G** Geometry Optimization Study of Pentahydrates of a- and b-D-Glucopyranose.” Carbohydr. Res. 2005, 340, 1638-1655.

Service

Dr. Bosma has served as the Department’s graduate coordinator, and on several University committees, including the Graduate Executive Committee. He has also been very involved in the Illinois Heartland Local Section of the American Chemical Society, having served as chair in 2009 and 2010, and being a co-coordinator for the Section’s annual High School Chemistry Contest when it is held at Bradley University. He serves as the four-year college chair of the Chemistry Panel for the Illinois Articulation Initiative.