Jodi L. O'Donnell

A native of Hummelstown, PA, Dr. O'Donnell received a B.A. in Chemistry with a minor in Physics from Drew University in Madison, NJ. Following her undergraduate degree, she received a Ph.D. under the direction of Joseph T. Hupp at Northwestern University in Evanston, IL. Dr. O'Donnell's graduate research focused in the area of inorganic chemistry, with an emphasis on design, synthesis, and characterization of functional materials. She spent a year as a graduate fellow at Argonne National Lab in Argonne, IL working with Dr. David Tiede on developing wide angle x-ray scattering techniques. Dr. O'Donnell began her teaching career at Reed College in Portland, OR as a visiting faculty member before joining the Siena College faculty in 2007. At Siena, she teaches a variety of inorganic chemistry courses, general chemistry, and chemical communications.

My Siena Experience

My Teaching Philosophy

In the classroom, I’m known to be both passionate and tough. I find great joy in pushing students to what they think are their intellectual limits and then watching them sail beyond them. Part of the college experience is stretching your abilities far further than you imagined possible. 

What I Love About Siena

I love to teach at Siena because of the great interactions I get to have with our students in my classes and research lab.  

My Favorite Courses to Teach

My favorite classes to teach are general chemistry 1 and inorganic electives.  In these courses, I get to see students at the two extremes of their college career, and I enjoy seeing how they've grown.

My Professional Experience

Current Research

My research focuses on synthesis and characterization of thin-film and membrane materials.

Our goal in designing these materials is to use them for a variety of applications, including as VOC, ion pair, and biomimetic sensors, in novel liquid crystalline materials, photovoltaic devices and in electrochromic materials.  To learn more, visit my research webpage.

Articles & Book Reviews

• Impact of the Siena College Tech Valley Scholars Program on Student Outcomes
  Journal of STEM Education, vol. 17
  2016
• Impact of the Siena College Tech Valley Scholars Program on Student Outcomes
  Journal of STEM Education
  2016
• Synthesis and Characterization of Thermochromic Metal Complexes with A Near Room Temperature High-Spin to Low-Spin Crossover
  Chemical Educator, vol. 20
  2015
• Chlorocarbon and Alcohol Vapor Discrimination by Electropolymerized Ultrathin Chromophore Films
  Journal of the Electrochemical Society, vol. 160
  2013
• A Computational Approach to Walsh Correlation Diagrams for the Inorganic Chemistry Curriculum
  Chemical Educator, vol. 17
  2012
• Electropolymerized Ultrathin Chromophore Films for VOC Sensing
  Electrochemical Society Transactions, vol. 35
  2011
• Interfacially Polymerized Metalloporphyrin Thin Films for Colorimetric Sensing of Organic Vapors
  Sensors and Actuators B: Chemical, vol. 155
  2011
• Solution Phase Structural Characterization of Supramolecular Assemblies by High-Angle Molecular Diffraction
  Journal of the American Chemical Society, vol. 129
  2007
• Liquid/Liquid Interface Polymerized Membranes Displaying Size- Selective Molecular and Ionic Permeability
  Langmuir, vol. 22
  2006
• Supramolecular Porphyrinic Prisms: Coordinative Assembly and Preliminary Solution-Phase X-ray Structural
  Chemical Communications, vol. 44
  2006
• Permeable, Microporous Polymeric Membrane Materials Constructed from Discrete Molecular Squares
  Advanced Materials, vol. 15
  2003
• Interfacial Polymerization of Molecular Squares: Thin Microporous Membranes Featuring Size Selective Transport
  Materials Research Society Symposium Proceedings, vol. 734
  2002

Awards & Distinctions

• Cottrell College Science Award
  Category: Research
  Research Corporation for Scientific Advancement, 2013
• Scholarships for Tech Valley Scholars in Computational, Mathematical, and Physical Sciences
  Category: Teaching-Research-Service
  NSF S-STEM Grant, 2013
• Lab Grad Fellowship from Argonne National Laboratory Division of Educational Programs
  Category: Teaching
  Lab Grad Fellowship from Argonne National Laboratory Division of Educational Programs, 2004
• DOE National School on X-Ray and Neutron Scattering Scholarship
  Category: Research
  Argonne National Laboratory, 2003
• Donald E. Smith Award for Excellence in 300-Level Teaching
  Category: Teaching
  Donald E. Smith Award for Excellence in 300-Level Teaching, 2003
• American Institute of Chemists Award for Outstanding Senior Chemistry Major
  Category: Research
  American Institute of Chemists Award for Outstanding Senior Chemistry Major, 2000
• Drew University Gold 'D' Award
  Category: Research
  Drew University Gold 'D' Award, 2000
• Jean Asnell Durana Award for Outstanding Undergrad. Paper Presentation
  Category: Other
  Jean Asnell Durana Award for Outstanding Undergrad. Paper Presentation, 2000
• Drew University International Study Scholarship
  Category: Research
  Drew University International Study Scholarship, 1999

Books & Book Chapters

• Communication in Chemistry
  American Chemical Society (ACS)
  2019

Presentations

• Design and Synthesis of Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Porphyrin VOC Sensors
  March, 2016
  251st American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, San Diego, California
• Design and Synthesis of Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Porphyrin VOC Sensors
  March, 2016
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Writing research proposals across the undergraduate curriculum: Adapting a VIPEr Learning Object for use in multiple courses
  March, 2016
  251st American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, San Diego, California
• Metalloporphyrin-Based Dual-Mode Colorimetric Sensors
  2016
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 8th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Siena College First Year Research Fellows
  2016
  2016 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Greeley, Colorado
• Siena College Tech Valley Scholars program and STEM student retention
  2016
  2016 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Greeley, Colorado
• Synthesis and characterization of thermochromic metal complexes with near room temperature spin crossover: An undergraduate laboratory experiment
  2016
  2016 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Greeley, Colorado
• Writing research proposals across the undergraduate curriculum: Adapting a VIPEr learning object for use in multiple courses
  2016
  2016 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Greeley, Colorado
• Electropolymerized Metalloporphyrin-Based Colorimetric Sensors
  2015
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 7th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Generation of Liquid Crystalline Sensors by Alkylation of Porphyrin Species
  2015
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 7th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Metalloporphyrin-Based Dual-Mode Colorimetric Sensors
  2015
  250th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Boston, Massachusetts
• Synthesis of Cholesteric Ligands for Liquid Crystalline Porphyrin Sensors
  2015
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 7th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Redesigning the General Chemistry laboratory curriculum to an atoms-first approach
  August, 2014
  2014 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Allendale, Michigan
• Preparing PUI Students for Critical Thinking, Writing, and Presentation Skills Applicable to Graduate School
  2014
  2014 Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Allendale, Michigan
• Sensing of Chlorocarbon and Alcohol Vapors by Electropolymerized Porphyrin Thin Films
  April, 2013
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 5th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Synthesis of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Porphyrin Precursors
  April, 2013
  245th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, New Orleans, Louisiana
• Synthesis of Discotic Liquid Crystalline Porphyrin Precursors
  April, 2013
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 5th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Biomimetic Recognition of Glutamic Acid
  2013
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 5th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Sensing of Chlorocarbon and Alcohol Vapors by Electropolymerized Porphyrin Thin Films
  August, 2012
  244th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Highly Discriminatory Electropolymerized Porphyrin Sensors
  April, 2012
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 4th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Synthesis of Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Porphyrins
  April, 2012
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 4th Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Synthesis of Cholesteric Liquid Crystalline Porphyrins
  March, 2012
  243rd American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, San Diego, California
• Electropolymerized Ultrathin Chromophore Films for VOC Sensing
  May, 2011
  219th Electrochemical Society Meeting, Montreal, Quebec
• Electropolymerized Ultrathin Chromophore Films for VOC Sensing
  April, 2011
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 3rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Microwave Assisted Layer-By-Layer Assembly of Choromophore Thin Films
  April, 2011
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 3rd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Design of Metalloporphyrin Thin Film Materials for Colorimetric Sensing of Trace Organic Pollutants
  2011
  Invited Seminar, Union College Department of Chemistry, Schenectady, New York
• Sensing Volatile Organics with Zinc and Copper Metalloporphyrin-Based Films
  April, 2010
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 2nd Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Interfacially Polymerized Thin Film Colorimetric Sensors for Volatile Organics
  April, 2009
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 1st Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Layer-by-Layer Self Assembled Thin Film Materials Using Conventional and Microwave Assisted Techniques
  April, 2009
  Eastern New York Section of the American Chemical Society 1st Annual Undergraduate Research Symposium, Loudonville, New York
• Green Chemistry Labs: An Ongoing Process at Siena College
  August, 2008
  236th American Chemical Society National Meeting and Exposition, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
• Fabrication and Characterization of Self-Assembled Thin Film Materials for Colorimetric Sensing of Organic Pollutants
  June, 2008
  35th Northeast Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, Burlington, Vermont
• The Design of Smart Membrane Materials: Synthesis of Polymeric Porphyrinic Materials with Nanoscale Porosity
  2006
  Invited Seminar, Portland State University Department of Chemistry, Portland, Oregon
• The Design of Smart Membranes: Synthesis of Polymeric Porphyrinic Materials with Nanoscale Porosity
  2006
  Invited Seminar, Lewis and Clark College Department of Chemistry, Portland, Oregon
• Solution Phase Structural Analysis of Supramolecular Assemblies by High Angle Molecular Diffraction
  May, 2005
  Argonne National Laboratory Advanced Photon Source Users Meeting, Argonne, Illinois
• Solution Phase Structural Analysis of Supramolecular Assemblies by High Angle Molecular Diffraction
  May, 2005
  Argonne National Laboratory Center for Nanoscale Materials Meeting, Argonne, Illinois
• Towards New Porous Membrane Materials: Interfacial Polymerization of Porphyrins with Non-aggregating Functional Groups
  April, 2005
  Chicago Area Undergraduate Research Symposium, Chicago, Illinois
• Nanoporous Molecular Materials for Energy Harvesting, Storage, Conversion, and Release
  June, 2004
  Department of Energy Nanosummit, Washington, District of Columbia
• Solution Phase Structural Analysis of Supramolecular Assemblies by Wide Angle X-Ray Scattering
  May, 2004
  Argonne National Laboratory Center for Nanoscale Materials Meeting, Argonne, Illinois
• Interfacial Polymerization of Molecular Squares: Thin Microporous Membranes Featuring Size Selective Transport
  December, 2002
  Materials Research Society Fall Meeting, Boston, Massachusetts
• Mesoporous Porphyrin Molecular Square Membranes and Thin Films for Sensing Applications
  March, 2002
  Institute for Environmental Catalysis Industrial Associates Meeting, Evanston, Illinois
• The Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Silica Structures Based upon Nanocrystalline Cadmium Sulfide Templates
  April, 2000
  North Jersey ACS Student Affiliates Research Conference, Madison, New Jersey