Scott Gronert

Scott Gronert serves as Dean of the College of Letters & Science and Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. His research focuses on gas-phase reaction mechanisms, particularly exploring organometallic chemistry, C-H activation, and nucleophilic aromatic substitution in inert environments to elucidate intrinsic reaction pathways. He holds a BS from California State University, Long Beach (1983), a PhD from UC Berkeley (1987), and completed postdoctoral work at the University of Colorado (1987–1990).

His work integrates mass spectrometry and computational methods to study reactive intermediates, with recent contributions in protein carbonylation analysis, variable-temperature ion trap instrumentation, and gold-catalyzed rearrangements. Notable projects include developing cleavable biotin tagging reagents for protein site identification and investigating transition metal-mediated reactions in gas-phase environments.

Research themes emphasize mechanistic understanding through gas-phase studies, including proton affinities of polycyclic aromatics and kinetic competitions in base-catalyzed reactions. His lab’s innovations in analytical chemistry and catalytic systems bridge fundamental organic chemistry with biomedical applications.