Bernadette T. Donovan-Merkert

Bernadette T. Donovan-Merkert is an Interim Dean of the College of Science at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (since August 2023) and a Professor of Chemistry. Previously, she served as the CLAS Interim Divisional Dean for BIOL, CHEM, MATH, PHYS (January-July 2023), Chair of the Department of Chemistry (2004–2022), and Director of the Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Program (2011–2023). She holds a B.S. from Duke University and a Ph.D. from the University of Vermont, with postdoctoral work at Dartmouth College and the University of Texas at Austin.

Her research focuses on electron-transfer reactions of organometallic complexes, leveraging electrochemistry to study reactions under mild conditions and asymmetric transformations. Techniques include NMR, IR, ESR, and GC/MS. Her work is supported by the National Science Foundation, Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, and others.

• Educations:
  • B.S., Duke University, Chemistry
  • Ph.D., University of Vermont, Inorganic and Analytical Chemistry
  • Postdoctoral Fellowships: University of Texas at Austin (Electrochemistry, 1990–1992) and Dartmouth College (Organometallic Chemistry, 1988–1990)

Awards: Notable honors include Fellow of the American Chemical Society (2011), Bonnie Cone Fellowship (2010), and the Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award (1998). She has also been recognized for leadership in academic organizations, including roles in the American Chemical Society and Gordon Research Conferences.

Her academic service includes teaching courses such as Advanced Analytical Chemistry and leading interdisciplinary programs like the Nanoscale Science Ph.D. Program.