Kathleen Kilway

Kathleen Kilway is a Teaching Professor and Chair of the Department of Chemistry at the University of Missouri–Kansas City (UMKC), where she also serves as Associate Dean of Faculty Development in the School of Science and Engineering. She has been a key academic figure at UMKC since 1996, contributing significantly to both research and educational leadership.

Her academic credentials include:

• B.S. from St. Mary’s College (Notre Dame, IN), 1985
• M.S. in Chemistry from University of California, San Diego, 1987
• Ph.D. in Chemistry from University of California, San Diego, 1992

Kathleen's research is centered on two major thrusts: the development of biomaterials for medical applications such as bone cements, dental monomers, and antifungal/antibiotic materials; and fundamental organic chemistry involving twisted polycyclic aromatic compounds, cyclopropanes, molecular assemblies of organonitriles with silver salts, and conformational analysis. Her work integrates experimental synthesis with theoretical modeling, including studies of hydrogen bonding and carboxylate interactions on metal surfaces. This interdisciplinary approach bridges synthetic organic chemistry with materials science and biomedical engineering.

Kathleen Kilway has held postdoctoral research positions at the University of California, Berkeley, and the Faculté des Sciences de St. Jérôme in Marseilles, France, enriching her research perspective with international experience. While specific grants and advising records are not detailed in the text, her leadership roles as Department Chair and Associate Dean highlight her commitment to faculty development and academic excellence. Her active research laboratory is located in room 410C FH, indicating ongoing engagement in laboratory-based science.

She is recognized as a Curators Distinguished Teaching Professor, a title reflecting sustained excellence in pedagogy and curriculum development within the University of Missouri system. This honor underscores her dual impact on both research and education.

Her research group operates at the interface of organic synthesis and materials design, working on both linear and polycyclic systems with potential applications in medicine and nanotechnology. The group employs analytical testing, photoinitiation studies, and computational modeling to advance their work.