Christine Ingersoll
Education
- Ph.D., State University of New York at Buffalo
- B.S., magna cum laude, State University of New York, College at Oswego
Teaching Interests
My teaching interests are primarily in the field of analytical chemistry and I regularly teach the two-course sequence, Analytical Chemistry I and II. Students in these courses develop their skills in advanced equilibrium, uncertainty propagation, calibration methods, statistical experimental design and data analysis, electrochemistry, analytical separations/chromatography and spectroscopy. We engage together in learning about the theory and applications of instrumentation, both in the classroom and in the laboratory.
I am also passionate about teaching introductory chemistry and general chemistry. Students in introductory chemistry come from a variety of backgrounds and plan to pursue majors in the natural sciences. We work to develop problem solving skills needed to succeed in general chemistry and upper-level courses in the sciences.
Other courses I have taught include fluorescence spectroscopy and laboratory automation and robotics, and I plan to offer a course in mass spectrometry in the future. In these upper-level, literature-based courses, students help shape the content and direction of the course and we visit industry laboratories to gain multiple perspectives on what we are learning in the classroom.
In all my courses, my students and I share the commitment to a culture of academic rigor, inclusivity, effective communication and collaboration.
Research and Scholarship
Collaboration―with my students, colleagues and industrial partners―has been at the heart of my research program at Muhlenberg. Together, we leverage analytical chemistry to work with other scientists on cross-disciplinary research questions. Here at Muhlenberg, a collaboration with Dr. Richard Niesenbaum (professor of biology), investigated plant-insect interactions. We used HPLC to quantify phenolic compounds in plants to correlate light environment, plant chemistry and herbivory in the field. Currently, we work alongside Dr. Jeremy Teissere (professor of neuroscience) and his students to better understand modulation of the GABAA receptor in the brain. Using LC-MS and GC-MS, our goal is to develop and implement methods to identify and quantify constituents in herbal extracts. Our collective results to date suggest a chemical basis for the modulation of the GABAA receptor.
Our extensive work with external researchers include a collaboration with scientists at Johnson & Johnson, where we developed novel approaches using design of experiments (DOE) to prepare cell culture media samples for GC-MS characterization. Currently we are working with chemists from The Mentholatum Company on the GC-MS characterization of forced-degradation of natural pharmaceutical ingredients.
Our work together on these research endeavors has resulted in co-authored publications and conference presentations.
- Chemistry Independent Study/Research - GCMS Analysis of Acetals
- Chemistry Independent Study/Research: GABA HPLC
- Chemistry Independent Study/Research: GCMS Analysis of Acetals
- Instrumental Analysis
- Introductory Chemistry
- Project Lab: Community-Engaged Chemistry
- Quantitative Analysis
Peer-Reviewed Publications (* student co-author)
C.M. Ingersoll, R.A. Niesenbaum, C.E.Weigle*, and J.H. Lehman* “Total Phenolics and Individual Phenolic Acids Vary with Light Environment in Lindera benzoin,” Botany, 2010, 88:11, 1007-1010.
C.M. Ingersoll and C.M. Strollo*, “Steady State Fluorescence Anisotropy to Investigate Flavonoids Binding to Proteins,” Journal of Chemical Education, 2007, 84, 1313-1315.
R.A. Niesenbaum, J.F. Cahill, and C.M. Ingersoll, “Light, Wind, and Touch Influence Leaf Chemistry and Rates of Herbivory in Apocynum cannabinum (apocynaceae),” International Journal of Plant Sciences, 2006, 167:5, 969-978.
C.M. Ingersoll, K.A. Widmann*, C.W. Szakal*, A.M. Fermier, and J.M. Troisi, “Incorporating Automation in Undergraduate Laboratories,” Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation, 2003, 8:4, 31-34.
C.M. Ingersoll, D.E. Roland, Jr.*, A.M. Kacuba*, C.L. Wilkinson*, and J.M. Berty, “Removal of Sulfur Oxides from Diesel Exhaust Gases,” Environmental Progress 2003, 22:3, 199-205.
M. Ciubotaru, F.V. Bright, C.M. Ingersoll, and G.B. Koudelka, “DNA-Induced Conformational Changes in Bacteriophage 434 Receptor,” Journal of Molecular Biology 1999, 294, 859-873.
M.K. Carroll, M.A. Unger, A.M. Leach, M.J. Morris, C.M. Ingersoll and F.V. Bright, “Investigation of Dye-Surfactant Interactions Using Molecular Spectroscopy,” Applied Spectroscopy 1999, 53, 780-784.
A.M. Hartnett, C.M. Ingersoll, G.A. Baker and F.V. Bright, “Kinetics and Thermodynamics of Free Flavins and the Flavin-Based Redox Active Site Within Glucose Oxidase Dissolved in Solution or Sequestered Within a Sol-Gel-Derived Glass,” Analytical Chemistry 1999, 71, 1215-1224.
A.N. Watkins, C.M. Ingersoll, G.A. Baker and F.V. Bright, “A Parallel Multiharmonic Frequency-Domain Fluorometer for Measuring Excited-State Intensity Decay Kinetics Following One-, Two-, or Three-Photon Excitation,” Analytical Chemistry 1998, 70, 3384-3396.
C.M. Ingersoll, A.N. Watkins, G.A. Baker and F.V. Bright, “Tracking Nanosecond and Sub-Nanosecond Protein Dynamics On-The-Fly Using Frequency-Domain Fluorescence,” Applied Spectroscopy 1998, 52, 933-942.
C.M. Ingersoll and F.V. Bright, “Sol-Gel-Derived Chemical Sensing Platforms: Effects of Dopant Addition Time on Sensor Performance,” Journal of Sol-Gel Science and Technology 1998, 11, 169-176.
C.M. Ingersoll and F.V. Bright, “Using Fluorescence to Probe Biosensor Interfacial Dynamics,” Analytical Chemistry 1997, 69, 403A-408A.
C.M. Ingersoll and F.V. Bright, “Sol-Gel-Based Platforms for Chemical Sensors,” CHEMTECH, 1997, 27, 26-31.
C.M. Ingersoll and F.V. Bright, “Sol-Gel-Based Biosensors,” in 1997 McGraw-Hill Yearbook of Science and Technology, Encyclopedia of Science & Technology, 1997, p. 47-48.
C.M. Ingersoll, J.D. Jordan and F.V. Bright, “Probing Accessibility of the Fluorescent Reporter Group in Native, Silica-Adsorbed and Covalently Attached Acrylodan-Labeled Serum Albumins,” Analytical Chemistry 1996, 68, 3194-3198.
Book Review
C.M. Ingersoll. Book Review on The Practice of Chemistry by Wink, Fetzer-Gislason, and McNicholas. Journal of Chemical Education, 2004, 81, 36-37.
Publicity Articles
Chemical & Engineering News recognizing the recipients of the ACS WCC Rising Star Award, April 2012.
“Industry Teams Up With Academia at Muhlenberg College” Feature Story following technical article in the August 2003 issue of the Journal of the Association for Laboratory Automation, (p. 35-36) includes cover photo with students.
“Identifying Bacteria: Looking for a Fast Track” Special Report in March 29, 1999 issue of Chemical and Engineering News, includes collaboration on the detection of E. coli using tellurium-based dyes.
Invited Presentations
C.M. Ingersoll, “A Collaborative, Interdisciplinary Undergraduate Research Program in Analytical Chemistry” Lehigh Valley ACS WCC Meeting (Sept. 2014).
C.M. Ingersoll, Keynote address for PAGES (Philadelphia Area Girls Engaged in Science) program for 130 6th grade girls at a day-long science symposium, Chestnut Hill College (Nov. 2012)
C.M. Ingersoll, “A Collaborative Undergraduate Research Program in Analytical Chemistry at a Liberal Arts College” 243rd National Meeting of the American Chemical Society, San Diego, CA (Mar. 2012).
C.M. Ingersoll, “From Plants to Cell Culture Media: An Undergraduate Research Program in Analytical Chemistry” State University of New York at Buffalo Chemistry Department, Buffalo, NY (Aug. 2011).
C.M. Ingersoll, “Molecule Day: Laboratory Projects Based on an Interdisciplinary Theme” Mid-Atlantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, New Brunswick, NJ (May 2005).
C.M. Ingersoll, “Automation in the Undergraduate Analytical Laboratory” Moravian College Seminar Series, Bethlehem, PA (Feb. 2003).
C.M. Ingersoll, “Automation in the Undergraduate Analytical Laboratory” William Paterson University Seminar Series, Wayne, NJ (Feb. 2003).
C.M. Ingersoll, “Characterization of Biorecognition Processes and Immobilization Methods in the Development of Chemical Sensors” Buffalo State College Seminar Series, Buffalo, NY (Nov. 1997).
Other presentations
R.A. Niesenbaum, J.F. Cahill and C.M. Ingersoll, “The Effects of Light, Wind, Competition, and Handling on Leaf Chemistry and Herbivory in Apocynum cannabinum” 90th Meeting of the Ecological Society of America, Montreal, Canada (Aug. 2005).
C.M. Ingersoll and R.A. Niesenbaum, “A Cross-Disciplinary Undergraduate Research Program: Applying Analytical Chemistry to Investigate Ecological Behaviors” Eastern Analytical Symposium, Somerset, NJ (Nov. 2009).
- American Chemical Society Women Chemists Committee Rising Star Award (2012)
- Open Educational Resources (OER) Grant (2017-2018)
- Faculty Summer Research Grants (1999, 2000, 2004, 2014, 2017, 2018)
- Donald B. Hoffman Research Fellowship (2009-2010)
Biochemistry
Chemistry
Contact: christineingersoll@muhlenberg.edu