Ronny Priefer was born in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  He and his family moved to Prince George, British Columbia where he graduated from the University of Northern British Columbia in 1998.   In 2003 he obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from McGill University, in Montreal. He worked under the supervision of Dr. David N. Harpp on sulfur functionalizing cubane, new methodologies, and polymer chemistry.  While at McGill he twice won the T. Sterry Hunt Award for excellence in laboratory teaching and demonstration.   He was awarded an NSERC industrial postdoctoral fellowship in 2003 through Neurochem Inc in Montreal.  While at Neurochem he worked as a synthetic medicinal chemist on Alzheimer's and epilepsy projects.  In 2004 he moved to upstate New York and worked as a research scientist at Starks Associates performing contract custom synthesis.  In 2005, he took the position of Assistant Professor of Organic Chemistry at Niagara University were he is involved in a range of different projects.

Priefer  is also the founder and director of the Niagara University Scientific Outreach for Chemistry  

(NUSOC).  He has performed scientific demostrations at local elementary schools.  He has also appeared on a North American wide PBS special entitled “Niagara Falls” discussing some urban legends concerning the falls.  He has authored bimonthly chemistry in society editorials in university newpaper "Niagara Index"

The research that is underway in his lab has attracted a large number of students into his group.  His students have already presented some of their results at regional and university meetings.

He was awarded the The Dorothy and Moses Passer Education Fund grant, the Rochester Academy of Science Undergraduate Science Research Grant, and numerous Niagara University Research Grants.  He was a 2006 Professor of the Year Nominee (Multicultural and International Student Affairs) and was presented with the Excellence in Teaching Award (Niagara University College of Arts and Sciences, 2005-2006).

Education

2003  Ph.D., in Organic Chemistry.  McGill University of Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Thesis: “Sulfur Functionalized Cubane and Related Derivatives.”

1998  B.Sc., in Chemistry.  University of Northern British Columbia, Prince George, B.C., Canada.

Thesis:“Synthesis and Characterization of 1-hydroxy-2-methoxy-4-(3-propanoic acid) anthracene.”

Professional Experience

2005-present     Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, Niagara University, NY.

2004-2005         Research Scientist, Starks Associates, Buffalo, NY

2003-2004         Research Scientist, Medicinal Chemistry, Neurochem Inc., Saint-Laurent, QC

Fellowships and Affiliations

- Elected as Officer (Member-at-large) for the Western New York American Chemical Society (WNY-ACS)

- Member, American Society for Microbiology

- Member, Niagara University Academic Center of Integrated Sciences

- Member, National Student Teachers Association

- Member, American Chemical Society

            Divisions: Organic Chemistry

                            Medicinal Chemistry

                            Colloid & Surface Chemistry

                             Polymer Chemistry

                             Polymeric Materials Science and Engineering

- Member, Council on Undergraduate Research

- Member, Rochester Academy of Science

Dr. Ronny Priefer

Assistant Professor of  Chemistry

Department of Chemistry
Niagara University, NY 14109

DePaul Hall 205/206

rpriefer@niagara.edu

716-286-8261 (office)

716-286-8263 (lab)