Kristin Bowman-James

Dr. Bowman-James joined the University of Kansas in 1975. A chemist, her research interest is in using host-guest chemistry to target molecules and ions of biological and environmental interest for selective sensing and recognition, such as mustard contaminants in the air, as well as for separations, such as in removing contaminating species from groundwater and other sources like the sludge in the huge tanks at nuclear waste sites. Host-guest chemistry is a branch of science where chemists use their knowledge of the structure and reaction of molecules to mimic how proteins and enzymes and proteins function in biological systems.

She has made use of the concepts of transition metal coordination chemistry to coordinate anions, and was the first to recognize that anions and transition metals had many similarities. Dr. Bowman-James was awarded the 2021 American Chemical Society Award in Inorganic Chemistry. 

Learn more about Kristin Bowman-James on the Department of Chemistry website.