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Faculty Profile
Lee Newman

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Lee  Newman

Associate Professor and Chair of Chemistry

Department of Chemistry
117 Jahn Laboratory

lanewman@esf.edu
315-470-4937

Education

  • PhD, Rutgers University and Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, 1993. Microbiology and Molecular Genetics. Genetics of Fruit Ripening proteins in peppers

Research Interests

My research interests involve the use of plants to deal with environmental problems. The most common form of this is phytoremediation, which is the use of plants to clean up environmental contaminants. I am interested in the growth of plants for the production of energy; biomass, ethanol and biodiesel. I am interested in and have done research in environmental toxicity resulting from plant exposure to toxicants, constructed wetland remediation, using microbes to enhance remediation potential of plants, using native plants for remediation and restoration, the role of plants in monitored natural attenuation and carbon sequestration. We are looking at the genetic interaction between plants and nanoparticles and how the uptake of nanoparticles can impact other organism. We are also studying the use of hyperspectral imaging to track environmental pollution uptake by plants.  A major area of research is the interactions between plants and endophytic bacteria. In addition to increasing phytoremediation potential, these biological interactions are proving to enhance biomass production, increase drought resistance, and have a significant implant on floral development and fruit production, which can have major impacts on bioenergy production as well as crop productivity in marginal soils.

Current Graduate Advisees

Daniel CollinsDaniel Collins
dbcollin@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: EFB Chemical Ecology

Graduate Research Topic
My research regards the effectiveness of therapeutic horticulture with military veterans in Central New York. Primarily, whether or not such programs can improve the mood of a patient in the hospital, and can we predict which populations would benefit from such a program.

Favorite Quote
“How did it get so late so soon? It's night before it's afternoon. December is here before it's June. My goodness how the time has flewn. How did it get so late so soon?” - Dr. Seuss

Morgan FatoweMorgan Fatowe
mbfatowe@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Pflug and Newman
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Graduate Research Topic
Bioremediation of PFAS

Past Studies
B.S. Biochemistry from Florida International University (FIU)

Past Studies
B.S. Biochemistry from Florida International University (FIU)

Samantha FreemanSamantha Freeman
sfreem04@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman and Pflug
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Amalia KenyonAmalia Kenyon
akenyon@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: EFB Plant Science & Biotechnology

Graduate Research Topic
Phytoremediation of per-and polyfluoroalkyl compounds using wetland and phreatophytic plants. Development of novel non-invasive detection methods to identify environmental contaminants.

Gianna LeippertGianna Leippert
gyleippe@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: MS
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Pflug and Newman
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Graduate Research Topic
Occurrence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in vegetative wildlife food sources at reforested contamination sites

Will WeinbergWill Weinberg
waweinbe@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: MS
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Chloe WileyChloe Wiley
crwiley@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Ellen WuEllen Wu
ywu333@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: Environ & Forest Chemistry

Nicole WuerslinNicole Wuerslin
nawuersl@syr.edu

  • Degree Sought: PHD
  • Graduate Advisor(s): Newman
  • Area of Study: Environmental Science