Sarah Gallant

“Students give me a fresh perspective on research problems and challenge me to consider new and innovative solutions that I may not have previously considered, as well as pushing me to continue expanding the boundaries of my knowledge in my field.”

Sarah Gallant joined the Norwich faculty in 2017 as an Adjunct Instructor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, progressing to a full-time Lecturer in 2019. In 2021, Gallant became an Assistant Professor of Chemistry. Her graduate studies at Dartmouth College delved into catalytic systems, yielding innovative phosphine ligands with earth-abundant metal catalysts, alongside pioneering a new category of emissive materials from copper-phosphine complexes. In 2018 she was awarded the prestigious Karen E. Wetterhahn Graduate Chemistry Fellowship.

At Norwich University, Gallant is deeply committed to nurturing undergraduate research initiatives, actively securing external funding and collaborating with organizations like the Vermont Biomedical Research Network (VBRN). Notable achievements include securing a $25,000 Pilot Award and subsequent Project Award from VBRN for her work on developing a spectrophotometric method to detect uranium in drinking water.

Gallant's dedication extends beyond the laboratory; she champions young scientists as the coordinator for the Vermont Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics Fair (VSTEMF) International Science and Engineering Fair (ISEF), guiding Vermont students towards success on the global stage. Additionally, her involvement with the American Chemical Society (ACS) and leadership roles in inclusive STEM initiatives underscore her commitment to fostering a diverse and equitable scientific community.

Ph.D. Chemistry, Dartmouth College
B.S. Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park

Sarah Gallant conducts research in chemistry in order to design a method for the detection of very low levels of uranium in drinking water that can be completed by someone with little to no lab training. Short-term exposure to uranium in drinking water can result in weight loss or hemorrhages, while long-term exposure can result in kidney disease or cancer. A low cost, simple to perform method would increase access to and frequency of testing for potentially contaminated water, and prevent uneccessary exposure. Her research journey began after her B.S. in Biochemistry at the University of Maryland, College Park, where she performed research to determine the structure of Iron Gall Ink present in historical documents in collaboration with the Library of Congress. She actively mentors students, advising students to get involved in undergraduate research - you will never know if research is something you enjoy unless you try it out, and take advantage of all the opportunities that research gives you. She collaborates with colleagues at Norwich and beyond, including the Vermont Biomedical Research Network, the University of Vermont, Colorado State University, and MIT.

CH103 General Chemistry I 
CH104 General Chemistry II
CH214 Communication in Chemistry
CH226 Organic Chemistry II 
CH338 Physical Chemistry I 
CH421 Senior Synthesis and Evaluation 
CH438 Advanced Inorganic Chemistry

Development of an affordable light emitting diode spectrophotometer paired with a Python program for calibration and linearity testing and the measurement of uranium(VI) Amrutaa Vibho*, Courtney Rogat*, Emily Karavas*, Rahisa Mohammed*, Peace Ogadi*, Michael White*, Thomas Salois*, Chuck Anderson, Seth H. Frisbie, Michael Prairie, and Sarah K. Gallant. PLoS ONE 19(9): e0308516.

Synthesis and Characterization of 2-(((2,7-Dihydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)amino)-3′,6′-bis(ethylamino)-2′,7′-dimethylspiro[isoindoline-1,9′-xanthen]-3-one and Colorimetric Detection of Uranium in Water Rahisa Mohammed, Peace Ogadi, Dennis M. Seth, Jr., Amrutaa Vibho, Sarah K. Gallant, Rory Waterman. Molbank 2023, 2023, M1725. DOI:10.3390/M1725.

Statistical Analysis in a Longitudinal Study of the Implementation of POGIL at Norwich University Julia Koron, Sarah K. Gallant, Page Spiess. J. Chem. Educ. 2023, 100, 3195-3199. DOI: 10.1021/acs.jchemed.2c00934.