Traci Smith
Professor of Chemistry InstructionTraci Smith started at Hope College in 2003 teaching in the general chemistry laboratory and eventually the organic chemistry laboratory programs. She was appointed the Director of the Organic Chemistry Laboratories in 2007. Traci is in charge of making sure the chemicals and equipment are always prepared and ready to go for the organic labs. She also coordinates with the other organic lab instructors and mentors the lab assistants to maintain a robust lab program for the students.
Previous to working at Hope College, Traci was a pharmaceutical process chemist at a company formally known as Parke-Davis, that was then acquired by Pfizer. This was the job that first brought Traci and her husband to the Holland, MI area. The experience she gained as a process chemist, designing reproducible processes for other people to use, has been valuable for her current position. Every change to an existing lab experiment or newly developed experiment needs to be reproduced by 100-130 students each year and it is helpful to have the background of a process chemist.
Additionally, Traci provides support to the 鶹Ƶ faculty-student research programs by maintaining multiple instruments in the department. She also helps students and faculty to use these instruments for their research.
Areas of Expertise
Traci’s background is in synthetic organic chemistry and physical organic chemistry. She also has experience with all stages of new drug candidate development from her days as a pharmaceutical chemist. She has been a member of the American Chemical Society since 1997.
Selected Publications
- “Incorporating Authentic Research in an Optional Component of the Second Semester Organic Laboratory Course,” Smith, T.L.; Gillmore, J.G.; Scogin, S.C, Chem. Educator, 22, 177-184, 2017
- “Polyamides Containing C-Terminus β-Alanine-carboxylic Acids as Intermediates for Divergent Synthesis,” *Mulder, K.; Brown, T.; *Nolan, P.; Smith, T.; Lee, M., Heterocyl. Commun., 14(3), 137-140, 2008
- “The Preparation and Enzymatic Hydrolysis of a Library of Esters,” Sanford, E. M.; Smith, T. L., J. Chem. Educator, 85(7), 944-945, 2008
- “Modifying the N-terminus of polyamides: PyImPyIm has improved sequence specificity over f-ImPyIm,” Brown, T.; Mackay, H.; *Turlington, M.; *Sutterfield, A.; Smith, T.; *Sielaff, A.; *Westrate, L.; *Bruce, C.; *Kluza, J.; *O’Hare, C.; *Nguyen, B.; Wilson, W. D.; Hartley, J. A.; Lee, M., Bioorg. Med. Chem, 16(9), 5266-5276, 2008
- “An Efficient and Cost-Effective Synthesis of Pagoclone,” Stuk, T.: Assink, B.; Bates, R.; Erdman, D.; Fedij, V.; Jennings, S.; Lassig, J.; Smith, R.; Smith, T., Org. Process Res. Dev, 7(6), 851-855, 2003
- “A Practical Synthesis of Enantiomerically Pure N-Benzyl--methyl Benzylamine,”Huckabee, B. K.; Lin, S.; Smith, T. L.; Stuk, T. L., Org. Process Res. Dev, 4(6), 594-595, 2000
EDUCATION
- M.A., University of Texas, 1998
- B.S., Northern Arizona University, 1995
Outside the College
Traci and her husband Matt are originally from Flagstaff, AZ and moved to Michigan in 1998 from Austin, TX, where Traci attended graduate school. They have two teenage sons that keep them very busy almost every evening during the school year. Beyond spending time with her family, Traci enjoys cycling and being outdoors as often as possible.
616.395.7323
smitht@hope.eduA. Paul Schaap Science Center 35 East 12th Street Holland, MI 49423-3605