Hilkka I. Kenttämaa

Title: Frank Brown Distinguished Professor, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN

Research Interests:

Organic mass spectrometry, Gas-phase ion chemistry, Organic reaction intermediates, Molecular-level characterization of complex mixtures of organic compounds

Education:

• Ph.D., Helsinki University, Finland, 1986 (Organic Chemistry)

• Phil. Lic. (Licenciate of Philosophy), Helsinki University, Finland, 1981

• M.S., Helsinki University, Finland, 1978

• B.S., Helsinki University, Finland 1977

Professional Experience:

• Editor, Mass Spectrometry Reviews, 2020-

• Frank Brown Endowed Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 2016-

• Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 2015-

• Associate Head, Department of Chemistry, Purdue University, 2003-2004

• Head, Analytical Chemistry Division, Purdue University, 2000-2003

• Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 1999-Present (Analytical/Organic Divisions)

• Associate Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 1994-1999

• Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 1989-1994

• Dosentti (External Senior Lecturer), Helsinki University 1989-present

• Assistant Research Scientist, Purdue University, 1987-1989 (with Graham Cooks)

• Post Doctoral Research Associate, Purdue University 1986 (with Graham Cooks)

• Research Scientist, The Academy of Finland, 1981-1985 (1981-1982 at Helsinki University, 1983-1985 at Purdue University)

• Research Scientist, Helsinki University, 1978-1986
  

Professional Societies:

• Finnish Chemical Society

• Finnish Mass Spectrometry Society

• Finnish Academy of Science

• American Society for Mass Spectrometry

• American Chemical Society (Analytical Div., Organic Div.)

• AAAS (Fellow)
• Energy and Fuels division of ACS

Awards and Honors:

• 1981-1985 Fellowship of the Academy of Finland

• 1985 Gustaf Komppa Award of the Finnish Chemical Society for the Best Chemistry Ph.D. Thesis in Finland in 1985

• 1991 Young Faculty Award of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry

• 1992 and 1993 Young Faculty Award of Eli Lilly and Company

• 1996 Career Advancement Award, the National Science Foundation

• 2001-2006 University Faculty Scholar, Purdue University

• 2004 Selected to the Finnish Academy of Science

• 2009 The Provost's Outstanding Graduate Faculty Mentor Award, Purdue University

• 2010 The Interdisciplinary Award of the College of Science, Purdue University

• 2010, 2015, and 2016 Seed for Success Award (for grants over $1 M), Purdue University

• 2013 Leadership Award, College of Science, Purdue University

• 2014 Purdue Agriculture TEAM Award (C3Bio)

• 2015 Frank H. Field and Joe L. Franklin ACS Award for Outstanding Achievement in Mass Spectrometry

• 2015 Innovators Hall of Fame, Purdue Research Foundation, Office of Technology Commercialization

• Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, Purdue University, 2015

• Frank Brown Endowed Distinguished Professor of Chemistry, 2016

• 2016 Power List: Top 50 Most Influential Women in the Analytical Sciences (the Analytical Scientist)

• 2016 Elected Fellow of the AAAS

• 2020 NASA Engineering & Safety Center Award for the Transient Combustion Modeling Team

Current Work and Activities:

Mechanistic, kinetic and thermochemical studies are carried out on reaction intermediates that are important, for example, for organic synthesis, carcinogenesis, and the action of antitumor drugs; e.g., radical cations, radicals, polyradicals, carbyne anions and oxenium cations. Theoretical methods are used to complement experiments carried out by using tandem mass spectrometry. Multiple-stage tandem mass spectrometry experiments are being developed for selective ionization and structural characterization of polyfunctional organic compounds directly in mixtures, including drug metabolites. The possibility to use diagnostic, functional group selective ion-molecule reactions in mass spectrometric structural characterization of organic compounds is being explored.