Nick DeMello
Chemistry Instructor
Nick received his chemistry B.S. from UC Berkeley and Ph.D. from the University of Pittsburgh.
His research with Dennis Curran included the design of a programmable chiral auxiliary, algorithms for optimizing stereo-selection in free radical reaction and the development of molecular mechanics parameters that have since been incorporated into the industry standard software MacroModel.™ Post-doctoral quantum chemistry research with Ken Houk at UCLA focused on building molecular mechanics models for the transition state of epoxidation reactions and developing new technologies for molecular visualization.
A founding member of the UCLA Center for Digital Innovation (CDI) that brought together Hollywood production professionals, Silicon Valley software developers and university level educators. The CDI produced some of the first distance learning products. Nick's projects included work for the University of California, McGraw-Hill, the ministry of education of Malaysia,Sony Corporation, Hitachi Ltd and the development of CyberChem™ -- McGraw-Hills best selling distance learning product.
Using software of his own design, Nick developed molecular illustrations for the cover of Science Magazine, C&E News, Angewandte Chemie, Eyes on Chemistry, Genes & Development, the calendar of the American Chemical Society and other publications. Nick has worked at Lawrence Berkeley Laboratories and Design Science (the creators of MathType and the Equation Editor in every modern word processing program). He served as the editor-in-chief of MacTech Magazine, managed the largest retail presence at every MacWorld Expo for half a decade, and independently developed multimedia content under contract for Apple inc and others.
Current research projects include improved algorithms for adaptive learning exercises, student assessment through machine learning and toolkit applying augmented reality for molecular visualization. Outside Stanford University OHS Nick enjoys alpine skiing, surfing, baking and restoring classic Macintosh computers.
Publications
Stereoselective at the Steady State by Stereoconvergent Reaction Topography JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY DeMello, N. C., Curran, D. P. 1998; 120(2): 329-341 | DOI: 10.1021/ja9724093
Origins of Regioselectivity in Radical Reactions of Axially Twisted Anilides JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS Curran, D. P., DeMello, N. C. 1993: 1314-1317 | DOI: 10.1039/C39930001314
Rotational Features of Carbon-Nitrogen Bonds in N-aryl maleimides TETRAHEDRON Curran, D. P., Geib, S., DeMello, N. 1999; 55 (18): 5681-5704 | DOI: 10.1016/ S0040-4020(99)00237-9
Stereoselective at the Steady State. Group Selective Radical Cyclizations JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Curran, D. P., Lin, C. H., DeMello, N., Junggebauer, J. 1998; 120 (2): 342-351 | DOI: 10.1021/ja9724102
Transition States of Epoxidations: Diradical Character, Spiro Geometries, Transition State Flexibility, and the Origins of Stereoselectivity JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Houk, K. N., Liu, J., DeMello, N. C., Condroski, K. R. 1997; 119 (42): 10147-10152 | DOI: 10.1021/ja963847x
Substrate-Controlled Group-Selective Radical Cyclizations - A New Strategy For Stereocontrolled Transformations of Diastereomeric Reactive Intermediates JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Curran, D. P., Qi, H. Y., DeMello, N. C.,Lin, C. H. 1994; 116 (18): 8430-8431 | DOI: 10.1021/ja00097a086
Atroposelective Thermal-Reactions of Axially Twisted Amides and Imides JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY Curran, D. P., Qi, H. Y., Geib, S. J., DeMello, N. C. 1994; 116 (7): 3131-3132 | DOI: 10.1021/ja00086a056
Tritiated Methylene Diiodide - A New Synthetic Labeling Reagent JOURNAL OF THE CHEMICAL SOCIETY-CHEMICAL COMMUNICATIONS Saljoughian, M., Morimoto, H., Williams, P. G., DeMello, N. 1990: 1652-1654 | DOI: 10.1039/C39900001652