Saint Mary’s Chemist Toni Barstis Elected to Prestigious Council

April 27, 2018 (Notre Dame, IN) — Saint Mary’s College Chemistry Professor Toni Barstis has been elected as one of eight new councilors in the chemistry division of the Council of Undergraduate Research (CUR). During their three-year terms, CUR councilors work to shape the future of the organization and undergraduate research.

Founded in 1978 by a group of chemists from private, liberal arts colleges, CUR provides information about the latest faculty research, often conducted in collaboration with students. The council has grown to include other disciplines and diverse institutions with more than 13,000 affiliated faculty and administrators from more than 700 colleges and universities.

“This is a testament to the level of scientific research undertaken at Saint Mary’s,” Barstis said of her election as a councilor. “I am grateful for the support of colleagues, administrators and the talented, enthusiastic students for making this honor possible.”

Barstis, who directs Saint Mary’s Five-Year Dual Degree Engineering Program in collaboration with the University of Notre Dame, also leads the Saint Mary’s College Paper Analytical Devices (PADs) Project. The focus of the PADs Project research is to develop simple, inexpensive, paper-based tests to screen for low quality pharmaceuticals and contaminated food and water. She holds two U.S. patents on this technology, one of which was co-invented by an undergraduate student, Mary Bevilacqua ’13. More than 100 undergraduate students have been involved in conducting research on the Saint Mary’s PADs Project, and all have expanded this technology to meet the global health needs of those in developing countries, including Nepal.

“Toni is highly regarded both on campus and in the wider research community for her cutting-edge contributions to the improvement of health and welfare for people around the world,” said Provost and Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Nancy Nekvasil. “Her commitment to teaching inspires our students to join her in becoming world-class problem solvers.’’