Imad Haidar Ahmad iahmad@umn.edu

Education

2007- Spring 2011: PhD, Analytical Chemistry, Florida State University (FSU). Advisor: Professor Andre Striegel
2005-2007: Masters, Analytical/ Materials/ Polymer Chemistry, FSU
2000-2004: “Maîtrise ès chemistry”, Chemistry, Lebanese University in Beirut.

Postdoctoral position

Spring 2011- Summer 2013: Postdoctoral researcher at University of Minnesota with Professor Peter W. Carr.

Current position

Summer 2013-current: Scientist at Novartis Pharmaceuticals (San Carlos, CA).

Research experience

Current research focuses on:  

1. 1- Synthesis and characterization of  ultra-stable carbon silica stationary phases using a metal catalyst and a carbon-vapor deposition process.
2. 2- A novel technique and setup design for packing particles and chromatography columns.
3. 3- Comparing stationary phases of different natures,  types, sizes on the usage on the second dimension in two-dimensional liquid chromatography.
4. 4- Sample preparation and method development for complex samples (purification, filtration, solid phase extraction...).
5. 5- High temperature liquid chromatography analysis.
6. 6- Fundamentals of two-dimensional reversed phase liquid chromatography.

My Master’s and Ph.D. work encompassed studying:

• 1- The dilute solution properties of polymers using quadruple-detector size-exclusion chromatography with MALS, viscometry, UV, and differential refractometry detection.
• 2- The effects of intrachain interactions on polymer properties such as solubility, conformation, refractive index, and intrinsic viscosity.
• 3- Structure-property relationships in polymers.
• 4- Detection of sequence length heterogeneity and its effect on copolymeric properties.
• 5- Quantitation of chemical heterogeneity in random copolymers and determining chemical-heterogeneity-corrected properties of gradient copolymers.
• 6- measuring the size of polymers with negative radii under pseudo-ideal state (theta state).
• 7- Experience in polymer characterization includes ability to determine/obtain: molar mass, molar mass distribution, molar mass moments, intrinsic viscosity, refractive index, refractive index increment, polymeric radii (hydrodynamic, thermodynamic, viscometric, and radius of gyration), second virial coefficient Zimm plots, conformation plots, Mark-Houwink plots, persistence length, and chemical heterogeneity.

Teaching Experience

Fall 2010 and Spring 2011: Adjunct Professor for the General Chemistry course at FSU (550 students).

Awards

Spring 2009: Recipient of the FSU Outstanding Teaching Assistant Award (2009). (Link)
Spring 2010: Recipient of a travel award from the Congress of Graduate Students (COGS) at FSU.
Spring 2008: Recipient of a travel award from the Congress of Graduate Students (COGS) at FSU.
Spring 2007: Recipient of a travel award from the Congress of Graduate Students (COGS) at FSU.

Other Honors and awards

1. Nominated as outstanding Teaching assistant by the program for instructional excellence at FSU for the years 2006, 2007, 2008, and 2011.
2. Nominated for a Graduate Student Research and Creativity award (2010).

Publications in refereed journals

1. Soliven, A.; Haidar Ahmad, I.A; Filgueira, M; Carr, P W. Optimization of Gradient Reversed Phase Chromatographic Peak Capacity for Low Molecular Weight Solutes, Journal of Chromatography A, Accepted.
2. Haidar Ahmad, I. A.; Striegel, D. A.; Striegel, A. M. Sequence Length Heterogeneity and Its Influence on Dilute Solution Behavior of Copolymers, Polymer 52, (5), 1268-1277 (2011)
3. Haidar Ahmad, I. A.; Striegel, A. M. Influence of Second Virial Coefficient and Persistence Length on Dilute Solution Conformation, Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry,399, (4), 1515-1521 (2011),
4. Haidar Ahmad, I. A.; Striegel, A. M. Determining The Absolute, Chemical-Heterogeneity-Corrected Molar Mass Averages, Distributions, and Solution Conformation of Random Copolymers. Analytical and Bioanalytical Chemistry,396, (4), 1589-1598 (2010).
5. Haidar Ahmad, I. A.; Striegel, A. M. A Coupled MALS-DRI Method for Simultaneous Zimm and dn/dc Plot Construction. Instrumentation Science & Technology, 37, 574-583 (2009).
6. Smith M. J; Haidar I. A; Striegel A. M. Measuring the size of polymers with negative radii using MALS/QELS: an exploration of the thermodynamic radius. The Analyst, 132(5), 455-60 (2007).
   

Thesis

1. Haidar Ahmad I.A. Studying Chemical and Sequence length Heterogeneities in Copolymers. PhD Dissertation. Florida State University (2011).
2. Haidar Ahmad I.A. Dilute Solution Properties of Copolymers. Master’s thesis. Florida State University (2008).
   

Presentations and posters in meetings

1. Haidar Ahmad, I. A., Barnes, B. B.; Allen, R. C.; Carr, P. W.; Wan, X.; Barber. W. E.; Challenges in Coupling MS to Fast Online Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography (LCxLC), HPLC conference, June 2013
2. Haidar Ahmad, I. A., Barnes, B.B.; Allen, R. C.; Carr, P. W.; Capabilities and Limitations of Fast Online Comprehensive Two-Dimensional Liquid Chromatography (LCxLC):  Challenges of Coupling MS to LCxLC, ASMS conference, June 2013
3. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. Preparation and Packing of Ultra-Stable Carbon Coated Silica. Pittcon 2013, 200-7 (oral presentation).
4. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “Improved method of preparing Carbon-Silica stationary phases",  Two-Dimensional-Liquid Chromatography Summit, Minnesota, 2012 (oral presentation)
5. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “Comparing column heaters for second dimension stationary in 2DLC",  Two-Dimensional-Liquid Chromatography Summit, Minnesota, 2012 (oral presentation)
6. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “Comparison of superficially-porous particles and sub-two micron fully porous particles for use in ultrafast 2D-RPLC second dimension.",  Two-Dimensional-Liquid Chromatography Summit, Minnesota, 2012 (oral presentation)
7. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “The chemistry of carbon-silica stationary phases: preparation, stability, retentivity, and usage in two-dimensional reversed-phase liquid chromatography”,  Minnesota Chromatography Forum, 2012 (oral presentation)
8. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “Improved coating and packing procedures for carbon coated silica stationary phases” HPLC, 2012 (poster)
9. Haidar Ahmad, I. A.; Striegel, A. M., Rowland S.M.. Copolymer characterization by quadruple- and quintuple-detector SEC. Macro2012 World Polymer Congress; Blacksburg, VA; June 24-29, 2012 (oral presentation)
10. Haidar Ahmad, I. A. and Striegel, A. M. “Multidetector Size-exclusion Chromatography Approach to Determining the Absolute Properties of Random Copolymers” Minnesota Chromatography Forum, 2011 (oral presentation)
11. Haidar Ahmad, I. A. and Striegel, A. M. “An SEC/MALS/VISC/DRI/UV Study of Chemical Heterogeneity and Its Consequences in Co-polymer Characterization”, Pittcon 2010, 520-4 (oral presentation).
12. Haidar Ahmad, I. A. and Striegel, A. M. “Determining the Absolute Molar Mass of Gradient Random Copolymers. ”, ACS 237th National Meeting 2009, COLL 245 (poster).
13. Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Striegel A. M. “Chemical Heterogeneity and Dimensionless Size Ratios in Copolymers”, Pittcon 2008, 1860-8 (oral presentation).
14. Haidar A. I. and Striegel A. M. “Dimensionless Size Ratios of Copolymers: Random versus Block”, Pittcon 2007, 120-3 (oral presentation).
    

Invited talks

• Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W. “Two Dimensional Chromatography for Analysis of Complex Samples”, Lebanese International University, Beirut, Lebanon, 2012.
• Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Carr P. W.  “Ultra-stable carbon Coated Silica Stationary Phases for Two Dimensional Chromatography”, Lebanese University in Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, 2012.
• Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Striegel A. M.  “How Random is a Random Copolymer? ”, Lebanese University in Beirut, Beirut, Lebanon, 2012.
• Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Striegel A. M. “Sequence Length Heterogeneity in Copolymers”, FSU-FAMU school of Engineering, Tallahassee, Florida, 2010.
• Haidar Ahmad I. A. and Striegel A. M. “An SEC / MALS / VISC / UV / DRI Study of Chemical Heterogeneity and its Consequences in Copolymer Characterization” Chemistry Department - University of Minnesota, 2010.

Other Teaching Experience

• Summer 2010: Updating and developing the Inorganic Chemistry Lab at FSU.
• Spring 2010: TA for Inorganic Chemistry (CHM4610) at FSU.
• Fall 2009: TA for Advanced Analytical Chemistry (CHM4130) at FSU.
• Summer 2008: TA for Advanced Analytical Chemistry (CHM4130) at FSU.
• Spring 2008: TA for Survey of Organic Chemistry (CHM2200) at FSU.
• Fall 2007: TA for General chemistry for Liberal studies (CHM1020) at FSU.
• Summer 2007: TA for General Chemistry (CHM1045) at FSU.
• Spring 2007: TA for introduction to Analytical chemistry (CHM3120) at FSU.
• Fall 2006: TA for General Chemistry (CHM1046) at FSU.
• Summer 2006: TA for General Chemistry (CHM1046) at FSU.
• Spring 2006: TA for General Chemistry (CHM1045) at FSU.
• Fall 2005: TA for General Chemistry (CHM1045) at FSU.
• 2001-2004: TA for Organic chemistry as a part of a voluntary activity done by the Student Government Association at the Lebanese University.

Other expertise and related professional experience

• Full training on the hardware and software of Wyatt Technology Corporation instruments (Static and dynamic light scattering detector, differential viscometry, and differential refractometry) at the University of Light Scattering in Santa Barbara, CA (May 2006).
• Current safety officer at Pete Carr Lab.
• Website creating: Built the Carr's group and the Striegel's group websites. Currently, still in charge of updating Carr's website.
• Reviewing manuscripts for publication.
• Maintain high performance liquid chromatographs
• Computer skills (Microsoft office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Access, Operating Systems: Windows 98, 2000, XP, Vista, and 7, Dreamweaver, Google Sketchup, OriginPro, and Endnote)
• Served as a judge for the Capital Regional science fair program (2008, 2009, and 2010).
• Served as a judge for Leon high school science fair program (Jan 2010).
• Mentored undergraduate students in our lab at FSU (Summer 2006- Fall 2006) and at UMN (Spring 2012-Spring 2013).
• Training for 6 months at the maintenance branch of JAB Computer company (Beirut - Lebanon).