John Gilbertson

Professor

Research Interests

Research in the Gilbertson lab is focused on scientific problems dealing with highly oxygenated pervasive environmental pollutants such as NOxn-, and CO2 utilization  Our projects involve the integration of active-type (AT) and passive-type (PT) ligand-based reduction principles and motifs for small molecule activation. These projects are synthetic-inorganic in nature specifically aimed at the conversion of NOxn-  and CO2 into value added feedstocks and/or fuels. These projects involve the synthesis of coordination compounds composed of earth abundant metals and ligands with reaction directors and redox active sites engineered into both the primary and secondary coordination sphere.

Educational & Professional Experience

  • B.A. Chemistry, Augustana College, 2000.
  • Ph.D., Inorganic Chemistry, University of Oregon, 2005.
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Trinity University, 2005-2007.
  • Visiting Assistant Professor, Augustana College, 2007.
  • Assistant Professor, Western Washington University, 2008-2014
  • Visiting Research Associate, UC Irvine, 2015-2016.

Selected Awards & Honors

  • Alternate Councilor, Division of Inorganic Chemistry Executive Committee, American Chemical Society (2022-)
  • Arlan Norman Award for Excellence in Student Mentoring (2022)
  • Cottrell Scholar Selection Committee 2019-present
  • Henry Dreyfus Teacher Scholar Award 2017
  • American Chemical Society Division of Inorganic Chemistry Undergraduate Research Award (Team) 2017
  • Research Corporation Cottrell Scholar (PUI Class) 2010.
  • National Science Foundation Faculty Early Career Development Award 2013.
  • Western Washington University Sustainability Award (AMSEC, SOLAR Team), Fa 2012.
  • Western Washington University Team Recognition Award (AMSEC), Fa 2010.
  • 5 University of Oregon Doctoral Research Fellowship, Sept ’05 (awarded but declined).
  • National Science Foundation IGERT Fellowship, Sept ’02 - Sept ’05.
  • Regional ACS Award, Sioux Valley Chapter, 1999.
  • Outstanding Laboratory Assistant, Augustana College, 1999.
  • Augustana Research and Artist’s Fund, Summer 1998

Recent Publications

Fugami, K. M.; Black, G. S.; Kowalczyk, T.; Seda, T.; Gilbertson, J. D. Intermolecular N-N Coupling of a Dinitrosyl Iron Complex Induced by Hydrogen Bond Donors in the Secondary Coordination Sphere. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2025, 147, 7274-7281 DOI: 10.1021/jacs.4c12787

Lewine, H. R.; Teigen, A.G.; Trausch, A. M.; Lindblom, K. M.; Seda, T.; Reinheimer, E.W.; Kowalczyk, T.; Gilbertson, J. D. Sequential Deoxygenation of CO2 and NO2- via Redox-Control of a Pyridinediimine Ligand with a Hemilabile Phosphine. Inorg. Chem. 2023, 62, 15173-15179 DOI:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.3c02323

Marks, W. R.; Reinheimer, E. W.; Seda, T.; Zakharov, L. N., Gilbertson, J. D. NO Coupling by Nonclassical Dinuclear Dinitrosyliron Complexes to Form N2O Dictated by Hemilability. Inorg. Chem. 2021, 60, 15901–15909 DOI:10.1021/acs.inorgchem.1c02285

Marks, W. R.; Baumgardner, D.F.; Reinheimer, E. W.; Gilbertson J. D. Complete Denitrification of Nitrate and Nitrite to N2 Gas by Samarium(II) Iodide. Chem. Commun. 2020, 56, 11441-11444 DOI: 10.1039/D0CC04115G