Meghan McGreal

Assistant Professor of Chemistry

Teaching chemistry is my passion, which I discovered as an undergrad. Many people, when you tell them you are a chemist, respond with that's impressive. I could never do chemistry - it's too hard, but I disagree. I think with enough time and hard work, anyone can do chemistry. What excites me most about the field is being able to share my knowledge of the subject with others. My favorite part is seeing that lightbulb moment where you can see that they understand what you are explaining, whether it be in my general chemistry classes or mentoring undergraduate students in computational chemistry research.

I have a rescue dog, Bella, who I take way too many pictures of. I also love to travel, play Dungeons & Dragons and other tabletop role-playing games, read fantasy novels, and try out as many local restaurants as possible!

  • PhD, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities, Chemistry
  • MS, University of Minnesota - Twin Cities
  • BS, UNC Asheville, Chemistry, Minor in Mathematics, Cum Laude

Contact

Meghan McGreal

Biography

I grew up in the suburbs of New York City and moved to North Carolina when I was 12. I attended UNC Asheville as an undergrad, where I received my BS degree with distinction in Chemistry. I then went to graduate school at the University of Minnesota - Twin Cities in Minneapolis where I lived for 6 years as I earned my MS and subsequent PhD I studied computational chemistry and was a founding member of the Goodpaster Research Group. My focus of study was using Density Functional Theory to study the electronic structure, geometry, and reaction mechanisms of transition metal metalloenzymes, specific focus was placed on the Ni-Fe Hydrogenase enzyme. Additionally, I was a Community Faculty Member at Metropolitan State University in Saint Paul where I taught General Chemistry 2 followed by two years as a Physical Chemistry Lecturer at UNC Asheville.

More About Meghan McGreal

Areas of Expertise

  • Computational Chemistry
  • Electronic Structure
  • Density Functional Theory
  • Physical Chemistry

Course Sampling

  • CHEM 141 General Chemistry I
  • CHEM 142 General Chemistry II
  • CHEM 203 Physical Chemistry
  • CHEM 390 Computational Chemistry

  • Metalloenzyme Catalysis
  • Biomimetic Catalyst Design
  • Chemical Education
  • Inquiry/Project-Based Laboratory Design

  • McGreal, M. E.; Goodpaster, J. D. Computational Biomimetic-Inspired Modifications on the reaction and geometry of the FeNi Hydrogenase Active Site. In Preparation
  • McGreal, M. E.; Wilson, R. H.; Goodpaster, J. D. Understanding the Mechanism and Structure/Function Relationships in FeNi Hydrogenase using Computation. In Preparation
  • Beaumier, E. P.; Christopher, G.; Harkins, R.; McGreal, M. E.; Wen, X.; Copret, C.; Goodpaster, J. D.; Tonks, I. A. Cp2Ti(2-tBuNCNtBu): A Complex with an Unusual 2 Coordination Mode of a Heterocumulene Featuring a Free Carbene. Journal of the American Chemical Society. 2020, 142, 8006-8018.
  • Beaumier, E. P; McGreal, M. E.; Pancoast, A. R.; Wilson, R. H.; Moore, J. T.; Graziano, B. J.; Goodpaster, J. D.; Tonks, I. A. Carbodiimide Synthesis via Ti-Catalyzed Nitrene Transfer from Diazenes to Isocyanides. ACS Catalysis. 2019, 9, 11753-11762.
  • Ramakrishnan Raju, M. V.; Wilharm, R. K.; Dresel, M. J.; McGreal, M. E.; Mansergh, J. P; Marting, S. T.; Goodpaster, J. D.; Pierre, V. C. Impact of the Stability of the Complex and Basicity of the Anion on the Selectivity and Affinity of Tripodal Gadolinium
    Complexes for Anions. Inorganic Chemistry. 2019, 58, 15189-15201.
  • Stoneburner, S. J.; Livermore, V.; McGreal, M. E.; Yu, D.; Vogiatzis, K. D.; Snurr, R. Q.; and L. Gagliardi, Catechol-Ligated Transition Metals: A Quantum Chemical Study on a Promising System for Gas Separation. Journal of Physical Chemistry C. 2017, 121, 1046310469.