Middle Tennessee State University AP Keying Ding secures $242,000 in grants from the National Science Foundation and the American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund.

Professor Ding’s chemical research centers around ,sustainability through developing new earth-abundant metal catalysts — substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing permanent change — to better facilitate “green” or eco-friendly chemistry applications.

The NSF grant provides $172,182 of funding. The ACS grant provides $70,000 of funding. Both grants last for three years.

Professor Ding joined the faculty at MTSU in 2013.

About her projects

For both projects, Ding’s chemical research centers around sustainability through developing new earth-abundant metal catalysts — substances that increase the rate of a chemical reaction without undergoing permanent change — to better facilitate “green,” or eco-friendly, chemistry applications.

The NSF grant provides $172,182 of funding and extends for three years. The ACS Petroleum Research Fund grant provides $70,000 of funding and also lasts for three years.

In her past research projects, Ding has advised several undergraduate and graduate students, including doctoral students. She plans to do the same with her upcoming work.

“Students are essential for the success of these projects,” Ding said. “Both projects will offer compelling research experience for students in inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry and catalysis.

“The broader impacts of these research and educational activities will ultimately lead to a more diverse and educated workforce in chemical science.”