Professor of Chemistry

Spencer Hall 261 / ext. 3304

Deon T. Miles earned an A.B. in Chemistry from Wabash College in 1997 and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 2002. Since 2002, he has been a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry at Sewanee, where he is currently a tenured Professor. His research projects include the synthesis and characterization of water-soluble nanoparticles, along with the modification of these nanoparticles with interesting moieties. He teaches the following courses at the University: Instrumental Analysis, General Chemistry, Advanced Topics in Analytical Chemistry, Solution and Solid-State Chemistry, and the Science of Food and Cooking.

Miles CV 2023

 

Research Information

The research interests of Professor Miles focuses on the study of water-soluble carbon-based nanoparticles as a precursor to incorporating them into nanoscale sensing devices. The detection of heavy metal ions in contaminated water supplies using these nanoparticles is a particular focus of his research efforts. Several analytical techniques are used in his research laboratory to characterize these nanoparticles, including:

Ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) Spectroscopy

Photoluminescence (PL) Spectroscopy

Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectroscopy

Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) Spectroscopy

High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)

Mass Spectrometry (MS)

Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) and Differential Pulse Voltammetry (DPV)

The key factors that determine if the nanoparticles can be used in potential sensing devices include: (1) desired solubility, (2) stability under true operating conditions (e.g., temperature, pH), (3) uniform size (monodispersity), and (4) integration into modules of classical instrumentation.

The Miles research group is informally called "MINI", which is an acronym that stands for the Miles Institute of Nanomaterials Investigation.

 

MINI Group Members:
  1. Rayna E. Nemcek (C’25) 
  2. Qinge Ye (B.S. 2023 [dual degree in engineering], Washington University in St. Louis)
  3. Hallie McKinnie (B.S. 2022)
  4. Logan M. Brammer (B.S. 2018; M.S. 2020, University of California, Merced)
  5. Emily (Shriner) Philpott (B.S. 2018; M.S. 2021 [physician assistant studies], Lipscomb University) 
  6. Veronica Gordillo (B.S. 2017; M.S. 2023 [nursing], University of North Alabama)
  7. Ena Vhea Shannen Aguilar (B.A. 2017)
  8. Sonia C. Francone (B.S. 2017; medical student, Georgetown University)
  9. William “Willy” Wright (B.S. 2016)
  10. Fernando E. Acosta (B.A. 2015)
  11. Luis Tinoco-Garcia (B.S. 2015; M.D. 2020, University of Illinois-Peoria) 
  12. Ava Conner (B.S. 2015)
  13. Nathan “Nate” Barnett (B.S. 2016 [dual degree in engineering], Washington University in St. Louis)
  14. Adrienne (Borchardt) Smith (B.S. 2012; M.S. 2015 [occupational therapy], Louisiana State University; M.Ed. 2022 [education policy and leadership], American University; graduate student [disability studies], University of Illinois at Chicago)
  15. Elizabeth Henry (B.S. 2012; M.S. 2017, Georgia Institute of Technology; MFA 2019 [fine arts], Savannah College of Art and Design)
  16. Laura Logan (B.S. 2011; M.S. 2018 [psychiatric/mental health nurse/nursing], Vanderbilt University) 
  17. April (Dale) Looper (B.S. 2010; M.S. 2013, Tennessee Technological University; M.S. 2016 [physician assistant studies], Christian Brothers University)
  18. Joseph “Joe” Giesen (B.S. 2010; Ph.D. 2020, Tulane University)
  19. Margaret “Molly” Carpenter (B.S. 2009; Ph.D. 2014, Dartmouth College) 
  20. John “Jack” Renehan (B.S. 2009; M.D. 2014, University of Virginia) 
  21. Corwin Miller (B.S. 2008; Ph.D. 2013, Rice University)
  22. James W. H. Sonne (B.A. 2007; Ph.D. 2013, University of Kentucky)
  23. Tracian Meikle (B.S. 2007; M.Sc. [sociology] 2011, University of the West Indies at Mona; graduate student [social science], University of Amsterdam)
  24. Stephanie (Owens) Morris (B.S. 2007; Ph.D. 2013, Massachusetts Institute of Technology) 
  25. Heather (Turbeville) Sharp (B.S. 2007, U. Tennessee; M.S. 2011 [medicine], Trevecca Nazarene Univ.)
  26. Melissa (Ensor) Freiderich (B.S. 2006; Ph.D. 2011, Washington State University)
  27. Kathleen Grace Kennedy (B.S. 2006; Ph.D. 2013 [math], University of California, Santa Barbara)
  28. Charles A. Odonkor (B.S. 2006; M.A. 2008 [biology], Washington University in St. Louis; M.D. 2013, Yale University)
  29. Cynthia Gray (B.S. 2005; M.S. [biology] 2008, Middle Tennessee State University)
  30. Kathryn “Kate” (Panzner) Leininger (B.S. 2004; M.D. 2008, The Ohio State University)




Recent Publications‌

(* indicates undergraduate co-author)

  • Miles, D. T. Using pictograms to depict analytical techniques in an instrumental analysis course. Accepted to the Journal of Chemical Education.
  • Miles, D. T.; Joslin E. E. Building a steady foundation through equilibrium: Solution and solid state chemistry. J. Chem. Educ. 2021, 98, 3457-3465.
  • Miles, D. T.; Wells, W. G. Lab-in-a-box: A guide for remote laboratory instruction in an instrumental analysis course. J. Chem. Educ. 2020, 97, 2971-2975.
  • *Conner, A. E.; *Gordillo-Herrejon, V.; *Francone, S. C.; *Shriner, E. A.; *Acosta, F. E.; *Barnett, N. D.; Miles, D. T.; Limiting the growth of water-soluble, monolayer-protected quantum dots. Int. J. Anal. Chem. 2018, Article ID 3164347, 6 pages.