Research Interests

Recent activity has involved collaboration in an international project to conduct service-based chemistry research for improvement of coffee quality with Nicaraguan small-holder coffee farmers.  This project has involved field work on farms in Nicaragua and laboratory studies in both Seattle and Managua.   This project is being accomplished through partnership with students, faculty, and staff of Seattle University (SU), the University of Central America Managua,  and Catholic Relief Services/Nicaragua (CRS/NI). 

Prior to the initiation of the coffee chemistry research, work in my laboratory had primarily focused on application of computational science methods to chemical and physical problems involving the ground and excited state properties of small molecules, especially those that are of importance in Earth's atmosphere.  Recent ab initio quantum chemical studies have focused on the overtone vibrational spectrum of ethanol and the photolysis of Cl₂O₂. The studies have employed large-scale CASSCF, configuration interaction, and perturbation theory calculations. 

Recent Presentations

•   “Coffee for Justice: International collaborations in Nicaragua for chemistry in service to small-holder coffee producers,” Susan C. Jackels and Charles F. Jackels, presented by Susan Jackels before  the International Activities Committee symposium “International Sustainable Development: Institutional Frameworks,” at the 244^th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, August 19-23, 2012.  Abstract IAC-2.
  
• “Coffee Aroma Chemistry: Differentiating Coffees by Aroma Analysis,” Susan C. Jackels and Charles F. Jackels, presented by Susan Jackels before the Society Committee for Education  at the 243 rd  American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, California, March   25-29 , 2012.  Abstract SOCED-2.
  
• "Coffee processing chemistry: Control and optimization on the small farm in Nicaragua," Charles F. Jackels and Susan C. Jackels, presented by Charles Jackels before the Society Committee for Education  at the 243 rd  American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Diego, California, March   25-29 , 2012.  Abstract SOCED-1
  
• "Coffee for Justice: Chemistry and engineering in service to small-holder coffee farmers of Nicaragua," Susan Jackels and Charles Jackels.  Invited paper presented by Susan Jackels at the 21st Biennial Conference on Chemical Education, Denton, Texas, August 1-5 2010.
  
  
• “Nicaraguan campesino coffee roasted under different conditions and analyzed using gas chromatography and principal component analysis,” Spencer Ubben, Susan C Jackels, and Charles F Jackels, poster presentation at the 239th  American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, California, March 21-25, 2010.
  
  
• “Chemistry and the coffee crisis: an international undergraduate research program in service to Nicaraguan coffee farmers” Charles F. Jackels and Susan C. Jackels, poster presentation at 12^th National Conference of the Council of Underegraduate Research. St. Joseph, Minnesota, June 21-24, 2008
• “HPLC and test strip analysis of bio-acids produced in fermented coffee mucilage on small farms in Nicaragua,” S. Jackels, B. Edquist, T. Pham, C. Jackels, R. Rivas, and C. Vallejos, poster presentation by at  235^th American Chemical Society National Meeting,  New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008.
   
• “Coffee for Justice: An international collaboration for research and service with small-holder coffee farmers of Nicaragua,” Susan C. Jackels, Charles F. Jackels, Carlos Vallehos, Stephanie Kleven, Roberto Rivas, and Scott Fraser-Dauphinee, invited oral presentation delivered by Susan Jackels at the 233^rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, Chicago, IL, March 25-29, 2007.
   
• "Control of the Coffee Fermentation Process and Quality of Resulting Roasted Coffee:  Studies in the Field Laboratory and on Small Farms in Nicaragua during the 2005-06 Harvest," presented by Susan Jackels and Charles Jackels at 21st International Conference on Coffee Science, Montpellier, France, Sep 11-15, 2006.
   

Recent Publications