Chemistry professor named Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar, awarded $100,000 research grant

Awarded by the Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation, Dreyfus Teacher-Scholars are awarded to 18 chemistry faculty nationwide in the first five years of their academic careers who have each created an “outstanding” independent body of scholarship, while demonstrating a deep commitment to education.

“J.P.’s selection as a Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar is a testament to his innovative approaches to the study and impacts of microbial-level communication, as well as his unflagging commitment to enriching the educational and research experiences of his students,” said Rick Van Kooten, Executive Dean of the College of Arts and Sciences and Professor of Physics.

“Professor Gerdt, in a very short time, has built up a world-class laboratory at IU Bloomington to understand microbe responses in a way that will have a positive impact on human health,” said Steven Tait, Herman T. Briscoe Professor and Chair of the Chemistry department. “His research group has published impactful work in international, peer-reviewed journals and attracted significant grant funding. J.P. is a thoughtful mentor to graduate and undergraduate students and an outstanding classroom instructor. He is truly an outstanding teacher-scholar and we are so happy for this well-deserved recognition from the Dreyfus Foundation.”

In 2023, Gerdt was a recipient of the IU’s Trustees Teaching Award, which honors faculty who have had a positive impact on student learning, especially undergraduates. The Gerdt laboratory in the College at IU Bloomington studies the molecules that drive “interkingdom symbioses”—communications between microbes such as bacteria, or between bacteria, disease-causing pathogens, and a host, such as an animal or human. Microbes use chemicals to communicate with each other, and then they use other chemicals to cooperate with or compete with each other.

The Gerdt lab is a team of molecular detectives who apply chemical tools like mass spectrometry and nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to decipher which molecules trigger cooperative and competitive responses in microbes. Ultimately, Gerdt and his research team hope to use this knowledge to devise new approaches to defeat pathogens and promote the microbiomes that help humans.

The Camille and Henry Dreyfus Foundation works to advance the science of chemistry, chemical engineering, and related sciences as a means of improving human relations and circumstances throughout the world, according to the Foundation. Established in 1946, the Foundation identifies and addresses needs and opportunities in the chemical sciences through a series of programs and awards, and by supporting young faculty accomplished in both research and teaching.

Department of Chemistry faculty consistently rank among the best in their respective fields, and the graduate program is ranked among the nation’s leaders. Analytical chemistry, inorganic chemistry, synthetic organic chemistry, and theoretical chemistry at IU are traditional department strengths. A pan-campus graduate training program in Quantitative and Chemical Biology (QCB) has been established, and materials chemistry is thriving in a way that compliments core strengths in virus assembly and drug discovery.

About the College of Arts and Sciences at Indiana University Bloomington 

The College of Arts and Sciences is the beating heart of Indiana University Bloomington and traces its roots to IU's founding in 1820. Part of a leading R1 (Research 1) university, the College has more than 70 academic departments offering undergraduate and graduate degrees within and across the natural and mathematical sciences, the arts, the humanities, and the social sciences. In addition, the College is home to the Media School, the Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, and the Eskenazi School of Art, Architecture + Design.

College faculty are groundbreaking researchers and dedicated teachers and mentors to students. With an array of options, opportunities, and experiences to choose from, students are able to prepare for fulfilling work as well as a meaningful life. More than 90 percent of our undergraduates report a successful career outcome six months after graduation. Learn more at college.indiana.edu.