Rate My Professor Steven Keller

Steven W. Keller serves as Associate Professor and Associate Chair for Undergraduate Studies in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Missouri-Columbia. He earned a B.S. from Pacific Lutheran University in 1986 and a Ph.D. from the University of California at Berkeley in 1991. After completing postdoctoral fellowships at the University of Texas at Austin from 1992 to 1993 and at Pennsylvania State University from 1993 to 1995, Keller joined the University of Missouri in 1995 as an Assistant Professor, achieving promotion to Associate Professor in 2000. In addition to his faculty role, he has served as Director of the Missouri Scholars Academy since 2015, Associate Director of the Honors College from 2013 to 2016, Research Investigator at the Missouri University Research Reactor since 1996, and Co-Director of the Missouri Scholars Academy. Keller has been a faculty member in the Chemistry department since 1995 and contributes to undergraduate studies through his associate chair position.

Keller's research specializes in inorganic, solid-state, materials, and supramolecular chemistry. His work explores the combination of molecular species with extended solids to create new materials, geomimetic coordination polymers, rational design of extended solids using pre-formed molecular species at lower temperatures, construction of scaffold-like materials with cavities for absorbing guest molecules or ions, and investigation of magnetic oxide particles within inorganic matrices. Notable publications include 'A Polyoxometallate-Templated Cu(I) Coordination Polymer: Synthesis and Crystal Structure of [Cu3(4,4'-bipyridine)5(MeCN)2]PW12O40' in Chemical Communications (2002), 'Dimensional Control over bis-1,2-(4-pyridyl)ethylene Cu(I) Coordination Networks' in Inorganica Chimica Acta (2001), 'Subtle Changes, Profound Effects: Synthesis and Crystal Structures of Helical Copper(I):4,7-Phenanthroline Coordination Polymers' in Cryst. Eng. (1999), 'A Two-Dimensional Coordination Polymer Containing Pentagonal Cavities' in J. Am. Chem. Soc. (1999), and 'Novel One-Dimensional Coordination Polymers Based on Cu(I) and 4,7-Phenanthroline' in Inorg. Chem. (1999). He has received the 2003 William T. Kemper Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching, 2013 Arts and Science Purple Chalk Award, 2000 Alpha Phi Sorority Professor of the Year, 1999 Provost's Outstanding Junior Faculty Teaching Award, 1998 National Science Foundation Career Award, 1991 Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory Technology Transfer Award, and 1989 Raychem Corporation Graduate Student Fellowship. Keller teaches large lecture classes and small graduate courses, develops Honors College offerings such as history of science, science and politics, and Honors General Chemistry, and advises student organizations including the Wakonse Residence, Zou Crew, and Tiger’s Lair.