Joseph Houck

Professional Appointments and Affiliations

Assistant Department Head for Undergraduate Curriculum

Associate Teaching Professor

Office 

220B Whitmore Laboratory

University Park, PA 16802

Mailing Address

104 Chemistry Building

Education & Experience

Lecturer, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Maryland, College Park, MD, 2013-2016

Ph.D., Chemistry, University of Virginia, May 2013, Advisor: Timothy L. Macdonald, Ph.D.

Dissertation: Optimization of the Activity and Metabolism of Amidine-based Sphingosine Kinase Inhibitors

B.S., Chemistry with a secondary emphasis in Education, Juniata College, May 2008

Honors and Awards

The Pennsylvania State University

• Priestley Teaching Prize, Department of Chemistry, 2022
• Teaching Innovation Award, Eberly College of Science, 2022
• ACS Division of Chemical Education Travel Award, 2020
• Completion of Institute for Emerging Leaders in Online Learning (IELOL), Online Learning Consortium, 2019
• University Court, Penn State Homecoming, 2017
• Completion of PKAL STEM Leadership Institute, American Association of Colleges & Universities, 2017

University of Maryland

• Dean’s Outstanding Lecturer Award, College of Computer, Mathematical, and Natural Sciences, 2015
• Elevate Fellowship (for course redesign), Teaching and Learning Transformation Center, 2015-2016
• Younger Chemist Leadership Development Award, American Chemical Society, 2014

University of Virginia

• Department of Chemistry Graduate Teaching Award, 2013
• Pratt Dissertation-Year Fellowship, Department of Chemistry, 2013
• Pratt Fellowship, Department of Chemistry, 2008 – 2011

Selected Publications

Houck, J. D., Dawson, T. K., Kennedy, A. J., Kharel, Y., Naimon, N. D., Field, S. D., Lynch, K., Macdonald, T. L.  Structural requirements and docking analysis of amidine-based sphingosine kinase inhibitors containing oxadiazoles. ACS Med. Chem. Lett.  2016. 7 (5), 487-492.

Baykoucheva, S., Houck, J. D., White, N. Integration of EndNote Online in information literacy instruction designed for small and large chemistry courses. J. Chem. Educ. 2016. 93 (3), 470-476.

Houck, J. D., Machamer, N., Erickson, K. Graduate Student Outreach: Model of a One-day “Chemistry Camp” for Elementary Students. J. Chem. Ed. 2014. 91 (10), 1606-1610.

Klanicová, A., Houck, J. D., Baran, P., Trávníček, Z. Synthesis, X-ray structures, properties and SOD-like activity of ternary copper(II) complexes showing the N₄O₂ coordination with a combination of monodentate and bidentate N-donor ligands. Inorganica Chimica Acta.  2012, 384, 47-53.

Kennedy, A. J., Mathews, T. P., Kharel, Y., Field, S. D., Moyer, M. L., East, J. E., Houck, J. D., Lynch, K. R., Macdonald, T. L.

Development of Amidine-Based Sphingosine Kinase 1 Nanomolar Inhibitors and Reduction of Sphingosine 1-Phosphate in Human Leukemia Cells.  J. Med. Chem. Chem. 2011, 54 (10), 3524-3548.

Kharel, Y., Mathews, T. P., Kennedy, A. J., Houck, J. D., Macdonald, T. L., Lynch, K. R. A rapid assay for assessment of sphingosine kinase inhibitors and substrates.  Anal. Biochem. 2011, 411(2), 230-235.