Steve McKinnon

I first became interested in teaching while I was a graduate student at the University of Victoria, teaching laboratory classes and tutorials. While I enjoyed research and lab work, I realized early on that teaching was more suited to me. After graduating, I got some further experience working as a sessional instructor at UVic, Royal Roads and Camosun, teaching a variety of first and second year chemistry courses. In 2013, I got my wish when I got a continuing faculty position at Camosun College. I teach an assortment of introductory and 1st year chemistry courses, and a 2nd year course on molecular spectroscopy.

I completed my PhD degree in 2011, which focused on the coordination chemistry of stable organic radicals. My work involved investigating the magnetism and charge-transfer behaviour of these complexes.

Teaching Courses

• CHEM 100 Introductory Chemistry
• CHEM 110 General College Chemistry I
• CHEM 120 General Chemistry I
• CHEM 121 General Chemistry II
• CHEM 213 Molecular Spectroscopy

Publications

1. C.W. Johnston, S.D.J. McKinnon, B.O. Patrick, and R.G. Hicks*, 2013. The first “Kuhn verdazyl” ligand and comparative studies of its PdCl2 complex with analogous 6-oxoverdazyl ligands. Dalton Trans. 42, 16829-36.
2. S.D.J. McKinnon, B.O. Patrick, A.B.P. Lever,* and R.G. Hicks,* 2013. Binuclear ruthenium complexes of a neutral radical bridging ligand. A new ‘spin’ on mixed valency. Inorg. Chem. 52, 8053-8066.
3. S.D.J. McKinnon, B.O. Patrick, A.B.P. Lever,* and R.G. Hicks*, 2011. Electronic structure investigations of neutral and charged ruthenium bis(b-diketonate) complexes of redox-active verdazyl radicals. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 133, 13587-13603
4. S.D.J. McKinnon, J.B. Gilroy, R. McDonald, B.O. Patrick, and R.G. Hicks*, 2011. Magnetostructural studies of palladium(II) and platinum(II) complexes of verdazyl radicals. J. Mater. Chem. 21, 1523-30.
5. S.D.J. McKinnon, B.O. Patrick, A.B.P. Lever,* and R.G. Hicks*, 2010. Verdazyl radicals as redox-active, non-innocent ligands. Contrasting electronic structures as a function of electron-poor and electron-rich ruthenium bis(b-diketonate) co-ligands.Chem. Commun. 46, 773-5.
6. J.B. Gilroy, S.D.J. McKinnon, B.D. Koivisto, and R.G. Hicks*, 2007. Electrochemical studies of verdazyl radicals. Org. Lett., 4837-40.
7. J.B. Gilroy, S.D.J. McKinnon, P. Kennepohl, M.S. Zsombor, M.J. Ferguson, L.K. Thompson, and R.G. Hicks*, 2007. Probing electronic communication in stable benzene-bridged verdazyl diradicals. J. Org. Chem. 72, 8062-9.