Problem Solver
Dale Vitale
Colleagues and students have told me that I have a knack for identifying and expressing the pivotal principles on which the solution to a given technical problem may be based. However, when I’m asked for the source of these ideas I can’t say much beyond, “it occurred to me”. My conclusion is that, if I really do have such talents, they’re rooted in my subconscious/imagination.
Areas Dale Vitale is Knowledgeable in:
Synthetic, physical and theoretical organic chemistry; food science and consumer products; pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics; integration of information technology with science and science education; energy production and storage
Techniques Dale Vitale Uses:
A. Define and Analyze the Problem
1. Recast the initial statement of the problem in more specific/concrete terms.
2. Construct a graphical representation of the problem, if possible.
3. Write a concise statement of the goal.
4. Delineate secondary technical requirements of an acceptable solution.
5. Consult secondary literature (e.g. reviews, textbooks, etc.) to clarify unfamiliar aspects of the problem.
6. Construct a project lexicon.
B. Generate Potential Solutions*
1. Use experience with other problems, consultation (i.e. with colleagues, students, friends, family, etc.), news reports, and the primary literature in the problem domain, to generate a list of potential solutions.
2. Score solutions according to how well each matches the primary goal and subordinate requirements (e.g. physical, chemical, biological, economic, social, etc.).
3. Select a solution.
C. Evaluate the Solution
1. Search the primary literature for data that indicate the likelihood the solution will be successful.
2. Write procedures for testing and/or modeling the solution against the criteria developed in the Definition and Analysis.
3. Test solution physically and/or theoretically.
4. Modify or replace solution as needed.
5. Formally propose or implement the solution.
1. Recast the initial statement of the problem in more specific/concrete terms.
2. Construct a graphical representation of the problem, if possible.
3. Write a concise statement of the goal.
4. Delineate secondary technical requirements of an acceptable solution.
5. Consult secondary literature (e.g. reviews, textbooks, etc.) to clarify unfamiliar aspects of the problem.
6. Construct a project lexicon.
B. Generate Potential Solutions*
1. Use experience with other problems, consultation (i.e. with colleagues, students, friends, family, etc.), news reports, and the primary literature in the problem domain, to generate a list of potential solutions.
2. Score solutions according to how well each matches the primary goal and subordinate requirements (e.g. physical, chemical, biological, economic, social, etc.).
3. Select a solution.
C. Evaluate the Solution
1. Search the primary literature for data that indicate the likelihood the solution will be successful.
2. Write procedures for testing and/or modeling the solution against the criteria developed in the Definition and Analysis.
3. Test solution physically and/or theoretically.
4. Modify or replace solution as needed.
5. Formally propose or implement the solution.
Dale Vitale's Problem Solving Skills:
- Practical familiarity with computer and network hardware (i.e. sufficient to construct a LAN and make repairs to equipment).
- . Design of chemical syntheses including heterocyclics, aromatic compounds and most, common organic functional groups.
- Operation and data interpretation for differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA).
- Operation and data interpretation for multidimensional, multinuclear nuclear magnetic (NMR) spectrometry.
- Operation and data interpretation for electron impact mass spectrometry (EI-MS).
- Operation and data interpretation for high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and gas chromatography (GC) as well as some
- Analysis of chemical problems using computer molecular modeling and computational chemistry; experience with Gaussian, Spartan,
- Competence in UNIX, LINUX and Windows OS environments.
- Proficient use of the primary scientific literature and tools used to search it.
- Proficiency in use of common computer applications including MS Office, Front Page, Paintshop Pro, and molecular drawing packag
Dale Vitale's Problem Solving Experience:
- Efficient Synthesis of a Vanillin Ester; an organic synthesis designed to reduce an existing route from three steps to one without the used of toxic reagents.
- Interpretation and modeling of anamolous drug conjugate excretion kinetics.
- Use of optically pure, chiral room temperature ionic liquids (cRTILs) in the separation of enantiotopic mixtures (i.e. racemates) of pharmaceutical compounds (e.g. warfarin).
- Odorless, Non-Volatile Hair-Curling Solution: Non-sulfur based substance for the reversible reduction of disulfide bonds in keratin.
- Developed protocol to determine the temperature at which the racemic compound 1,1’-binaphthyl(s) is transformed into its conglomerate.
- Winner of challenge to summarize the chemical, biochemical, and physiological mechanism of human salt taste perception; identify salt taste agonists and antagonists; enumerate human foods in which salt is a primary tastant; construct a bibliography of the most significant references on human salt taste perception.
- Designed and implemented new synthetic methods for the preparation of bi- and triaryl compounds, including heterocycles.
- Methods of separation (i.e. “resolution”) of racemic mixtures of pharmaceutical compounds (e.g. warfarin) using chiral room temperature ionic liquids (cRTILs).