Rate My Professor Jason Mullins

Jason E. Mullins, PhD, is Professor of Chemistry in the Natural & Environmental Sciences Department at Western Colorado University, a position he has held since 2006. He earned his B.S. from Clemson University and Ph.D. from the University of Montana. His doctoral dissertation, titled 'Synthesis of conformationally-restricted glutamate analogs via novel ring-forming strategies,' was completed in 2006. Mullins serves as Faculty Athletics Representative, contributing to the university's athletic and academic integration. He is located in Hurst Hall 204.

Mullins' academic interests focus on the design and synthesis of conformationally-locked glutamate analogs as probes to understand and differentiate neurotransmitter proteins within the glutamate system. This work seeks to define criteria for selective interactions with excitatory amino acid transporters (EAATs) and the vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT). Key publications from his graduate research include 'Unexpected Formation of Highly Functionalized Dihydropyrans via an Intramolecular Reformatsky-type Reaction' in the Journal of Organic Chemistry (2009) and a Tetrahedron Letters article on piperidine-based conformationally restricted analogs of glutamate (2009). At Western Colorado University, he teaches first-semester organic chemistry lecture and lab, second-semester organic chemistry lecture and lab, and Introduction to Organic and Biochemistry (GOB) with lab. These courses support the university's chemistry major, chemistry secondary education program, and broader natural sciences curriculum.