Rate My Professor Marietjie Schutte-Smith

Professor Marietjie Schutte-Smith is a faculty member in the Department of Chemistry within the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences at the University of the Free State. She completed her PhD at the University of the Free State in Bloemfontein, South Africa, and was appointed as a Lecturer immediately thereafter. She has progressed through academic ranks to her current position as Professor. Her research focuses on coordination chemistry, with particular emphasis on rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes, substitution kinetics, structural studies, and applications in cytotoxicity and bioavailability. Key publications include Tuning the reactivity in classic low-spin d6 rhenium (I) tricarbonyl radiopharmaceutical synthon by selective bidentate ligand variation (2011), Coordinated Aqua vs Methanol Substitution Kinetics in fac-Re(I) Tricarbonyl Tropolonato Complexes (2012), and Rhenium (I) tricarbonyl complexes of 1,10-phenanthroline derivatives with unexpectedly high cytotoxicity (2023). Additional work covers topics such as the application of advanced soil and plant sensors in agriculture (2024), visible light activation of antiviral and antimicrobial properties of TiO2 nanoparticles (2023), and fixation of nanoparticles on fabric for health management (2024). She has contributed to studies on sustainable materials, including super absorbent polymers for menstrual health management (2024) and DES-based catalytic systems for carbon dioxide utilization (2024). Professor Schutte-Smith maintains an active research profile with collaborations in inorganic chemistry and materials applications.