Rate My Professor Matthew Rex

Matthew Rex serves as the Chemistry Undergraduate Coordinator and Senior Lecturer in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Central Florida. He holds a B.S. in Chemistry and Biology from Bemidji State University in 2001 and a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from the University of Central Florida in 2009, with a dissertation titled "Room Temperature Fluorescence as a Tool for Forensic Trace Analysis of Textile Fibers." Since 2010, he has worked as a Lecturer in the Chemistry Department, responsible for classroom instruction, laboratory preparation, curriculum development, and grading coursework. In the same capacity, he acts as Instrumentation Specialist, overseeing the general maintenance, repair, and training for over 30 non-NMR chemistry department instruments. Previous positions include Technical Writer for the UCF Technology Transfer Office from 2009 to 2010, where he translated patents into one-page summaries for industry outreach, and Adjunct Faculty in the Chemistry Department at Daytona State College from 2009 to 2010.

Rex teaches a range of undergraduate courses, including Chemistry Fundamentals IA (CHM 2040), Chemistry Fundamentals I (CHM 2045), Chemistry Fundamentals II (CHM 2046), Analytical Chemistry Lab (CHM 3120L), and Advanced Analytical Chemistry Lab (CHM 4130L). He co-adapted the open educational resource "Chemistry Fundamentals" at the University of Central Florida from existing materials. During his doctoral studies, his research focused on analytical techniques, resulting in publications such as "Pushing the Limits of Mercury Sensors with Gold Nanorods" in Analytical Chemistry (2006) and "Accelerated multiple-pass moving average: A novel algorithm for baseline estimation in CE and its application to baseline correction on real-time bases" in Electrophoresis (2007). He delivered presentations at conferences including the 251st American Chemical Society National Meeting, FACSS 2008, FACSS 2007, FACSS 2006, PITTCON 2006, and the NIJ Trace Evidence Symposium 2007 on topics like room-temperature fluorescence for forensic fiber examination and capillary electrophoresis for mercury detection. Rex has mentored undergraduate researchers on projects such as limitations of gunshot primer analysis using atomic absorption spectroscopy. He received Faculty Recognition for Research and Teaching Effectiveness through the University of Central Florida Research Incentive Awards program and an Undergraduate Teaching award. His service includes chairing the Chemistry Department Instrument Committee (2011-2013), serving on Ph.D. defense and candidacy committees, organizing department seminars as Technical Advisor (2011-present), maintaining departmental instruments, and contributing to outreach efforts like assisting high school groups and presenting at UCF STEM Day 2016.