Posted on August 28, 2026 by College of Sciences
#LeadershipSpotlight
Zachary Tonzetich, Ph.D., Interim Chair of the Department of Chemistry, College of Sciences Office of the Dean
What did your journey to UT San Antonio look like?
I am a native of Pennsylvania and attended the University of Rochester in upstate New York, where I majored in chemistry. After graduating, I spent eight years in Cambridge, MA at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, first as a graduate student working with Richard Schrock and later as an NIH Postdoctoral Fellow in the laboratory of Stephen Lippard. I joined the faculty at UT San Antonio in the fall of 2010. Although the university looked quite different then than it does today, I was drawn to the tremendous potential I saw in the institution as an emerging center for research and scholarship. I was equally impressed by the faculty, culture, and resources within the Department of Chemistry and recognized it as an ideal place to launch my academic career.
What do you enjoy most about your area of study?
As a chemist, my first love is synthesis. The creation of new molecules and the exploration of their reactivity have always been the most exciting and rewarding aspects of research for me. I often remind my own students that the molecules they create, to the best of our knowledge, have never existed anywhere else in the universe. In a very real sense, we are studying the products of our own imagination and ingenuity. My research interests lie in the field of inorganic chemistry, which focuses primarily on compounds containing transition metal elements. In our laboratory, we design and synthesize new metal-based molecules that function as catalysts, enabling chemical transformations with greater efficiency and selectivity. A particular emphasis of our work is the development of catalysts derived from earth-abundant metals, a class of elements that offers a sustainable alternative to many traditionally used metals. These earth-abundant metal catalysts hold tremendous promise across a wide range of applications, from drug discovery and advanced materials to energy-related technologies all while helping to reduce the environmental impact of chemical processes.
What are some of the most notable research projects that you’ve been involved in?
For several years, I had the privilege of participating in a National Science Foundation Center for Chemical Innovation. The Center brought together researchers from across the country with expertise spanning quantum optics, cavity engineering, electrochemistry, theory, and chemical synthesis. The Center’s mission was to discover new, highly selective chemical reactions enabled by the strong coupling of matter with the quantized photonic states of an optical cavity, which give rise to quasiparticles known as polaritons. What made this experience particularly rewarding was the truly interdisciplinary nature of the collaboration. Working alongside experts from such diverse scientific backgrounds allowed me not only to contribute my own expertise in chemical synthesis and catalysis, but also to immerse myself in an entirely new area of science.
What is your proudest moment with the College of Sciences?
Like many of my colleagues, I was immensely proud when UT San Antonio achieved R1 status. Knowing that the College of Sciences played a central role in earning this designation makes the accomplishment even more meaningful. It is a privilege to count myself among the outstanding scholars and researchers across the College whose collective efforts have elevated the university to this level of national recognition.
Describe your new leadership role and how it will help support students, faculty and/or staff in COS.
I am currently serving as Interim Chair of the Department of Chemistry. In this role, I am committed to supporting our students, faculty, and staff while working closely with university leadership to advance the department's mission and strengthen its impact in education and research. I am fortunate to be following Dr. Audrey Lamb, whose effective, thoughtful, and collegial leadership set a strong example for our department.
What are you most looking forward to in this new role?
I am most looking forward to expanding my understanding of academic leadership and developing the skills necessary to make a meaningful, positive impact on the careers of my colleagues and the educational experiences of our students.
What has been or do you anticipate being the most rewarding part of your work in this role?
Witnessing the success of our students, faculty, and staff, whether through graduations, promotions, awards, or other career milestones, is the aspect of this role that I anticipate being most rewarding. My former department chairs in chemistry played a tremendously positive role in my own career development, and I hope to have a similarly meaningful impact on the careers of my colleagues.
How would you spend your ideal Saturday?
Many of our colleagues in COS know that I am an avid birder, nature photographer, and naturalist. My ideal Saturday would begin early by being outside in nature and documenting the unique flora and fauna that South Texas has to offer. When I'm lucky, one or more of my three children might even join me for the walk. By the end of the day, I would look forward to dinner out with my wife and a few precious hours to ourselves.
What are your book recommendations?
My reading interests are quite varied, and I enjoy everything from Jane Austin to Jonathan Franzen. For those interested in birding, I always recommend Ken Kauffman's Kingbird Highway. The book recounts a young Kauffman's quest to see as many birds as possible in the contiguous U.S. in one calendar year during the early 1970s. He treks back and forth across the country mostly by hitchhiking and recounts the interesting situations and characters (avian and otherwise) he meets along the way.
— College of Sciences
