Southeast STEM administrators create disinfectant for use on campus

Departments across Southeast Missouri State University are using spray disinfectant and hand sanitizer created on campus by two administrative members of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics.

Tamela Randolph, dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics, and Philip Crawford, chairman of the Department of Chemistry and Physics, spent one day during spring break creating disinfectant and hand sanitizer in a chemistry stockroom on campus after a request from administration.

"I think that's what important, that we step up as a college and a department to help the community," Randolph said. "If we have the product and we have the capability to be helping, then that is what we're supposed to do."

Randolph and Crawford filled 45 spray bottles with 95% ethanol to use as a spray disinfectant and created some 40 bottles of hand sanitizer.

Crawford, who is finishing up his 28th year at Southeast, explained that creating hand sanitizer is not difficult; the recipe includes ethanol mixed with aloe and a few drops of Vitamin E. Both Crawford and Randolph agreed the process was actually quite enjoyable -- from purchasing supplies at local stores to working together to create the disinfectant, they said they collaborated well. Crawford measured ethanol in a beaker and transferred it to a bottle as Randolph added the aloe and Vitamin E to the mixture.

The spray disinfectant was distributed to the library and regional campus, Crawford said; the hand sanitizer was given to department offices across campus. In addition to these disinfectants, Randolph said Southeast departments also created PPE such as masks and plastic face shields, as well as making the department's surplus of gloves available to community groups.