Bio
Captain Max Grossenbacher is an instructor of Chemistry at the U.S. Air Force Academy. He instructs undergraduate chemistry courses, develops course material, and mentors cadets on academic and professional topics.
Capt Grossenbacher commissioned into the U.S. Air Force in 2015 through the University of Texas at San Antonio's AFROTC program in San Antonio, Texas. Graduating with a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry, he was designated as a space officer of the line with a specialty in Orbital Warfare. After attending training at Vandenburg SFB in California, he served as a Wideband Satellite Vehicle Expert in the 3rd and 4th Space Operations Squadrons on Schriever SFB. Afterwards, he received a Master of Science degree in Chemistry from the Air Force Institute of Technology's Civilian Institution program. While receiving his master's degree, he transferred to The U.S. Space Force in 2020. Prior to his current position, he served as a Flight commander with the 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron on Peterson SFB. While serving with the 4th EWS, he deployed in support of Operation Spartan Shield, where he served as a space liaison officer with Special Operations Command Central at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Education
Bachelor of Science, Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (2015)
Masters of Science, Chemistry, University of Texas at San Antonio, San Antonio, Texas (2020)
Professional Experience
Instructor, Department of Chemistry, U.S. Air Force Academy, CO (2023- Present)
Flight Commander, 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Peterson Space Force Base, CO (2022-2023)
Space Liaison Officer, Special Operations Command-Central, Al Udeid AB, Qatar, OCONUS (2021-2022)
Officer in Charge, 4th Electromagnetic Warfare Squadron, Peterson Space Force Base, CO (2020-2021)
Student, AF Institute of Technology, C.I., The University of Texas at San Antonio, TX (2019-2020)
Mission Planner / Deputy Flight Commander, 4th Space Ops Squadron, Schriever Space Force Base, CO (2017-2019)
Satellite Vehicle Expert / Instructor, 3rd Space Ops Squadron, Schriever Space Force Base, CO (2016-2017)
Student, Space Operations, 533rd Training Squadron, Vandenburg Space Force Base, CA (2016-2016)
Honors & Awards
Air and Space Commendation Medal with Two Oak-Leaf Clusters
Research and Scholarly Interests
Bio-Inorganic and catalytic decomposition of phosphoester bonds
Synthesis of small organic molecule enzyme active site mimics
Publications
Grossenbacher, M.; Foley, W.; Musie, G. T. Tetranuclear Iron(III) Complexes with a Carboxylate-Rich Ligand as Synthetic Mimics of Phosphoesterases in Aqueous Media. Inorganica Chimica Acta 2022, 543, 121195. DOI:10.1016/j.ica.2022.121195.