postdoctoral researchers
Dr. Shubham Deolka
he/him
Research: TBD
Ph.D. OIST, Japan (2023)
Advisor: Julia Khusnutdinova
B.S.-M.S. IISER, Kolkata (2017)
Interests: Playing Soccer, Running, Trying to cook random food
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Dr. Aleria Garcia-Roca
she/her
Research: TBD
Ph.D. ICIQ, Spain (2023)
Advisor: Arjan Kleij
M.Sci. ICIQ, Spain (2017)
Advisor: Mónica Pérez Temprano
B.A. Autonomous University of Barcelona (2016)
Interests: Playing cello and soccer, video games and salty popcorn
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Dr. James Howard
he/him
Research: TBD
With: Narayan Group (U of Michigan)
Ph.D. University of Texas at Austin (2023)
Advisor: Eric V. Anslyn
B.S. University of Alabama
Advisor: Kevin Shaughnessy
Interests: Guitar, hobby electronics, water sports, cooking, thrift shopping, and video games
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Dr. Lucas Karas
he/him
Research: Applying computational chemistry and data science tools to understand (bio)catalyzed desymmetrization reactions.
With: Miller Group (Yale)
Ph.D. University of Houston (2021)
Advisors: Judy Wu
M.Sci. UTFPR, Brazil (2017)
Advisor: Paulo Oliveira
B.A. UTFPR, Brazil (2015)
Interests: Sports (big soccer fan), trying to ski, walking with my dog Fika, Doritos, BOGO Subway, Big Gulps
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Dr. Arianne Hunter
Research: Developing asymmetric synthetic methodologies enabled by electrochemistry and optimized by data science tools.
Co-advised with Reisman Group (Caltech)
Ph.D. University of Oklahoma (2019)
Advisors: Indrajeet Sharma
B.A. Dartmouth College
Advisor: Gordon Gribble
Interests: Powerlifting, hiking, Steven Universe, and watching music history documentaries
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Dr. Jamie Cadge
he/him
Research: Investigating structure activity relationships and statistical modelling with mono- and bisphosphine ligands for mechanistic elucidation and reaction development.
With: Reisman Group (Caltech), Sarpong Group (UC Berkeley), Toste Group (UC Berkeley), Genentech, CCAS
Ph.D. University of Bristol (2021)
Advisors: John Bower and Chris Russell
M.Sci. University of Nottingham (2016)
Advisor: Liam Ball
Interests: Cooking, playing piano, watching live music and films
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Dr. Melissa Hardy
she/her
Research: Developing statistical models to predict the outcome of amide coupling reactions and investigating the origins of enantioselectivity with flexible organocatalysts
With: Pfizer, Paton Group (CSU), Coley Group (MIT), Sarpong Group (UC Berkeley), Miller Group (Yale), Lin Group (Cornell), Genentech
Ph.D. University of California, Berkeley (2021)
Advisor: Richmond Sarpong
B.A. Grinnell College (2016)
Advisor: Stephen Sieck
Interests: petting doggos, overalls, sour beer, and fancy cheese
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Dr. Avijit Hazra
he/him
Research: Understanding oxidative addition mechanism of low-valent metal species and Development of new mediators for nickel catalyzed reactions.
With: CSOE, Reisman group (Caltech), Doyle group (UCLA)
Ph.D. University of Washington, Seattle (2021)
Advisor: Gojko Lalic
M.Sc. ITT Bombay, Mumbai (2014)
Advisor: Debabrata Maiti
B.S. University of Calcutta, Kolkata (2012)
Interests: Playing soccer, table tennis, hiking, cooking Bengali food, and watching FC Barcelona play
Dr. Andrey Varenikov
he/him
Research: Exploration of nitrenium scaffolds as potential bipolar electrolytes for non-aqueous redox flow batteries
With: JCESR
Ph.D. Technion - Israel Institute of Technology (2021) Advisor: Mark Gandelman
B.S. Karazin Kharkiv National University (2012)
Advisor: Aleksander D. Roshal
Interests: Cycling, cooking, traveling, diving
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fifth years
Brittany Haas
she/her
Research: Applying data science techniques to improve predictions of amide coupling reaction success and gain mechanistic insight into novel chemical reactions.
With: Pfizer, Paton Group (CSU), Coley Group (MIT), Genentech
B.S. Chemistry, University of St. Thomas (2019)
Interests: cooking, traveling, French onion soup, farmers' markets, cheese curds, hiking, and the color pink
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Jordan Liles
he/him
Research: Development of novel Bronsted acid organocatalysts for enantioselective catalysis.
With: Toste Group (UC Berkely)
B.S. Chemistry, Mercer University (2017)
Interests: Playing instruments, singing (poorly), snowboarding, Always Sunny, and Ethiopian food
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fourth years
Tim McFadden
he/him
Research: Developing interdisciplinary workflows and methodologies to delve into frontal ring-opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) and organic electrochemistry.
With: Minteer Group (Utah), CSOE, REMAT
B.A. Marketing, Loyola University Chicago (2011)
Interests: Reading, climbing, open water swimming, and working for free
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Beck Miller
they/them
Research: Using contemporary data science methods to deconvolute and understand nonlinearities in organometallic mechanisms.
With: Du Bois Group (Stanford), Shaw Group (UC Davis), McNeil Group (U of Michigan)
B.A. Chemistry, Smith College (2020)
Interests: Coding, rugby, weight lifting, and making a mess in my kitchen
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Veronica O'Connor
she/her
Research: Uncovering the activation modes and structural properties of adaptable, novel Brønsted acid organocatalysts
With: Toste Group (UC Berkeley)
B.S. Chemistry, Hillsdale College (2020)
Interests: volleyball, my cats not hiding from me, 10pm talks about science/life, the Midwest.
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Mohammad Samha
he/him
Research: Reaction development of Ullmann C–N couplings using data science and high throughput reaction development.
With: GSK, Healy (NYU)
B.S. Chemistry, Southern Utah University (2019)
Interests: Studying, family time, Pokémon cards, BOGO Subway, and the occasional video game
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Natalie Romer
she/her
Research:Mechanism elucidation and optimization of phosphine-dependent reactivity in catalysis through statistical modeling and HTE design.
With: Genentech, Doyle group (UCLA)
B.S. Chemistry, Montana State University (2016)
Interests: Growing food, cooking food, eating food [especially bread], construction projects, playing outside, and one pot reactions
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third years
Sara McCormack
she/her
Research: synthesis and computational analysis of new materials for nonaqueous redox flow batteries
With: JCESR, Sanford Group (U of Michigan), Minteer Group (U of Utah)
B.S. Chemistry, University of Denver (2021)
Interests: powder skiing, cooking, looking at trees, water sports, and brightly colored molecules
Austin LeSueur
he/him
Research: Application of new statistical modeling techniques to improve understanding of monophosphine ligand selection and biocatalytic systems
With: Doyle group (UCLA), Sherman group (U of Michigan)
B.S. Biochemistry, Brigham Young University (2021)
Interests: Reading, board games, piano, hiking, eating carbs
Sierra Hart
she/her
Research: Characterization of P, N and P, P ligand activity using statistical modeling to provide mechanistic insight and reaction optimization
With: Bayer, Sarpong Group (UC Berkeley)
B.S. Chemistry and Applied Mathematics, Weber State University (2021)
Interests: yellow rain boots, keeping my (black) dogs off my (white) couch, and shopping for my next post-test consolation plant!
Therese Wild
she/her
Research: Parameterization of bidentate N-donor ligands for reaction optimization and physical organic understanding of reactivity.
With: C-CAS, CSOE, Reisman group (Caltech), Doyle Group (UCLA)
B.A. Chemistry (2021) B.S. Biomedical Sciences University at Buffalo, (2021)
Interests: Hiking, climbing, watching the worst reality TV you can find, Trolli peach rings
second years
Alex Ring
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Research: Electrosynthetic and electroanalytic techniques to study Ni complexes
With: CSOE
B.S. Chemistry, University of Utah (2022)
Interests: skiing, painting, camping, and watching Survivor
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Haruka Takenaka
she/her
Research: Mechanistic studies of Ni catalyzed oxidative addition and development of new mediators
With: CSOE
B.S. Chemistry, California State Polytechnic University, Pomona (2021)
Interests: eating, cooking, fish, anything related to food, watching anime, sleeping, saving money, traveling
Zrinko Juric
Research: Development of novel chiral phosphoric acid organocatalysts
B.S. Chemistry, University of Zagreb, Croatia (2021)
Interests: dogs, volleyball, Mediterranean beaches, history, traveling, food, movies, and TV shows
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undergraduate students
Rachel Muhlestein
she/her
Research: Frontal-ring opening metathesis polymerization (FROMP) methodology development and organic electrosynthesis
With: Minteer Group (Utah), CSOE, REMAT
B.S. Biochemistry and Physics, University of Utah (expected 2025)
Interests: canyoneering, running, listening to music, and sour patch watermelon candy
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lab manager and research associates
Dr. Sarah Lefave: Lab Manager
she/her
Research: Protein dynamics (and chemical dynamics in general) and their relationship to structure and function
With: CCAS, REMAT
Ph.D. Chemistry, The University of Utah (2021)
Advisor: Matthew Kieber-Emmons
B.S. Chemistry, The University of Central Florida (2013)
Advisor: Yi Liao, Michael Leuenberger
Interests: doggos, climbing, most things food related