Potential mentors in our program are listed below (alphabetically), with links to their group research pages. They reside primarily in the Department of Chemistry. This affords REU students the opportunity to experience firsthand several aspects of research in the chemical sciences.
| Faculty Member | Research Area/Interests |
|---|---|
| Jeff Bandar, Ph.D. |
Organic: From the discovery of new medicines to the development of sustainable energy technologies, many enterprises remain crucial for the advancement of modern society. Central to addressing these challenges is the need for precise control over chemical reactions. The Bandar Group explores creative modes of molecular activation that lead to general strategies for promoting, controlling and utilizing chemical reactivity. For example, we are interested in giving chemists exquisite control over proton transfer events by developing new reagents, reactions and catalytic paradigms. We are dedicated to advancing chemists’ ability to efficiently access chemical structures of broad importance. By pursuing processes featuring high practicality, selectivity and efficiency, we hope that these developments will find widespread use across the scientific community. |
| A. Ronnie Banerjee, Ph.D. | Dr. Banerjee’s research interests lie in the design, synthesis, characterization, and applications – specifically, catalytic and theragnostic applications – of hard and soft nanoscale composite materials generated via novel and sustainable protocols, such as the use of “green” solvents, solventless syntheses, and the like. After completing his B.Sc. (Chem. Hons.) at Jadavpur University, they received a West Bengal Merit Fellowship for UG performance and continued their graduate studies at IIT Kharagpur, working with Prof. P. Pramanik on developing novel morphological variations of nano-phospors. After research internships in TIFR Mumbai and Helmholtz Zentrum Fur Umweltforschung (Leipzig, Germany), they were awarded a Dean’s Fellowship at the University of Saskatchewan (Saskatoon, Canada) to work with Prof. Robert W. J. Scott on catalytic nanocomposites in tetraalkylphosphonium ionic liquid matrices for reactions such as hydrodeoxygenation, hydrogenation, and oxidation, used in biofuel generation from lignocellulosic biomass. This work was widely recognized, leading to several publications in international journals, as well as research funding from VWR, Saskatchewan Innovation and Opportunity Fellowship, and the Gerhard Herzberg Award, named in the honor of and awarded by the family of the Nobel Laureate Prof. Gerhard Herzberg. Dr. Banerjee also worked at the Canadian Light Source, Canada’s only second generation synchroton, at the HXMA, SGM, and SXRMB beamlines, using XAS to shed more light on events happening at the nano-domain during catalytic processes.
In 2016, after the completion of his Ph.D., Dr. Banerjee was awarded the highly prestigious Eyes High PDF at the University of Calgary, where they worked with Prof. Simon Trudel, director of the nanoscience program at UCalgary, on functional nanomaterials that combine multiple imaging modalities and are promising multifunctional bionanoprobes. At UCalgary, Dr. Banerjee also received the T. Chen Fong PDF in Medical Imaging in 2017, allowing them to continue this work and file for a patent for a novel bionanoprobe that combines aggregation induced emission with MRI activity. Dr. Banerjee then secured a MITACS Accelerate fellowship to work with the fabulous Trant Team at UWindsor, developing novel nanocomposites of lipophilic phytochemicals, as well as looking into neoteric delivery routes for targeted drug delivery. They also started a semi-independent project on the design and creation of a novel antimicrobial surface coating for deployment on high-touch surfaces. Simultaneously, they served as the course coordinator for the general chemistry course CHMI 1006 at Algoma University, delivered online during the pandemic years. Dr. Banerjee serves as a reviewer of numerous international scientific journals, and has recently become a Topic Editor at Catalysts. They hope to continue research to gain more insight into the fascinating world of nanomaterials and their role in the universal human aspiration for comfort, if not happiness. |
| Eugene Chen, Ph.D. | Materials: Polymer Chemistry; Catalytic Chemistry; Green/Sustainable Chemistry The Chen group’s research encompasses three major areas: polymer chemistry, catalytic chemistry, and green/sustainable chemistry. Our polymer chemistry projects focus on the precision (chemo/stereoselective and living) polymer synthesis of stereoregular and optically active chiral polymers, as well as the development of new polymerization reactions or methods for completely recyclable sustainable polymers. In the catalytic chemistry front, we develop new catalytic reactions or processes based on organic catalysts, main-group Lewis pairs, and chiral transition metal complexes, for activating small molecules and synthesizing macromolecules. In the green/sustainable chemistry area, we create new atom-economical and catalytic reactions or processes for nonfood biomass conversion and upgrading into renewable chemicals, liquid fuels, and polymeric materials, as well as design macromolecular recognition and self-assembly strategies to control organic/polymer photovoltaic active layer morphologies aiming for higher power conversion efficiencies of solar cells. |
| Jean Chung, Ph.D. | Physical: Molecular Biophysics; Reaction Kinetics on Membrane Surfaces; Single-Molecule Imaging; Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy Our goal is to discover physical principles underlying biological processes through quantitative spectroscopic tools. |
| Debbie Crans, Ph.D. | Bioinorganic: Coordination Chemistry; Metals; Spectroscopy; Diabetes, Cancer, and Tuberculosis Research in the Crans group focuses on synthesis and characterization of vanadium, chromium and other transition metal coordination compounds with spectroscopic and mechanistic studies of these complexes. Examples are complexes derived from 2,6-pyridinedicarboxylic acid (H2dipic), aliphatic aminoalcohol ligands, and natural metabolite chelators including amino acids and redox active systems such as catechols. Many of these complexes have potential for treatment of a particular disease such as diabetes, cancer or occupational asthma. Some undergraduate projects involve synthesis and characterization of V, Cr or other transition metal complexes. After complex preparation and isolation UV-visible and IR spectroscopies are used for characterization of all the complexes. 51V, 13C and 1H NMR spectroscopy will be used for characterization of the vanadium(V) complexes. NMR spectroscopy is employed for the chromium complexes with appropriate oxidation states. EPR spectroscopy is used for vanadium(IV) and chromium(III) complexes.In a second type of project, students examine how metal complexes interact with enzyme or lipid interfaces. Some of these complexes are potent inhibitors for phosphatases and some projects have involved enzymatic studies with these compounds. Studies probing the interaction with lipid interfaces relate to model systems as to how metal complexes enter cells. These studies include working with microemulsions of synthetic surfactants and Langmuir monolayers. One recent project working with microemulsions has involved developing a formulation that allows intracavitary delivery of gelatous carboplatin to animals that had carcinomas surgically removed. Characterization of these materials includes investigating phase diagrams, optical properties, drug release and rheological characterizations. |
| Megan Hill, Ph.D. | Materials and Mechanisms for a Sustainable Future Our research leverages organic chemistry to design advanced polymeric materials for applications in sustainability, catalysis, and soft materials. |
| Romana Jarosova, Ph.D. | Experimental Physical and Bioanalytical Areas |
| Seonah Kim, Ph.D. | Physical Computational Modeling of Bioenergy. Develop computational catalyst design and apply computational tools to both enzymatic and catalytic conversion processes of sustainable chemicals and polymers from plants (biomass) for a new bio-energy infrastructure. Mechanism-driven discovery of biopolymer upgrading and material design via molecular and quantum mechanics. Machine learning approach in catalyst design, and (bio)fuel and chemical property prediction tool kit development. |
| Nancy Levinger, Ph.D. | Physical: Spectroscopy; Dynamics; NanostructuresResearch in the Levinger group has two main thrusts: dynamics of molecules in confined environments and fundamental processes governing cell cryopreservation.
Dynamics in nanoconfinement Fundamental processes governing cell cryopreservation |
| Garret Miyake, Ph.D. | Polymer Chemistry, Catalysis, Materials Science Development of organic and organometallic catalysts; Visible light mediated photoredox catalysis for polymerization and small molecule transformations; Sustainable polymeric materials; Applications of self-assembled block copolymer nanostructures as photonic crystals. |
| James Neilson, Ph.D. | Materials: Solid State Chemistry; Biomineralization; Hard Magnetic Materials; Semiconductors; Superconductors The Neilson Laboratory is interested in fundamental solid-state and materials chemistry, elucidating synthesis-structure-property relationships in functional materials that will lead to “materials by design”. The research primarily focuses on understanding electronic properties, magnetism, superconductivity, and emergent physical properties in inorganic materials. We synthesize materials using high-temperature solid-state and low-temperature solution-based chemistries, followed by advanced characterization of atomistic structure and physical properties. Our additional use of theory and simulation provides insight into their relations. REU students will take on independent projects to prepare new functional materials and characterize their atomic structure and properties. The students will learn synthetic techniques from a wide array of methods, x-ray diffraction, physical properties measurements, and computer programming to analyze the data. |
| Amy Prieto, Ph.D. | Materials: Batteries; Photovoltaics; Nanostructured Materials The Prieto group is interested in developing new ways of synthesizing nanoscale solid state materials with useful and interesting properties in three main areas: (1) developing a three-dimensional nanostructured architecture for lithium-ion batteries with high power density, (2) synthesizing nanoparticles of earth abundant, non toxic elements for inexpensive and efficient photovoltaics, and (3) synthesizing nanoparticles of Mg exhibiting improved kinetics for hydrogen storage applications. Each of these projects requires the synthesis of nanostructured materials, the characterization of these materials (typically with diffraction and microscopy techniques) as well as the incorporation of these materials into functional devices. REU students will learn how to make and characterize new materials, as well as build functional electronic devices. |
| Tony Rappé, Ph.D. | Inorganic: Electronic Structure Calculations; Solar Photoconversion; Protein-Ligand Interactions Research in the Rappé group focuses on understanding chemical structure, reactivity, photoconversion, and magnetism through quantum and molecular mechanics. REU students will be involved with computation of activation or excitation energies for practical chemical transformations. The goal is to gain a molecular-level understanding of the interactions between weakly coupled electrons essential for control of chemical reactivity and photoconversion. The students will learn the basics of scientific computer programming, quantum mechanics and bonding, and modeling of reactivity and photoexcitation. |
| Justin Sambur, Ph.D. | Materials/Analytical/Physical: Super-Resolution Microscopy, Renewable Energy, Single-Particle Imaging The Sambur group focuses on developing imaging methods to study single nanoparticles. The group is excited to host an REU student to image gold nanoparticles with super-optical resolution imaging methods. |
| Matt Shores, Ph.D. | Inorganic: Coordination Chemistry; Spin-Crossover; Single-Molecule Magnets; Solar Photoconversion Research in the Shores group is directed toward the design, synthesis and characterization of inorganic coordination compounds with tailored magnetic and electronic properties. We seek to understand and control electronic spin both to answer fundamental questions in magnetism as well as to provide new materials for chemical sensing, data storage and solar photoconversion. We are currently focused on the following projects: (1) using host-guest interactions to drive spin state switching in a controlled manner, which has applications in chemosensing and imaging; (2) preparing paramagnetic organometallic complexes as potential single-molecule magnet materials; (3) exploring new dyes and semiconductor combinations that improve hole-transfer photochemistry, which will pave the way toward more efficient solar energy conversion schemes. Undergraduate researchers work on their own projects with the guidance of graduate students and postdocs. REU students will be involved with all aspects of materials design, synthesis, and characterization. They will become familiar with air-sensitive synthesis techniques, X-ray crystallography, UV-visible, IR, and NMR spectroscopies, and measurement of magnetic properties with SQUID magnetometry. |
