Semester students
Cristian Herrera Alpizar – TCNJ class of 2025
My name is Cristian Herrera Alpizar but everyone calls me Cris. I am a senior Chemistry major with a minor in Mathematics and Statistics. I started in the O’Connor lab in Spring 2024 to research Nickel catalysts that can perform cross coupling reactions in order to assess their reactivity and efficiency. On campus, I am the Treasurer of the Environmental Club. I spend my summer at Princeton doing an REU. In my free time, I enjoy spending time at the beach during the summer in the great town of Ocean Grove and spending time with the stray cat I take care of.
- Project: Ni catalyzed SMC reactions
Cassi McDermott – TCNJ class of 2025
My name is Cassandra McDermott, most people call me Cassi. I am a Senior Chemistry major pursuing the biochemistry specialization. I started in O’Connor’s lab in Summer 2023 researching plastic recycling methods by creating Pincer ligands. On campus I am a member of the Varsity Women’s tennis team, a member of Phi Kappa Phi, and a member of the SCA, and the Health and Wellness chair in SAAC. I spent my summer at Gilead Pharmacueticals! In my free time I enjoy doing yoga, and spending time with my dogs.
- Project: Electrochemical CO2 reduction
William Yuchmow – TCNJ class of 2025
Hi my name is William Yuchmow but most people call me Will. I’m a Senior Chemistry major with a minor in mathematics and statistics. I started in the O’Connor lab spring of 2024 to research organometallics specifically with the PCP ligand. My goal is to improve the efficiency of the nickel bromide and LAH reactions. Other than that on campus I am the VP of engagement in the professional tech fraternity. In my free time I enjoy playing instruments as I am a huge music fan. I also enjoy the outdoors and video games as well.
- Project: CO2 reduction
Hannah Fuschetto
Hi! I’m Hannah Fuschetto, a junior majoring in chemistry with a specialization in biochemistry. After graduation, I plan to pursue a Master’s degree and become a Physician Assistant. I’m thrilled to be part of the O’Connor lab, working on environmental synthetic research!
- Project: Designing more rigid PNP ligands
Beyond the lab, I stay busy working in the chemistry department and Mayo Concert Hall. I’m also actively involved in SCA and serve as the Treasurer for Doctors Without Borders on campus. In my free time, I love hitting the beach with a good book or playing tennis!
Andrew Le – TCNJ class of 2026
Hey, I’m Andrew, a junior Chemistry major at TCNJ! With an itch and thirst for research and discovery, I’m very happy to be working in O’Connor’s lab, synthesizing ligands and complexes. The knowledge and experience I gain will be used toward making a cleaner, less wasteful world to be enjoyed by our future generations. Beyond chemistry, I am an avid gamer that also loves to travel. Among the places I’ve been to, I have to say Vietnam was my favorite. In my free time, you’ll often find me taking a nap, or reading a nice story in the library.
Dylan Gregson – TCNJ class of 2027
Hi, my name is Dylan Gregson! I am a sophomore chemistry major with a minor in astrophysics. I am thrilled to be part of the O’Connor research group this semester, synthesizing PNP ligand catalysts for CO2 reduction, and I hope to pursue research for the rest of my time at TCNJ and beyond. I spent my summer interning at Tidal Metals researching a sustainable way to extract magnesium metal from seawater using only electricity. In my free time, I enjoy rock climbing, spending all of my money on food, and finding new music to listen to. I am on the worst intramural basketball team in the B-league. I have two siblings and two cats, but I prefer my cats.
Mark Davies – TCNJ class of 2027
Hello, my name is Mark Davies. I am a sophomore chemistry major here at TCNJ. I am very enthusiastic about chemistry, especially in pharmacological processes in the body. I hope to learn more about synthetic inorganic chemistry at the O’Connor Lab and be able to be a helpful contributor to the team. Outside of chemistry, my hobbies are music, such as playing the guitar or just music production. I also like cooking, which I think is secretly related to chemistry.
Alumni
Shaziya Ahmed – Current: employed, TCNJ class 2018
- Project: Mechanistic insights into base-free transfer hydrogenation catalysis
Faith Alban – Current: Employed by Ingredion, Inc. TCNJ class of 2021
- Project: Rare earth element recycling
Yaa Serwaa Awuah – TCNJ class of 2025
- Project: Plastics recycling
Zack Bacino – Current: Employed CytoSorbents Inc., TCNJ class of 2023
- Project: Catalyst development for CO2 reduction
Angelica Bolon – Current: PhD student at UC Merced, TCNJ class of 2024
- Prokect Catalyst development for CO2 reduction
Christopher Bregna – Fairleigh Dickinson School of Pharmacy, TCNJ class of 2014
- Project: Synthesis of (2-benzyl)allyl bromide. Preparation of a new nickel(II) complex for catalytic applications.
Hannah Brodsky – TCNJ class of 2022
- Project electrochemical CO2 reduction
Atziri Castellanos – TCNJ class of 2025
- Project: Incorporating inquiry-based green chemistry labs into the organic chemistry curriculum
Lauren Cordeiro – Current: Employed Kenvue, PhD Inorganic Chemistry from Delaware with Charles Riordan, TCNJ class of 2013
- Project: Collaborative project with Duquesne University. Determining kact values for Cu catalyzed ATRA reactions.
Sai Dhulipala – Current: PhD student at UC Merced, TCNJ class of 2024
- Project: Catalyst development for CO2 reduction
Joselyn Dzieminski – Current: Rutgers University, pursuing PhD, TCNJ class of 2023
- Project: Palladium complex synthesis and isolation
Celia Federico – Current: Employed, TCNJ Class of 2020
- Project: Progress towards the preparation of new iron catalysts to reduce CO2 to methanol
Carolyn Garland – Current: Employed Yale University, PharmD from UNC-CH program, TCNJ class of 2012
- Project: Synthesis of a new allyl halide containing a pendent dimethyl phosphonate group. Preparation of a new nickel(II) complex for catalytic applications.
John Gonzales – BS chemical engineering, NJIT
- Project: Collaboration with Duquesne University. Evaluating new substrates in ATRA reactions
Matthew Gole – Current: Graduate student at University of Illinois with Catherine Murphy, TCNJ class of 2016
- Project: Transfer hydrogenation of ketones and aldehydes hcatalyzed by Cp*Ir catalysts under microwave reaction conditions.
Caitie Janisheski – Current: PhD student Vanderbilt, TCNJ class of 2024
- Project: Greener NNN Pd pincer catalysts for SMC reactions
Chris Johnson – Current: Employed by Gelest Inc., TCNJ class of 2021
- Project: CO2 reduction
Daniel Kaplan – Current: Graduated Rowan School of Medicine DO program, TCNJ class of 2012
- Project: Synthesis of (2-benzyl)allyl bromide. Preparation of a new nickel(II) complex for catalytic applications.
Joyce Kim – Pursuing PharmD at Maryland, TCNJ class of 2020
- Project: Developing greener methodology to prepare NNN pincer style ligands
Chris Kirby – Current: HS chemistry teacher in NJ, MS UC Santa Barbara with Gab Menard, TCNJ class of 2015
- Project: Transfer hydrogenation of ketones catalyzed by Cp*Ir complexes containing pyridinesulfonamide ligands. Received ACS Division of Inorganic Chemistry Travel Award.
Joshua Koubek – Current: Lecturer at U Tennessee Knoxville, PhD student at Colorado School of Mines with Alan Sellinger, TCNJ, class of 2012
Previous: Employed with BASF
- Project: Synthesis of a new allyl halide containing a pendent diethyl phosphonate group. Preparation of a new nickel(II) complex for catalytic applications.
Mia Kunitomo – Current: resident UCLA, MD NJMS, TCNJ class of 2015
- Project: Evaluating the Insertion of Norbornene into (pi-allyl)Pd cations containing bulky dialkylbiaryl phosphine ligands.
Alexis Luglio – Current: University of Michigan, pursuing PhD in Materials Science and Engineering, TCNH class of 2023
- Project Electrochemistry
- NREL summer research experience
- GRFP recipient
Catherine Lee – Current: Employed by Memorial Sloan Kettering, MS public health at NYU, TCNJ class of 2016
- Project: Polymerization of norbornene catalyzed by new nickel catalysts
Jacob Levene – Current: Employed, residency in anesthesiology, UNC-CH, MD Albert Einstein School of Medicine, TCNJ class of 2014
- Project: Synthesis of a new allyl halide containing a pendent dimethyl phosphonate group. Preparation of a new nickel(II) complex for catalytic applications
Samantha Loh – Current: Employed with Givaudan, TCNJ class of 2017
- Project: Synthesis of pyridinesulfonamide pincer ligands
Michael McDaniel – Current: Physician’s assistant, degree from Arcadia University, TCNJ class of 2014
- Project: Synthesis of new allyl nickel complexes containing bulky dialkylbiphenylphosphine ligands to serve as catalysts in polymerization reactions
Katherine McGarry – Current: Employed Sanofi, MS Lehigh University, TCNJ class of 2013
- Project: Synthesis of new allyl palladium complexes containing bulky dialkylbiphenylphosphine ligands to serve as catalysts in polymerization reactions.
Brittani Mclemore – TCNJ class of 2020
- Project: Synthesis of sulfonated pyridines for ligand synthesis
Brayden Messinger – TCNJ class of 2025
- Project: Pd catalyzed SMC, CO2 functionalization
Alyssa Minnella – Current: Employed Firmenich, TCNJ class of 2023
- Project: CO2 reduction
Lauren Morano – Current: Master’s in chemistry from University of Rochester, TCNJ class of 2023
- Project: Pd catalyzed Suzuki couplings
Kieran Mullarney – Temple University Dental Program, TCNJ class of 2014
- Project: Collaborative project with Duquesne University. Determining kact values for Cu catalyzed ATRA reactions.
James O’Connor – Current: J-Star Research, Inc., MS Brandeis, TCNJ class of 2014
- Project: Synthesis and characterization of iridium(I) complexes containing pyridinesulfonamide ligands.
Mubarak Rawe – TCNJ class of 2025
- Project: MUSE 2022, 2023, research 2 semesters: CO2 reduction
Andrew Ruff – MD at UPenn, Residency NYU, TCNJ class of 2016
- Project: Transfer Hydrogenation of Ketones Catalyzed by Cp*Ir Complexes containing Pyridine Sulfonamide Ligands. Selected as honorable mention for the Goldwater Scholarship.
Emily Podd – Current: University of San Diego, Pursuing PhD in chemistry, TCNJ class of 2023, Double Major- Art and Chemistry, Abroad in Australia Fall 2022
- Project: Plastics Upcycling
William Sabbers – Current: Employed, Postdoc George Washington with Karah Knope, PhD program Temple with Graham Dobereiner, TCNJ class of 2016
- Project: Ni-catalyzed Suzuki coupling reactions
Sydney Santiago – Current: Employed at Givaudan Fragrances, TCNJ graduate of 2021
- Project: Rare earth element recycling
Hussnain Sajjad – PhD at Minnesota, Tolman/Reineke, TCNJ class of 2015
- Project: Progress towards the synthesis of NNN-dianionic pincer ligands to stabilize high oxidation states of iridium.
Eric Schreiber – Current: Postdoc Yale, PhD program at Rochester with Ellen Matson, TCNJ class of 2018
- Project: Developed dehydrogenation conditions using Cp*Ir complexes
Allison Smith – Current: Postdoc Minnesota, PhD at UNC-CH with Alex Miller, TCNJ class of 2019
- Project: Mechanistic insights into transfer hydrogenation using base-free systems
Justin Steets – Current: PhD program at Temple with Graham Dobereiner, TCNJ class of 2018
- Project: Optimizing transfer hydrogenation using formic acid and formate as hydrogen sources
Ally Swain – Current: Employed by Tiffany & Co, TCNJ class of 2022
- Project: Rare earth element recycling
Alexa Torres – Current: looking for a job, TCNJ class of 2024
- Project: Pd catalyzed SMC
Tanya Townsend – Current Employed Unilever, PhD Yale University, TCNJ class of 2017
- Project: Evaluating the Mechanism of Cp*Ir Catalyzed Transfer Hydrogenation of Aldehydes and Ketones. Honorable mention for Goldwater Scholarship.
- Recipient of a Graduate Research Fellowship from the National Science Foundation
Zachary Vazquez – Current: NY Medical College, TCNJ class of 2022
- Project: Catalysts for CO2 reduction
Todd Warren – Current: HS chemistry teacher Hanover Park School District, Masters in forensics at Stevenson University, TCNJ class of 2012
- Project: Synthesis of new allyl nickel complexes containing bulky dialkylbiphenylphosphine ligands to serve as catalysts in polymerization reactions.
Clifford Yung – PharmD UNC Chapel Hill, TCNJ class of 2022
- Project: Green microwave synthesis
Kendall Villalobos – TCNJ class of 2026
- Project: Summer 2023 MUSE Pd catalyzed cross couplings
Michael Zampetti – Current: employed Spectrix analytical, TCNJ class of 2023
- Project: CO2 reduction