Issuu

CATALYST The

CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY ALUMNI MAGAZINE FALL 2021

Professor M. Bonner Denton is fighting the good fight against bad science in the courtroom. Page 10

Innovative teaching and research spaces are coming to Old Chemistry with major renovations. Page 4

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

DEAR CBC COMMUNITY

hank you for your support this year! We have navigated unprecedented waters, and yet our students, alumni, faculty, and staff have continued to excel. We are excited to share some of these accomplishments with you through this issue of The Catalyst, and we look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

University, and national and international awards. Several CBC faculty received promotions, including Drs. Christie, Kumirov, Marty, and Zacher. Change can come with loss as well, and we wish Profs. Armstrong, Hruby, and Saavedra well as they enter transition to emeritus status, but we are thrilled that they are continuing their research activities. We are pleased to see the future of the “Old Chemistry” Building that many alumni called home. The renovation project is underway, and soon we will occupy a fully renovated Chemistry building housing administrative, research, teaching, and student success and support activities. State-of-theart collaborative learning classrooms will extend the impact of the Chemistry building into the next century. Additional research infrastructure improvements include upgrading research instrumentation for the Research Support Services facilities, including a new X-Ray diffractometer, a cryo-scanning near field optical microscope, and a new photoemission microscope, as well as numerous small instruments.

The contributions of CBC faculty to society continues to prove impactful. As highlighted in our cover story, Dr. Bonner Denton, a pioneer in analytical chemistry and instrument development, has extended his talents and insights to tackle a critically important issue in society—the use, misuse, and abuse of forensic science in the US justice system. As you can see in the other stories, we continue to improve our economic impact on the State of Arizona through translation of key discoveries from our research efforts into licensing and start-up endeavors. We entered this academic year with a full schedule of in-person classes and record enrollments of ~7,000 students in General and Organic Chemistry alone! These efforts are made possible by the graduate students, staff, and faculty who continue to innovate in curriculum development and content delivery. We have seen our teaching activities and curriculum strengthened significantly by their dedicated efforts. We have also seen an increase in our online enrollments, broadening the impact of our efforts, as well as the development of critical new classes that will modernize the molecular curriculum in Allied Health sciences.

As we look ahead to the coming year, the leadership team (pictured below) and I see many opportunities in teaching, research, outreach, and in growing and supporting a diverse community of scholars. I am excited to work with the students, faculty, staff, and alumni to continue to meet our mission. We look forward to your continued support!

Craig Aspinwall

Our students continue to excel in the classroom, laboratory, and the community. The strength of this student body is demonstrated by the numerous and richly deserved awards and accolades that they have earned, as well as the impacts of their research and outreach activities. Among those is the presentation of 3 of the University Dean of Students awards to CBC undergraduate students!

Department Head

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Kelly Huff Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Lisa Arrotta Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Brooke Massani Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Dee Belle-Oudry Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Marie-Pierre Hasne

Photo courtesy of Kelly Huff

CBC faculty and staff continue to receive recognition for research, teaching, and service activities with several College, Dominic McGrath

Oliver Monti Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Craig Aspinwall

TABLE OF CONTENTS Page 4

Old Chemistry Renovation

Innovation and Entrepreneurship from CBC Faculty

Capturing Early Eager Learners with Chemistry Comics

New Course for Allied Health

M. Bonner Denton Strives to Improve the Quality of Forensic Science Page 8

Page 10 Chemistry and Biochemistry at The University of Arizona on: Facebook | Twitter | LinkedIn | Instagram | YouTube

Unique Cryo-neaSNOM System Facilitates InterUniversity Collaboration at the Keck Center 12 CBC’s New Instrument for Revolutionizing Computing and Energy Research

Catalyzing Undergraduates’ Careers

CBC Graduates by the Numbers

Staff Awards

Faculty Awards and Promotions

Retirees

2020–21 Student Awards

ONLINE ONLY CONTENT The

CATALYST

Editor-in-Chief/Contributing Editor: Oliver Monti, PhD | monti@arizona.edu Associate Editor/Photographer: Olivia Mendoza | omendoza@arizona.edu Production Manager/Contributing Editor: Ellie Warder | warder@arizona.edu Design: Lisa Stage Contributors: Neal Armstrong, Craig Aspinwall, M. Bonner Denton, Dylan Dyer, Christine Gronowski, Marie-Pierre Hasne, Victor J. Hruby, Colleen Kelley, Michael Marty, Brooke Massani, Jeff Pyun, S. Scott Saavedra, Hannah Schmidt, Laura Silva, Laura Van Dorn, Alyssa Werner Cover Image Credits: Main – Mitchell Masilun/BioCommunications Inset – UArizona Business Affairs, Planning, Design & Construction We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples. Today, Arizona is home to 22 federally recognized tribes, with Tucson being home to the O’odham and the Yaqui. Committed to diversity and inclusion, the University strives to build sustainable relationships with sovereign Native Nations and Indigenous communities through education offerings, partnerships, and community service.

Quintus Fernando Photography Viewing

Alumni News

Class of 2021

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

OLD CHEMISTRY RENOVATION By Alyssa Werner

The mall, a beautiful stretch of green grass at the heart of the university, culminates in the Historic District, a 33acre patch of campus housing 17 historic buildings built between 1891 and 1937. One of these, affectionately known as the “Old Chemistry Building,” has been home to the Department of Chemistry (now merged with Biochemistry) since it was built in 1936. It is being renovated to update the building to better serve current and future students, research groups, and research services. The unique look and red-tile roof of the Chemistry building make it easy to spot on a stroll down the mall. Designed in the Italian Romanesque Revival Style by architect Roy Place, it features arch and

Photo courtesy of UArizona Business Affairs, Planning, Design, & Construction

Chemistry Building, 1936.

column architectural details as well as “pueblo deco” panels in the classic red brick. The building’s position on the National Register of Historical Places also means it comes with many interesting details. Scott Dreisbach, the Facilities Manager for the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry (CBC), described just a few. For instance, the building is home to a first-floor closet that was once used as a Pharmacy Storeroom. Over the years, the frosted glass lost much of its lettering and now reads ‘ARM TOP ROOM’—a peculiar detail of the building that no one ever questioned and was particularly puzzling to Dreisbach until his discovery that the building was once shared with the College of Pharmacy.

Another such story stems from the 1980s, where graffiti that said “BOBBY SANDS LIVES” was spray painted to the side of the northeast entrance. Bobby Sands, an imprisoned IRA activist whose goal was to unite Ireland, died in 1981 in a hunger strike. Removal was attempted by sandblasting, which ironically preserved the moment in history on the From Planning, Design, & Construction webcam

s the university welcomed students to campus this fall, a new addition of chain link fences and whirring construction equipment awaited the thousands of students walking, biking, and skating down the mall.

building forever. It is still visible on the facade from the mall, above the lower level windows. Throughout the changing times of the last 85 years, the Old Chemistry building has seen generations of students. Dreisbach expressed this sentiment perfectly when asked about his favorite aspect of the building: “I’ve always loved the wooden stairwell banisters,” he said, “It’s hard for me to touch them and not think of all the excited, scared, brilliant, nervous, and confident hands that also touched them over the decades.” As part of the University of Arizona’s Historic District, preservation of the beautiful building is a top priority, but so are the changing needs of the students. Consequently, in May of this year, a $42M renovation project began. Sundt Construction, Inc., the company that originally constructed the Chemistry

Image courtesy of Sundt Construction, Inc.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 5

South side addition artist’s rendition. At left is the historic section of the Chemistry Building; at right is “The Commons”— a new facility dedicated to collaborative learning and research.

Building in 1936, is back on campus to take on the renovation project. The University’s team for Planning, Design, & Construction states that the building will be revamped and repurposed into an innovative teaching hub and modern research building. Here evidence-based teaching strategies (collaboration, inclusive practices, and

Photo credit: Chris Richards/UA News

Visit the UA News story about the groundbreaking ceremony for the renovation: bit.ly/ oldchem

active learning) will result in increased student learning, engagement, and development of workplace-relevant skills, and cutting-edge research can be performed. The renovation, currently set to be completed in December of 2022, also includes accessibility and building code updates. Several key features are set to bring new life to the Chemistry Building. The first is a south side three-story addition that will hold new classrooms and offices, as well as the machine shop and a space for nuclear magnetic resonance imaging spectroscopy instruments. Additionally, the center courtyard will be turned into a state-of-the-art Learning Center. CBC will occupy about a third of the finished building, with the rest being dedicated to hightech classrooms.

It will feature a new, accessible, grand entrance at the mall level on the north side. This north mezzanine entrance will create a lobby area that will retain the look of the historic building and create a new space for future students to come together. At the University of Arizona, history and innovation continue to share a beautiful and thriving campus, and the renovation of the Old Chemistry Building will be no exception. In a combination of preserved history and modern teaching spaces, the building will bring new life to the Department and the University as a whole. For now, students, staff, and faculty will make their way past the chain link fences that mark the start of a new era in the Old Chem building. And we will be eagerly awaiting the completion of the project that will preserve the history of the University while valuing learning and collaboration of the generations that will pass through the halls in the years to come.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

INNOVATION AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP FROM CBC FACULTY By Jeffrey Pyun & Laura Silva

Photo credit: Paul Tumarkin

patents issued, BC is dedicated to innovamaking it a tion, discovery, and entrecampus-wide preneurship in the chemical leader for new sciences. The department has a IP creation. long history of chemical discovery Even more and industrial translation across striking have numerous disciplines in medicinal been the 58 chemistry, drug delivery, analytilicenses and option agreecal instrumentation, bioanalytical ments made Laura Silva, CBC’s services and materials science, embedded TLA senior with the private carried out in close partnership licensing manager sector, along with Tech Launch Arizona (TLA), with the creation of over 10 startup the technology commercialization companies within the past decade. This office at the University of Arizona. incredible output of IP and commerThese activities are part of a significant push by the State of Arizona and the University to bolster the technology sector of the Arizona economy by investment in the R&D translation, along with different approaches taken thus far to advance the fundamental research invented at the University into the marketplace.

cialization point to the success of the CBC-TLA partnership, which continues to enhance the research enterprise of our department.

The work of Prof. Victor Hruby is an excellent testament to this tradition, as over the span of his 50-year career he has made important contributions to the creation and study of peptide hormones and neurotransmitters that affect pain management, disease, and human behavior. Intellectual property (IP) created in the Hruby laboratory from the 1970s and ’80s was then licensed to Selectide Corporation, which Victor co-founded. Selectide was subsequently acquired by Sanofi Aventis, a multi-billion dollar, multi-national pharmaceutical company.

Professor Robin Polt was trained as

a synthetic organic chemist and is an internationally recognized carbohydrate and peptide researcher, expert in the area of drug discovery. He has focused his efforts on the synthesis and study of molecules known to interact with biological membranes. These studies led to key insights that allowed him to convert peptide neurotransmitters, such as endorphin (c.f. chemicals formed in Photo courtesy of Bio5

The College of Science has worked closely with Laura Silva since 2018 as its embedded TLA senior licensing manager; and she has been a tremendous partner for the entrepreneurial faculty of CBC. Since 2013, CBC has led the way with over 335 new invention disclosures, 433 patent applications, and 73

Here, we briefly present the efforts of four CBC faculty currently working with TLA to translate their research into the marketplace.

Robin Polt

the brain that produce “runner’s high”), into glycopeptide drugs for the treatment of pain. Other brain peptides have given rise to new drugs for the treatment of neurodegenerative diseases such as vascular dementia, a form of Alzheimer’s disease, which were licensed by ProNeurogen. Most recently, in collaboration with professors John Streicher (Pharmacology), M. Leandro Heien (CBC) and Torsten Falk (Neurology), Polt created the nexus for testing and development of glycopeptide drugs for the treatment of stroke, traumatic brain injury (TBI) and notably, for treatments to block the progress of neurodegenerative diseases such as Parkinson’s, Huntington’s and Alzheimer’s disease. This team is working with TLA to launch a startup, called Teleport Pharmaceuticals, LLC, to develop new proprietary Teleport glycopeptide drugs for neuroprotection and other problem-specific glycopeptides solutions for the pharmaceutical industry.

Professor Jeanne Pemberton is a

renowned analytical chemist (e.g. ACS Award in Analytical Chemistry, Executive Editor of Analytical Chemistry, etc.). Jeanne is recognized widely for her contributions to analytical materials and interface science and more recently for her work in sugar-based amphiphiles. These materials are attractive non-toxic and biodegradable alternatives to classical nonionic and ionic surfactants which have emerging long-term concerns for the environment and bioaccumulation in living systems. This work began as a multi-PI collaboration with UA researchers through NSF-funded programs that have resulted in an extensive TLA-supported IP portfolio that was the foundation for her recent startup company, GlycoSurf. GlycoSurf is a specialty chemical company that manufactures green “bio-inspired” glycolipids for use in a diverse array of functional

Photo courtesy of Bio5

Carbenium for battery technology

Jeanne Pemberton

Professor Thomas Gianetti, recently

Photo courtesy of Thomas Gianetti

named a Cottrell Scholar (see page 16), joined CBC in 2017 as an Assistant Professor working in the areas of organometallics, physical organic chemistry and catalysis broadly defined. In the course of developing a new ligand family for coordination chemistry, Thomas developed a new class of functional and modular organic materials based on highly stable helical and planar carbenium cations. These organic carbenium ions were

Thomas Gianetti

developed into a platform system for photocatalysis, electrochemical energy, and Lewis acidic reagents for synthetic transformations. Of particular interest was the use of these materials as soluble electroactive electrolytes in Redox Flow Batteries (RFBs), for long duration energy storage applications beyond that which Li-ion batteries can economically achieve. More recently, the Gianetti group received industrial support to further develop their technology from Salt River Project, one of the major electrical utility companies in the state of Arizona.

Professor Craig Aspinwall is a bioanalytical chemist internationally recognized for his development of biomimetic and biofunctionalized sensor strategies that allow detection of key signaling components, while also proving useful for other key bioanalyses including drug discovery and clinical diagnostics. Craig has earned several high-profile distinctions, which include the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award for Young Investigators in Separations Sciences. He also serves as the Department Head of CBC, a position that he assumed in Summer 2021. The Aspinwall group has developed a hybrid material nanoparticle platform that offers a tunable interior environment along with modular surface functionalization to directly detect

radioisotopes in a variety of aqueous biological milieus, which is challenging with conventional radioisotope detection schemes. Craig’s start-up Scintillation Nanotechnologies licensed the IP from the University in June 2019 and began full-scale operations in June 2020. The new company already has been successful as noted by the prestigious Flinn Foundation Bioscience Entrepreneurship Award in 2021, selection to the National NSF I-Corps program, and the ongoing federal research funding in the form of Phase-1 SBIR awards from both the NSF and NIH. The company began commercial sales in August 2021, making it the first-to-market company for nanomaterial scintillators for b-emitter detection. Photo courtesy of Craig Aspinwall

materials and technologies. GlycoSurf was founded in 2013 by three pioneering University of Arizona researchers to promote and exploit the tailorability of performance and “green” attributes of these glycolipid materials in an increasingly exacting regulatory environment. GlycoSurf has raised over $2.5 M in small business grants from NSF, NIH, and DOE and is in discussions with several potential industrial partners for support of GlycoSurf’s rare earth element and uranium harvesting technologies and development of GlycoSurf’s cosmetics additives. Jeanne also has developed a new class of sugar-based, bio-renewable room-temperature ionic liquids called Glyonic Liquids that have potential applications in electrochemical devices and gas separations.

Image courtesy of Thomas Gianetti

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 7

Craig Aspinwall

Clearly, the investment and sustainable infrastructure to promote IP creation, patenting, and licensing now in place at the University of Arizona has positioned CBC well to continue to excel in these areas. However, we need more feedback, advice, and mentoring from our distinguished alumni! If you are interested in contributing to or learning more about CBC faculty research and entrepreneurial efforts, please let us know. We are always in need of experienced mentors from the private sector and government.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CAPTURING EARLY EAGER LEARNERS WITH CHEMISTRY COMICS By Colleen Kelley

he practice of using case studies in higher education has been an effective tool for teaching everything from medicine to law. These case studies are based on ‘real life’ scenarios and are often framed as a mystery to solve.

Colleen Kelley has embraced the use of case studies in her chemistry courses for the past few decades. She has used them in graduate-level courses in medicinal chemistry and most recently in her 100-level course at the University of Arizona.

Colleen’s students have found that the case studies enriched their understanding of chemical Enjoy this page from The Case of the Vanishing Van Gogh! concepts and connect those concepts to everyday life. This led Dr. Kelley to ask the questions, “Could we use case studies, framed in an age-appropriate manner, to teach a much younger audience?” and “Can early eager learners master chemical concepts from carefully scaffolded chemistry mysteries?” She wanted to find out, so she began creating a series of chemistry mysteries in a comic book format for students ages 8 to 12. The M.C. Detective Agency: Chemical Solutions Required is a graphic novel (comic book) that teaches chemistry to kids ages 8–12. This graphic novel

envelops a cleverly concealed chemistry curriculum within the stories of twins Poppi and Ray, who solve mysteries using chemistry. These sibling sleuths have many adventures, including traveling back in time to rescue the Radium Girls, attending a modern day rock concert to save a vanishing Van Gogh, and swimming in a bottle of Chanel No. 5 to find the hiding aldehydes. The readers eventually discover that M.C. is Marie Curie, hence the names Poppi (Polonium), Ray (Radium) and Granny Eve (Marie’s Curie’s youngest daughter). The twelve mysteries included in the graphic novel scaffold the sequence of learning objectives found in a 100-level chemistry curriculum. The characters in The M.C. Detective Agency are by design not human and instead look like the molecules or elements they represent. Colleen did this so that all kids could connect with the characters, regardless of gender or race, making this graphic novel truly inclusive.

“I found that it was FUN … like that I could read a story, and then I can understand what I learned from a story, and then I could do a math-type-thing. It was new … but it was cool, too.” —Fiona, 5th grade student, Irvine, CA public school Colleen adds that another reason the characters look like the elements or molecules they represent is to get early learners used to chemical symbols. “What I am discovering in my research is that a key to mastering chemistry in high school or college is to introduce chemical symbols to kids close to the same

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 9

“What I really liked, what I thought was fun … really fun, was calculating the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons and the atomic mass.” —Aidan, 4th grade student, Tucson, AZ public school The first four mysteries were piloted with a group of students ages 8–10. Colleen instructed parents to be ‘hands off’ and allow their children to read the mysteries much like they would read any comic book. “I didn’t want the comic books to be thought of as homework or something that would be graded. Instead, I wanted to see what each child could learn just by enjoying the mystery and the characters within the stories.” What she found amazed her, and now she is convinced that there is something there. “I met by Zoom with the students individually just to chat about each mystery. They would tell me how to calculate the number of protons, neutrons, and electrons in an atom, how to write a formula for a complex ionic compound, and how the structure of the atom is ‘cloud-like’. More importantly, they would tell me that all of this was ‘fun, really fun’.” Watch a video of students: bitly/ ChemistryComics

What’s next for the M.C. Detective Agency? “We are in the process of analyzing and coding these Zoom videos as preliminary data to support submission of a grant proposal. I am excited about the possibility of changing chemistry education by the introduction of chemical symbols to early eager learners ages 8–12!”

NEW COURSE FOR ALLIED HEALTH

llied health careers are increasingly in demand, as environmental and health crises continue to escalate. Working with the College of Nursing and College of Public Health, CBC has developed a new course for incoming students designed specifically to address this need. The one-semester course, CHEM 130, explores the foundational principles of general and organic chemistry and applies them to key aspects of biochemistry. Special emphasis is placed on common compounds and chemical reactions occurring in our bodies, including what happens to food and medications we ingest, as well as chemistry of the environment. To Dr. Laura Van Dorn, one of the most rewarding facets of creating the new course—now in its first semester—was getting to work with so many great professionals both within and outside of CBC. Aiming to meet the diverse needs of our students, the course is offered in two equivalent but distinct modalities: traditional (in-person) and asynchronous (online). Dr. Colleen Kelley has developed a lab course (CHEM 130L) to accompany the course. The online materials required Laura to record her chemistry demonstrations, turning them into videos. This effort, as well as the creation of the instructional Visit CHEM 130 website, was supported on YouTube: by Arizona Online and UA bit/ly/CHEM130 Digitial Learning Studios. Laura also collaborated with Manda Ellis, a former student and now a naturopathic medical student, to develop the pedagogical connections between what students see in the chemistry demon-

Photo credit: Andrei Sanov

time that they are introduced to musical symbols, learning music, or learning basic math symbols, like the division symbol. Chemistry can be thought of as the same as learning music—the symbols tell a story and it takes time to understand, get comfortable, and to use the symbols to tell that story.”

Laura Van Dorn

strations and the real chemical and biochemical processes occurring in the human body. The past year has been a gold mine for chemistry in the news. Everything from contamination in hand sanitizer, sunscreen, and baby food to advances in enzymes and plastic recycling—it is all great material for CHEM 130. Laura’s instructional approach allowed her to design activities based on her experience with first-year students in chemistry classes. As is true for many young people today, our students experience a lot of anxiety trying to be perfect as they are afraid to make even simple mistakes. CHEM 130 provides opportunities to try challenging problems with the explicitly stated understanding that if students don’t get the correct answer the first time, it is not the end of the world and does not mean they cannot understand the concept. Helping students recognize that they are smart and capable increases their abilities and performance. After all, making mistakes is an integral part of learning and progress. So far, CHEM 130 is going extremely well. The two in-person sections are very engaged, the students ask great questions and participate in the active learning. “This is a very rewarding experience for me as their teacher, even though I cannot recognize many of them on the street due to the masks in the classroom. It’s been a great experience!” says Laura. Next on the horizon, Pima Community College will be structuring their CHM 138 courses to align with CHEM 130, and Laura will be offering the online course with UA Global and developing the course as a General Education offering.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

M. BONNER DENTON STRIVES TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF FORENSIC SCIENCE By Hannah Schmidt

or years, M. Bonner Denton, a professor of analytical chemistry and geosciences at the University of Arizona, has been developing a wide variety of analytical instrumentation for revolutionary analysis of trace chemicals. Much of this technology has found its way into the modern forensic laboratory.

Unfortunately, despite the fact that the instrumentation is exceptionally sensitive, the results can be presented in court testimony supporting hypotheses that are not justified scientifically. Bonner contends that when an individual with the title of “forensic scientist” takes the stand, the general public comprising the jury believes their testimony, even though their testimony can and sometimes does represent conclusions which cannot be based on the original scientific method. Worse, there are scientific methods practiced by some laboratories that have never been statistically validated nor their fundamental underpinning “science” proven. This can have dramatic consequences for plaintiffs and defendants. Bonner’s research program developing new methodologies used in the forensic laboratory has provided him with insight

Photos courtesy of M. Bonner Denton

into both the capabilities and the limitations of a given analytical technique. A prime example of this is Bonner’s revolutionizing atomic spectroscopic emission analysis, which is employed today to analyze a wide range of elemental species. Denton’s expertise and his critical scientific mind have been recognized by his appointment to committees at the National Academy of Sciences which have resulted in two monographs, “Forensic Analysis: Weighing Bullet Lead Evidence” and the widely acclaimed and award-winning text entitled “Strengthening Forensic Science in the United States: A Path Forward” as well as serving on the National Commission on Forensic Science. This commission was a joint effort by the Department of Justice and the National Institute of Standards and Technology which reviewed the practices in forensic science, with the goal of ensuring that forensic science presented as evidence in the courtroom is scientifically and statistically sound. Along with other respected experts in the field of forensics, Bonner has been a signatory on a number of amicus briefs filed with state supreme courts. These have resulted in the release of multiple individuals serving life sentences due to faulty or inconclusive forensic evidence, which in turn led to unjust convictions. As an example, Bonner has been a friend

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 11

of the court in multiple cases contesting testimony involving “Bite Mark” identification with “forensic odontology.” Testimony in this arena has revolved around the claim that a given bite mark was from the defendant, but lately such claims often have been proven wrong. In one such case, the DNA evidence later demonstrated the bite was from a dog, and in another, the so-called “expert” recanted his testimony thirty years later saying that the marks on the victim were probably caused by the sharp prongs of a hurricane fence on which the victim was found. Convictions based on such testimony are deplorable, and such “evidence” should not be admissible. Bonner has served on the organizational committee for The Bitemark Thinkshop sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, in an effort to prevent this type of testimony from ever reaching a jury. This meeting brought together experts in forensic science, dentistry, judges, and other legal scholars. Bonner contends that sometimes all that is needed is common sense and a modicum of scientific training. In a bombing trial held in Colorado, a forensics scientist had testified that the “tool marks” left on a tiny wire by a pair of wire cutters found in the possesson of the defendant “were without question the tool used to cut a wire found at the bombing scene.” In other words, his testimony assured the jury that no other wire cutters in the entire world could have cut the wire. Bonner strongly disputed this claim. While the “expert” might be correct in saying the marks are consistent with the tool in question, how could the “expert” possibly know that another pair or countless pairs of wire cutters did not exist somewhere in the world that could have made the same marks? While Bonner sometimes calls on his scientific background, all too often he is simply providing plain old common sense, a talent that he uses to great effect in his work with organizations such as the Innocence Project or the Department of Justice.

AN INTERVIEW WITH BONNER DENTON CBC Associate Professor Michael Marty sat down with Bonner Denton to ask about his career in chemistry. MM: How did you get started in analytical chemistry? BD: When I was 11 years old, I received my ham radio license and wanted to learn more, so I went down to an electronics company that wasn’t too far from my home. I told the owner I wanted to learn electronics and would work for free. He said ok and gave me a broom, so every day after school I swept the floor. I started to take things apart and troubleshoot it and often do repairs. I was too young to get paid, but I asked him to set up an account to let me buy equipment from the store. Later, I ended up working at a big wholesale electronics supplier in East Texas and repairing motel TVs. When I was a freshman at Lamar University in Beaumont, Texas, I discovered that the chemistry department professors used quite a bit of electronics and instrumentation in their research, but they didn’t know how to repair it. Instantly, I had a job doing repair work and ended up as the teaching assistant for Instrumental Analysis. I said, you know, there is a niche here for my background in electronics, and since I enjoyed chemistry, I went to graduate school at the University of Illinois to study chemical instrumentation with Howard Malmstadt. While I was there, I did the first tunable laser excited atomic fluorescence spectroscopy. I came directly here as a new assistant professor, and the rest is history. MM: What have you worked on at the University of Arizona? BD: Over the years, we have revolutionized optical spectroscopy through development of array detectors. At the time when CCD and CID detectors were first coming out, people said it could not be done, but we designed the optics and figured out how to fabricate the difficult components. And now, every inductively coupled plasma optical emission instrument sold in the world uses array detector technology. I also used my experience building ham radio gear to work with quadrupole mass spectrometers. We later built ion mobility devices to detect explosives, which led us into Homeland Security work. We are combining these now and developing cycloidal mass spectrometers with array detectors. MM: How did you get into forensic science? BD: I got involved in forensic science because every modern optical emission instrument used to identify trace levels of metals is directly traceable to the detection technology we developed. The FBI was using this technique to measure the elemental composition of lead projectiles and trace bullets found in the victim with a box of cartridges found in the possession of the defendant. I said, “Wait a minute, you can’t say that.” A few years later, when the National Academy was asked to take a look at the state of forensic science, I walked into this thinking forensic science probably had some rough edges but was pretty good. Now, I’m not convinced there’s a great deal of Read Prof. science in certain aspects of it. My Denton’s role in this is that I want to put real monographs: science back into the field. bit.ly/BulletLead bit.ly/3F3xa9R

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

UNIQUE CRYO-NEASNOM SYSTEM FACILITATES INTER-UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION AT THE KECK CENTER By Hannah Schmidt

he W.M. Keck Center for Nanoscale Imaging is excited to announce that we have received a new cryo-neaSNOM system from neaspec GmbH.

they exhibit optoelectronic properties that make them ideal for use in highspeed computing, energy harvesting, and light emission. These were the first materials explored using the new system this summer (see figure).

Drs. Brian LeRoy (UArizona Physics), John Schaibley (UArizona Physics), Bob Norwood (UArizona Optics), Erin Ratcliff (UArizona Chemical Engineering and CBC) and Sefaattin Tongay (ASU School for Engineering of Matter, Transport and Energy) secured a National Science Foundation Major Research Instrumentation grant funding to make this possible.

SNOM, or scanning near-field optical microscopy, focuses a light source onto a small, metallized tip, creating a localized electric field. When the tip comes into close proximity with a sample, backscattered light is detected and allows for mapping of the sample. Because the electric field is confined to such a small area, SNOM exhibits 10 nm resolution.

LeRoy and Schaibley use single-dimensional carbon nanotubes to create two-dimensional materials. These materials are extremely thin and flexible, and

SNOM can spatially map electronic, chemical, and physical properties of a sample using techniques like topography, Raman scattering, FTIR, reflectivity,

and photoluminescence. Additionally, this system can probe liquid and solid samples with temperatures as low as 10K (-442° F), making it the only SNOM in the United States with these capabilities. Schaibley and LeRoy will use the new SNOM system to image plasmons confined to their 1D nanotubes and to map excitonic currents in novel semiconductor heterostructures (see figure). Several other research groups representing five different colleges at UArizona and ASU will also benefit from the system. The Mansour group (UArizona Pharmacy) will study biocompatible drug delivery systems. The Norwood group will map thin films of magneto-optical polymers and magnetic nanoparticles. The Ratcliff group will use the SNOM’s higher resolution to understand the previously unclear mechanism of the organic photovoltaic degradation process. Other applications will include astrochemistry, further nanoparticle research, and understanding Alzheimer’s disease. The Keck Center will maintain the SNOM and facilitate training of new users. We look forward to working with users to generate results on this new and innovative system supporting cutting-edge research across Arizona. Find Alumni News and more in the online magazine

cbc.arizona.edu/alumni_friends/ newsletters

Example SNOM image showing Luttinger liquid plasmon oscillations excited in a single walled carbon nanotube (CNT). A. AFM topography image of a CNT. B. Near field amplitude of plasmon excitation. C. Near field phase of plasmon excitation. Image credit: Anna Roche.

Scan with your camera phone to visit the site

CBC’S NEW INSTRUMENT FOR REVOLUTIONIZING COMPUTING AND ENERGY RESEARCH By Oliver Monti

hile we have all become used to the ever-increasing speed of computers empowering our daily lives, fundamental scientific principles tell us that the pace of progress in the last five decades cannot be sustained. The need for increased computer speed is running into the hard wall of ultimate miniaturization of computer chips that by now operate at nearly an atomic scale. Massive scientific breakthroughs are necessary to enable radically different kinds of computers to keep increasing their speeds and to meet the exponentially increasing demand for data storage and processing. Just as pressing is the need for dramatically increased energy efficiency in computing, and for largescale production and storage of renewable energy. This requires pivoting from traditional semiconductors such as Si to make computer chips or solar cells to new architectures based on novel quantum materials. Quantum materials are crystalline materials whose extraordinary properties arise from strong electron-electron inter-

Photo credit: Oliver Monti

Sara Zachritz, Anubhab Chakraborty, and Joohyung Park, students in Oliver Monti’s lab, working on the microscope.

actions. Some of these materials may be just a few atoms high, creating extended truly two-dimensional materials. Others use heavy elements which allows materials chemists to take advantage of the special properties of electron spin to encode information or transfer energy. The unique properties of quantum materials may enable transport of electrons without friction, encode information securely without risk of being hacked, or dramatically increase energy efficiency in information processing applications. Some quantum materials are also candidates for novel concepts in energy harvesting, e.g., converting heat to electricity with exceptional efficiency. The study of such materials and their integration into devices requires a closeup look into their electronic structure. To this end, under the leadership of Prof. Oliver Monti, CBC is bringing online the first high-resolution electronic structure microscope in the United States. Since electron-electron interactions are at the heart of the special properties of quantum materials, new methods are needed to reveal their electronic structure. The electronic structure microscope (nanoESCA) relies on photoelectron spectroscopy, where photoemitted electrons carry a fingerprint of the chemical and electronic structure of the material. The microscope achieves this while for the first time also imaging the emitted electrons anywhere on the sample, thereby providing a high-resolution chemical, electronic and spatial map of the quantum material under investigation. Situated in the Electron Photoemission Spectroscopy and Imaging Laboratory for Observation at the Nanoscale facil-

Photo credit: Marten C. Patt

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 13

The microscope is about 9 ft tall, and 8 ft by 6 ft wide. Samples can be cooled to 30 K or heated to 1000 K.

ity (EPSILON-UArizona) located in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, this microscope reveals chemical composition and state, and measures the electronic structure of new materials at the sub-micron level. Such detailed information has thus far been out of reach for the critical task of probing, understanding and engineering novel miniaturized information processing and green energy conversion and storage devices. The chemical and electronic information together with high-spatial resolution enables ground-breaking research from quantum materials to renewable energy technologies, and from battery research to geochemistry. EPSILON-UArizona will operate as a regional, national, and international resource attracting researchers from around the globe to this facility to carry out investigations on nanoscale materials. It will be managed by Paul Lee, a long-term staff scientist in CBC who is also in charge of the Laboratory for Electron Spectroscopy and Surface Analysis. Contact monti@arizona.edu for further information on this new facility and how to access it.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

CATALYZING UNDERGRADUATES’ CAREERS A CONVERSATION

These seminars were open to all undergraduates but were intended to reach and support students from underrepresented groups in STEM and discuss career options. The first seminar series was a career-panel discussion, while the second seminar series was designed to demystify the path to graduate school. The seminars were for the most part conversational.

What was the motivation behind these seminars? Undergraduate students tend to be anxious about career options available to them, especially when they are approaching graduation. They also have a strong need to understand the expectations that employers have and are worried about being competitive applicants. Having professionals take time to speak about their positions and how they reached them was really important. For the graduate seminar series, the intent was to guide undergrads on the path to becoming graduate students. Questions that a graduate-student-to-be lives with before graduate school such as: how to write a personal statement, and how to find a lab that is a good match, were addressed.

The career seminars gathered a diverse panel of guests from various scientific professions. It included scientists from industry such as Christine Gronowski Roche and AstraZeneca, a surgeon, and an MD-PhD student for medicine as well as individuals working as scientific liaisons, forensic scientists, etc. Most guest panelists were CBC alumni who generously volunteered their time to talk to and connect with our students.

For the graduate student seminar series, our own CBC graduate students stepped up and ran it. They interacted with undergraduate students and presented on topics specific to graduate school applications and general navigation recommendations.

Was it difficult to enroll participants? No, the list of volunteers to be a panelist was longer than the number of opportunities available. Using Zoom as an interactive platform created scheduling ease as panelists could attend from work and did not have to physically be on campus. The timing was impeccable because of the extra level of anxiety and uncertainty that the COVID-19 pandemic brought around the future of jobs and careers.

Photo courtesy of Marie-Pierre Hasne

Who volunteered to participate in these conversations?

Photo credit: Rachel Marie

s part of CBC’s Diversity, Equity and Inclusion activities for 2020-2021, academic advisor Christine Gronowski and graduate student Dylan Dyer organized two seminar series for undergraduate students.

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Marie-Pierre Hasne in conversation with Christine Gronowski and Dylan Dyer

Dylan Dyer

Marie-Pierre Hasne

Guests were open and shared their email contacts with attendees; this created an additional networking quality to these seminars.

What was the overall reception and feedback? Very positive, students were appreciative of the efforts and enjoyed the variety of speakers. Guest panelists were thrilled to reflect and share about their own path and to connect and inspire students to think of the diversity of their career choices. If you are reading this and are inspired to join as a guest panelist for the academic year 2021-2022, please contact: Christine Gronowski christineg@arizona.edu or Dylan Dyer dmdyer@email.arizona.edu

Find Alumni News and more in the online magazine: cbc.arizona.edu/alumni_friends/newsletters

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 15

CBC GRADUATES BY THE NUMBERS WHAT OUR 2021 GRADUATES ARE DOING

STAFF AWARDS

Jixun Dai, Scott Dreisbach, and Christine Gronowski

received the 2021 Harold McNair Staff Award, sponsored by the late Harold McNair (BA Chem, 1955). This award honors CBC staff members who have dedicated service to the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department. Winners are recognized for exceptional performance, making them valued and knowledgeable employees of the Department.

Christine Gronowski received the College of Science

Distinguished Academic Advising Award for 2021, which recognizes one advisor from the College who demonstrates outstanding, extensive, and continuous involvement in undergraduate advising.

31%

17%

MEDICAL SCHOOL

PROFESSIONAL SCHOOL

Jixun Dai

McNair Staff Award Photo courtesy of Brooke Massani

POSTDOCTORAL FELLOWSHIP

Scott Dreisbach

McNair Staff Award

GOVERNMENT/ MILITARY

OTHER Brooke Massani

2021 Galileo Circle Copernicus Award

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

31%

GRAD SCHOOL

Photo courtesy of Jixun Dai

INDUSTRY

Photo courtesy of Scott Dreisbach

Brooke Massani received the 2021 Galileo Circle Copernicus Award. This award recognizes the contributions made by non-tenure eligible faculty, appointed personnel, or classified staff whose extraordinary accomplishments are deserving of recognition and significantly advance the mission of the department and knowledge base of its discipline.

Christine Gronowski

McNair Staff Award and College of Science Distinguished Academic Advising Award

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

FACULTY AWARDS & PROMOTIONS

Hamish Christie

Promoted to Associate Professor of Practice 2021 COS Distinguished Career Teaching Award The Distinguished Career Teaching Award is given in recognition of a long career as an outstanding classroom teacher and mentor of students at different levels and in diverse settings. Perhaps Hamish’s crowning achievement in curricular development has been his design of CHEM 545, a highly innovative laboratory course for graduate students, and possibly the most unique in the country. The graduate students’ experience in this course is so highly valued, that they seek out Hamish’s advice on experimental set-up and laboratory techniques throughout their graduate careers.

Thomas Gianetti

2021 Cottrell Scholar Award This award from the Research Corporation for Science Advancement honors and helps to develop outstanding teacher-scholars who are recognized by their scientific communities for the quality and innovation of their research programs and their academic leadership skills. The Cottrell Scholar Award provides entry into a national community of outstanding scholar-educators who produce significant research and educational outcome. The Cottrell Scholar Award provides $100,000 over a period of three years and will support Thomas’s research. Scorpion Pit Entrepreneurial Award Thomas won the Scorpion Pit Entrepreneurial Competition at the American Chemical Society’s Rocky Mountain Regional Meeting in 2021. He received a plaque, a $1,300 cash award, and will participate in a 6-week NSF ICORPs local cohort training.

2021 The University of Arizona Foundation Leicester and Kathryn Sherrill Creative Teaching Award This award recognizes excellence in the art of teaching at all levels, but the Foundation places particular emphasis on teaching at the undergraduate level. 2021 College of Science Innovation in Teaching Award The Innovation in Teaching Award is given in recognition of outstanding educational innovation developed and applied to course delivery whether in the classroom or in a virtual setting. Tori’s multi-faceted approach to teaching considers evidence-based learning strategies, such as flipped classrooms, and brilliantly combines them with real-time formative assessments of the learning experience such that the teaching team collaborates with the instructor in delivering the most effective learning experience possible for the students currently in the classroom, not just an amorphous population of generic undergraduates.

Vlad Kumirov

Promoted to Assistant Professor of Practice

Michael Marty

Promoted to Associate Professor 2021 Galileo Circle Curie Award The Galileo Circle Curie Award recognizes the “rising-stars” amongst the department’s junior faculty whose innovative work is not only advancing science, but also is adding to the diversity within the scientific community. 2021 Ron Hites Award Dr. Michael Marty and co-authors Marius M. Kostelic, Alex M. Ryan, Deseree J. Reid, and Jibriel M. Noun, received the 2021 Ron Hites Award for their paper “Expanding the Types of Lipids Amenable to Native Mass Spectrometry of Lipoprotein Complexes” (Journal of the American Society for Mass Spectrometry. (2019) 30:1416Y1425). This award, sponsored by the American Society for Mass Spectrometry, recognizes annually an exemplary paper published in the previous two volumes of JASMS. The award recognizes a high-quality presentation of outstanding original research. Vlad Kumirov Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Tori Hidalgo Photo courtesy of Thomas Gianetti

Thomas Gianetti Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Hamish Christie Photo courtesy of Jean-Luc Brédas

Jean-Luc Brédas

Tori Hidalgo

Michael Marty Photo courtesy of Michael Marty

2021 Centenary Prize This prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry was presented to Jean-Luc “for seminal contributions to our fundamental understanding of the electronic properties of organic materials for electronics and photonics, and for excellence in communication.”

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Jean-Luc Brédas

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 17

Roger Miesfeld

2021 COS Distinguished Achievement in Science Education Award The Distinguished Career Teaching Award is given in recognition of a long career as an outstanding classroom teacher and mentor of students at different levels and in diverse settings. This includes scholarly works that contribute to improving teaching and learning. Roger is an extraordinary educator with enormous impact on our teaching mission, and his authorship of Biochemistry and the widespread national adoption of this textbook and national and global impact of his online courses represents an outstanding achievement in science education that is the culmination of decades of dedicated efforts at the University of Arizona.

Jeanne Pemberton

2021 ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Spectrochemical Analysis This award honors exceptional contributions to advancing the fields of spectrochemical analysis and optical spectrometry in one or more of the following: • Conceptualization and development of unique instrumentation that has made a significant impact on the field. • Development of novel and important instrumentation. • Elucidation of fundamental events or processes important to the field. • Authorship of important research papers and/or books that have had an influential role in the development of the field.

John Pollard

PATENT COINS Tech Launch Arizona has kicked off a new University of Arizona program to recognize inventors who are named on issued patents. Patent coins were presented to the following CBC inventors:

M. Leandro Heien Christopher Hulme John Jewett Eugene Mash, Jr. Robin Polt Jeffrey Pyun Jacob Schwartz Jeffrey Pyun

2021 Fellow of The Royal Society of Chemistry Scientists who have been more than five years in a senior position and whose efforts have made an impact in any field of the chemical sciences are eligible to become a Fellow. Jeffrey is an internationally recognized leader in polymer and materials chemistry for his invention of novel polymeric and nanostructured materials for a broad range of applications in optics, photonics, information technologies, energy, and defense.

Elisa Tomat

2021 Gerald G. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence The Gerald G. Swanson Prize for Teaching Excellence is designed to recognize excellence in undergraduate teaching at the University of Arizona.

2021 Distinguished Scholars Award The Distinguished Scholars Award recognizes outstanding mid-career faculty who create transformative innovations in their disciplines and make highly valued contributions to the teaching, research, and outreach priorities set out in the University’s Strategic Plan.

Brian Zacher

Promoted to Assistant Professor of Practice

Photo courtesy of Brian Zacher

Brian Zacher Photo credit: Warren Hoe

Elisa Tomat Photo courtesy of Jeff Pyun

Jeffrey Pyun Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

John Pollard Photo courtesy of Jeanne Pemberton

Jeanne Pemberton Photo courtesy of Roger Miesfeld

Roger Miesfeld

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

RETIREES

Key Mentors and Colleagues

• George Wilson and Mike Burke who took me to lunch in the early years after faculty meetings to explain to me what had REALLY just happened. • Hank Hall who passed on pages of the paper version of Chem. Abstracts with articles that I needed to read and arranged for Xerox, Kodak, and IBM to hire me as a consultant—changing the course of my career. • More than one department head who reminded me that the votes to hire and promote me (twice) were not unanimous ...and colleagues like John Enemark and David O’Brien who told me how lucky UA was to have me! • Mike Cusanovich who, as VPR, subjected me to massive amounts of cigarette smoke but who explained to me how the University really worked and how to think strategically, take risks and not worry too much failure and defeat. • Presidents John Schaefer and Henry Koffler who hired extraordinary faculty—truly inspirational! • Professors Jeanne Pemberton and Scott Saavedra—Jeanne was a trailblazer at UA in ways that I couldn’t recognize until later in my career. Now I marvel at the path she carved here. And Scott, who was never that impressed with my big vision, which was GREAT!, and who kept us both focused on what mattered, working tirelessly to make sure those big visions came to pass.

Plans for Retirement

Gardening—NOT. A bucket list of unfinished science problems and research development, consulting and advisory boards, travel to reconnect with dear friends and colleagues, and getting back up to ca. 2000 miles per year on the bike.

Carol Besselsen Program Coordinator, Business Office

Major Accomplishments

• Trained 67 PhD, 32 MS, and over 200 BS students • Published over 1,300 papers in peer-reviewed journals • Received over 50 patents • Published papers with 57 other professors and their students worldwide; have over 100 publications with 5 other professors at the University of Arizona • Have received over 50 major awards worldwide • With Profs. John Enemark and George Wilson established state-of-the-art facilities for NMR, mass spectrometry, x-ray crystallography, and state-supported PhD scientists to run them all. This approach has served as the paradigm for all the Facilities now at the University of Arizona. • Obtained over $100M in funding either individually or jointly

Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

A fabulous assortment of UA + non-UA collaborators (faculty and staff) made it possible for me to play in different scientific areas for the last 46 years—supervising or co-supervising 49 PhD students, ca. 200 undergraduates, ca. 50 postdocs and visiting scientists, etc.—all supported by NSF, DOE, DoD and countless big and small companies. On my own only about 10% of this was possible; with bigger teams it was a blast!

Victor J. Hruby Regents Professor Emeritus

Plans for Retirement

• Continue to learn new science and do new science with colleagues • Write a few books: my scientific biography; scientific and ethical aspects of modifying human behavior; Peptide Science—Now and the Future • If possible, establish The Hruby Peptide Institute at the University of Arizona run by a tenure-track faculty member. • Enjoy my family, friends, students, and colleagues, especially my grandchildren

S. Scott Saavedra Professor Emeritus Career in Brief

• Professor, Department of Chemistry (CBC), 2003–2021 • Associate Professor, CBC, 1997–2003 • Assistant Professor, CBC, 1991–97 • Many service roles for CBC, the College of Science, and the University, including: • Chair, CBC, 2012–14 • Co-Chair, CBC, 2010–12 • Assistant Chair for Education, CBC, 2009-10 • Assistant Head for Academic Affairs, CBC, 2007-09 • Research Director for 29 PhD graduates, 8 MS graduates, 21 post-docs, and > 50 undergraduate students, high school students, and schoolteachers • PI or co-PI for > $30M of sponsored research, educational, and major equipment funding • Developed two new graduate courses and new content for numerous other undergraduate and graduate courses • Galileo Circle Fellow, College of Science, 2017

Photo credit: Jeff Smith

Most Important UA Career Highlights

Photo courtesy of Neal Armstrong

Neal Armstrong Regents Professor

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 19

2020–21 STUDENT AWARDS UNDERGRADUATE AWARDS Chemistry and Biochemistry Outstanding Senior Jason Matthew Kronenfeld

Biochemistry Outstanding Senior Daniel Robert Wieland Chemistry and Biochemistry Excellence in Research Daniel Robert Wieland Chemistry Excellence in Research Jason Matthew Kronenfeld CBC Outstanding Juniors Amanda Gong - Biochemistry Shifat Hossain - Chemistry CBC Outstanding Sophomore Cristian Chavira - Biochemistry CBC Outstanding Freshmen Eliza Hazel Johnson - Biochemistry Kristen Roehling - Chemistry ACS Hach Scholars Kierra Garland Omar Solis Acuna ACS Undergraduate Award in Analytical Chemistry 2020 Jack Zengwei Liu Charles Hoyt Scholars Isabelle Brooks Harrison 2020 Ramsey C. Martz 2020 Amanda Gong 2021 Anna Jaison 2021 AZ Society for Coatings Technology Scholars Carissa Bond Estevan Cleveland Royal Society of Chemistry Certificate of Excellence Award Jack Nichols Excellence Awards in the Biological Sciences Scholars Julie Fan Amanda Gong Matheo Ismael Herrera Prado Kiah C. Sleiman Michael A. Wells Research in Biological Sciences Scholars Wael Almasri Amanda Gong Vivian Mendoza-Leon Kiah C. Sleiman Patrick M. Hefferan Memorial Scholar Giang Huong Pham

Dr. Thomas M. and Candace C. Grogan Scholars Omar Solis Acuna Rosa Del Carmen Araujo Vivian Mendoza-Leon CBC Outstanding Thesis Eric Lu - 1st Place Jessica Vickery - 2nd Place CBC Outstanding Student Peer Mentors Paige Elizabeth Martin Monica Ruffalo Hillary Schiff Jessica Vickery Ronald Gonzalez Wildcat Spirit Awardees Isabelle Brooks Harrison Sadie Pauline Keesler Madison Anne Mollico Klariza Ivanna Ochoa Alyssa Jean Peterson Emma Simone Potter Raven Jewel Wentworth

Galileo Circle Scholars Graduate Students Anthony Baldo Nathan Bamberger Tarek El Assaad Fathima Doole Niloofar Ghadirian Joseph Schafer Yu-Shien Sung Julia Alma Townsend José Miguel Veleta Undergraduate Students Abel Cherian Julie Fan Matheo Ismael Herrera Prado Vivian Mendoza-Leon Shifat Hossain Michael Cusanovich Scholar

Jessica Hlomatchi Madeline Milner Nick Mortimore Hillary Schiff Kiah C. Sleiman

GRADUATE AWARDS

Carl S. Marvel Scholars Anthony Baldo James Keener

David F. O’Brien Graduate Fellows Iva Habensus Alyssa Werner

Merrill P. Freeman Medal, UA Dean of Students Daniel Robert Wieland

Victor P. Thalacker Chemistry Graduate Fellows Holly Anne Sofka José Miguel Veleta

Robert Logan Nugent Award, UA Dean of Students Akshay Nathan Alyssa Jean Peterson

Herbert E. Carter Award Holly Anne Sofka

Danny Brower Memorial Scholar Shifat Hossain

Dr. Wayne Cody Scholar in Medicinal Biological Chemistry Niloofar Ghadirian Yu-Shien Sung

UA Honors Thesis Legacy Award 2020 Jason Matthew Kronenfeld

Lela E. Booher Memorial Scholar Holly Anne Sofka George Gregson Scholars Clara Faye Frost Troy E. Smith Helena Woroniecka Kathryn K. and James D. Steele Scholars Blake Seaton Hannah B. Schmidt Julia Alma Townsend John Hostetter Award Niloofar Ghadirian Second Year Excellence in Graduate Research Julia Alma Townsend Outstanding Graduate Students James Keener Outstanding Scholarship

Lauren Ostopowicz

Outstanding Teaching

Natasha Rose Cornejo Outstanding Service

SPECIAL RECOGNITION

John G. Hildebrand Scholar in Neuroscience Gizem Ozturk Miriam H. Klaiman Memorial Scholar Matheo Ismael Herrera Prado 1st Place GPSC Undergraduate Researcher in the Environmental Impact Division 2020 Jason Matthew Kronenfeld 1st Place, 2020 Charles Tipton Undergraduate Award, AZ Physiological Chapter Meeting Kristina P. Sin Betty Chastain Scholar 2020-2021 Krisha Avalani Fred and Barbara Borga Religious Studies Award 2020 Alyssa Jean Peterson Phi Theta Kappa Scholar 2020-2021 Krisha Avalani CBC Undergraduate Poster Fair Senior Thesis 1st: Jamie Takashima 2nd: Krisha Avalani Biological Sciences Advanced 1st: Hillary Schiff 2nd: Nick Mortimore

Hunter Johnston Memorial Scholar ARCS Foundation Allison Smith Mason

Biological Sciences Emerging 1st: Julie Fan 2nd: Vivian Mendoza-Leon

NSF Graduate Research Fellows Jason Matthew Kronenfeld Nicolai Marcus Peña Jamie Takashima

Physical Sciences Advanced 1st: Brent Lee 2nd: Shayna Maddern

Molecular & Cellular Biology Outstanding Senior Eric Lu Neuroscience, Excellence in Research Nicolai Marcus Peña Astronaut Scholar 2020-2021 Eric Lu

2021 BECUR Poster Winner Gizem Ozturk

INVEST IN CBC

IN MEMORIAM PEOPLE WE HAVE LOST ALUMNI

Your gift to the CBC General Fund gives us the flexibility to support the greatest needs of our future scientific leaders.

Gwendolyn Heuser Hartmann BS in Chemistry, 1949 d. February 28, 2021

BY MAIL

Make your check out to: University of Arizona Foundation, with gift designation in the Memo line Mail to: University of Arizona Foundation PO Box 210109, Tucson AZ 85721-0109

Linda Mantooth Honig MS in Chemistry, 1967 d. March 14, 2021

Charles “Charlie” Leftault BA in Chemistry, 1954 d. December 25, 2020

ONLINE give.uafoundation.org/ science-chem-biochem Photo credit: Olivia Mendoza

Arthur “Art” Nathaniel Lindberg BS in Chemistry, 1949 d. June 5, 2021

Harold M. McNair

BA in Chemistry, 1955 d. June 27, 2021

Glade M. Smith

BA in Chemistry, 1973 d. January 10, 2021

L-R: Isabella Brown, Alejandro Villalobos, Fernanda Sanchez Borchardt, and Keelee McCleary-Petersen (photo taken pre-pandemic)

Margaret Tome

PhD in Biochemistry, 1996 d. January 1, 2021

This listing includes CBC alumni whose families shared news of their passing, along with those for whom public obituaries are noted in our records. To read the obituary, use your camera phone to scan the QR code. Have we missed someone? Share news with us at omendoza@arizona.edu or alumninews@al.arizona.edu.

Photo courtesy of Barry Fernando, MD

QUINTUS FERNANDO PHOTOGRAPHY Q VIEWING Y

uintus Fernando was born in 1926 in a suburb of Colombo, the capital of Ceylon (now known as Sri Lanka).

ou are cordially invited to a special viewing of an exhibition at Phoenix Art Museum: Legacy of Ceylon: Art and Photography of Sri Lanka. The photography featured in this exhibition is exclusively comprised of images captured in the 1940s–1950s by the late Professor Quintus Fernando.

While an undergraduate student at the University of Ceylon, he took up photography as a hobby. He captured rural life in the newly independent democratic republic of Sri Lanka in a series of hauntingly beautiful photographs, many of which are included in this exhibition. We hope that everyone who knew Quintus Fernando will attend this very special event, where informal presentations will be made by Dr. Janet Baker, Curator of Asian Art, and Barry Fernando, M.D. from 12:15 to 12:30 p.m. on the terrace.

Cost per person: Discounted admission for those who pre-register by Nov 30 Date: Saturday, December 18, 2021 Time: 12:00–2:00 p.m. Presentation 12:15–12:30 p.m. on the terrace. Location: Phoenix Art Museum 1625 North Central Ave. Phoenix, AZ 85004 Map Mist and Rain: A Photographic Journey Through Ceylon The Photography of Quintus Fernando

A limited number of copies are available for sale in the Phoenix Art Museum Store. All proceeds from the sale of this photographic book will be donated to charity in memory of Quintus Fernando.

Accessibility Questions: (602) 257-1880 | info@phxart.org Registration Info: Ellie Warder warder@arizona.edu (520) 621-5903

His father was a planter, who owned and managed the family’s tea and rubber plantation. Quintus and his four siblings were educated at a private school, St. Thomas College. Quintus went on to attend the University of Ceylon, where he studied chemistry and explored a variety of hobbies, of which photography and philately were to become life-long interests. After completing his BSc. degree in 1949, Quintus went to the United States to pursue graduate studies in chemistry under the aegis of John P. Phillips at the University of Louisville, Kentucky. After completing MS and PhD degrees in analytical chemistry, he returned to Sri Lanka in 1953. Following short stints of teaching at the University of Ceylon and working as a chemist at the government analyst department, he decided to immigrate with his family to the United States. In 1961 he accepted a faculty position in the Department of Chemistry at the University of Arizona. In 1963 he and Prof. Henry Freiser co-authored Ionic Equilibria in Analytical Chemistry, which was a classic textbook for teaching ionic equilibria for over 15 years. During his tenure at the University of Arizona, he mentored 32 graduate students and co-authored over 200 research publications in diverse areas including: ionic equilibria, X-ray structures of coordination compounds, and determination of toxic metal species in environmental and biological materials. Quintus retired in 2004 from the University of Arizona after more than 40 years of service. He passed away later that year.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

ALUMNI NEWS

1950s

Paul Schnur (BS CHEM, 1958) 1 I am retired.

Richard Finn (BA CHEM, 1959)

I am retired. Our children have fled the nest and created nests of their own. We have 5 grandchildren and one great grandchild. Of course all grandchildren are great! Now I look forward to whatever new adventure appears or happens. Being a physician, the recent pandemic, even though a horrible occurrence, has been a most interesting time for me.

1960s

Roger Caldwell (PhD CHEM, 1966) Retired and living in Tucson with wife Ellen Salacinski Caldwell (MS CHEM, 1967). David Kingston (PhD CHEM, 1966) 2 I am retired.

Kathryn Tominey (BS CHEM, 1968) 3

Retired research scientist from Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

1970s

Dale Edmonson (PhD CHEM, 1970)

I retired from Emory University in January 2014.

Ralph Johnson (MS CHEM, 1970) 4

Retired chemistry regulatory writer for Pfizer pharmaceutical company. Currently, freelance writer for the monthly magazine of the retirement community my wife and I live in. My wife and I have 2 children and 7 grandchildren. They all live close to me in Fishers, Indiana.

Larry Schwartz (PhD CHEM, 1971) 5

Married 50 years to UA Graduate Leslie Katz Schwartz, MSRN; 2 daughters, Rachel Delfanti (Neuro Radiologist) and Randee Schwartz (Business Manager)

David Bear (BS CHEM, 1972) Research Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine; Professor Emeritus, University of New Mexico School of Medicine Sheldon Clare (PhD CHEM, 1972)

I am a widower with 3 married children and 5 grandchildren.

Robert Small (PhD CHEM, 1972) 6 I am comfortably retired.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 23

Rick Yost (BS CHEM, 1974) 1 Rick was awarded the 2021 Pittsburgh Analytical Chemistry Award “to recognize his significant contributions to the field of Analytical Chemistry including the introduction of a significant technique, theory or instrument and providing exceptional training or a fertile environment for progress in Analytical Chemistry”. The award was presented at the 2021 Pittsburgh Conference on Analytical Chemistry and Applied Spectroscopy (Pittcon) in March.

Oliver Ileperuma (PhD CHEM, 1976)

Retired from University in 2014 and have 6 grandchildren.

Katie Smith (PhD BIOC, 1976) 2 I am retired.

Tim Krupa (MS CHEM, 1978) 3

Rusti and I were married while I was a grad student and this year will celebrate our 48th.

George Marshall (PhD CHEM, 1978) 4

Happily retired after 37 years with Lexmark.

Anne Yoshino (BA CHEM, 1979) I live with my husband Bill Grimes (retired biochem professor) in Alaska, Arizona & Colorado.

1980s 3

Mark Anderson (BA CHEM, 1981)

P/T pharmacist and owner of Coal Creek Ace Hardware in Louisville, Colorado.

Fred Hassman (BS CHEM, 1982) Married to a Biologist. 2 Boys: one has a BS in Chemistry, the other has a BS in Mechanical Engineering. Rebecca Stanley Brock (BS BIOC, 1983) MD ob/gyn

Matthew Austin (BS CHEM, 1985) Senior Advisor, Product Safety Communication at Huntsman Corporation. Focused on product safety communication with employees and customers. Using SAP to create SDSs for various countries while ensuring regulatory compliance. Assigning transportation classifications to products. Profiling the Los Angeles site’s hazardous waste in compliance with California regulations. Andrew Leavitt (BS CHEM, 1988) Chancellor and Professor of Chemistry, University of Wisconsin Oshkosh

Brian Gilbert (BS CHEM, 1989)

I was awarded the Edith Green distinguished professorship at Linfield University. https://inside.linfield.edu/academic-affairs/faculty-awards.html Dwayne St. Jacques (BS BIOC, 1989) I’m a pediatrician in solo private practice in Phoenix.

1990s

Stephen Mayer (PhD BIOC, 1990) 5

Medical Oncologist in Glenwood Springs and Aspen, CO

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Patrick Desrochers (PhD CHEM, 1992) Professor and Chair, Dept of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of Central Arkansas

Carmelita Torres (MS CHEM, 1992) 1

I am the Senior Director of Quality Assurance for Curative Inc.

Mara Rempe (PhD CHEM, 1994) 2

Just celebrated 25 years working at Seattle University where I am Associate Dean for the College of Science and Engineering.

Feng-Di (Tiffany) Lung (PhD CHEM, 1995) We have three children and welcomed a granddaughter last year. Heather Clark (MS CHEM, 1996)

Executive Director Head of Program Management Stealth Biotech Previously Director R&D Program Management at Vertex Pharmaceuticals

Matthew Katterman (BS/MS CHEM, 1997)

Attending school at U of A as a PhD candidate in Biosystems Engineering

Deepa Whipple (BS BIOC 1997)

I work in data and analytics in the retail industry

2000s

Michael Herman (BS CHEM, 2000) 3

Roche Tissue Diagnostics, Scientist / Project Manager

Molly Ball (BA BIOC, 2001)

Neonatologist at The Ohio State University/Nationwide Children’s Hospital

Dayle Smith (PhD CHEM, 2001) Started new job at ORNL (we’re hiring!). Liliya Yatsunyk (PhD CHEM, 2003) 4

I received the promotion to full professor this year at Swarthmore College.

Aaron Brandis (BS BIOC & BMB, 2004) 5

Vascular Interventional Radiologist in Jackson, TN specializing in stroke, peripheral arterial disease and interventional oncology.

Olivia Herman (BA CHEM, 2004) I am currently employed as a Quality Engineer for Roche Tissue Diagnostics. Graduated in 2020 from Purdue University with MS, majoring in Agricultural and Biological Engineering with a concentration in Biotechnology Innovation and Regulatory Science. Michael Boice (BS BIOC, 2005) Executive Director at CrownBio Yingying Huang (PhD CHEM, 2005)

Monetization Product Growth Leader at TikTok

Thomas Schultze (BS CHEM, 2007) 6

I work on formulating, manufacturing and testing greases.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 25

Christina Birch (BS BMB, 2008) 1 Professional Cyclist / Olympic Long Team Member for Track Cycling on Team USA; Scientific Consultant & Lead Grant Writer. I was named to the USA Olympic Long Team for Track Cycling for Tokyo 2020. While I didn’t compete on race day, I am very proud to be a part of the Long Team from which race starters were selected. Matt Cranswick (PhD CHEM, 2008) 2

My partner, Jenny, and I recently welcomed Beatrice Poppy to our family during the COVID-19 lock down. She is pictured (at 6 mo.) with her sisters, Evelyn Rose (6) and Camille Iris (4). Clearly, I am outmatched and spend a lot of time “in the lab”.

Kristin Jacobs (BS CHEM, 2008)

I’m currently employed at Motional - a self-driving vehicle company.

Brittany Phipps Statzer (BS CHEM, 2008) 3

Recently moved back to AZ after 11 years in Colorado! Living with my husband and 2 kids in Peoria.

James Morton, Jr. (BS, BIOC & BMB, 2009) 4

In December 2020, I graduated from the National University of Health Science medical school with a ND degree. I’m preparing for my medical boards and working fulltime. At the end of June, 2021 my novel “Love’s Parallel” will be published. I moved to Asheville, NC to resort a home that’s been in the family for year, but was dormant after my brother and his wife moved out. My plan consists of operating a medical practice as a Naturopathic Doctor, work with the Veteran’s Administration since they are hiring ND’s and changing their medical protocol, and establish a small research laboratory affiliated with the VA to investigate using botanical constituents against bacteria, viruses, and diseases. Yes, I’m still that ex-military soldier that keeps on pushing on, no matter what the odds. I wish everyone peace, love, happiness, and success in all your endeavors or journeys in life.

Zach Sunitsch (BS BMB, 2009)

I am a dentist employed in rural Oregon. I work at a federally funded community health center.

Aaron Vannucci (PhD CHEM, 2009) I just received tenure and promotion to Associate Professor in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at the University of South Carolina. 5

Nicholas Veomett (BS BIOC, 2009) 5

Sr Director of Corporate Development at Artiva Biotherapeutics, an NK Cell therapy company in San Diego, CA.

2010s

Ahmed Badran (BS BIOC, 2010)

Recently accepted new position as Assistant Professor at the Scripps Research Institute in California.

Jessie Brown (BS BMB, 2011) 6

Jessie is currently a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Cancer Genetics at Columbia University Irving Medical Center where she is the inaugural Candy and William Raveis Fellow of the Damon Runyon-Sohn Foundation Pediatric Cancer Fellowship Award. She celebrated her wedding in Tucson in March of 2021.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Daniel Sanchez (BS CHEM, 2011) PHOTO

Living in Portland and currently work as a R&D Failure Analysis Engineer at Intel Corp. Also became a dad this year.

Tiffany Son (BS BMB & MCB, 2011; MS PHYS, 2012; MD, 2016) PHOTO

Tiffany currently is a UofA Surgery resident and graduate fellow. It was during her Cardiothoracic Surgery elective rotation that she decided to pursue General Surgery. She remained here in Tucson to complete her Surgical Residency training. While completing her residency, Dr. Son has been very active in research. More recently she has been involved in Quality Improvement Projects that cover both Banner Hospital Campuses in Tucson. She has been an invited speaker at national and regional conferences and has presented on titles Failure to Rescue in Post-Op Patients with Colon Cancer and on Physician Suicide. In 2019, she completed an International/ Global Elective Surgical Rotation at the Groote Schuur Hospital in Capetown, South Africa in Acute Care and General Surgery. She is a member in good standing with National Organizations: American College of Surgeons, Association of Women in Surgery, and the Society of Asian Academic Surgeons. After graduation, Dr. Son will be completing an MIS Bariatric Advanced GI Fellowship with Banner Gateway. After her fellowship, she will be returning to Tucson to join the private practice group Southwest Surgical and will be working out of Tucson Medical Center and St. Joseph’s Hospital. She has enjoyed this journey and knows she did not do it alone; her family were greatest supporters. Throughout these years in Tucson, she has kept her motto, “Stay Humble. Hustle Hard”.

Barbara Chukwu (BA BIOC, 2012) PHOTO

I recently finished medical school and got accepted into an internal medicine program in Ohio.

Nirushan Narendran (BS BIOC, 2012) PHOTO

Nirushan was originally from Toronto, Canada who later moved to Tucson in 2009 and completed his undergraduate in Biochemistry and Molecular Cellular Biology in 2012. Thinking about pursing career in medicine he completed a Masters in Cellular and Molecular Medicine in 2018. During his Masters, he had met his wife Natalia Elias Calles who was also a recent graduate from the University of Arizona and was working in clinical research. She had convinced him to pursue clinical research as she knew that he would appreciate the science but also the joys of helping patients.

Nirushan had joined the University of Arizona Asthma Center in 2017 and his knowledge in the field of Asthma, Food Allergy, and other respiratory related diseases such as Chronic rhinosinusitis allowed him to be able to communicate efficiently to potential subjects and clearly outline the procedures within the study. While working at the Asthma center he had found his passion for clinical translational research. He is currently in the Clinical Translational Sciences Doctoral program working on a translational research project under his mentor’s guidance, Dr. Eugene Chang. Upon completion of his doctoral degree, he plans on working towards a career in translational research and precision medicine.

Kristin Bratton Nelson (BS BIOC, 2012) PHOTO

Assistant Professor of Epidemiology at Emory University. My husband, Michael Nelson (BS in BIOC, grad. Fall 2012) and I had our first baby, Oliver, born in March, 2021. Garrett Yagade (BS CHEM, 2012) Photo Currently I am working as a Jr Software Designer for a small healthcare analytics company after completing my masters in business analytics from Syracuse University. My wife and I recently welcomed our first born, Sean, into the world. He was 6lbs 14oz and 20 inches long. He has been keeping us on our toes but is very happy and of course loves the Wildcats!

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 27

Lori Culberson (PhD CHEM, 2013) I founded a nonprofit organization, The Spark Org, whose mission is to provide students from underserved communities with academically enriching services and resources such as tutoring, school supplies, and opportunities to join sports teams or take art and music lessons. We’d love for you to visit our website: www.thesparkorg. io. Christopher Kosters (BS CHEM, 2013) 1

Promoted to Senior Chemist at Corden Pharma Colorado (CDMO) last year.

Dominic Sacchetti (BS CHEM, 2013)

Patent for new phenol free AFB stain. US Patent US20200319066A1. Developed internal qPCR assay to test employees for COVID-19

Angela Schlegel (BS BIOC, 2013) I am currently working as a Scientific Technical Editor for AlphaGroup Medical Communications where I am responsible for graph and table generation, conference and manuscript submission assistance, and fact-checking various documents for a growing group of pharmaceutical, medical, and biotech companies. Harrison Frisk (BS CHEM, 2014) In January, I graduated from the University of Minnesota with a Ph.D. in Chemical Physics. I’ve joined the UMN Department of Chemistry as a staff member, running the outreach and lecture demonstrations and teaching a lab course. 3

Jeremy Gantz (PhD CHEMl, 2014) 2

Since graduating with a PhD from Neal Armstrong’s group in 2014 I have been working at Nike in a few different roles from materials researcher to engineering director, all focused on new innovations around footwear and leading teams of scientists from around the world. I have traveled the globe many times over making sure these new innovations come to life on a global scale. Every once in a while I think back to the analytical chemistry course at UofA where we had to figure out how off the shelf commercial products worked and their chemical makeup....so useful!!! A few fun innovations I have launched during my tenure at Nike: https://www.wired.co.uk/article/nike-air-jordan-3-rtna-structural-colour https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5izLYMNGMrA https://www.sneakerfreaker.com/releases/on-foot-travis-scott-nike-air-max-270-react https://news.nike.com/news/nike-betrue-2018-collection https://news.nike.com/news/what-s-new-and-old-about-the-nike-air-vapormax-2019

My family has grown since leaving UofA and we now have two awesome boys and outside of work I have become a novice woodworker who hasn’t lost any fingers.... yet! (https://www.instagram.com/dr_gantz/)

Cody Corbin (PhD CHEM, 2015) 3

Twin boy and girl born 09/2017. Received signed letter of recognition from the DOE Office of Science acting director for COVID-19 work on N95 masks in collaboration with the National Virtual Biotechnology Laboratory (NVBL). Provisional patent application on tamper-indicating materials submitted.

Guadalupe Davila (BS BIOC, 2015) 4

I just graduated from the University of Arizona College of Medicine on May 2021. I graduated with Distinction in Commitment to Underserved People Program, Distinction in Rural Health Professions Program, Integrative Medicine Distinction, and Bilingual Medical Spanish Distinction Track. I will be starting my residency in pediatrics at Banner University Medical Center in July. I am so excited to be able to stay home and see what is to come.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Celestina Mesa (BA BIOC, 2015)

In my last year in pharmacy school at UArizona.

Haley Kent Stanczyk (BS BIOC, 2015) Currently a stay at home mother. First child born February 2020 and currently expecting baby #2 in November 2021. Sanhita Sinharay (PhD CHEM, 2016) 1

In March 2021, I joined the the Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, India, as a tenure track Assistant Professor, in the Center for BioSystems Science and Engineering. My research lab will focus on development and applications of molecular imaging biomarkers that can improve early detection and assess early response to treatment in cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Here is a link to my webpage (https://sinharay.wixsite.com/cancersystemsimaging)

Jordan Barrows (BS BIOC, 2017) 2

Attending graduate school for a PhD in the Biochemistry, Cellular and Molecular Biology program at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.

Peter McFadden (PhD CHEM, 2017) I just celebrated my four-year anniversary at Nguyen Tarbet LLC, an intellectual property law firm specializing in patent prosecution. Our little family is growing, as my wife and I are expecting our third son in September. Destinee Ogas (BA BIOC, 2017) 3

I graduated from Daniel K. Inouye College of Pharmacy at the University of Hawaii at Hilo on May 8th. I have moved to Austin, TX and I am studying for my NAPLEX to get licensed as a pharmacist. I got engaged on April 27th in the Maldives.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 29

Nick Ziolkowski (BS BIOC, 2017) I’m currently a Data Science Consultant with McKinsey & Company, working for their Agriculture Commodities Research Engine. I’ve had the privilege to work on machine learning and analytics problems across the climate, food security, and agricultural inputs space. 1

Hongxi Guo (BS BIOC, 2019) 1

I graduated in September from University College London with an MSc in infection and immunity.

2020s

Madeline Morrow (BS BIOC, 2020) 2

I’m currently working for a small research company here in Tucson. I graduated back in December with my French degree, and I’m happy to be working at Avery Therapeutics. It’s a nice break from school and working in tissue engineering has been awesome!

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Ahoud Alghamdi BS CHEM

Thank you to my family, my husband, and my friends. Bear Down CBC!

Alaa Al-Issaei BS CHEM My years in university have been the toughest yet the happiest times of my life, a big thank you goes to my family for everything they have done for me and to my friends for making this journey an enjoyable one. I plan on working for the company that sponsored my study.

Ahoud Alaa

Yasir

Christopher

Yasir Alnakhli BS CHEM, BA BIOC It has been a joyful journey, Bear down CBC. Christopher Apostol PhD CHEM I would like to thank my friends and colleagues for their encouragement during my time in the PhD program. I want to thank Professor Victor Hruby and Aswini Kumar Giri for their guidance and initially piquing my interest in peptide and small molecule drug discovery during my undergraduate studies. I want to thank my advisor, Professor Robin Polt, for his guidance, mentorship, and for always pushing me to become a better scientist. I also want to thank current and past members of the Polt laboratory for their endless support and friendship both in and outside of the lab. Most importantly, I want to thank my mom, dad, and sister for their endless love and support. I would not be where I am today without them. Gustavo Araiza BS BIOC

These past four years have certainly been a roller coaster. There were lots of highs and just as many lows. Thankfully, the amazing staff in CBC not only streamlined my college experience but they helped me achieve my fullest potential. With the help of their guidance, mentorship, and resources, I was accepted into a Ph.D. program at Vanderbilt University! I’m excited about what the future holds for both me and the department.”

Krisha Hitesh Avalani BS BIOC

Krisha Gustavo

My time here at UofA has been an unforgettable experience! The CBC department has the most supportive faculty and staff. The classes and labs I took gave me a lot of hands-on experience which prepared me for the real-life application of the skills I gained. Hats off to the department for making the transition to online school as smooth as possible. I plan to work in a research lab and apply to grad school after graduation. Hannah Ball, BS Biochemistry, BS Molecular & Cellular Biology I’ll be starting a PhD program at Northwestern in the fall in Biomedical Sciences.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 31

Megan Baum BA BIOC I plan on Pursuing a Master’s in Secondary Education to aid in the future advancement of Women in STEM related fields though spreading love of Science in a High School setting. Alexander David Blythe BS BIOC, BS MCB

Megan Alexander

In my time as a biochemistry major, I’ve been able to meet so many interesting and wonderful people from fellow students to professors to the Chemistry and Biochemistry (CBC) Department faculty, all of whom helped me through good times as well as difficult times, especially through a once-in-a-generation pandemic near the end of my undergraduate career. I’ve had the opportunity to make lifelong friendships, explore my interests in human disease, meet amazing professors, learn new and exciting research methods, and develop professional skills that I’ll surely carry for the rest of my life. The CBC Department, particularly the ever-helpful advisors, helped me grow as a student and as a researcher and it has given me invaluable tools to help me in the next stage of my academic career and has provided me with the confidence to overcome any obstacle I face. I will continue to employ my newfound skills and knowledge in chemistry and biochemistry as I complete my work on neurodegenerative disease in the Accelerated Master’s Program at the Department of Molecular and Cellular Biology here at the University of Arizona. I hope to ultimately become a medical doctor specializing in neuropathology.

William Theodore Brooks BS BIOC “The day you become old is the day you’re not looking for new experiences anymore” -Billie Joe Armstrong Post grad plans: Uniformed Services University School of Medicine Alyssa Naomi Brown BS BIOC

William Alyssa

I would like to give many thanks to my wonderful friends and family, as well as all my professors and the CBC advisors for being with me through the last four years of tears and cheers! I have learned so many things and made some terrific memories throughout my four years of being a Wildcat. With my time coming to an end I am sad to go, but am thrilled to start the next chapter of my life and cannot wait to see what is next for me! I have accepted a position at a company called TQL as a jr. broker in Tempe.

Emily Crose BS BIOC

Thank you to my friends and family for encouraging me to get here today! I love you!

Emily Kyle

Kyle Steven Dong BA BIOC It has been an unforgettable five years at the University of Arizona. The many restless nights studying for exams and staying up to finish my lab reports all adding up to this moment. The CBC department has not only expanded my scientific knowledge, but also taught me life lessons. Like all my lab experiments, life has many unexpected twists, such as Covid-19, and I had to adjust and ask others for help to achieve my goals. I want to thank all my professors, lab TAs, SI leaders, and classmates for their encouragement and support in getting me to this point in my undergraduate career. Additionally, I would

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

like to thank the CBC advisors for being so patient with me and looking out for me. It is because of all your guidance that I was able to stay calm and focused when I was panicking about not being able to graduate in four years. I am grateful to have all of you as my advisors because all of you are caring, organized, and not afraid to be upfront with me when I needed that push. For my post-graduation plans, I will be taking a gap year studying for the PCAT and applying for pharmacy school. I will also be helping my family by being a personal butler to my grandparents when I am not studying. I have learned not everything goes as planned, but I can confidently say that the Biochemistry program has prepared me to adapt and BEAR DOWN!

John Ryan Ely BS BIOC Science is not about me. Science is much greater than me, yet it is me, and it is all of us. I will strive to achieve a worthwhile contribution. Thank you, Mom & Dad!”

John

Erica Gorman BA CHEM

Erica

My plan after graduation is to start pharmacy school this fall within the Midwest. Nothing in life is worthwhile unless you take risks. Fall forward. Every failed experiment is one step closer to success. Put God first in everything you do. Everything that I have is by the grace of God. “ Denzel Washington

Bhargav Santosh Gorti BS BIOC

Thank you to my sister, dad, and mom for supporting me on this journey!

Bhargav

Meghan

Cevaughn

Meghan Hamilton PhD CHEM After completing my PhD in Chemistry under Dennis Lichtenberger this summer, I started working at Raytheon Missiles and Defense here in Tucson as a Senior Chemist. I am so excited to begin this next stage in my career and apply the chemistry knowledge and life lessons that I learned at the University of Arizona. Cevaughn Donovan Hanley BS BIOC The more time you spend contemplating what you should have done... you lose valuable time planning what you can and will do. I plan to work to work in some form of a lab, (hopefully in a hospital setting) and build up my resume so i can be competitive for med school. Luis Helfer BS BIOC Thank you to my mom, dad, Karl, and Christopher for supporting me throughout my entire journey. As well as Maddie, Zoey, Jenna, Jake, and JP for keeping me sane this whole time. I love you all. Christina Huynh BA BIOC, BS Nutritional Sciences As a first-generation college student, I am thankful for the peers, professors and experiences that made my time at the UofA memorable. From being a part of Honor Societies to Cultural Centers on campus, I found a sense of community

Luis

Christina

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 33

that supported me academically and socially. As a part of the Honors Program, I got a unique academic experience taking specialized chemistry and biochemistry courses that enriched my undergraduate career. After graduation I’m looking forward to gaining clinical experience as I shadow a dietician in a cystic fibrosis clinic and work towards earning my RDN credentials to become a dietician myself.

Christa Imrich BA BIOC, BS MCB

Christa

Natalie

My time at UA has been nothing short of transformative. Choosing a major in CBC was one of the best decisions I made for myself over the past few years. There are so many opportunities for research, outreach, and education in CBC. The classes and faculty provided me with the knowledge I needed to get involved in, and succeed in, research. I have been performing independent research for over two years and now hope to pursue a career in research. After graduating with my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry this past spring 2021. I will attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to earn my PhD in chemistry.

Natalie James BA BIOC My plans after I graduate are to backpack the world for at least a year (depending on when the rest of the world opens). I want to start in Australia and end in Europe. After that, I plan on applying for medical sales jobs or pharmaceutical representative jobs and start my career! Sara Lee Jones BS CHEM

Sara Alejandra

My time at the UofA has definitely been a rollercoaster, but I can’t thank the CBC department enough for always being there for me. The CBC department has always been great at fostering a sense of community within the UofA; everything from fun (but challenging) classes, to close-knit clubs and extracurriculars, and of course to the amazing advising team. Truly these aspects of the department have served as a strong foundation for my future endeavors! I’m currently pursuing a Ph.D. at the Colorado School of Mines; but even though I’m a Burro now, I’ll always be a Wildcat at heart.

Alejandra Katz BS CHEM, BA BIOC, BA Creative Writing

Thank you to my parents, teachers, and lab cohorts who supported me throughout my undergrad

Sadie Pauline Keesler BS CHEM, BS Neuroscience Thank you to my family for supporting me and helping me reach the next steps in my career Mohammad Keivannia BS CHEM

I learned a lot about myself and how to grow throughout these 4 years. I’m absolutely thankful for having a family who supported me everyday and my friends who helped me to be successful. My future plans are to work in an organic lab or work for my father who is a pharmacist.

Sadie

Mohammad

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Tobias Kochenderfer BS CHEM

I am extremely appreciative to everyone who has made my last four years at the University of Arizona so wonderful. Thank you to Dr. Pyun and everyone in the Pyun lab for building my college social life. Thank you to Dr. Curry for being an excellent mentor and an exemplary teacher. Thank you to my friends at the University of Rhode Island, I hope to meet you all in person one day. And finally, thank you to my family and friends, who have stuck by my side. After graduation, I plan on volunteering for local radio and gaining experience within the Tucson brewing scene. Thanks CBC for a great four years!

Tobias

Jason Kronenfeld BS CHEM

Thank you to all the friends, family, University of Arizona faculty and staff who have been along my undergraduate pathway and helped push me along towards my goals! I appreciate each and every one of you! After graduation, I will be attending the Stanford University Chemistry PhD program with a National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship

Talia Lee BS CHEM

I am extremely grateful for my loving and caring support system. I could not have done it without any of them. This has been such a long journey and I am so excited to be finished! BEAR DOWN!

Jason

Eric Lu BS BIOC, BS MCB

A common thread throughout my college experience has been one of self discovery. I came into my first year convinced that I would pursue history or law, and a series of happy accidents landed me where I am today. As much as I love the humanities, I found that I was in need of something with a little more objectivity in order to be satisfied and started exploring different options. I never really had a penchant for science in grade school, in fact I detested most of my classes and the way they were taught – it gets thrown around a lot, but science education in public schools really is lack-luster. I took another stab at science in an attempt to keep my options open and was pleasantly surprised to find a place for myself in the CBC and MCB departments, where I was challenged with new ways of thinking that satisfied my desire for something a little more concrete.

Talia

Eric

Around this time, I discovered a twin passion for medicine and research. Many of my peers were interested in going to medical school, and I decided to follow suit. As I began fulfilling the requisite service hours, I found a way to fulfill the hole left when I decided to move away from the humanities, which has taken the form of my various service pursuits. I stumbled into my research in a similar manner – I somehow lucked my way into meeting Dr. Andrew Capaldi several months before making the transition into the College of Science and once I had made the switch, I decided to give research a go. I dug out his card, shot him an email, and several weeks later, I was working in his lab.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 35

Sometimes, I think that this was the single best decision I’ve made in the last four years. Immediately, I was plunged into a new world, surrounded by a positive environment that challenged me and fostered my growth. I learned how to ask questions, critically reason, and solve problems with the arsenal of tools that research provided to me. My determination and resilience were constantly put to the test in the face of my many frustrating failed experiments, and I was rewarded by the satisfaction of overcoming each hurdle. What I had once viewed as a highly abstract and unapproachable practice morphed into a solid, empowering endeavor that I now happily pursue. Together, my pursuits in science and medicine prompted me to attempt to combine the two, and were integral to my decision to pursue a career as a physician-scientist. I accepted a position in the MSTP program at Washington University in St Louis and will be leaving for Missouri in June to begin my MD/PhD. I’d like to take the time to give thanks to the wonderful staff in both the CBC and MCB departments for their tireless efforts. I’d also like to thank Dr. Andrew Capaldi, for his fantastic mentorship and for the willingness to take a chance on me, as well as everybody in the lab, for their kindness, patience, and troubleshooting support. I’d like to thank my friends for sharing this journey and the many late nights hunched over our books and computer screens. And lastly, I’d like to thank my parents for their endless love and support.

Kenneth

Paige

Kenneth Ly BS BIOC, BS MCB, BS Physiology & Medical Sciences, BA East Asian Studies I would like to thank my parents for supporting me and sacrificing so much to provide me with a valuable opportunity for higher education. I also want to thank my professors and mentors for acting as lamp posts and guiding me through my journey. After graduation, I will be doing the Accelerated Master’s Program in Molecular & Cellular Biology at the University of Arizona. Paige Martin BS BIOC, BS Physiology Studying Biochemistry at the University of Arizona has been one of the most rewarding things I’ve done thus far. It has opened up my mind to approaching problems in ways that I never knew were possible and has taught me that working hard can be fun (late nights in the library became a favorite pastime of mine). The entire CBC department is so supportive and welcoming to every student. I couldn’t have done it without the professors, T.A.s, or advisors. Thank you CBC department and University of Arizona! Bear Down! Kimberly Miller BS CHEM Thank you to my family for supporting me throughout college and to the friends I made here for making the University of Arizona feel like home. Thank you to Olivia and Christine you both have always been very informative and helpful and I couldn’t have done it without you.

Kimberly Madison

Madison Mollico BS BIOC Madison is graduating this May with a BS in biochemistry and minors in chemistry and microbiology. Throughout her under-

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

graduate years, she has worked in research in the Baltrus lab and participated in the Undergraduate Biological Research Program (UBRP). Madison also volunteers at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and at a local veterinary clinic. This fall, she will begin the Doctor of Veterinary Medicine program at Washington State University. Madison hopes to become a laboratory animal veterinarian, working to ensure ethical treatment of research animals and proper study design at a public research institution.

Akshay Nathan BS BIOC Akshay Nathan graduated as magna cum laude from the Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in biochemistry. Akshay was born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, by immigrant parents from India, who aspired to help their children achieve the American dream. Akshay hopes to rise to their parent’s hopes and desires.

Akshay

Akshay has been a member of the Mobile Medicats since their freshman year of college. They later became the director of volunteering, vice president, and as president of the club during their senior year. They oversee community and statewide efforts to alleviate the struggles experienced by individuals experiencing homelessness. Additionally, Akshay volunteers at Z-Mansion, providing medical care and support to medically underserved populations. They currently serve as a certified community health specialist, providing additional scope to treat and perform risk assessments for diverse health conditions. Akshay has been a research and education intern with the UA Debate Series since the program’s inception their freshman year. They helped facilitate internal and external debate events, elevating the University’s status as a hub for free discourse. They have also participated in the inaugural Regents Cup, earning a scholarship. Akshay currently conducted public health research under Dr. Purnima Madhivanan at the Mel and Enid Zuckerman College of Public Health. They are interested in health disparities concerning underserved populations living in the slums of India. They have also spent a summer studying bacteria metabolism under Dr. Sujata Chaudhari at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Akshay has been nominated and selected for several awards while at the University of Arizona, including being nominated for the Chemistry and Biochemistry Outstanding Senior Award and receiving the Wildcat Excellence Award, an International Baccalaureate scholarship, and a National Scholar Award which is awarded in partnership with the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. Akshay is planning on pursuing a Master of Public Health at Boston University, with certificates in human rights and social justice as well as sex, sexuality and gender. They then plan to attend medical school and eventually pursue psychiatry as a career path.

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 37

Easter Niyongabo BA BIOC My time at the UofA has been an unforgettable experience. With college being a new thing for me, I was grateful to have found a family that I can relate to. Those include the CBC department, ASEMS and the transfer center. Being able to get help from these three families really made my journey easier. My next road leads to pharmacy school and it is still with here, at the UofA. Looking forward to it. Thank you so much to CBC for taking care of me. Nkengafac Njungeh BA BIOC, BS MCB, BA East Asian Easter

Nkengafac

Klariza Ochoa BS CHEM My time as an undergrad at CBC has been an exceptional experience! I have been lucky enough to have met so many new friends and peers that have helped me both in and outside of the classroom over the years. Not only was I able to experience CBC as a chemistry student but also as support staff for the advising team! Through this experience, I was able to attend events, meet others in my field and be a part of a great community. Working alongside Olivia, Christine, and Debra has been nothing short of amazing. I am proud and thankful to have been part of one of the best colleges at UArizona!

Klariza

Daniela

Daniela Renee Ortiz BA BIOC, BS MCB

After graduation I will complete the virtual Stanford Summer Research Program, and in the fall I will start my PhD in Cancer Biology at the University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Center.

Natan Parra BS BIOC Graduating from the University of Arizona was quite an experience. After graduation I’m going to take a year off from school and focus on getting a job in a plant biotech company. Afterwards I am going to come back to school to pursue a PhD in Plant Science or Pathology.

Natan

Anjali Patel BS BIOC Sometimes I’ll start a sentence and I don’t even know where it’s going. I just hope I find it along the way.” - Michael Scott Next year, I will be applying to medical schools and working as a medical scribe.

Anjali Alyssa

Studies My name is Nkengafac Njungeh, graduating senior of Biochemistry. I’m so excited to be graduating, but also feel some nostalgia from my years here at the U of A. I will definitely miss campus and miss being able to pop into the CBC advising office when I have questions or just to chat and hang out. However, I’m also looking forward to travelling after I graduate and can’t wait to see different parts of the world!

Alyssa Peterson BA BIOC, BS MCB, BA Religious Studies Alyssa Jean Peterson will be graduating magna cum laude with a triple major with a Bachelor of Science in Molecular and Cellular Biology, and a Bachelor of Arts in Biochemistry and Religious Studies. Alyssa is from Safford, Arizona. She has two wonderful parents, Michael and Caryn Peterson, and four younger sisters, Charlotte, Ella, Madison, and Rachel. In 2016, Alyssa had the opportunity to serve the community of Rusinga,

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Kenya for a few months, and this experience piqued her interest in mosquito vectored disease research. Her interest in mosquito-vectored diseases is what inspired her to apply to Dr. Roger Meisfeld’s lab, where Dr. Jun Isoe mentored, taught, and supported her love for science and interest in mosquito research. In April 2020, their paper “Characterization of Essential Eggshell Proteins from Aedes aegypti mosquitoes” was published by BioRxiv. Alyssa has a love of people and culture and decided to add a major in Religious Studies in March of 2020. Her goal is to help people live healthier lives by combining cultural understanding with ground-breaking scientific discoveries to be the best public health professional possible. She is currently very involved on campus as the President of the Molecular and Cellular Biology Club, Vice President of Women in Medicine and Science (WIMS), College of Science Health Ambassador, Chemistry and Biochemistry Ambassador, Peer Mentor, and a team member at the CAT hotline for assistance in community COVID-19 response. She was awarded the Microscopy Society of America Undergraduate Research Scholarship in 2020, the American Chemical Society GrantHach scholarship, recognized as Biochemistry Student of the Month in September 2019 and August 2020, and was the recipient of the Fred and Barbara Borga Religious Studies Award. After graduation, she plans on taking a gap year to work and save for graduate school. She is planning on eventually pursuing a Ph.D. in Infectious Disease Research and work on bringing vaccines, interventions, and health education to communities in need all around the world.

Emma Potter BS CHEM, BS Veterinary Science

Emma

Nothing in life is to be feared, it is only to be understood. Now is the time to understand more, so that we may fear less. -Marie Curie

Nicole Raygoza BS CHEM

Nicole

Sydney

After graduation I plan to start working in the industry. My plan is to find a job in a laboratory that will give me the experience and teach me well needed skills in order to pursue my dream job in forensic science. In the future I may attend graduate school once I figure out exactly what sector of chemistry I want to focus on. Being a UA/CBC student gave me the knowledge and motivation to push myself to always work for what I want. Being a woman in STEM is not easy, but it sure was worth it!

Sydney Ellen Schwartz BS BIOC I am currently contracted to work at Roche Tissue Diagnostic in the Cytology department. As a research associate I will be helping with their ovarian cancer diagnostic studies. My experience at the UA was exciting and busy. I participated in Alpha Epsilon Phi, Order of Omega, and CBC Mentors and Ambassadors. While on campus I had the amazing opportunity to work in the Hruby lab as an undergraduate research associate where I helped study peptide hormones and melanocortin

DEPARTMENT OF CHEMISTRY AND BIOCHEMISTRY | FALL 2021 | 39

receptors to further neuroprotection drug discovery research. Bear Down!

Joseph Thonhoff BS BIOC At the beginning of my freshman year, I set out to gain that “college experience” everyone talks about, and thanks to the university and the CBC department, I was able to get just that! From sleepless nights to campus events, my four years at the university were very vibrant. Most importantly, the friends I made along the way due to housing arrangements and course group work will stick with me physically, if not in memory, for the rest of my life. I hope to work in biotech and support the future of science with all I’ve learned over the past few years! Madison Uli BS BIOC This fall I will be attending the Midwestern Arizona College of Medicine with hopes of pursuing my childhood goal of being a pediatrician! I am incredibly thankful for the support of my parents, faculty, and families I have interacted with that encourage me to continue working with our community’s children. One of my favorite quotes is, “If I have seen further, it is by standing on the shoulders of giants” - Sir Isaac Newton. I hope I can serve as the shoulder for future children as many have done for me! Joseph

Jessica Vickery BS BIOC, BS MCB

Madison

Being a part of Pyun Group for the past two years and working on chemical syntheses has been a fulfilling experience. I would like to thank Dr. Jeffrey Pyun for his mentorship, as well as, Lindsey Holmen for helping me with my thesis project. During this thesis project, I have learned so much and am grateful to be able to have this knowledge for the future. Ethan Weiss, BS Biochemistry, BS Molecular & Cellular Biology I would like to thank my parents, brothers, and family for their unconditional support throughout college. Also, I’d like to thank my friends for all of the good times and memories during these past four years. After graduation, I will be working as a research associate at Cellstate Biosciences!

Daniel Robert Wieland BS BIOC

Daniel Robert Wieland graduated summa cum laude from the Honors College with a Bachelor of Science in Biochemistry, Molecular and Cellular Biology, and Biomedical Engineering and a minor in Math. Born and raised in Tucson, Daniel always had his eyes set on medicine and research from an early age after witnessing the debilitating effects of disease on friends and family. Committed to healthcare and community betterment, he has applied himself extensively in his education, research, and service.

Jessica

Daniel

As a freshman, he joined Dr. Jacob Schwartz’s lab, researching proteins responsible for diseases such as ALS and Ewing Sarcoma (a pediatric bone cancer) over all four years with one publication and another in progress. For his work, he received many awards such as the Barry Goldwater Scholarship, Excellence in Biological Sciences, and Galileo Circle Scholarship. Additionally, he conducted epidemiological research with Dr. Chien-Hsiang Weng at Brown University, with whom Daniel has two co-first author publications and is currently writing another.

THE CATALYST | CBC ALUMNI MAGAZINE

Under Dr. Dennis Discher, he conducted virtual bioinformatics cancer research at the University of Pennsylvania. Daniel served as president of UArizona HOSA and as an officer of the Arizona Global Health Project, where they set up biannual temporary free clinics in Puerto Peñasco, Mexico to aid the underserved community. In Tucson, he volunteered in the ER at Banner, recruiting patients to clinical trials and designed a way to visualize sequencing data to diagnose secondary infections in intubated COVID patients for his senior design project. As a Chemistry and Biochemistry ambassador and mentee, he helped freshmen students transition into the college and assisted the department in its events, and as an Undergraduate Biology Research ambassador, he assisted others in applying to research opportunities on campus. For his accomplishments, he was awarded the Biochemistry Outstanding Student Award for his respective class each year. After graduation, Daniel plans to pursue an MD-PhD program where he aspires to treat patients at both the bedside and through the lab.