ALT Photo of Bachelor of Science graduates in their purple regalia. Left to right: Kameron Wildeman, Brianne Luccous, Caleb Kline, Unity Nebesniak, Anthony Nistico, Peter Gorges, Nick Boucher, Jane Eilers, and Tyler Davis

ALT Photo of PhD graduates with their advisors. Left to right: Prof. Ryan Rafferty with Dr. Asantha Fernando, Dr. Anthony Fatino, and Dr. Shashika Perera. Prof. Christine Aikens with Dr.Yuchen Wang

ALT Photo of Jim Hodgson's glassblowing demo. Foreground: Jim, seated behind a table, holding a glass rod, with a lit flameworking torch in front of him. To his right is a table with various pieces of glass labware. Background: projection of the audience onto a large screen.

ALT CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH K-State Chemistry Edition Tendai Gadzikwa(Associate Professor) EDUCATION: PhD Chem. (Northwestern 2009); BA Chem. (Macalester College, 2003) Favorite Element: Zinc Favorite Molecule: DNA Favorite Material: MOFs (duh) Favorite Nobel Laureate: Carolyn Bertozzi Why did you choose to study chemistry? Working in a research lab as a sophomore was a life-changing experience. There was something so special about designing and making new molecules or materials. It is awe inspiring to know that this molecule had never existed until I made it. Current research: Employing “molecular architecture,” the Gadzikwa lab attempts to synthesize more efficient catalysts. With enzymes (Nature’s best catalysts) as the “blueprint,” and molecules as building blocks, we construct molecular frameworks (MOFs) which we then “interior decorate” to create confined spaces that look like enzyme active sites.

ALT CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH K-State Chemistry Edition Pricilla Matseketsa(graduate student) EDUCATION: BSc. & MSc. in Chemistry (University of Zimbabwe) Favorite Element: Promethium (Pm) Favorite molecule: DNA Favorite Nobel Laureate: Sir Fraser Stoddart What do you enjoy about chemistry? I derive immense satisfaction in the process of designing and synthesizing novel materials and studying their properties and functional mechanisms. What’s intriguing is by using available chemical synthesis methods, one has the capacity to fabricate materials hitherto unexplored, thereby expanding the frontier of scientific knowledge. Current research: Design and synthesis and design of metal organic frameworks for applications in catalysis and sensing.

ALT CELEBRATING WOMEN’S HISTORY MONTH K-State Chemistry Edition Aloka Amarasoorira(graduate student) EDUCATION: BSc. Chem (U. of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka 2019) Favorite Element: Carbon Favorite Nobel Laureate: Marie Curie Why did you choose to study chemistry? As a kid chemistry was so miraculous to me. That affected me to encaptivate my enthusiasm in Chemistry and it has never failed to amaze me over time. Now I just enjoy it and it makes me happy every day. I think it’s an amazing opportunity for me to study in a field like this where I can help someone out there in the world one day, by making even small discoveries. Current research: I’m working on a few different projects where we are trying to explore the structural diversity of 2-aminopyridine, 2-aminopyrazine, and 2-aminopyrimidine derivatives. Also, I’m working on a project where we design a vehicle that can deliver anti-cancer agents in close proximity to tumor cells thereby limiting unwanted detrimental effects on normal cells.