Organic synthesis has changed the world by empowering chemists to tailor complex molecules to specific purposes. To do so, chemists use an approach wherein a “lead” molecule is optimized for its function through iterative structural modifications. Despite the fact that this process philosophically involves changes that are imagined to the candidate in hand, syntheses of … Continued
A new research program involving the rational design, chemical synthesis, reactivity, and use of alkaline earth metal hydrides as molecular vehicles for the chemical storage of hydrogen is proposed. Due to the earth abundance, low-cost, recyclability, and environmentally non-toxic nature of alkaline earth metals such as magnesium, they serve as promising candidates for hydrogen storage … Continued
Despite the wide applications of enzymes in pharmaceutical industry, the development of many drug compounds does not benefit from the power of biological synthesis, as their therapeutic value relies on chemical motifs rarely present or even completely absent in biology. To extend the scope of biosynthesis to include these non-natural moieties, we will employ a … Continued
Converting waste CO2 back into valuable liquid fuels or chemicals, with renewable electricity as the energy input, can revolutionize the way we produce chemical feedstocks while mitigating climate change. In traditional electrochemical CO2 reduction reactors generated liquid fuels are inevitably mixed with impurity ions (such as potassium, bicarbonate, etc.) in liquid electrolytes, which necessities energy- … Continued
The See Group investigates chemistry that enables sustainable, next-generation batteries to go beyond the conventional paradigm of lithium-ion batteries. Our research goals focus on developing the electrochemistry of Earth-abundant multivalent cations (e.g. Mg, Ca, and Zn) and multielectron processes. Multivalent batteries have the potential to increase capacity by an order of magnitude over lithium-ion. We … Continued
My research focuses on building a bridge between solid-state chemistry and condensed-matter physics to develop chemical guidelines for the development of new “quantum materials”. We think these materials are the key to enable future technologies, such as quantum computers, levitating trains or novel, highly sensitive sensors. Many of these developments are driven by the discipline … Continued
Proteins are molecular machines that are responsible for most processes essential for life. Proteins do not function in isolation and instead are connected through a vast network of dynamic and stable interactions, both with other proteins and with other biomolecules, such as RNA, DNA, or metabolites. Our research seeks to understand how this network of … Continued
Elucidating mechanisms by which light interacts with matter to generate characteristic spectral signatures has fundamental and applied impact in fields ranging from optics to surface science and applications as diverse as displays and sensors. We propose to explore a fundamentally divergent approach for generating structural color by controlling interference occurring when light undergoes multiple total … Continued
With the ultimate goal of rapid, automated determination of molecular structures at atomic resolution from as few as a thousand molecules, my group has pioneered the development of new methods in electron diffraction. Using these methods, we interrogate the atomic structure of varied molecular crystals. Equipped with a 300 KeV electron microscope, we are in … Continued
Organic species routinely interact with inorganic surfaces in a dynamic manner, influencing molecular activity and causing chemical changes in the underlying substrate over time. Understanding these differences in behavior is crucial for improving the performance of catalysts, preventing protein adsorption to medical implants, and synthesizing precision nanocrystals for biomedical or optical applications. However, because of … Continued