Research

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Transition metals are at the core of addressing global energy needs. Functioning as catalysts, these systems have long demonstrated competency to promote thermodynamically challenging reactions, lowering energetic barriers and facilitating desired transformations with applied light or potential. Employing infrared, visible, ultraviolet, and x-ray spectroscopy, chemists are afforded insight into the electronic structures of transition metal complexes, investigating ligand field strengths and metal-ligand interactions. Further, time-resolved techniques afford resolution of dynamic processes in molecular species, such as energy and electron transfer pathways.

PhD Thesis : Electronic Structures and Reactivity of Metal Complexes

My thesis work evaluated the electronic structures and reactivity of metal arylisocyanides and metal quaterpyridine molecules. Applications from this research are relevant for the development of visible light-harvesting sensitizers for photoredox catalysis and molecular photo/electro-catalysts for selective and efficient CO₂ reduction.

Postdoctoral Studies : Ultrafast Spectroscopy of Earth-Abundant Photocatalysts

In my current position, I use ultrafast transient absorption and time-resolved infrared spectroscopy to assign the excited state photocascade of underexplored molecular systems for earth-abundant photocatalysis. Ultrafast spectroscopy tools enable the detection of rapid intramolecular dynamics to guide molecular catalyst design principles.