Exploring and synthesizing new chemical compositions to produce more robust and conductive membranes for electrolyzer systems.

Independent Chemical Consultant• Provided external evaluation services to research projects in both industrial and academic settings:– key scientific support by analyzing spectroscopic and spectrometric data to obtain detailed information about impurities in drug delivery technology samples.– mechanistic support that contributed to the development and optimization of synthetic methodology involving asymmetric aminocatalysis.

Instructor | Organic Chemistry I & II + Lab– Designed and taught lectures of organic chemistry.– Developed a syllabus that outlined day-to-day topics to be explored, listed due dates for exams.– Taught organic chemistry laboratory, focusing on purification techniques and basic reactions tied to the principles of organic chemistry taught during lecture.– Prepared lectures and assessment tools to present material, deepen understanding of coursework and test students’ knowledge.– Incorporated WileyPLUS learning platform to help students achieve educational success through extra practice problems, feedback, educational videos, and additional course content.– Mentored students and reinforced concepts taught in class during office hours; provided support to help them succeed.– Prepared, graded, and administered problem sets, quizzes, and exams.– Utilized Canvas learning management systems to maintain a web-assisted teaching style.– Mentored supplemental instruction leaders (SI) and provided them with tools to augment undergraduate student knowledge through peer-to-peer mentoring.NSU Service (2019–2022)• Participated in Chemistry/Physics mentoring program, which promoted mentoring relationships between undergraduate students and Chemistry/Physics faculty member with the aim of helping students in their academic and professional development.• Participated in curriculum and program development as assigned.• Participated in university, college, and departmental functions that contributed to campus life such as athletic events, orientations, and receptions.

Asymmetric Organocatalysis | Prof. Karl Anker Jørgensen– Developed novel asymmetric aminocatalytic methods for oxidative alpha-coupling of aldehydes and ketones with a wide variety of nucleophiles.– Deconvoluted origin of stereoselectivities and mechanisms by performing rate studies using 1H NMR spectroscopy, computational methods, and establishing structure–reactivity relationships, such as linear-free energy relationships (LFER).

Organolithium Structure & Mechanism | Prof. David B. Collum– Employed a unique combination of solution structural studies, kinetics, and computational methods to study the influence of aggregation and solvation of lithium hexamethyldisilazide (LiHMDS)–mediated enolizations of chiral oxazolidinones.* The study featured an enolization–aldol sequence used by Pfizer that proved challenging during the kilogram scale-up of hepatitis C drug filibuvir.– Integrated traditional kinetics with novel numerical integration methods to enable the examination and quantitation of complex reaction coordinates using IR & 1H, 6Li, & 13C NMR spectroscopy, and mathematical software.In the Collum group, we study how aggregation and solvation dictate the reactivity and selectivity of organolithium compounds commonly used by synthetic chemists in both academia and the pharmaceutical industry. A combination of spectroscopic, kinetic, and computational methods bridge organic, organometallic, and analytical chemistry.

Lecturer | Organic Chemistry I (CHEM 140A)– Taught organic chemistry (upper-division course) to 386 students.– Prepared, graded, and administered problem sets and exams.– Mentored 4 teacher assistants (TA) and provided them with tools to augment undergraduate student knowledge through peer-to-peer mentoring.UC San Diego Service• Participated in Dine-with-a-Prof and Coffee-with-a-Prof programs, which allowed undergraduate students to dine and/or have coffee with their esteemed faculty member (September 2014–December 2014)• Judge for the Greater San Diego Science and Engineering Fair; San Diego, CA (March 2013 & March 2014)

Chemical Reactivity | Prof. Charles L. Perrin– Capitalized on the reactivity of para-benzyne diradicals and their novel reaction with anionic nucleophiles: a new type of reaction with unusual features, including the combination of both two-electron and one-electron movements.* The discovery proposes a new pathway for aromatic ring functionalization, which has been developed for bioactive small-molecule synthesis.– Discovered the first ever example of a “naked” aryl carbanion in solution and differentiated this reactive intermediate from an aryl metallic species by employing rate/selectivity studies using 1H NMR spectroscopy, and GC-FID/GC-MS spectrometry.UC San Diego Service• Founded a Graduate Student Seminar Committee (GSSC) in collaboration with the Organic Chemistry Division Seminar Series to support an inclusive environment for graduate students to get involved in the process of choosing, inviting, and hosting speakers for the seminar series (November 2012–December 2013)• Judge for the Sigma Xi Student Research Showcase; San Diego, CA (April 2013) • Participated as an ACS Science Coach in sharing expertise and enthusiasm for science to students at different high schools; San Diego, CA (September 2011–June 2012)

NSF-GK12 STEM Fellows in Education | Socrates• Worked in the classroom two days a week for a full school year.– Sweetwater High School | National City, CA– Helix Charter High School | La Mesa, CA• Created innovative, inquiry-based lecture and lab activities for the high school classroom that reflected current research efforts.• Improved the ability to communicate science to a variety of audiences.• Received training in pedagogy in a four-week summer institute.

Organic Chemistry Teacher Assistant• Organic Chemistry Laboratory I | Mentor: Prof. Haim Weizman (CHEM 143A)• Organic Chemistry II | Mentor: Prof. Tadeusz F. Molinski (CHEM 140B)• Mechanisms of Organic Reactions | Mentor: Prof. Yitzhak Tor (CHEM 154/254)• Organic Chemistry III | Mentor: Prof. Patricia A. Jennings (CHEM 140C)

Atmospheric Chemistry | Prof. Olga L. Mayol-Bracero– Collected cloud water, rainwater, and aerosols under different types of air masses at a mountain site in Puerto Rico (El Yunque National Forest, Luquillo, PR).– Performed chemical characterization of clouds and rainwater, characterized the carbonaceous particles suspended in cloud and rainwater, and determined the contribution of the organic fraction to the composition of collected cloud and rainwater samples using 1H NMR spectroscopy, ion chromatography, and total organic carbon/total nitrogen (TOC/TN) analyzer.– Evaluated the impact of different types of air masses (e.g., African dust, volcanic ash, anthropogenic pollution) to the chemical composition of clouds, and sought for a better understanding of the impact aerosols have on clouds and climate and their contribution to cloud condensation nuclei (CCN).

Organic Chemistry Mentor/Tutor | Prof. Ingrid MontesOrganic Chemistry I & II for Majors (QUIM 3451 & QUIM 3452)