Undergraduate Poster Session
The Undergraduate Research Poster Session for Chemistry took place on April 24th in the atrium of the Integrated Sciences Building (ISB). Over twenty students showcased their posters to faculty, staff, and fellow students.
The Dr. Uche Anyanwu Memorial Fund was established to acknowledge the top three research posters presented at the Department of Chemistry Undergraduate Research Poster Session. This fund was initiated by Dr. Ucheoma O. Akobundu in memory of her late husband, Dr. Anyanwu, who was the inaugural member of the D. Venkataraman (DV) group, earning his PhD in 2005. This year's awardees are Athena MacDonald, Sunny Periyasamy, and Kyle Uchneat.
Electrochemical Control of Nanoparticle Shape via Growth Rate
Athena MacDonald '26 (DuChene group): My research focuses on controlling the shape and surface facets of metallic nanoparticles through electrochemical growth. I show that growth rate, controlled by applied current, can direct nanoparticle morphology without changing electrolyte composition or temperature. By tuning current during deposition, I demonstrate that rate alone determines structure, which is critical for optimizing catalytic performance in electrocatalysis.
Enzyme-Mediated Triggerable Michael Acceptor Prodrugs
Sunny Periyasamy '27 (Thayumanavan group): My research focuses on developing enzyme-responsive, triggerable Michael acceptor (TMAc) prodrugs for site-specific chemotherapeutic delivery. I am engineering a tunable molecular switch that releases its payload via nucleophilic attack mediated by glutathione transferase, an enzyme overexpressed in tumors. Incorporating ligand-derived moieties into the TMAc scaffold has demonstrated selective payload release and provides a platform for optimizing delivery across diverse classes of small-molecule drugs.
Efficient Synthesis of Conjugated Small Molecules for Organic Semiconductor Applications
Kyle Uchneat '26 (DV group): My current project focuses on the synthesis of conjugated, small molecules that are combined with polymers to create organic semiconductors. By altering the structure of the small molecules, the mobility, conductivity, and overall efficiency of the semiconductor can be improved. Specifically, I am simplifying the reaction conditions for a conjugated, cyclic lactone and various diketones to form a single, conjugated molecule via an aldol condensation reaction. I work closely with graduate students to characterize these compounds via NMR, IR, and mass spectrometry.