Kevin Alexander '25
About
Graduation year: 2025
Major and Minor: Chemistry (B.S.), Physics (B.S.), Mathematics (B.S.)
Commonwealth Honors College
Name of the Scholarship: Barry Goldwater Scholarship
Period of the Scholarship: Fall 2024-Spring 2025
Country: United States
I have pursued two main research projects. Firstly, I have worked with Dr. Jeanne Hardy and Dr. Jasna Fejzo to use nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy to study the structure and binding kinetics of Chikungunya virus protease nsP2. The end goal of this research is to develop inhibitors of this protease, which is a crucial step for creating a cure for Chikungunya. Secondly, last summer I was a visiting researcher at Caltech where I worked with Dr. Ryan Hadt to investigate the spin relaxation properties of molecular qubits. Understanding these relaxation properties is important for qubit design principles. After graduation from UMass, I intend to pursue a Ph.D. in chemistry. The Goldwater Scholarship will be a massive benefit for my graduate school application profile and will make me competitive at top programs.