My work resides at the interface between organic synthesis and chemical education.

Chemistry is a pure science that can be elucidated through conceptual reasoning and mathematical description. My teaching focuses on metacognition – the thinking about thinking – and is comprised of lecture presentations and guided inquiry style learning. Students are given models and data to observe and consider. Together, we make meaning of the chemical/physical system and develop mathematical expressions to depict it. In my experience, someone who comes upon information by discovery has better ownership of it and is less likely to lean on memorization. Students who are encouraged to fully participate in their learning have a better appreciation for the material as well as their ability to process it.

My lab work has been focused in organic chemistry. Specifically, I have experience in two primary areas: (1) Synthetic organic methodology – where I have designed and developed a novel method for creating fused, bicyclic guanidines ; (2) Solid-phase synthesis of custom peptides and peptide libraries – where I have used a variety of methods to create unusually specific peptides, peptide arrays, cyclic peptides, and protoknots. These experiences have fed my interest in both the conceptual investigation and shameless manipulation of matter. I am especially grateful to be a part of creating biologically active molecules that can go out and perform beyond the lab freezer.