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Chantel Balesdent
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Hi, I'm Chantal Balesdent, and I'm a fifth-year chemistry graduate student in David Tyler's lab.
In my research, I use iron complexes to make ammonia from nitrogen gas. Ammonia is mainly used for artificial fertilizers, and because our method uses a relatively small amount of energy, it means that what we're really working towards is a more sustainable approach to feeding the world!
Originally from Massachusetts, I received my B.A. in chemistry from Colby College in Maine, where I enjoyed exploring the mountains, lakes, and ocean, both in the summer sun and in the winter under a blanket of snow. Outside the lab, I love to run, bike, swim, play soccer, ski, hike, cook, and I'm learning to play the guitar.
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Sarah Brady
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Hi, my name is Sarah Brady and I'm a fifth year graduate student in David Tyler's lab. I work on creating polymers that degrade very easily under sunlight. This allows me to study how to control the degradation of plastics. I received degrees in Chemistry and French from North Central College in Naperville, IL and am originally from Oshkosh, WI. When I'm not in lab I like to train for running races, cook delicious meals with my friends and watch as many Packer football games as possible. When I'm done with graduate school I would like to work on science policy to impact how scientific research is used and how it affects the public.
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Jeff Engle
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Hi, my name is Jeff Engle and I am a fourth year chemistry graduate student working on a joint project between the Darren Johnson Lab and the Haley Lab. My research is focused on creating fluorescent sensors that can be used to image anions within cells.
Before entering graduate school I attended Seattle University where I received my BS in Biology and my BA in Humanities. During my free time I enjoy backpacking, baking bread, and relaxing with friends and family. My ultimate goal is to pursue a career in teaching where I can share my passion for chemistry and biology.
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Paul Martin
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Hi, my name is Paul Martin, and I'm a graduate student in the physics department here at the University of Oregon. I work in Dan Steck's atom optics group where we use laser light to make atoms cold (very different from what lasers do in movies!), control their behavior, and hopefully learn something about quantum mechanics. We design and build much of our own equipment, which means I get to play with and learn about a lot of interesting technology. I'm from Albuquerque, NM, miss the high desert, and am really excited to be spending some time in eastern OR. I'm a bit shy, but I love how much fun life is. I enjoy hiking, exploring, eating, and being with family, friends, and my wife, Analisa. My biography isn't complete without mention of baseball. I love all things about it and will play a game of catch with anyone, anywhere, anytime.
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Jay McCarty
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I am a chemistry graduate student in the lab of Marina Guenza. My research focuses on developing theoretical coarse-graining and multi-scale modeling procedures for computer simulations of polymer systems. I grew up in Huntington Beach, C.A. and received my Bachelor of Science in biochemistry from California Polytechnic State University in San Luis Obispo, CA. Currently, my interests lie in the broad fields of soft condensed matter and biophysics. My past teaching experiences have been as a teaching assistant for general chemistry lab and advanced general chemistry lab, as well as being a teaching fellow for the Science Literacy Program funded through the Howard Hughes Medical Institute. My hobbies include surfing, tennis, piano, and skiing. My favorite scientist is Ludwig Boltzmann.
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Peter Morse
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Hi, I'm Peter Morse, and I'm a 4th year physics graduate student in Eric Corwin's lab. In my lab, I study granular materials, like sand, and the process by which they go from a fluid to a jammed configuration. While we can all experience this by running our hands through sand on the beach, little is known about the physical mechanisms that control jamming. I do experimental work in 2d and 3d, and I run simulations on higher dimensional packings, which are useful in information theory.
Before I came to the University of Oregon, I got my B.S. in physics at the University of Washington in Seattle, where I go back frequently to visit friends and family. In my free time, I like to go hiking, play bass guitar, and volunteer at an all ages music project in Springfield.
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Tristan Hormel
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My name is Tristan Hormel. I've been a native Oregonian ever since I was born in Oregon, and I've never really left the state- I graduated from Ashland High School and Reed College and am working on graduating from the graduate school at the University of Oregon. At UO I study model lipid systems in Raghuveer Parthasarathy's lab. By tracking the motion of tracer particles bound to these systems we hope to measure material properties of lipid bilayers similar to cellular membranes that surround all cells. When I'm not straining my eyes through the eyepiece of a microscope I'm often straining them by reading the pages of a book. I've also been known to listen to classical music and play with my cat.
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Adam Smith
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Greetings! My name is Adam Smith and I am a 3rd year chemistry student in the Shannon Boettcher lab. My research is centered on understanding the growth of metal oxide nano-materials for solar energy conversion. Solar energy is important, because more sunlight strikes the earth in an hour than all humans use in a year!
I was born in the tundra that is the great Northwoods of Wisconsin and earned a Bachelors of Science in both Chemistry and Chemical Engineering at the University of Wisconsin – Madison.
I love to read, especially science fiction and fantasy, and have thousands of books! I listen to many kinds of music and play guitar when I have time. I also enjoy being outside, whether it involves hiking, swimming, fishing, rock hunting or just relaxing fireside.
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Roger Smith
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I am a fourth year physics graduate student in the lab of Mike Raymer. In the lab, I’m usually building lasers and exploring the interaction of single photons (really small amounts of light) within optical fibers (like the kind of fibers that bring the internet to homes!). My research involves how different frequencies (or color) of light change when they are traveling through an optical fiber.
I grew up in the suburbs of Chicago, where I enjoyed playing softball without a glove, learning proper woodworking technique, and eating deep dish pizza. Then I went to the University of Rochester, where I received a B.S. in Optics and a B.A. in Physics. In Rochester, I organized trips for undergraduate students to go into local middle schools to present demonstrations on optics. I also learned how to play competitive badminton and spun discs on the campus radio station.
When I’m not in the lab playing with lasers, I am outside playing ultimate Frisbee, riding my bicycle, perfecting my bagel making technique, or taking pictures.
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Samantha Sommer
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Hi, my name is Sam Sommer. I grew up in the small town of Sandy, Oregon where my high school chemistry teacher ignited my love of chemistry! Following high school I moved to beautiful Bellingham, Washington to attend Western Washington University. After completing my BS in Chemistry I moved back to Oregon to start graduate school at the University of Oregon. I am currently a second year graduate student in the Mike Pluth Lab. My research is focused on synthesizing a library of ligands that can self-assemble around a metal atom to form a catalyst for different chemical reactions. Catalysts are important because they make industrial processes more environmentally friendly by reducing the amount of energy they use.
Besides all things science, I enjoy drinking coffee, hiking, camping, playing soccer and spending time with friends and family.
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Dash Vitullo
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Shortly after birth, Dash was cursed with a fantastic superhero name and he has spent the rest of his life trying to live up to it. As a child being raised in Arcadia, CA, Dash liked to talk and he liked to learn things. Deep meaningful things like, "how does the universe work?", "how can we make life more awesome?", and "will this taste better if I add more chocolate?". In 2003, he went to Reed College in Portland, OR to study physics and learn to ask better questions. He currently studies Quantum Optics in the Raymer Lab. In his 6th year at the University of Oregon, he is figuring out how to put light with one color and shape into an optical fiber with strong lasers and make light with different color and shape come out the other end. This "magic trick", besides being a hit at parties, may eventually help us harness the quantum mechanical nature of photons for superior information processing. When not doing research, Dash likes to practice Aikido (being thrown around), Iaido (swinging samurai swords), dance Argentine tango (full-contact non-verbal two-body physics), and learn new things.
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Michelle Watt |
I am a 4th year graduate student working on a joint research project in the labs of Professors Darren Johnson and Mike Haley. I work on making receptors to bind and sense anions. I received my BS in biochemistry and MS(R) in chemistry from Saint Louis University. In my free time I play soccer, rock climb, and read. I also enjoy going to concerts in Portland and Eugene.
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