Former Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski and five of his research students—Richard Rodriguez ’23, Natalie Zequeira ’24, Sophia Karim ’24, Luca Cipleu ’25, and Zachary Logan ’26—attended the 48th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, held July 9-13 at Notre Dame University. They met with scientific leaders from academia and the pharmaceutical industry and sang karaoke with Nobel laureates. Together, they presented three posters on the “Titanium-Mediated Synthesis of Cyclobutanones” and the “Gold(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis of Heterocycles.”
—August 2023The following individuals were recently recognized as award recipients for the 2022-23 academic year. Teaching awards: Visiting Assistant Professor of Chemistry Chelsea Massaro, Assistant Professor of Philosophy Jorge Lizarzaburu, and Associate Professor of French Francis Mathieu. Assistant Professor of Art Ron Geibel won the Jesse E. Purdy Excellence in Scholarly and Creative Works Award. The Advising Award went to Associate Professor of Chemistry Michael Gesinski.
—May 2023Several student members of the Texas Alpha chapter of the Alpha Chi Honor Society attended the Alpha Chi National Convention in Albuquerque, New Mexico, where they presented research and creative works from several fields. Arden Neff ’25 presented a research poster titled “Using Linear Programming to Optimize Grape Harvest Timing and Yield” based on research supervised by Professor of Computer Science Dr. Barbara Anthony. Chelsey Southwell ’24 Samuel Dawson ’23 gave a presentation titled “Gold(I) Catalyzed Synthesis of Isoquinolines” based on research supervised by Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski. Finally, Anna Wicker ’24 gave a piano performance of “Souvenir de Porto Rico” by L.M. Gottschalk, which she selected with the guidance of Professor of Music Kiyoshi Tamagawa. Additionally, it was announced that Marcelo Salazar-Barragan ’23 was awarded a $3,000 H. Y. Benedict Fellowship. Alpha Chi is a national honor society open to students of all academic disciplines and was founded at Southwestern University in 1922. Only the top 10% of juniors and seniors are invited to join, and our chapter currently consists of 55 student members.
—April 2023Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski and four of his SCOPE research students—Nathaniel Blake ’24, Michelle Nguyen ’23, Yaz Sebastiany ’24, and Chelsey Southwell ’24—attended the 47th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, held June 26–30 in San Diego, California. They met with scientific leaders from academia and the pharmaceutical industry, including three Nobel laureates, and presented three posters. Nguyen was awarded best poster for her presentation titled “Titanium-Mediated Synthesis of Cyclobutanones.”
—July 2022Southwestern University was well represented at the American Chemical Society Spring 2022 meeting in San Diego, California. Eight students presented a total of six posters at the meeting: Yusuf Buhari ’23, Sean Calvert ’22, Gabrielle Cano ’22, Natalie Gierat ’22, Rhoda Hijazi ’22, Jared McCormack ’22, Neha Momin ’22, and Ethan Shilgalis ’22. This work was done collaboratively with Associate Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Sara Massey, and Professor of Chemistry Emily Niemeyer.
—April 2022Associate Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski was awarded a grant from Organic Syntheses Inc. for summer research at a principally undergraduate institution. This award is sponsored by a nonprofit that specializes in publishing extremely scalable and reproducible scientific results. It will provide Gesinski with $16,000 over two years to fund student research on his project involving gold-catalysis.
—February 2022Professor of Chemistry Emily Niemeyer and Associate Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski published a chapter in the book Equity and Inclusion in Higher Education: Strategies for Teaching (University of Cincinnati Press, 2021). In their chapter, titled “Active Learning Pedagogies in the Introductory and Organic Chemistry Curriculum: Increasing Student Persistence and Success,” Niemeyer and Gesinski chronicle the Chemistry and Biochemistry Department’s move to active learning pedagogies and the effect these changes have had on improving retention of students from underrepresented groups in STEM fields. More information about the book can be found on the University of Cincinnati Libraries website.
—October 2021Sean Calvert ’22, in collaboration with Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski, received the prestigious American Chemical Society Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship (SURF). As a fellow, Calvert will receive funding to study gold catalysis over the summer under Gesinski’s mentorship. Additionally, Calvert has been invited to attend an awards ceremony, present his research at a poster session, and tour Pfizer Research and Development Labs in Groton, CT.
—March 2021The American Chemical Society student group received an award and plaque from the American Chemical Society for 2017–2018, which read, “In recognition for your commitment and achievement, this Honorable Mention award is presented to the Southwestern University Student Chapter 2017–2018.” Director of General Chemistry Labs Willis Weigand and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski are the faculty advisors for the group. The current officers of the group are Julianna Mouat ’20, president; Ethan Iverson ’20, vice president; Rachel Brasher ’21, treasurer; Abby Musyoka ’21, secretary and historian; and Ashley Chavana ’19, social outreach.
—April 2019The student chapter of the American Chemical Society (ACS) at Southwestern was selected to receive an Honorable Mention award for its activities conducted during the 2017–2018 academic year. This award recognizes the students and faculty advisors for being exemplary chemistry ambassadors through their work in service and outreach to the community. Special congratulations go to ACS President Austin Baker, class of 2019, Vice President Saarah Cantu, class of 2019, Treasurer Lauren Gillespie, class of 2019, Secretary Renee Walker ’18, and Historian Jillian Bradley ’18. Director of General Chemistry Labs Willis Weigand and Assistant Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski serve as the faculty advisor and coadvisor, respectively.
—November 2018Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski published a paper in the peer-reviewed journal Synletttitled “Synthesis of 1,4-Diketones via Titanium-Mediated Reductive Homocoupling of a-Haloketones.” This work describes research conducted in collaboration with three undergraduate students: Nathan Le, class of 2019, who is listed as the first author; Aimee Rodriguez, class of 2019; and James Alleyn ’15. In this publication, they describe a novel method to synthesize chemical compounds that serve as building blocks in the development of new pharmaceutical drugs.
—August 2018Eight faculty members in the natural sciences published a letter to the editor in the Williamson County Sunin the July 29th edition. “SU Scientists Refute ‘Hoax’ Climate Claim” was in reference to the Sun’s July 22 account of a community forum on the science of climate change. The letter was written by Professor of Biology Max Taub and co-signed by Professor of Chemistry Kerry Bruns, Professor of Biology Romi Burks, Professor of Biology Maria Cuevas, Assistant Professor of Chemistry Mike Gesinski, Associate Professor of Biology Martín Gonzalez, Professor of Kinesiology Scott McLean, and Professor of Biology Ben Pierce.
—July 2018Assistant Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry Mike Gesinski was awarded a grant from the Petroleum Research Fund and the American Chemical Society entitled “Development of a Novel and Versatile Method for the Synthesis of Substituted Cyclobutanes.” This grant will provide $55,000 over two years to support an undergraduate research program in organic chemistry at Southwestern.
—June 2016