Notable Achievements

The 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.

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Associate Professor of Chemistry and Biochemistry

Expertise

Organic Synthesis, Organometallic Chemistry, Active Learning Pedagogy, Diversity-Oriented Teaching

Michael Gesinski received his BS in chemistry in 2005 from Rice University and his PhD from the University of California-Irvine in 2011 working for Dr. Scott Rychnovsky.  Before starting at Southwestern in 2013, he was a postdoctoral research associate with Dr. F. Dean Toste at the University of California-Berkeley where he also served as a lecturuer.

  • Biography

    Michael Gesinski received his BS in chemistry in 2005 from Rice University and his PhD from the University of California-Irvine in 2011 working for Dr. Scott Rychnovsky.  Before starting at Southwestern in 2013, he was a postdoctoral research associate with Dr. F. Dean Toste at the University of California-Berkeley where he also served as a lecturuer.

  • Publications

    Niemeyer, E. D.; Gesinski, M. R. Active learning pedagogies in the introductory and organic chemistry curriculum: increasing student persistence and success, Designing Student-Centered Classrooms for Equity and Inclusion across Disciplines, 2019, In Press.

    Le, N. N.; Rodriguez, A. M.; Alleyn, J. R.; Gesinski, M. R. “Synthesis of 1,4-Diketones via Titanium-Mediated Reductive Homocoupling of α-Haloketones.” Synlett, 2018, 29, 2195–2198.

    Gesinski, M. R.; Brenzovich, W. E.; Staben, S. T.; Srinilta, D. J.; Toste, F. D. “A divergent/convergent approach to dolabriferol: the Kornblum-DeLaMare enantiomeric resolution, Tetrahedron Lett. 2015, 3643-3646.

    Gesinski, M. R.; Toste, F. D., Gold Catalusis in Natural Product Synthesis, In Gold Catalysis: A Homogeneous Approach, Imperial COllege Press: London, 2014, pp 501-536.

    Tay, G. C.; Gesinski, M. R.; Rychnovsky, S. D. “Formation of Highly Substituted Tetrahydropyranones: Application to the Total Synthesis of Cyanolide A.” Org. Lett. 2013, 15, 4536-4539.

    Gesinski, M. R.; Rychnovsky, S. D. “Total Synthesis of the Cyanolide A Aglycon”. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2011, 133, 9727-9729.

    Gesinski, M. R.; Tadpetch, K.; Rychnovsky, S. D. “Symmetric Macrocycles by a Prins Dimerization/Macrocyclization Strategy”. Org. Lett. 2009, 11, 5342-5345.

    Gesinski, M. R.; Van Orden, L. J.; Rychnovsky, S. D. “Lewis Acid-Promoted Mukaiyama Aldol-Prins (MAP) Cyclization of Acetals, Ketals,a-Acetoxy Ethers, and Orthoesters”. Synlett 2008, 363-366.

  • Presentations

    Rodriguez, A.; Le, N.N.; Alleyn, J. R.;  Gesinski, M. R., Synthesis of cyclobutanones and 1,4-diketones via low-valent titanium intermediates, Abstracts of Papers, 257th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL, March 31, 2019; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2019, ORGN-102.

    Cantú, S. N.; McCormack, J.; Lacker, C. R.; Gesinski, M. R., Development of a novel gold(I)-cleavable protecting group, Abstracts of Papers, 257th American Chemical Society National Meeting, Orlando, FL, March 31, 2019; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2019, ORGN-104.

    Butler, D. D.; Cantú, S. N.; Lacker, C. R.; Wilson, P. L.; Gesinski., M. R., Gold(I)-Catalyzed Synthesis of 1H-Isochromenes, Abstracts of Papers, 45th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, Davis, CA, April 2–6, 2017; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017, S-22.

    Le, N.N.; Rodriguez, A.;  Bradley, J.; Walker, R.; Alleyn, J. R.; Gesinski, M. R., Ti-Mediated Synthesis of Cyclobutanones and 1,4-Diketones, Abstracts of Papers, 45th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, Davis, CA, April 2–6, 2017; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017, T-10.

    Bradley, J.; Walker, R.; Alleyn, J. R.; Nguyen, D.; Gesinski, M. R., Titanium-Mediated Synthesis of Cyclobutanols, Abstracts of Papers, 253rd American Chemical Society National Meeting, San Francisco, CA, April 2–6, 2017; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2017, ORGN-268.

    Lacker, C. R.; Gesinski, M. R., The Synthesis and Application of a Novel Gold-Cleavable Protecting Group, Abstracts of Papers, 44th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, College Park, MD, June 28-July 2, 2015;American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2015, M-53.

    Alleyn, J.; Gersib, S.; Gesinski, M. R., Titanium-Mediated Synthesis of Cyclobutanols, Abstracts of Papers, 44th National Organic Chemistry Symposium, College Park, MD, June 28-July 2, 2015; American Chemical Society: Washington, DC, 2015, M-76.