Degrees Awarded:

35. Marc Bennett (Ph.D.)  (defended May 2024; current: Postdoc, T. Brent Gunnoe, University of Virginia)

34. Kaleigh Olsen (M.S.) "Stoichiometric and Catalytic C–H Activations" (defended March 2023; current:)

33. Fanji Kong (Ph.D.) "Development and Understanding of Transition-Metal Mediated Conversions of Hydrocarbons to Higher Value Chemicals" (defended March 2023; current: Postdoc, T. Brent Gunnoe, University of Virginia)

32. Ke Zhang (Ph.D.) "The Late Transition Metal-Mediated Activations of the Molecules Relevant to the Water-Gas Shift Reaction" (defended October 2022; current: Scientist, Primera Analytical Solutions Corp)

31. Weihao Zhu (Ph.D.) "The Study of d8 Transition Metal Catalysts for Oxidative Arene Alkenylation" (defended December 2020; current: Process Chemist, Exemplify Biopharma) 

30. Xiaofan Jia (Ph.D.) "The Development of Late Transition Metal Catalysis for Hydrocarbon C–H Activation: Studies of Ru, Pd, Rh and Cu" (defended December 2020; current: Postdoc, Nilay Hazari, Yale University)

29. Zhongwen Luo (Ph.D.) "The Mechanistic Study of C–H and H–H Bond Activation and C–C Coupling Reactions at the Interface of Homogeneous Catalysis and Heterogeneous Catalysis" (defended September 2020; current: Regulatory Specialist at Indivior PLC)

28. Shunyan Gu (Ph.D.) "Studies of Rh and Ir Complexes Relevant to Catalytic Functionalization of Hydrocarbons and Alcohols" (defended August 2020; current: Research Scientist, Techstorm Advanced Material Co.,Ltd, Shanghai, China)

27. Junqi Chen (Ph.D.) "The Study of Late Transition Metal Catalyzed C–H Bond Activation and Functionalization" (defended April 2019; current: Senior Manager, Global Regulatory Affair CMC, Incyte Corporation)

26. Nichole Schwartz Liebov (Ph.D.) "Development of Methods for Hydrocarbon Functionalization" (defended April 2019; current: Program Manager,  DOE Federal Energy Management Program) 

25. Benjamin Vaughan (Ph.D.) "The Development of d8 Transition Metal Catalysts for the Single-Step Production of Vinyl Arenes" (defended April 2017; current: Technical Specialist at Lathrop and Gage)

24. Michael Webster-Gardiner (Ph.D.) "The Study of Rhodium Complexes for C–H Bond Activation and Functionalization" (defended December 2016; current: Scientist, Chevron Phillips)

23. Kathleen Taylor (Ph.D.) "The Development of Ru(II) and Fe(II) Complexes for C–H and H2 Bond Activation" (defended August 2016; current: Postdoc Brandeis University)

22. Bridgette Dale (M.A.) (graduated August 2016; current: Luna Innovations) 

21. John Dekarske (M.A.) (graduated May 2016; current: AmbioPharm) 

20. Steven Kalman (Ph.D.) "The Study of Iron Complexes and Iodine Oxides for C–H Bond Activation and Functionalization" (defended May 2015; current: Associate Professor Stockton University)

19. Jiajun Mei (Ph.D.), "C–O Bond Formation using Transition Metal Alkyl or Aryl Complexes" (defended February 2015; current: Aleon Pharma International)

18. Samantha Burgess (Ph.D.), "The Study of Rhodium and Ruthenium Complexes for the Activation and Functionalization of Non-Polar Bonds" (defended June 2014; current: Merck and Co.) 

17. Evan Joslin (Ph.D.), "Synthesis and Characterization of Ru(II) Complexes as Potential Catalysts in Olefin Hydroarylation" (defended July 2013; current: Assistant Professor Sewanee University)

16. Brad McKeown (Ph.D.), "The Development of PtII Complexes as Catalyst Precursors for Transition Metal Mediated Olefin Hydroarylation" (defended June 2013; current: Air Liquide)

15. Chong Wang (M.S.), "Preparation of New Ru(II) Complexes Supported by Tetra(pyrazolyl)methane: Efforts toward C–H Activation by Cationic Ru(II) Complexes" (defended August 2012; current: Sartomer)

14. Joanna Webb (Ph. D.) "New Pt(II) and Rh(III) Complexes: Studies Relevant to Catalytic Partial Oxidation of Hydrocarbons" (defended July 2012; current: Associate Professor, West Virginia Wesleyan College)

13. Samuel Delp (Ph. D.), "Synthesis, Characterization, and Reactivity of Monomeric Copper(I) Complexes Possessing p-Donor Ligands" (defended May 2010; current: Postdoctoral Fellow, U.S. Army Research Laboratory)

12. Joshua T. Gurkin (M. S.), "Synthesis and Characterization of Ruthenium(II) and Platinum(IV) Complexes with Anionic Heteroatomic Ligands" (defended August 2009; current:  Family Legacy Mental Health Services, Inc.) 

11. Nicholas A. Foley (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Comparative Studies of RuII Complexes for Metal-Mediated C-H Activation and Olefin Hydroarylation Catalysis" (defended December 2008; current: BASF) 

10. Colleen Munro-Leighton (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Reactivity of Copper(I), Copper(II), Platinum(IV) and Platinum(II) complexes with Non-dative Heteroatomic Ligands" (defended August 2008; current: Associate Professor, Elmhurst University)

9. John Lee (Ph. D.), "Synthesis, Characterization and Reactivity of Ru(II) and Rh(I) Hydrocarbyl and Hydride Complexes" (defended June 2008; current: Associate Professor, University of Tennessee at Chattanooga)

8. Yuee Feng (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Reactivity of Ruthenium and Platinum Complexes with Non-dative Heteroatomic Ligands: Studies of Carbon-hydrogen Bond Activation" (defended December 2007; current: Applied Material, San Francisco, CA)

7. Taisuke Sumiyoshi (M. S.), "Synthesis and Reactivity or Ruthenium(II) and Platinum(IV) Complexes" (defended December 2007; current: Dojindo) 

6. Karl Pittard (Ph. D.), "Activation of Carbon-Hydrogen Bonds Mediated by Ru(II) Complexes" (defended April 2007; current: Ascend Performance Materials)

5. Elizabeth Blue (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Reactivity of Copper Complexes Possessing Non-dative Ligands" (defended June 2006; current: Assistant Professor, Campbell University)

4. Marty Lail (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Reactivity of Ruthenium Alkyl and Aryl Complexes and Their Application towards Aromatic C-H Bond Activation and Olefin Hydroarylation" (defended March 2006; current: RTI International)

3. Jubo Zhang (Ph. D.), "Synthesis and Reactivity of Ruthenium and Platinum Amido and Carbene Complexes: Application Toward Carbon-Nitrogen Bond Forming Reactions" (defended July 2005; current: Terrabon, Inc.)

2. David Conner (Ph. D.), "Chemistry of Ruthenium (II) Amido Complexes" (defended October 2004; current: Rohm and Haas)

1. Benjamin Arrowood (M. S.), "Preparation and Characterization of a Ruthenium (II) Catalyst for Radical Polymerization of Olefins" (defended December 2002; current: Ashland Oil, Inc.)

Former Postdocs

Nathan Coutard

Ana Geer                   Juan de la Cierva Fellow，University of Zaragoza

Ryan Holland

Vagulejan Balasanthiran     MPD Chemicals

Dominik Munz                     Assistant Professor, Friedrich-Alexander University

Matthew O'Reilly                 Transform Fuels

Sarah Goforth                      Assistant Professor, Campbell University

Theodore Matson                C2 Fuels, LLC

George Fortman                  Arkema

Mark Pouy                           Senior Consultant, Booz Allen Hamilton

Jeremy Andreatta                Assistant Professor, University of Worcester

Tamara Bolaño García        University of Zaragoza

Brandon Quillian                 Associate Professor Armstrong Atlantic State University

Hong-yan Shen                   Instructor, University of Shenyang

Laurel Goj                           Associate Professor, Rollins College

K. N. Jayaprakash               Alnylam Pharmaceutical Company

Former Visiting Scholars

Shaojin Gu, Wuhan Textile University                                        

Zeinab Mandegani, Shiraz University                                         

Professor Yan Jiang, Changzhou University                             

Professor Huimin Guo, Dalian University of Technology                     

Professor Zuming Liu, Central China Normal University                     

Professor Laurel Goj, Rollins College                                         

Zoraida Ramiro, University of Valladolid (Spain)                      

Professor Laurel Goj, Rollins College                                         

Professor Mike Wells, Campbell University