December 2024
Danielle was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York. She received her B.S in Chemistry and Biology from Brandeis University. While pursuing her undergraduate studies, she discovered a passion for organic synthesis and decided to pursue graduate studies in chemistry. Danielle is currently an American Chemical Society Bridge Fellow and plans to work on metal-catalyzed alkene difunctionalization in the Brown group. In her spare time, she enjoys walking, cooking, and relaxing.
“There’s always gonna be another mountain, I’m always gonna want to make it move. Always gonna be an uphill battle, sometimes I’m gonna have to lose. Ain’t about how fast I get there, ain’t about what’s waiting on the other side. It’s the climb” – Hannah Montana
December 2024
Supriyo is from West Bengal, India. He obtained his Bachelor’s degree in chemistry from Visva-Bharati University and a Master’s from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (IACS Kolkata). His Master’s research work was focused on the development of novel synthetic methodologies via N-Heterocyclic Carbene based asymmetric non-covalent organocatalysis, under the supervision of Prof. Joyram Guin. Supriyo joined the Brown lab in 2024 and is working in the field of N-nitroso carbamate functionalization. Aside from Chemistry, he enjoys traveling, natural photography, watching movies etc.
“Science is the belief in the ignorance of experts” —– Richard Feynman.
December 2024
Makaya grew up in Logansport, Indiana. She completed her B.S. at Saint Mary’s College, where she worked in Dr. Elsa Hinds’s laboratory to develop a synthetic methodology for the trifluoromethylation of amines and alcohols through a copper-mediated process. She joined the Brown lab in 2024 and is working on Boron-directed C-H functionalization reactions. In her free time, Makaya enjoys running, reading, and traveling.
“Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” – Albert Einstein
December 2024
Karah is from Rockford, Illinois. She completed her B.A. in chemistry at the University of Iowa where she worked under Professors Leonard MacGillivray and Alexei Tivanski. While at Iowa, Karah focused on the catalytic creation of tetrapyridyl cyclobutanes in the solid state as well as developing a method for the upscale of the solid-state photoreaction. Karah joined the Brown group in 2024 and is interested in photochemical cycloadditions. In her free time, she enjoys figure skating, puzzles, and going on walks.
“But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” 2 Corinthians 12:9
September 2021
Maoyun is from Wuhan, China. He received his B.Sc. degree from Central China Normal University and his M.Sc. degree from Nankai University. After several years working experience in pharmaceutical industry, he moved to The Chinese University of Hong Kong and received his Ph.D. degree with Prof. Henry N. C. Wong in 2018. Then he spent two more years postdoctoral research in the same group, in where he finished the total synthesis of Cryptotrione, and one year in the school of pharmacy in the same university. Maoyun joined the Brown group and is now working on metal-catalyzed alkene difunctionalization. In his free time, he enjoys staying with his family, hiking and basketball sports.
“Try not to become a man of success. Rather become a man of value.”-Albert Einstein
November 2021
Wang was born in Anhui Province, China and received his bachelor degree from Huainan Normal University in 2014 and master degree from Zhejiang University of Technology in 2017. Ph.D. degree from Wuhan University in 2020 under the supervision of Professor Guoyin Yin. His research focuses on transformation involving metal migration. In August 2020, he joined Southern University of Science and Technology as a research assistant supervision of Professor Xinyuan Liu, research on the copper-catalyzed asymmetric free radical reactions. In October 2021, he joined the Brown group of Indiana University as a postdoctoral researcher. Currently, his main research direction is photocatalytic cycloaddition reaction. In his spare time, he likes to watch movies, play basketball, climb mountains, etc.
“Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts- Winston Churchill
October 2022
Evan Piper is a biochemistry major from Indianapolis, Indiana. He is currently working under Yanyao Liu with [2+2] photocyloaddition reactions as the broader objective. Evan is graduating in 2025 and plans to attend medical school afterward. He enjoys playing volleyball and video games but has the most fun during conversations with his friends.
“Relationships have been built on mutual respect and admiration and I will cherish them.” -Varun Chheda