This summer, senior Chemistry major, Nathaniel Espey (second from right in back) is participating in an REU (Research Experience for Undergraduates) at Virginia Commonwealth University. Here’s an update directly from Nathaniel:
This summer I am working in the Lucas Laboratory for research in Bio-inorganic Chemistry. I will be synthesizing and characterizing two complexes, [Ni(12-DOB)] and [Ni(13-DOB-Cl)], which are derivatives the amphoteric [Ni(13-DOB)] varying in ring size and electron withdrawing substituents. My research is synthetically heavy, but aligns very well with what I have had success with in the past at the University. I am finding research to be incredibly rewarding thus far, and plan to use this experience in making a graduate school decision somewhere in the field of Organic Chemistry. What I have most enjoyed is the joint effort aspect of working in a research lab. When I get a puzzling result, or have ideas about a procedure, I can always share them with my mentor, Ashley Forney, or other members of the lab to get more insight and more knowledge. We are all working together toward the same goal and we all revel in each others successes!