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Research Students

Joey Kalinowski

Undeclared 2027 BS Candidate
Group member since Spring 2024

Project: Bis-tridentate chelates of group 12 metal ions with a sterically demanding N3 ligand

Professional Objective: Industrial chemist

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Liz Kepler

BS Chemistry 2025 Candidate
Group member since Fall 2023

Project: Complexes of group 12 metal ions with diversified N4 donor ligands

Professional Objective: Industrial chemist

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Todd Reynolds, BS 2023

Chemistry Major; MS Degree Candidate
Group member since Summer 2023

Project: Group 12 complexes of mixed N,S

Professional Objective: Research crystallographer

Publications:

Sturner, M. A., Thomas, I. D., Owusu-Koramoah, J. E., Reynolds, T. M., Berry, S. M., Butcher, R. J., Bebout, D. C. “Solid State Structures and Solution State Behavior of Group 12 Complexes of a Tripodal Mixed NS(thiolato) Donor Ligand” New J. Chem. 2024, 48, 2547 – 2557. DOI: 10.1039/D3NJ05532A

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Teddy Cohen

BS Chemistry 2026 Candidate, Monroe Scholar
Group member since Spring 2023

Project: Complexes of group 12 metal ions with tetradentate ligands containing imidazoyl donors

Professional Objective: Physician

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Kayla Kelly

BS Chemistry 2025 Candidate
Group member since Spring 2023

Project: Complexes of group 12 metal ions with diversified N4 donor ligands

Professional Objective: Employment as an industsrial chemist

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Maya Haghighi

BS Neuroscience 2024 Candidate
Group member since Spring 2022

Project: Bioassays of group 12 complexes; Crystallographic analysis of Hg-thiolate aggregates

Professional Objective: Physician

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Andrew Meyer

BS Chemistry 2025 Candidate
Group member since Spring 2022

Project: Group 12 metal complexes of a sterically demanding tetradentate ligand

Professional Objective: Employment as a PhD chemist

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Josephine Lin

BS Chemistry 2025 Candidate
Group member since Fall 2022

Project: Thermal and spectroscopic characterization of group 12 coordination compounds

Professional Objective: Employment as a PhD chemist

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Andrew Herrup

BS Self-designed Biochemistry 2024 Candidate, Monroe Scholar
Group member since Summer 2021

Project: Thermal and spectroscopic characterization of group 12 coordination compounds; Coordination of group 12 metal ions with sterically demanding tridentate N3 ligand

Professional Objective: Physician

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Recent Group Members

Isla Thomas

BS Chemistry & Physics 2025 Candidate; Monroe Scholar
Group member Fall 2022 – Summer 2023

Project: Tetranuclear thiolate bridged clusters of Hg(II)

Professional Objective: Employment as a PhD physical scientist

Publications:

Sturner, M. A., Thomas, I. D., Owusu-Koramoah, J. E., Berry, S. M., Butcher, R. J., Bebout, D. C. “Solid State Structures and Solution State Behavior of Group 12 Complexes of a Tripodal Mixed NS(thiolato) Donor Ligand” New J. Chem. 2024, 48, 2547 – 2557. DOI: 10.1039/D3NJ05532A.

Thomas, I. D., Kocher, K. R., Viehweg, J. A., Pike, R. D., Bebout, D. C. “Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of cyclo-tetrabromido-1κ2Br,3κ2Br-tetrakis(μ2-2-{[(pyridin-2-yl)methyl]amino}ethane-1-thiolatoκ3N,S:S)tetramercury(II)” Acta. Cryst. 2023, E79, 952-957. DOI: 10.1107/S205698902300823X.

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Samantha Orr

BS Chemistry 2025 Candidate
Group member Spring 2023

Project: Impact of multidentate monothiolate ligand design on metal cluster nuclearity

Professional Objective: Employment as a PhD biochemist

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Mary Catherine Chason, BS 2023

Chemistry major, Summa Cum Laude
Group member Fall 2020 – Spring 2023

Project: Multinuclear complexes of mixed N,S and N,O donor ligands

Professional Objective: Physician

Publication:

A. C. Gerhard,  D. B. Tice,  C. Tourkin, M. C. Chason, L. Wojtas, R. P. Pike, D. C, Bebout* “Cadmium Halide Coordination Complexes of Serpentine Pentadentate Ligands” Polyhedron2021, 196, 114989. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2020.114989

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Ian Starr, BS 2023

Chemistry major, Biochemistry minor, Summa Cum Laude
Group member since Spring 2020

Project: Multinuclear complexes of mixed N,S and N,O donor ligands

Professional Objective: Physician

Publication:

Sturner, M. A.;  Starr, I. J.; Owusu-Koramoah, J. E.; Brewster, A. D.; Pike, R. D.;  Bebout, D. C. “Synthesis and characterization of bis-tridentate group 12 perchlorate complexes of bis(2-pyridylmethyl) ether” Polyhedron 2022217, 115727. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2022.115727

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Matthew Sturner, BS 2018, MS 2023

Chemistry Major
Group member Fall 2019 – Spring 2023

Project: Group 12 complexes of mixed N,S and N,O donor ligands

Professional Objective: Industrial Chemist

Publications:

Sturner, M. A., Thomas, I. D., Owusu-Koramoah, J. E., Berry, S. M., Butcher, R. J., Bebout, D. C. “Solid State Structures and Solution State Behavior of Group 12 Complexes of a Tripodal Mixed NS(thiolato) Donor Ligand” New J. Chem. 2024, 48, 2547 – 2557. DOI: 10.1039/D3NJ05532A

Sturner, M. A.;  Starr, I. J.; Owusu-Koramoah, J. E.; Brewster, A. D.; Pike, R. D.;  Bebout, D. C. “Synthesis and characterization of bis-tridentate group 12 perchlorate complexes of bis(2-pyridylmethyl) ether” Polyhedron 2022217, 115727. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2022.115727

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Jesse Derringer, BS 2022

Chemistry Major, MS Candidate
Group Member Summer 2021 – Spring 2022

Project: Synthesis and characterization of metallothionein-like group 12 metal clusters

Professional Objective: College Chemistry or Biochemistry Professor

Publication:

Derringer, J. J.; Bebout, D. C. “Crystal structure and Hirshfeld surface analysis of dichlorido-(2,2′-[oxybis(methylene)]dipyridine)mercury(II)” Acta. Cryst. 2022E78, 1233-1237. DOI: 10.1107/S2056989022010878

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Tana Palomino, BS 2021

Chemistry Major
Group Member Spring 2019 – Fall 2020

Project: Synthesis and characterization of metallothionein-like group 12 metal clusters

Professional Objective: PhD level Industrial Chemist; Chemistry PhD candidate at North Carolina State University starting Fall 2021

Publication:

Brennan, H. M.; Bunde, S. G. ; Kuang, Q.; Palomino, T. V.; Sacks, J. S.;Berry, S. M.; Butcher, R. J.; Poutsma, J. C.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C. “Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, 1H NMR and ESI-MS” Inorg. Chem. 202261, 19857-19869.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03088

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Joshua (Owusu) Owusu-Koramoah, BS 2020

Chemistry Major with Russian Studies Minor
Group member Fall 2019 – Spring 2020

Project: Group 12 complexes of mixed N,S and N,O donor ligands

Professional Objective: Career that envelops both chemistry and Russian or possibly Christian ministry

Publications:

Sturner, M. A., Thomas, I. D., Owusu-Koramoah, J. E., Berry, S. M., Butcher, R. J., Bebout, D. C. “Solid State Structures and Solution State Behavior of Group 12 Complexes of a Tripodal Mixed NS(thiolato) Donor Ligand” New J. Chem. 2024, 48, 2547 – 2557. DOI: 10.1039/D3NJ05532A.

Sturner, M. A.;  Starr, I. J.; Owusu-Koramoah, J. E.; Brewster, A. D.; Pike, R. D.;  Bebout, D. C. “Synthesis and characterization of bis-tridentate group 12 perchlorate complexes of bis(2-pyridylmethyl) ether” Polyhedron 2022217, 115727 (8 pages). DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2022.115727

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Alison Gerhard, BS 2018, MS 2019

Neuroscience & Chemistry Double Major
Group member Spring 2016 – Summer 2019

Project: Multinuclear complexes of Zn(II) & Cd(II) coordination polymers

Professional Objective: Employment in the area of biomedical research

Publications & Presentations:

A. C. Gerhard,  D. B. Tice,  C. Tourkin, M. C. Chason, L. Wojtas, R. P. Pike, D. C, Bebout* “Cadmium Halide Coordination Complexes of Serpentine Pentadentate Ligands” Polyhedron2021, 196, 114989. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2020.114989

M. D. Ritz, A. C. Gerhard, R. D. Pike and D. C. Bebout* “Synthesis, solid state, solution and ESI-MS studies of zinc(II) complexes with a branched mixed donor thiolate ligand” Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019(38), 4070–4077. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201900552

M. R. Nestor, A. C. Gerhard, M. D. Ritz, J. S. Sacks, J. C. Poutsma, R. D. Pike, L. Wojtas±, D. C. Bebout* “Metal substitution and solvomorphism in alkylthiolate-bridged Zn3 and HgZn2 metal clusters” ACS Omega 2017, 2, 6391–6404. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b01087

 A. C. Gerhard, D. B. Tice, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Comparison of structure and dimensionality in Hg(II) and Cd(II) chloride complexes with pentadentate ligands” Presented at SERMACS 2017, Charolotte, NC.

A. C. Gerhard, D. B. Tice, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Construction of variable dimension CdCl2 complexes from topologically linear pentadentate ligands” 254th National Meeting of the American Chemical Society; Washington DC; Aug 2017.

A. C. Gerhard, D. B. Tice, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Construction of Variable Dimension CdCl2 Complexes from Topologically Linear Pentadentate Ligands” 2017 Summer Research Showcase, September 2017.

A. C. Gerhard, W. J. Cleary, D. B. Tice, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Building Bridges: Coordination Polymers of Cadmium with Polydentate Ligands” 2017 Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 2017.

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Claire Tourkin, BS 2019

Self-designed Interdisciplinary Studies Major (Biochemistry)
Group member Fall 2017 – Summer 2018

Project: Multinuclear complexes of mixed N,S donor ligands

Professional Objective: Research scientist; Currently working as an Intellectual Property Specialist with McGuireWoods and applying for bioengineering-related MS programs

Publications & Presentations:

A. C. Gerhard,  D. B. Tice,  C. Tourkin, M. C. Chason, L. Wojtas, R. P. Pike, D. C, Bebout* “Cadmium Halide Coordination Complexes of Serpentine Pentadentate Ligands” Polyhedron, 2021, 196, 114989. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2020.114989

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Josh Sacks, BS 2019

Chemistry Major with Marine Science Minor
Group member Fall 2016 – Spring 2017

Project: Multinuclear complexes of mixed N,S donor ligands

Professional Objective: Marine chemistry research scientist; Currently pursuing a PhD in Oceanography and Astrobiology at the University of Washington

Publications & Presentations:

Brennan, H. M.; Bunde, S. G. ; Kuang, Q.; Palomino, T. V.; Sacks, J. S.;Berry, S. M.; Butcher, R. J.; Poutsma, J. C.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.“Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, 1H NMR and ESI-MS” Inorg. Chem. 202261, 19857-19869.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03088

M. R. Nestor, A. C. Gerhard, M. D. Ritz, J. S. Sacks, J. C. Poutsma, R. D. Pike, L. Wojtas±, D. C. Bebout* “Metal substitution and solvomorphism in alkylthiolate-bridged Zn3 and HgZn2 metal clusters” ACS Omega 2017, 2, 6391–6404. DOI: 10.1021/acsomega.7b01087

M. D. Ritz, J. S. Sacks, M. R. Nestor, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “The Mystery of the Mixed Metal Complexes” 2017 Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 2017.

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Qiaoyue Kuang

Chemistry Major, Transferred
Group member Fall 2017 – Spring 2018

Project: Synthesis of metallothionein-like group 12 metal clusters

Professional Objective: Research scientist

Publication:

Brennan, H. M.; Bunde, S. G. ; Kuang, Q.; Palomino, T. V.; Sacks, J. S.;Berry, S. M.; Butcher, R. J.; Poutsma, J. C.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.“Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, 1H NMR and ESI-MS” Inorg. Chem. 202261, 19857-19869.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03088

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Sophia Bunde, BS 2018

Chemistry Major
Group member Spring 2017 – Spring 2018

Project: Analysis of metal ion coordination to natural products using ESI-MS

Professional Objective: Physician

Publication:

Brennan, H. M.; Bunde, S. G. ; Kuang, Q.; Palomino, T. V.; Sacks, J. S.;Berry, S. M.; Butcher, R. J.; Poutsma, J. C.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.“Homo- and Heteronuclear Group 12 Metallothionein Type B Cluster Analogs: Synthesis, Structure, 1H NMR and ESI-MS” Inorg. Chem. 202261, 19857-19869.  DOI: 10.1021/acs.inorgchem.2c03088

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Walker Cleary, BS 2017

Chemistry Major
Group member Fall 2015 – Spring 2016

Project: Zinc triad coordination chemistry of neutral multidentate NS and NSe donor ligands

Professional Objective: Industrial chemist; currently Calibration Assistant at Supernus in Rockville, MD

Publications & Presentations:

A. C. Gerhard, W. J. Cleary, D. B. Tice, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Building Bridges: Coordination Polymers of Cadmium with Polydentate Ligands” 2017 Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 2017.

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Kylie Ritz, BS 2017

Chemistry Major with Mathematics Minor
Group member Spring 2015 – Spring 2017

Project: Group 12 coordination chemistry of mixed N,S donor ligands

Professional Objective: Research Chemist; currently Chemistry PhD candidate at the University of Rochester

Publications & Presentations:

M. D. Ritz, A. C. Gerhard, R. D. Pike and D. C. Bebout “Synthesis, solid state, solution and ESI-MS studies of zinc(II) complexes with a branched mixed donor thiolate ligand” Eur. J. Inorg. Chem. 2019(38), 4070–4077. DOI: dx.doi.org/10.1002/ejic.201900552

Mikeala Ritz, Joshua Sacks, Madeline Nestor, Robert D. Pike, Deborah C. Bebout “The Mystery of the Mixed Metal Complexes” 2017 W&M Undergraduate Science Research Symposium.

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Bridget Thompson, BS 2017

Chemistry Major with Hispanic Studies Minor
Group member Fall 2014 – Spring 2015

Project: Zinc triad coordination chemistry of neutral multidentate NS and NSe donor ligands

Professional Objective: High School Chemistry Teacher

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Stephanie Till, BS 2015

Chemistry Major with Biochemistry Minor, Summa cum Laude
Monroe Scholar
Group member Spring 2013 – Spring 2015

Project: Zinc triad coordination chemistry of branched N4 ligands

Professional Objective: Dentist; currently attending Virginia Commonwealth University Dentistry School

Publications & Presentations:

Carra, B.J; Till, S. N.; VanGundy, R. A.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.* “Group 12 complexes of 2,6-bis([(2-pyridinylmethyl)thio]methyl)pyridine: Synthesis and characterization by X-ray crystallography and Proton NMR.” Polyhedron, 2014, 114, 278-285. DOI: 10.1016/j.poly.2015.12.038

Bowers, E. V.; Murphy, G. S.; Till, S. N.; VandenBussche, C. J.; Yaroschak, M. M.; Pike, R. D.; Butcher, R. J.; Bebout, D. C.* “Bis-tetradentate Complexes of Cd(II) and Hg(II) with N8 Coordination: Structural and NMR Comparisons of Tripodal Amine Ligands with Pyridyl and Imidazoyl Groups” Dalton Trans.2014, 43, 16475–16485. DOI: 10.1039/c4dt02435d

S. N. Till, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Investigation of Mixed-Ligand Hg(II) Complexes Prepared from N4 Donor Ligands” 21st Annual Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, April 21, 2015

S. N. Till, D. C. Bebout “Bis-tetradentate Complexes of Cd(II) and Hg(II) with N8 Coordination” 2014 Summer Research Showcase, October 1, 2014.

S. N. Till, E. V. Bowers, G. S. Murphy, C. J. VandenBussche, J. A. Viehweg, R. J. Butcher, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Tripodal Tetradentate Chelates of Imidazoyl and Pyridyl Ligands” 20th Annual Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 28, 2014

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Malia Hain, BS 2015

Chemistry Major with Kinesiology & Health Sciences Minor
Monroe Scholar
Group member Spring 2012 – Spring 2013

Project: Cadmium coordination chemistry of multidentate NS and NSe donor ligands

Professional Objective: Pharmacist; Earned PharmD from University of Minnesota in 2019; Currently in residency at University of Chicago Medical Center

Publications:

Hain, M. S.; Fukuda, Y.; Rojas-Ramirez, C.; Winer, B. Y.; Winslow, S. E.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.* “Staging Bonding between Group 12 Metal Ions and Neutral Selenium Donors: Intermolecular Interactions of Mixed N,Se Donor Ligands and Anions”
Cryst. Growth Des. 2014, 14, 6497–6507. DOI:10.1021/cg501395p

Lai, W.; Berry, S. M.; Kaplan, W. P.; Hain, M. S.; Poutsma, J. C.; Butcher, R. J.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.*“Carbonate-templated self-assembly of an alkylthiolate-bridged cadmium macrocycle” Inorg. Chem. 2013, 52,2286-2288. DOI:10.1021/ic302740j

Presentations:

S. E. Winslow, B. Y. Winer, Y. Fukuda, M. S. Hain, S. M. Berry, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Documenting New Biologically Relevant Metal Selenium Interactions” 20th Annual Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 28, 2014

M. Hain, D. C. Bebout “Creation of BMPSe and its Associated Complexes within the Zinc Triad” Summer Research Showcase, September 24, 2012

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Carolina Rojas Ramírez, BS 2014

Chemistry Major with Honors in Research & Biochemistry Minor
2011 ACS Scholar; 2014 HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Group member Fall 2013 – Summer 2014

Thesis Title: Synthesis and Characterization of Cadmium(II) Complexes with Biologically Inspired Multidentate Ligands

Professional Objective: Biomedical Researcher

Current Position: Chemistry PhD candidate; University of Michigan

Publication:

Hain, M. S.; Fukuda, Y.; Rojas-Ramirez, C.; Winer, B. Y.; Winslow, S. E.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.* “Staging Bonding between Group 12 Metal Ions and Neutral Selenium Donors: Intermolecular Interactions of Mixed N,Se Donor Ligands and Anions” Cryst. Growth Des.2014, 14, 6497–6507. DOI:10.1021/cg501395p

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Stephanie Winslow, BS 2014

 Biology Major with Minor in Biochemistry, Summa Cum Laude
2013 HHMI Summer Undergraduate Research Fellowship
Group member Fall 2012 – Spring 2014 

Professional Objective: Physician; MD 2019 from the University of Florida College of Medicine; Residency at University of Cincinnati

Publications & Presentations:

Hain, M. S.; Fukuda, Y.; Rojas-Ramirez, C.; Winer, B. Y.; Winslow, S. E.; Pike, R. D.; Bebout, D. C.* “Staging Bonding between Group 12 Metal Ions and Neutral Selenium Donors: Intermolecular Interactions of Mixed N,Se Donor Ligands and Anions” Cryst. Growth Des.2014, 14, 6497–6507. DOI:10.1021/cg501395p

S. E. Winslow, B. Y. Winer, Y. Fukuda, M. S. Hain, S. M. Berry, R. D. Pike, D. C. Bebout “Documenting New Biologically Relevant Metal Selenium Interactions” 20th Annual Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 28, 2014

S. Winslow, J. I. Bowman, W. Lai, S. M. Berry, A. A. Q. Tran, W. P. Kaplan, B. M. Glauber, J. C. Poutsma, R. Pike, R. J. Butcher, D. C. Bebout “Hexanuclear Zinc Triad Cages for the Carbonate Ion” 19th Annual Undergraduate Science Research Symposium, February 22, 2013

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Deborah C. Bebout Research Group Alumni (Please send updates!)

BS Research Group Alumni

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Updated February 2024