Chemistry Projects

My interest in chemistry began with learning about the atomic nature of matter. The more I studied physical chemistry, quantum chemistry, inorganic chemistry, and the supporting mathematics and physics, the more I realized how much there was still to understand. That curiosity eventually led me into synthetic and computational main-group chemistry.

In the lab at the fume hood

Figure 1: Beauty and the beast (which one is which, depended on the day)

Synthetic & Computational Chemistry

I trained as an inorganic synthetic chemist with a focus on main-group chemistry. My graduate research combined synthetic and computational methods to investigate phosphorus-based Lewis acid catalysis and their reactivity toward small molecules — transformations that lie at the heart of major industrial processes such as catalytic hydrogenations and the activation of gases like hydrogen or carbon dioxide.

Molecular structure from XRD
Synthetic chemistry DFT Lewis acid catalysis Main-group chemistry Academic writing Literature review
Atomic Layer Deposition Community Contributions

Contributed to creation of the Atomic Layer Deposition community website and the Open-Diamond Academic Journal. From content development to building academic and industry relations, as well as developing key resources.

Scientific communication Academic writing Community building Stakeholder engagement
National Research Council of Canada

Analytical chemist analyzing indoor air samples by HPLC and GC-MS. Additional projects included chemical inventory digitization, materials investigations, and literature screening for laboratory operations.

HPLC GC-MS Analytical chemistry Data analysis
Freelance Chemistry Projects

Formula optimization for a Canadian sparkling beverage company (carbonation vs. packaging integrity) and emulsifier optimization / product formulation for a clean skincare startup (via Upwork).

Formulation Product development Problem-solving
Chemistry Magic Show

Participated in Carleton University’s annual Chemistry Magic Show — public demonstrations for children and adults. Featured in Carleton’s Eureka! magazine.

Science communication Outreach