hUMNs of Chemistry #6
Marc Collins
He/Him/His
Post-Doctoral Associate, Hoover Group
Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.
I hail from the island of Jamaica in the Caribbean. I completed my undergrad and postgrad studies at The University of the West Indies, Mona Campus located on the island. I wanted to expand my skillset and explore a new area of chemistry and so I applied for an opportunity to work with and learn from Prof. Jessica Hoover who was starting a new chapter of her career at the U of M this year.
Do you have a background in or like chemistry? Tell us about it!
I have been interested in chemistry since high school, primarily because it was difficult, as odd as that may sound. I later learned that I liked chemistry because it placed me into the flow state. At UWI I majored in general chemistry and food chemistry (because I love food!). During my undergrad program, I was offered the opportunity to pursue research as a summer project student. That one summer became the catalyst for my path into research.
Researchers: We would love to hear more about your research! What do you hope to accomplish with this work? What is the real-world impact for the average person?
Currently, I'm exploring a copper-catalysed dehydrogenation reaction on various substrates. The hope is to develop a robust understanding and knowledge-base of the mechanistic workings of this reaction that may lend itself to general use in the synthetic community.
What do you hope to contribute to the chemistry community at the University?
I hope to contribute knowledge and insight, based on the experiences I've garnered throughout my own journey, to all who I may come in contact with, especially graduate students. I also hope to collaborate and have interesting conversations with others which may spark new ideas and discoveries.
What do you hope to contribute to the chemistry community at the University?
I hope to contribute knowledge and insight, based on the experiences I've garnered throughout my own journey, to all who I may come in contact with, especially graduate students. I also hope to collaborate and have interesting conversations with others which may spark new ideas and discoveries.
What’s your favorite piece of chemistry/science pop culture media? Why do you love it?
I have always loved the Strips from PhDComics.com. I enjoy them because they are often painfully relatable and humorous at the same time.
What was your very first job?
Interestingly, the first job I ever had was as an Accountant's Assistant. Manually, reconciling check stubs and bank statements is not for the faint of heart.
What do you do outside of the classroom/lab/office for fun?
Sightseeing. Back home I would relish the long road trips in my car across the island. I love to seek out the feeling of awe. Whenever I'm walking to and from the department I take different paths, slow down, be present and enjoy the beauty of the campus. If I'm not sightseeing then I'm listening to dancehall reggae music or playing chess online.
What non-chemistry interest or activity of yours might surprise department members?
I like to binge-watch videos on consciousness and cognitive psychology. I'm a big fan of mindfulness and meditation.
Where is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities?
I haven't found one yet, but it's still early days! I welcome any suggestions!
Are there any family or cultural traditions you want to share with our community?
I hope to share some of the new Jamaican expressions/slangs, greetings styles and handshakes with persons who are interested in learning a few.
Jenna Humke
She/Her/Hers
5th-year Graduate Student, Roberts Group
Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.
I grew up in Des Moines, Iowa and always came up to the north shore of Lake Superior for family vacation every year. So Minnesota has always been a special place for me. When I was choosing where to go for graduate school, Minnesota was an obvious choice because it was close to home and had a lot of options for organometallic chemistry. I also really liked the culture and the people I met on the visit weekend so I knew it would be a good fit.
We would love to hear more about your research interests! What do you hope to accomplish with this work? What is the real-world impact for the average person?
My research focuses on making an intermediate called a 5-membered heteroaryne which is predicted to be "inaccessible", meaning it can't be made. However, we have been able to use metal complexes to access them for the first time. I think this chemistry is really cool because it requires knowledge of both organic synthesis and organometallic principles so it really shows the utility of organometallic chemistry. The impact of this work will be in discovery or medicinal chemistry. When chemists are trying to make libraries of new molecules to screen for new medicines or agricultural products, the intermediates we've made can be used to readily make these molecules.
Are you involved in any student groups? What inspired you to get involved?
I have been involved with the Graduate Student Workshop Committee (GSWC) since my second year. Since graduate school is really all about preparing you for the next steps, I liked the idea of being able to put together events to help other students and myself learn how to build those "soft skills" that won't always come from your technical training. I also liked that it was a low time commitment since you don't have to volunteer to plan something unless you really want to and have the time to, which made it easy to balance with my lab work.
What advice do you have for incoming chemistry students?
Don't be afraid to not fully know what you are doing. Sometimes your research isn't going to make sense and you are going to end up doing something that have never done before. It's okay to feel like you are out of your comfort zone but once you get done with classes getting out of your comfort zone is the only way you are going to continue to learn and grow throughout your time here.
What are your plans after graduation?
After graduation, I would like to go into industry and work in a R&D position as a synthetic chemist either in discovery or process chemistry.
What’s your favorite piece of chemistry/science pop culture media? Why do you love it?
https://tocrofl.tumblr.com/ is a collection of crazy TOC graphics that have appeared in real published articles. It's just funny to see how crazy and creative people get. I also think sometimes we can take science a little too seriously, so its nice to see people having fun with it.
What non-chemistry interest or activity of yours might surprise department members?
I love craft beer and wine. I took a wine tasting class and a beer, wine and spirits class as an elective from the hospitality management department during undergrad. So I learned a lot about how they are made and all the different styles. The Twin Cities have so many breweries and bars so I really enjoy exploring all the different options here.
Where is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities?
When the weather is nice, I really like walking, driving, or riding my bike along west river road. With all the trees and walking trails you can almost forget that you are in the middle of the city. And also I love seeing all the dogs.
Tell us about who makes up your household (including pets).
I have a husband, Rahul, who works as a chemical engineer at a company in Blaine. We were long distance for 2 and a half years when I first started graduate school but he was able to get a job up here and we got married last September. I also have an orange cat named Millie who I adopted my first year. Rahul is not a cat person so calls himself a "step-cat dad" but she loves to sit on his lap more than mine when we are watching TV.
Ken Leopold
Professor
Tell us about your journey to the University of Minnesota.
My dad was not a scientist but he always liked science and I think that rubbed off on me. When I was in the seventh grade, I asked for a chemistry set and an uncle got one for me. (He really wanted me to become a musician, so I think he never forgave himself.) Shortly thereafter, my eighth grade teacher really stimulated my interest, and I took out the chemistry set and never put it away. I also did a lot of reading on my own. So I majored in chemistry at Stony Brook University, went off to graduate school at Harvard, and then did a postdoc at NIST in Boulder, CO. Doreen and I were hired at the U and moved here from Boulder in1986.
We would love to hear more about your research! What do you hope to accomplish with this work? What is the real-world impact for the average person?
My group is interested in the application of high resolution rotational spectroscopy to studying intermolecular forces, particularly insofar as they influence chemical reactivity. We study small clusters of molecules in a supersonic jet, which provides a pristine, collision-free environment that’s free of external perturbations that would otherwise obscure the interpretation of our data. I really like high resolution spectroscopy – it’s an exquisite tool that makes quantum mechanics come alive and allows us to obtain extraordinarily detailed information about molecular structure, electronic structure, and internal motion along floppy internal coordinates. By proper choice of prototype systems, our work can provide foundational science applicable to atmospheric chemistry and climate modeling.
What courses do you teach? What can students expect to get out of your course?
When I first got here, I taught some graduate classes and a small honors lab, but then turned to teaching the large intro courses. I did this for many years and got great satisfaction from it. Now, I’m teaching the honors intro course and the advanced physical chemistry lab, and I’m enjoying these, too.
I have somewhat different goals for students, depending on the level of the course. Content, course structure, and fairness are always important, of course, but there’s much more. In the intro courses, I recognize that not all students will be chemistry (or even science) majors, so it’s important to convey how scientists think and, most importantly, to have students understand that science is good, even if it’s not for them. One’s demeanor and visible concern for students is critical here. In upper level courses, the students are soon to become our newly-minted chemical colleagues, and it’s important to treat them as such. At all levels, respect is huge. (In fact, if interested, see a video I made about this a few years ago about this in collaboration with the Center for Educational Innovation.)
When you visit other universities, what do you love to share about our UMN community?
The thing I like most about being here is the tremendous breadth of knowledge and expertise that surrounds us. I really like interacting with people outside our department - talking to people who have spent their lives becoming experts in fields that I never even knew existed.
Tell us about an important mentor in your academic life?
There were several. My high school chemistry teacher was amazingly supportive. Then, there was my undergraduate research advisor. I came to him on my first day of college and asked to do research. He gave me a lab bench and I worked in his lab for four years. He influenced me greatly and I still email him every year on his birthday. My Ph.D. and postdoctoral advisors were also influential, though in somewhat different ways.
Tell us about an important mentee in your academic life?
I couldn't (and wouldn't want to) single out any individual, but I'll say that the best part of my job is watching my students succeed, both here and in their independent careers. Of course, this plays out over much time, so the satisfaction burns in slowly. But it's worth the patience.
What do you do outside of the classroom/lab/office for fun?
I write and occasionally record piano music. Check out my YouTube Channel. I also have a music website where my scores are available for download: They’re available for free since I’m not interested in making money off of this. I just want to get the music “out there”.
What was your very first job?
I was a teacher’s aide in a New York City summer school class for 5th and 6th graders. These were kids who were not doing well academically, largely due to difficult situations at home. It was challenging.
Where is your favorite spot in the Twin Cities?
Honestly, I like being at home.
Tell us about who makes up your household (including pets).
Right now, it’s just Doreen and me. Previously, we had our two daughters with us, but they’re off on their own now. One is a biology postdoc at MIT (with a three-year old of her own!) and the other is in medical school here at the U. Even though they’re not in our household per se, there’s still some sense that they’re part of it.