Twelve students recognized at 24th annual GSRS
A group of 12 students pose for a photo in front of a brick building.

MINNEAPOLIS / ST. PAUL (6/13/2025) – The 24th Annual Chemistry Graduate Student Research Symposium (GSRS) was hosted on June 6th, 2025. Each year, the GSRS gives University of Minnesota Chemistry graduate students the opportunity to share a research highlight to their peers, mentors, and a panel of judges. 43 students presented their work in this day-long event and were judged on effective communication of the research, strong critical thinking and problem-solving skills, and how well they highlighted important safety aspects of their work. Twelve students were awarded for their distinctive presentations:

Paul and Gerda Gassman Award

  • Akash Gogate
    • C3-Quinolone Functionalization via Heteroatomic Claisen Rearrangement
    • Adviser: Grenning
  • Manuraj Kallumkal
    • Stoichiometric Reactivity on Atomically Precise Copper-Chalcogenide Nanoclusters as Molecular Platforms Towards Next Generation Catalyst Design
    • Adviser: Bailey
  • Alondra López Colón
    • Development of Phenyl Glutarimide-based degraders of AURKA/N-Myc complex for high-risk neuroblastoma therapy
    • Adviser: Harki
  • Patricia Rodriguez
    • Development of Covalent Inhibitors of Bacterial Histidine Kinases
    • Adviser: Carlson
  • Zinan Yu
    • Regenerable receptor immobilized membranes for phosphate removal in human blood and water bodies
    • Adviser: Pierre

Chemistry Student Travel Award

  • Allison Block
    • Leveraging low-ceiling temperature polymers to prepare chemically recyclable thermoplastic poly(urethane-urea)s
    • Advisers: Hillmyer and Bates
  • Catherine Huber
    • Dynamics, structure, and reactivity of the solvated electron in aliphatic ionic liquids and their binary mixtures
    • Adviser: Blank
  • Sk Zubaer Zaman
    • Development of an ionophore-based succinate sensor for “smarter” pre-hospital care
    • Adviser: Bühlmann

Honorable Mention

  • Grace Murphy
    • Synthesis and Characterization of NiII -Metallacycle Complexes Relevant to Nickel-Mediated Decarbonylation Reactions
    • Adviser: Hoover
  • Giselle Campos
    • Expanding The Network Phase Library With Gemini Surfactants
    • Advisers: Lodge and Mahanthappa
  • Parker Staub
    • Addressing Limitations in Asymmetric Hydroacylation with Chiral Transient Directing Groups
    • Adviser: Douglas
  • Koki Yaita
    • Can chirality of vibrational modes control spin-selective metal-metal charge transfer?
    • Adviser: Frontiera

We are grateful for all of the Department of Chemistry community members who made this year's symposium possible and attended the event! A special thank you to this year's GSRS guest judges: Dr. Susan Brown, Dr. Jeff Cernohous, Dr. Russell Johnson, and Dr. Angela Wilson.

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