Kristen Gardner - Undergraduate Excellence Kristen Gardner is a senior Chemistry, B.S., major, and Chancellor’s Science Scholar who has been fascinated with chemistry since high school because it is logical, involves problem-solving, and, as she puts it, is “a beautiful science that helps explain how the universe works.” During her first year, the Chancellor’s Science Scholars program, CSS, helped change her perspective on how she could pursue chemistry research as a profession. In her words, “I am passionate about research because it allows me to apply fundamental concepts to solve problems in science, and I am fascinated by organic chemistry because it requires combining fundamentals with my intuition of how molecules interact with each other to synthesize a completely new compound.” Kristen is currently applying to Ph.D. programs in chemistry, where she hopes to develop methodology to create new synthetic tools for natural product synthesis that will advance the field of organic chemistry.
applies this methodology to a system of palladium pincer complexes to help understand the effect of cations in solution on olefin isomerization reactions, and is “a good mix of inorganic synthesis and organometallic catalysis.”
At the start of her sophomore year, Kristen began working in the Associate Professor Alexander Miller’s research group at Carolina Chemistry. Research in the Miller lab focuses on organometallic chemistry relevant to catalysis and energy transformations. The previous semester she took Professor Miller’s inorganic chemistry class, CHEM 251, and not only did Kristen enjoy learning about organometallic catalysis, but she also wanted to obtain skills important in synthetic chemistry. According to Kristen, “over 85% of chemicals produced by industry involve catalysts and because of this, an important goal of chemists is to create better and more efficient catalysts.” The Miller Lab specializes in using simple cations to tune the activity and selectivity of organometallic catalysts. Kristen’s project
Asked for his comment, Professor Miller says the following, “Kristen approaches research with a burst of enthusiasm and a positive outlook, and this attitude is infectious. Beyond the lab, Kristen has made a remarkable impact on undergraduate science at Carolina, from her leadership and mentorship within the Chancellor’s Science Scholars program to her founding of a UNC chapter of NOBCCHe.” NOBCCHe is the National Organization for the Professional Advancement of Black Chemists and Chemical Engineers.
18 | CHEMISTRY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF NORTH CAROLINA
Kristen counts her time in the Miller Group as both a positive and rewarding experience. When she started in the lab, she was given her own complex to synthesize, and from the very beginning, she has always had her own project. Additionally, she has been “really fortunate to have such a supportive and encouraging mentor” in Dr. Miller. “I have a fantastic mentor who has been patient with me and extremely encouraging during my time in the lab. Professor Miller is extremely encouraging when it comes to everything—my research project, program and scholarship applications, my STEM outreach efforts with the UNC Chapter of NOBCChE, et cetera” says Kristen.
In October this year, Kristen received a travel award to attend
Continued on page 22
| CHEM.UNC.EDU
