The Lanorio Lab
The Lanorio Lab
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Research Interests
Research Interests
Our research interests are in the development and application of transition metal complexes in catalysis. Some of the objectives include to address the synthesis and reactivity questions using combination of spectroscopic techniques (such as multinuclear NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR) and spectrometric analysis (mass spectrometry).
Our research interests are in the development and application of transition metal complexes in catalysis. Some of the objectives include to address the synthesis and reactivity questions using combination of spectroscopic techniques (such as multinuclear NMR, UV-Vis, FT-IR) and spectrometric analysis (mass spectrometry).
Inorganic chemistry and catalysis have been the focus of both my research and instruction at Illinois College.
Inorganic chemistry and catalysis have been the focus of both my research and instruction at Illinois College.
Our Research Group
Our Research Group
Principal Investigator
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Associate Professor of Chemistry
Illinois College
Parker Science, room 211
1101 West College Avenue
Jacksonville, IL 62650
Education
Education
Postdoctoral (2015-2017), University of Nevada, Reno
Ph. D. (2014), University of Nevada, Reno
M. S., Michigan State University
B. S., University of the Philippines
Research, Mentorship, and Impact Summary
As a chemistry professor and research mentor, I guide undergraduate students through impactful projects in inorganic catalysis, green chemistry, and sustainable synthesis with real-world applications in pharmaceuticals, materials science, and environmental remediation. I work collaboratively with undergraduate researchers to explore topics such as the reusability of ruthenium catalysts in aqueous reactions and transition metal complex design (Cu, Ni, Zn) for greener organic transformations.
I have mentored over 30 undergraduates from Illinois College (IC) and more than three from partner institutions, empowering them to lead independent research projects, present at conferences, and contribute to publications. My students have produced:
3 first-authored, open-access research publications in journals including Springer Nature Applied Sciences and Transactions of the Illinois State Academy of Science
86 presentations (48 external, 38 internal), including at the American Chemical Society (ACS) National and Regional Meetings and the Illinois State Academy of Science (ISAS)
Multiple research awards, including the Pfizer Travel and Research Award, RISE-DAAD Germany Scholarship, and 1st Place and Outstanding Poster Awards at ACS and ISAS conferences
Graduates from my lab have gone on to become forensic scientists, environmental scientists (at the EPA and Bayer), a CASIS/ISS Space Research Fellow, a chemical engineer, a bioinformatician, medical doctors, research scientists, and PhD/MS candidates at top institutions.
As Co-Principal Investigator (Co-PI) of the NSF AERO-STEM program and the IC TRIO STEM Institute leader, I support first-generation and low-income students by providing early research opportunities and mentoring. I also served as Symposium Chair for the ACS Midwest–Great Lakes Regional Meeting, facilitating collaboration among Primarily Undergraduate Institutions (PUIs).
Beyond student mentorship, my independent scholarship includes research in sustainable catalysis, development of national standardized exams, and delivering invited talks on effective STEM pedagogy and student-centered learning.
I have been honored to receive awards such as the 2025 ACS Distinguished Service Award, the 2023 Bright Blue Future Award, the 2021 Early Career Chemist Award, and the 2021 Harry Joy Dunbaugh Distinguished Professor Award.
Group Members
Group Members
Princess Akyea-Obesbea, Beamlak Hiltework, and Camille Prefountain (Summer 2025)
Sam Hannig and Paola Gonzalez (Summer 2024)
Nik Wollenhaupt (Fall 2023)
Sam Hannig and Nik Wollenhaupt (Summer 2023)
Steph Flores (Spring 2023)
Eduardo Fulgencio, Emma Green, Scott Huckabay, and Payton Koester (Summer 2022)
Brooke Brinkman and Lexie Paskach (Fall 2021)
Maggie Cockerill, Emma Green, Ethan Leischuh, and Lexie Paskach (Summer 2021)
Sunny Bobori, Myles Genrich, Ethan Leischuh, and Lexie Paskach (Spring 2021)
Lexie Paskach (Fall 2020)
Senaf Fayissa, James Ibberson, and Lexie Paskach (Summer 2020)
Sara Deddo and Siri Phuangthong (Spring 2020)
Lindsay is running a column for product purification.
Sunny is setting up his first reaction in the Lanorio lab! He is using a double-manifold Schlenk line and running the reaction under inert atmosphere.
New drybox and more chemistry! Cheers!!
Lindsay Bruce, Sara Deddo, and Jionna Harmon (Fall 2019)
Akua Adu, Sunny Bobori, Sydney McClenning, and Siri Phuangthong (Summer 2019)
Sunny Bobori and Lindsay Bruce (Spring 2019)
Thu Pham (Fall 2018)
Lindsay Bruce, Lisset Perez Carapia, Sirikarn Phuangthong (Summer 2018)
Lindsay, Lisset, and Siri were all awarded with the 2018 Billhartz Summer Research Grant from Illinois College and conducted research in the Lanorio Group in the summer of 2018.
Siri doing some calculations on WebMO.
Lisset uses spectroscopic methods to characterize the nickel(II) complexes that our group have synthesized.
The pure product after column chromatography and roto-evaporation.
TLC plates for catalyzed (left) and uncatalyzed (right) reactions. Product formation (lower spot) was observed only for reactions with our nickel catalysts.
Lindsay is running column chromatography to separate their cross-coupling product from any unwanted side-products.
Colorful metal complexes synthesized in the Lanorio lab.
Argon balloons for our experiments.
Scarlett Lin Latt (Fall 2017 - Spring 2018)
Scarlett explains her work to IC President Barbara Farley (left), and to Provost O'Connell (right) during the Celebration of Excellence.
Scarlett presented her research in local (Illinois College 2018 Celebration of Excellence), regional (Illinois State Academy of Science in Millikin University), national (American Chemical Society Fall 2018 Conference in Boston) and international (3rd International Symposium on Science, Sustainability, and Teaching at Illinois College) levels.
Brandon Young (Spring 2018)
Brandon presenting his work during the 2018 Celebration of Excellence at Illinois College. He also presented results of his organometallic research in the 3rd International Symposium on Science, Sustainability, and Teaching.
News
News
November 2021: Ethan Leitschuh was awarded the Outstanding Poster Presentation at the 6th Annual ACS Undergraduate Research Conference hosted by the American Chemical Society ECI Local Section. Awesome job, Ethan!
June 2021: Dr. Lanorio received the 2021 Early Career Chemist Award from the American Chemical Society Illinois Heartland Local Section.
April 2021: Dr. Lanorio received the 2021 Harry Joy Dunbaugh Distinguished Professor Award for outstanding teaching.
April 2021: Alexis Paskach was awarded the Outstanding Poster Presentation in the Chemistry Division during the 112th Annual Meeting of the Illinois State Academy of Science. Congratulations, Lexie!
November 2020: Alexis Paskach presented her computational chemistry research at the 5th Annual ACS Undergraduate Research Virtual Conference hosted by the American Chemical Society ECI Local Section. Great work, Lexie!
April 2020: Dr. Lanorio published a research abstract at the FASEB journal.
April 2020: Lindsay presented at the Spring 2020 American Chemical Society National Virtual Meeting.
December 2019: The Inorganica Chimica Acta paper is now published and available online!
November 2019: Akua Biaa Adu and Sunday Bobori were both chosen to receive the Outstanding Poster Presentation Award at the 4th Annual ACS Undergraduate Research Conference hosted by the American Chemical Society ECI Local Section. Great work, Akua and Sunny!
April 2019: Lanorio Group welcomes new and returning members Sirikarn Phuangthong, Sunday Bobori, Sydney McClenning, and Akua Biaa Adu. This summer 2019, through the Steven M. Tillery '72 Summer Research Award, they will put atoms together in fun and unusual way, and be awed by molecules and their behavior!!
April 2019: New Organometallics paper in ACS Publications!
April 2019: Lindsay attended the Spring 2019 American Chemical Society National Meeting in Orlando, Fl. Her attendance was made possible through the Illinois College 2019 Student Travel Grant. Congratulations, Lindsay!
Sirikarn attended the 2019 Annual Illinois State Academy of Science regional conference. Great job, Siri!
February 2019: Illinois College receives an NSF S-STEM Grant Award, AERO-STEM Scholars: Access to Early Research Opportunities in STEM. JPL is serving as Co-PI of this grant.
February 2019: Dr. Lanorio received the 2019 Charles E. Frank Fellowship for Excellence in Teaching Award.
November 2018: Siri and Lisset presented their research in the 2018 East Central Illinois American Chemical Society Research Conference.
August 2018: Scarlett went to Boston to present results of our research in the 256th American Chemical Society National Meeting. Her attendance was made possible through the Illinois College 2018 Billhartz Student Travel Grant. Great job, Scarlett!!
August 2018: In the News: Science gets a boost for IC students.
July 2018: Brandon was chosen as a recipient of the 2018 ACS Undergraduate Award in Inorganic Chemistry from the American Chemical Society (ACS) Division of Inorganic Chemistry. This award is for an outstanding student who demonstrated excellence in inorganic chemistry at the undergraduate level. Congratulations, Brandon!
May 2018: Dr. Lanorio received the 2018 ACS Division of Chemical Education Passer Education Travel Grant.
May 2018: Lanorio Group welcomes new members Lindsay Bruce, Lisset Perez Carapia, and Sirikarn Phuangthong. This summer 2018, through the Billhartz Summer Research Program, they will make new inorganic molecules!!
April 2018: Scarlett and Brandon were selected to present their research to the Illinois College Celebration of Excellence (held on April 27th).
April 13, 2018: Scarlett attended the 110th Annual Meeting of Illinois State Academy of Science at Millikin University to present a poster of her research.
April 2018: Scarlett Lin Latt is awarded with the Illinois College Student Travel Grant to attend the 2018 American Chemical Society National Conference in Boston. Congratulations, Scarlett!
March 2018: Dr. Lanorio received two faculty honors: the 2018 C. Reed Parker Professional Development Grant, and 2018 Ernest G. Hildner, Jr. Faculty Enrichment Fund Award.
March 23, 2018: Chan Myae (Scarlett) Lin Latt and Brandon Young presented results of their research in the 3rd International Symposium on Science, Sustainability, and Teaching.
November 2017: C&EN Chemistry in Pictures featured an image from one of the experiments done in the Lanorio Group to study concepts of isomerism in inorganic complexes.
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