News

December 8th, 2025

Our group has been awarded an Ignition Grant from the ACS Green Chemistry Institute Pharmaceutical Roundtable (ACS GCIPR) to support our work on developing a copper-catalyzed method for synthesizing quaternary carbon centers. This funding will directly accelerate ongoing efforts in our lab to advance more efficient and sustainable approaches to complex molecule synthesis.

The GCIPR Ignition Grants program, launched in 2016, supports high-risk, high-reward research with strong potential to advance green chemistry. Each award provides $40,000 over six months to enable rapid exploration of innovative ideas. As part of the program, recipients collaborate with GCIPR members whose expertise aligns with the project’s goals. More about the grant and this year's recipients can be found here. 

We are thrilled to receive this support and look forward to continuing this work in partnership with the ACS GCIPR. 

November 14th, 2025

Congrats to Undergraduate Pamela De la Fuente for being awarded best poster presentation at the 23rd Mexican Reunion in Theoretical Physical Chemistry (XXIII Reunión Mexicana de Fisicoquímica Teórica), which was held in Guanajuato, Mexico! The award was given for her outstanding undergraduate research at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa (UAMI) in the group of Professor Rubicelia Vargas.

November 14th, 2025

We are excited to announce that Mira Deshpande has joined the Ramirez group as a first year graduate student! Mira grew up in Connecticut and earned a degree in Biochemistry from Siena University in Loudonville, New York. She conducted undergraduate research with Professor Thomas S. Hughes, investigating the mechanism of enediyne cyclization. Later, she also joined research projects in Dr. Lucas Tucker's lab and Dr. Jesse W. Karr's lab, expanding her background in different areas of chemical research. In her spare time, Mira enjoys taking walks, listening to music, and reading.

Welcome! We are so excited to have you join the team Mira!

November 14th, 2025

We are excited to announce that Navraj Singh has joined the Ramirez group as a first year graduate student! Navraj was born in Jaipur, Rajasthan and grew up in Bangkok, Thailand. He graduated with a B.A in Chemistry from Lawrence University in Appleton, Wisconsin. He began his undergraduate research career at an endocrinology lab, working with Dr Elizabeth Becker to study the effect of postnatal SSRIs exposure on mouse pups. Following this, he began organic chemistry research with Professor Mike Gesinski, developing synthetic reactions to access n-heterocycles. Outside the lab, Navraj enjoys running, reading, and cooking. 

Welcome to the lab Navraj - we’re excited you’re here!

November 14th, 2025

We are excited to announce that Ashley Palecek has joined the Ramirez group as a first year graduate student! Ashley grew up in Baraboo, Wisconsin. She earned a B.S. in Chemistry and History, along with a certificate in Integrated Liberal Studies from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. She conducted undergraduate research in Professor Jennifer Schomaker’s lab, where she studied light-mediated radical additions to allenes. Outside of the lab, Ashley enjoys crocheting, swing dancing, and reading. 

We’re excited to have you join the team Ashley! Welcome!

November 14th, 2025

We are excited to announce that Fernando Sanchez Cano has officially joined the Ramirez group as a first year graduate student! Fernando was born in Puebla, Mexico and grew up on the California coast. He earned a B.A. in Chemistry, alongside a minor in Latin American Studies, from Pomona College in Claremont. He began research in organic synthesis and data science with Professor Nicholas Ball, bridging machine learning and organic synthesis with the development of SuFEX reactions. He then joined Professor Daniel O’Leary’s lab, probing kinetic isotope effects in labile diol systems via 1H NMR. Outside of the lab, Fernando enjoys running 5Ks, cooking new dishes, and gaming with his friends. During the winter, cross country skiing and building snowmen. 

We’re excited to have you here Fernando!

November 14th, 2025

Please join us in welcoming our new first-year graduate students Ashley Palecek , Fernando Sanchez Cano , Mira Deshpande , and Navraj Singh! We’re delighted to have each and every one of them on the team, as each new member brings a unique background, fresh perspective, and exciting energy to the group.

You can learn more about them here. 

Welcome first years - we’re excited you’re here!

October 10th and 11th, 2025

Our group participated in cheMNext, a preview weekend for undergraduate seniors, this fall! We shared our group's research at the Poster Session and gave a tour of our lab and student office space. 

To learn more about cheMNext, read more here.  

August 4th, 2025

Alma joins our team as a postdoctoral researcher! Alma completed PhD studies in the laboratory of Professor John Wolfe at the University of Michigan. As an undergraduate at UC Davis, she conducted research in the group of Professor Analiese Franz. Welcome, Alma! We're ecstatic to have you join us!

July 14th, 2025

Coco joins our lab as a summer graduate researcher! Coco is an incoming graduate student and completed undergraduate studies at UCLA. She performed undergraduate research in the laboratories of Professors Miguel García-Garibey and Ken Houk. Welcome, Coco!

July 7th, 2025

Celeste De La Fuente joins our group as a summer undergraduate researcher! Celeste is a senior at Universidad Autónoma Metropolitana Iztapalapa (UAMI) in Mexico City. Her summer research centers on applying DFT calculations to investigate reaction mechanism and electronic structure involving transition metal catalysis. Welcome, Celeste!

June 23rd, 2025

Fernando Sanchez Cano joins our lab as a summer graduate researcher! Fernando is an incoming first year graduate student and completed his undergraduate studies at Pomona College. At Pomona College, Fernando conducted research under the guidance of Professors Dan O'Leary and Nicholas Ball. Welcome, Fernando!

June 17th, 2025

Joan (Jo) Castañeda joins our research group as a summer NSF-REU/Lando Student! Jo is a rising senior at Washington State University. Welcome, Jo!

April 30th, 2025

We are excited to welcome René García-Del Valle, a graduate student in the Tambar Lab at UT Southwestern Medical Center, to our research group! René is spending 2 weeks in our group learning the basics of DFT calculations as part of a collaborative project supported by the Catalysis Innovation Consortium. Welcome, René!

December 4th, 2024

Romie is recognized with the Científico Latino Graduate Student Engagement and Community (GSEC) Program 2024 Scholarship! Congratulations, Romie!

November 9th, 2024

Clarence and Romualda (Romie) officially join the group!