Panelists & Speakers

Kyoun-Shin Choi, University of Wisconsin-Madison

Prof. Kyoung-Shin Choi is a professor of chemistry at University of Wisconsin-Madison. She received her B.S. and M.S. degrees from Seoul National University in South Korea in 1993 and 1995, respectively. She received a Ph.D. degree from Michigan State University in 2000, and then spent two years at the University of California, Santa Barbara as a postdoctoral researcher. She initiated her independent research career as an assistant professor at Purdue University in 2002 and joined the chemistry faculty at University of Wisconsin-Madison as a full professor in 2012. She was a visiting scholar at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in 2008.

Her research combines solid state chemistry, electrochemistry, and materials chemistry in order to address materials-related issues of electrode materials for use in photoelectrochemical and electrochemical applications (e.g. solar energy conversion and solar fuel production, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical biomass conversion, electrochemical and photoelectrochemical desalination). She was a recipient of a 2006 Alfred P. Sloan Research Fellowship, the 2007 ACS ExxonMobil Faculty Fellowship in Solid-State Chemistry, and the 2010 Iota Sigma Pi Agnes Fay Morgan Research Award. She also received the 2008 Purdue College of Science Outstanding Undergraduate Teaching Award and the 2015 Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation Innovation Award. She has organized numerous symposia for the American Chemical Society (ACS) meetings and Materials Research Society (MRS) meetings as well as for the Gordon Research Conference. She is currently serving as an Associate Editor for Chemistry of Materials.

Jennifer Dahl, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire

Dr. Jennifer Dahl is an associate professor of chemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. She earned her B.S. at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, where she enjoyed a transformative experience in undergraduate research. Dr. Dahl completed her M.S. and Ph.D. at the University of Oregon, under the guidance of James E. Hutchison, with the overarching themes of inorganic, surface science, and green chemistry. Dr. Dahl was a postdoc at Trinity University in San Antonio, TX, which fosters a teacher-scholar model for emerging PUI faculty.

Dr. Dahl has been on the faculty of UWEC since 2010, leading an undergraduate research group that explores the synthesis and characterization of nanoscale organic-inorganic composite materials. In tandem with her academic career, Dr. Dahl has been navigating work-life imbalance issues for over a decade, including the two-body problem, three children, and the disappearance/re-emergence of personal interests and hobbies.

Z. Vivian Feng, Augsburg University

Prof. Vivian Feng is an Associate Professor and department chair of chemistry at Augsburg University in Minneapolis, MN. She received her B.A. degree in Chemistry from Linfield College (OR), and a PhD in Analytical Chemistry from University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign with focuses on using surface spectroscopy and microscopy to investigate interfacial phenomena. After initiating her independent academic career as an Assistant Professor at the University of Puget Sound (WA), followed by a Research Educator position at the University of Texas-Austin, she started her academic career at Augsburg. Besides teaching the analytical chemistry courses and labs, Vivian has also been involved in the highly interdisciplinary Environmental Studies program at Augsburg. She has a strong interest in curriculum development, especially in incorporating topics in cutting-edge research into undergraduate curriculum.

Vivian leads an active undergraduate research lab that focuses on the applications of nanomaterials as catalysts and scaffolds for tissue engineering. Her lab, now as a part of the NSF Center for Sustainable Nanotechnology (CSN), investigates the impact of engineered nanomaterials in the environment with model organisms, such as bacteria, and model membranes. She is a strong advocate for promoting diversity in STEM educations, and serves on the Diversity Committee in the CSN.

When not playing in the lab with her students, Vivian enjoys photography and traveling with her family.

Julia V. Zaikina, Iowa State University

Prof. Julia V. Zaikina received her B.S. and M.S. degrees in Chemistry from Moscow State University, Russia. She obtained her Ph.D. degree performing joint research project between Moscow State University and Max-Plank-Institute for Chemical Physics of Solids (Dresden, Germany). Afterward Julia did a first postdoctoral stint at Florida State University, and then joined group of Prof. Susan M. Kauzlarich at UC Davis as a second postdoctoral stint. Julia joined the faculty at Iowa State as an Assistant Professor in August 2017. Her research interests lie in the area of inorganic and materials chemistry; particularly she is interested in non-conventional synthesis routes to complex solids and understanding of their atomic and electronic structure with the goal of creating new functional materials that address current scientific challenges in sustainable energy.

Linda M. Cooper, The Proctor & Gamble Company

Dr. Linda Cooper is Director, Research & Development, Global Corporate Functions with responsibility for leading R&D’s Data Science & Modeling and Digital Innovation organizations. Linda joined P&G’s R&D organization in 1988, after receiving her Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry from Iowa State University in Ames, Iowa.

Linda is currently leading multiple disciplines like Data Science/AI, Statistics, Modeling & Simulation and Digital Innovation that are considered important or emerging technology spaces aimed at radically changing R&D innovation processes at P&G. During her extensive 29-year career at P&G, she has held multiple leadership roles as she led downstream/upstream and globally-dispersed product development organizations, led core functions like Products Research, Process, Formulation, Clinical, Technology, etc., and routinely worked with outside partners. She has worked closely with commercial partners across several businesses like Health Care and Feminine Care to create portfolios of products/initiatives that address unmet consumer needs. She has led R&D work at multiple global technical centers as well as worked both domestically and internationally. She is an active mentor/sponsor for many people and enjoys inspiring women and all employees to achieve their best, be a catalyst of change and envision the future.

Linda is married to a fellow Iowa State graduate, Dr. Richard S. Cooper who is also a Director at P&G and they have three ‘twenty-something’ sons. She and her family enjoy backpacking, rock climbing, travel and almost anything ‘active’ as well as great food/wine!

Enid Gatimu, Abbvie Inc.

Senior Scientist

Barbara S. Larsen, DuPont

Dr. Barbara Larsen is a Senior Technical Fellow at DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, DE. Her research focuses on the application of mass spectrometry to support the Industrial Biosciences business. She has a keen interest in ionization methods to ensure the continued viability of the technology for biotechnology work. Barbara has a passion is Fitness for Purpose: selecting the best measurement technology to provide the critical solutions to a specific problem. For her work to support the biotechnology research, Barbara has developed a digestion protocol for fermentation products that provides coverage of the expressed protein sequence or deep proteomic coverage of the organism under investigation. In addition, these methods can be used to provide details on protein modifications. Her interests include using a systems biology approach including metabolomics, proteomics, and transcriptomics to improve enzyme production and probiotic organisms. Barbara has been part of the DuPont Company’s Science and Innovation organization for the past thirty-three years recently transitioning to the Industrial Biosciences business. She received her BS from University of Santa Clara, CA and her PhD in Physical Chemistry at University of Delaware followed by a post-doctoral fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Pharmacy. Barbara has received the Spectroscopy Award and the Delaware ACS Section Research Award. DuPont awarded her research the highest recognition for research with the Pederson Award. Larsen was named to the 2016 Power List by the Analytical Scientist, as one of the top 50 most influential women in the analytical sciences. Barbara currently serves on the advisory board for Spectroscopist and the Journal for the American Society of Mass Spectrometry. She is a member of American Society of Mass Spectrometry where she has served as the treasurer, vice President of Programs, and President. She is a member of the American Chemical Society where she has served as the chair for the Delaware Valley Mass Spectrometry Discussion Group and as a counselor for the Delaware ACS section. Last year she was recognized (2017) as an American Chemical Society Fellow.

Kolby White, 3M

As a synthetic chemist at 3M in the Corporate Research Laboratories, Dr. Kolby White utilizes her background in small-molecule synthesis to design new monomers and curatives for coatings, adhesives, and sealants applications. She enjoys exploring the complex outcomes that making minor changes in a polymer backbone can have on the overall properties of a material. Kolby earned her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in November 2016 where her research was focused on strategies for the synthesis of the aspidosperma alkaloids, and her dual Bachelors/Master’s degree in Chemistry from Northwestern University in 2007 where she primarily worked on new method development. She has authored four peer-review journal publications with two more under review and is a co-inventor on six pending patent applications at 3M. After living in apartments for the past 10 years, she is a new resident of suburbia and recently purchased a house with her husband who is also a chemist at 3M. In her free time Kolby enjoys baking, reading, traveling, and the calmness of post-graduate school life.

Anna V. Gromova, LeClairRyan

Dr. Anna Gromova is a technical specialist and a member of LeClairRyan's Intellectual Property team. Dr. Gromova assists corporate and university clients in preparation and prosecution of patent applications related to pharmaceutical compounds and formulations, including antibacterial agents, vaccines, and therapeutics; diagnostic and other screening assays; and synthetic compounds.

Dr. Gromova has broad research experience and skill in synthetic organic chemistry, medicinal chemistry, particularly in multi-step synthesis, heterocyclic chemistry, combinatorial chemistry, multicomponent and cascade reactions, and peptide chemistry.

Cynthia J. Jenks, Argonne National Laboratory

*Keynote Speaker

Dr. Cynthia Jenks leads the Division of Chemical Sciences and Engineering. Expertise within the division spans molecular design, light-molecule interactions, interfacial chemistry, complex functional chemistries, and structural control of reactivity. Applications areas include energy storage, fuel cells, hydrogen production, catalysis, combustion, solar cells, chemical separations, chemical conversions, and chemical manufacturing. She is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science. Before joining Argonne in July of 2017, Dr. Jenks served as assistant director for scientific planning and as director of the Chemical and Biological Sciences Division at Ames Laboratory. Prior to that, she was a staff scientist and postdoctoral fellow at Ames Laboratory. Dr. Jenks holds Ph.D., and M.Phil. degrees in chemistry from Columbia University, a M.S. degree in chemical engineering, also from Columbia University, and a bachelor’s in chemical engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Debra Rolison, U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

*Plenary Address

Dr. Debra Rolison heads the Advanced Electrochemical Materials section at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. Her team designs, synthesizes, characterizes, and applies three-dimensionally structured, ultraporous, multifunctional nanoarchitectures for such rate-critical applications as catalysis, energy storage and conversion, and sensors.

Rolison was a Faculty Scholar at Florida Atlantic University (1972–1975; B.S. in Chemistry). She received her Ph.D. in Chemistry from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in 1980 after demonstrating the Pt-like character of RuO₂ electrodes in nonaqueous electrolytes, helping to establish polymer-modified electrodes, and ensuring frequent pick-up games of killer volleyball. She joined NRL as a staff scientist in 1980.

Rolison is a Fellow of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, the Association for Women in Science, the Materials Research Society, and the American Chemical Society. Among her major awards, she received the William H. Nichols Medal (2018), the Department of the Navy Dr. Dolores M. Etter Top Scientist & Engineer Team Award (2016), the ACS Division of Analytical Chemistry Award in Electrochemistry (2014), the Charles N. Reilley Award of the Society for Electroanalytical Chemistry (2012), the ACS Award in the Chemistry of Materials (2011), and the Hillebrand Prize of the Chemical Society of Washington (2011).

Her editorial advisory board service includes Chemical Reviews, Analytical Chemistry, Langmuir, Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Advanced Energy Materials, and the inaugural boards of Nano Letters, the Encyclopedia of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, Annual Review in Analytical Chemistry and ACS Applied Energy Materials. Rolison also writes and lectures widely on issues affecting women (and men!) in science, including proposing Title IX assessments of science and engineering departments. She is the author of over 225 articles and holds 35 U.S. patents.

Julia C. White, Exascale Computing Project

Dr. Julia C. White is the Exascale Computing Project (ECP) Technical Operations Director. The ECP is composed of more than 700 researchers across the US and will enable a new era of high-performance computing by employing a holistic approach that merges research in application development, software technology, hardware technology, and exascale systems.

White promotes the high-level vision of the project director while operating cross-functionally at multiple levels of the organization, identifying gaps and opportunities. She researches; develops; provides recommendations on; and implements systems, processes, policies, and procedures important to achieving the technical mission of the ECP.

White previously held management roles at Oak Ridge and Pacific Northwest National Laboratories and at Physical Review B, an international journal specializing in condensed-matter phenomena and materials physics. Most recently she was program manager for INCITE, which allocates computer time on US Department of Energy petascale supercomputers.

White holds a PhD in chemistry from Indiana University–Bloomington and an MBA from the University of Tennessee–Knoxville.