Research Summary
My research investigates how charge and spin move through light-activated molecules, and how these properties are controlled to drive new reactivity and functionality. I use spectroscopy, synthesis, and theory to manipulate charge localization and spin polarization at the molecular scale. My work sits at the intersection of inorganic chemistry and chemical physics, with the broader goal of designing molecular platforms for sustainable energy harvesting and quantum information technologies.

Biography
I grew up in Bradenton, Florida and joined NC State University in 2023 as a Postdoctoral Scholar, working with Prof. Felix (Phil) N. Castellano within the Organic and Carbon Electronics Laboratories (ORaCEL). I received my B.S. in Chemistry from Florida State University in 2017. I completed my Ph.D. in Chemistry at Caltech under Prof. Harry B. Gray in 2022, supported by an NSF Graduate Research Fellowship and a Caltech Institute Fellowship. My doctoral research examined the electronic structure and excited-state dynamics of transition metal complexes for earth-abundant photocatalysis. As part of this work, I received a DOE SCGSR award to conduct x-ray absorption spectroscopy experiments on CO2RR electrocatalysts at SLAC National Accelerator Laboratory with Dr. Amy Cordones-Hahn and Dr. Kelly Gaffney.

I have received several professional awards, including the Candace Rypisi Mentoring Award (2020), Outstanding Teaching Award from Caltech Chemistry and Chemical Engineering (2022), ACS Leadership in Mentoring Recognition (2025), and selection to the CAS Future Leaders Program (2025), an international leadership program for early-career scientists.

Outside of the lab, I enjoy yoga, hiking, going to farmer’s markets, and trying to find the best (omakase) sushi in town.