Ph.D. Graduates
27. Bronson Cox (B.S., University of Tampa)
Doctoral thesis, spring 2023 “Part 1: Structure-Property Relationships of Regioregular Poly(3-alkylthiophene)s Bearing Branched Side Chains Part 2: Ferric Chloride-Promoted Oxidative Annulation of 3,3’,4,4’-Tetrahexyloxy-1,1’- biphenyl with Arenes as a Facile Route to Discotic Liquid Crystalline 2,3,6,7,11,12,15,16- Octakis(hexyloxy)diphenanthro[9,10-b:9′,10′-d] heteroarenes.”
26. Ashley John (B.S. Georgia Southern University), 2016-21
Doctoral thesis, fall 2021 “Stacked conjugated oligomers as models for organic semiconductors.”
Currently with Gilead Sciences, San Jose, CA.
25. Chinmay Kulkarni (B.Tech., UICT, Mumbai, India)
Doctoral thesis, fall 2018: “Design and Synthesis of new fused arene- containing conjugated polymers.”
Currently with TotalEnergies.
24. Pranav Kalelkar (B.Tech., UICT, Mumbai, India)
Doctoral thesis, spring, 2018: “Synthesis of functional Polylactides for biomedical and pharmaceutical applications.”
Currently with Amgen, Cambridge, MA.
23. Subodh P. Jagtap (B.Tech., UICT, Mumbai, India)
Doctoral thesis, spring, 2016: “Design and synthesis of and π stacked conjugated oligomers and polymers.”
Hired by Dow Chemical Company.
Currently owner and director at Yuvish Industries Pvt Ltd
22. Kathy Woody (B.S., University of Kentucky)
Doctoral thesis, spring, 2011: “Amphiphilic conjugated polymers and copolymers, controlled polymerizations.”
Recipient of Georgia Tech Presidential Fellowship
Hired by Conoco-Phillips (later Phillips66).
Currently with Hess Corporation, Houston, TX
21. Bradley Carson (B.S., Appalachian State University)
Doctoral thesis, spring, 2010: “Stacked Oligo(phenylene ethynylene)s.”
Currently with Duke University Health System
20. Rakesh Nambiar (B.Tech., UICT, Mumbai, India)
Doctoral thesis, spring, 2010: “Designing new architectures for controlling solid state properties of conjugated polymers.”
Currently Global Technology Leader with DuPont Central Research.
19. Jenny Raynor (B.S., Bridgewater State University), 2003-2008
Doctoral thesis, fall, 2008: Modification of Titanium with Polymer Brushes for Biomedical Applications.”
Post-doc at Rutgers University with Joachim Kohn
Hired by Stryker Orthobiologics.
Currently with Teva Pharmaceuticals.
18. David Noga (B.S., Middle Tennessee State University), 2004-2008
Doctoral thesis, summer, 2008, “Synthesis of Functional Lactide Copolymers for use in Biomedical Applications.”
Hired by: FUJI Hunt Photographic Chemicals.
Currently with Wacker Polysilicon North America.
17. Shannon Watt (B.S./MS, Carnegie Mellon University), 2003-2007
Doctoral thesis, fall, 2007: “Synthesis and Characterization of Regioregular, Amphiphilic Semifluoroalkyl-Substituted Polythiophenes and Cofacial Bis(oligothienyl)naphthalenes.”
NSF-Discovery Corps Postdoctoral Fellowship at U. of Michigan.
Currently with Louisiana State University.
16. Kurt Knoblock (B.S., Louisiana State University), 2002-2006
Doctoral thesis, fall 2006: “Stacked Conjugated Oligomers as Molecular Models to Examine Interchain Interactions in Conjugated Materials.”
Currently with Veranova, Philadelphia, PA.
15. Jeffrey Capadona (B.S., St. Joseph’s College), 2002-2005
Doctoral thesis, summer 2005: “Self-Assembled Monolayers as Model Interfaces for Tissue Engineering.”
Hired by Case Western Reserve University/Veterans’ Administration.
Currently Professor, Department of Bioengineering, Case Western Reserve University, and Investigator, Veterens’ Administration. PECASE awardee.
14. Ling Li (B.S., Peking University), 2001-2004
Doctoral thesis, summer 2004: “Novel Conducting Polymeric Materials: 1. Fluoroalkylated Polythiophenes; 2. Stacked Oligothiophenes as Models for the Interchain Charge Transfer in Conducting Polymers.”
Hired by Milliken and Company, Spartanburg, SC; moved to Rohm and Hass, and Dow Chemical Company.
Currently Global R&D Director with the Startomer.
13. Susanna Moore (nee Coons) (B.S., Armstrong Atlantic), 1999-2004
Recipient of NIH-NIDA Doctoral Fellowship
Doctoral thesis, summer 2004: “Synthesis and Pharmacology of Potential Site-Directed Therapeutic Agents for Cocaine Abuse.”
Hired as a post-doc at the National Institutes of Health
Currently with U.S. Patent Office.
12. Marian Vargas (B.S., University of Central Florida), 1996-2004
Doctoral thesis, spring 2004: “Design of New Polyester Architectures through Copolymerization, Crosslinking, and Diels-Alder Grafting.”
Hired by Ciba Vision Corporation
Currently with Kimberly-Clark
11. Hongming Ma (MS, Textiles, Georgia Tech), 2001-2004
Doctoral thesis, spring 2004: “Structure-Property Relationships in Copolyester Fibers and Composite Fibers.”
Currently with the Dow Chemical Company
10. Genara S. Andrade (B.S., Chatham College), 1998-2003
Doctoral thesis, spring 2003: “New Comonomers and PET-based Copolymers for Functional High Barrier Applications.”
Currently with DuPont.
9. Michael Hibbs (B.S., University of New Orleans), 1999-2003
Doctoral thesis, spring 2003: “Design and Synthesis of Comonomers to Enhance the Physical Properties of Poly(ethylene terephthalate).”
Currently with Sandia National Laboratory.
8. Sahar Javanmard (B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology, 1996), 1997-2002
Doctoral thesis, fall 2002: “Substituted Bicicylcooctanes as Dopamine Reuptake Inhibitors.”
Post-doc at the National Institutes of Health
Currently with U.S. Patent Office.
7. Robert M. Kriegel (B.S., Augusta College), 1995-2001
Doctoral thesis, spring 2001: “Anthracene Containing Polyesters: Homopolymers, Copolymers and Chain Extension via Diels-Alder Reactions.”
Postdoctoral fellowship with M. Weck at Georgia Tech. Hired by Halliburton
Currently with Coca Cola.
6. Xiaoyong M. Hong (B.S., Peking University), 1997-2000
Doctoral thesis, summer 2000: “Self-Organizing Conjugated Polymers.”
Postdoctoral fellow with H.E. Katz at Lucent Technologies/Bell Laboratories
Currently with Milliken and Company, Spartanburg, SC.
5. Daniel M. Connor (B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology), 1996-1999
Doctoral thesis, summer 1999: “Design and Synthesis of Comonomers to Enhance the Optical, Physical and Thermal Properties of Poly(ethylene terephthalate).”
Hired by Milliken and Company, Spartanburg, SC.
Currently with PPG Industries, Allison Park, PA.
4. Jeffrey Jones (B.S., University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill), 1995-1998
Co-advised with C.L. Liotta
Doctoral thesis, spring 1998: “Modification of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) through Thermal and Photochemical Crosslinking.”
Hired by Milliken.
3. Seiji Inaoka (MS, Keoi University, Japan), 1994-1998
Doctoral thesis, spring, 1998: “A Study of Electronically Conductive Polymers: Substituted Dithieno[3,4-b:3′,4′-d]thiophenes and Substrate Modification with Monomer Adsorbates.”
Postdoctoral with Rigoberto Advincula at U. of Alabama, Birmingham. Hired by Agilent Technologies (Hewlett-Packard Research Division), moved to Tyco Healthcare/Mallinckrodt-Baker and Dow Chemical.
Currently Director Of Technology at Process Research Products.
2. J. Cameron Tyson (B.S., Georgia Institute of Technology), 1993-1997
Doctoral thesis, fall, 1997: “I. Monolayer and Host-Guest Chemistry of Azocalix[n]arenes. II. Perfluoroalkylsubstituted Polythiophenes.”
Currently Assistant Dean, College of Sciences, Georgia Institue of Technology
1. Curtis N. Sayre (B.S., Carnegie Melon University), 1992-1996
Doctoral thesis, summer 1996: “Self-Assembled Monolayers and their Effect on Conductive Polymer Deposition.”
Hired by Perrimans, a division of Exxon; moved to Chlorox, Inc, Kimberly-Clark and BioLabs.
Currently Technology Innovation Scientist at KIK Custom Products, Lawrenceville, GA.
M.S. Graduates
13. Jessie Berger (B.S., Austin College)
Non-thesis Master of Science, 2016
12. Elizabeth Henry (B.S., University of the South)
Non-thesis Master of Science, 2016
11. Stephen Zappatello (B.S., U. of Texas), 2010-12
Non-thesis Master of Science, 2012
10. Stan Brownell (B.S., Millsapps College), 2001-2003
Masters thesis, spring 2003: “Synthesis and Pharmacology of 2-Substituted-6-(N,N-dimethylamino)-5-Phenylbicyclo[2.2.2]octanes as Dopamine Uptake Inhibitors: 2-Phenyl and 2-Benzyl Analogs as Potential Cocaine Abuse Treatment Agents.”
Recipient of Georgia Tech Presidential Fellowship.
Hired by Baeyer Paints; currently with Dow Chemical Company
9. Suzanne Coons (B.S., Armstrong Atlantic University), 1998-2000
Masters thesis, fall 2000: “Development of Site-Specific Agents for the Treatment of Cocaine Abuse.”
Recipient of NIH-NIDA Minority Doctoral Fellowship.
Continued and completed Ph.D.
8. Steven P. Girardot, (B.S. Georgia Institute of Technology), 1999-2000
Masters thesis, 2000 “From the textbook to the lecture : improving pre-lecture preparation in organic chemistry.”
Completed M.P.H. and Ph.D. at Emory University
Currently Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education, Georgia Institute of Technology
7. Byunghun Lee (MS, UC-San Francisco), 1999-2000
Non-thesis Master of Science, summer 2000
6. Liang Zhang (B.S., Peking University), 1996-1999
Masters thesis, fall 1999: “Synthesis and Pharmacology of Site-Specific Cocaine Abuse Agents: 2-(Aminomethyl)-3-phenylbicyclo[2.2.2] and[2.2.1]-alkane Dopaminee Uptake Inhibitors.”
Completed Ph.D. at Georgia Tech with Professor K.L. Seley; currently at National Institutes of Health.
5. Jennifer S. Middlecoff (B.S., Millsapps College), 1994-1998
Masters thesis, spring 1998: “Alkyl Substituted Polythiophenes.”
4. Marian Vargas (B.S., University of Central Florida), 1996-
Masters thesis, fall 1997: “Photocrosslinking of Polyesters with Phenylene Bisacrylate Units.”
Continued and completed Ph.D.
3. Robert M. Kriegel (B.S., Augusta College), 1995-2001
Masters thesis, fall 1996: “Polyesters with Pendant Hydroxyl Groups and Barrier Plastics.”
Continued and completed Ph.D.
2. Southeary Chau (B.S., Emory University), 1994-1995
Masters thesis, fall 1995: “An Investigation of the Effect of Benzene Substitution Pattern on the Formation of Discotic Phases.”
1. Stacy Murphy (B.S., Chicago State University), 1994-1995
Non-thesis Master of Science, 1996