Meet the GSS Team!

We are enthusiastic graduate students who want to connect with other scientists to promote communication and academic networking.

  • Chair/Speaker Liason

    Lucy is a third-year Ph.D. candidate advised by Prof. Brandon Barnett at the University of Rochester. She grew up in Issaquah, Washington and received her undergraduate degrees in chemistry and mathematics from Oregon State University in 2019. She worked as a staff chemist at Inpria, a JSR Company, before coming to UR. Her current work focuses on developing “molecular zeolites” and understanding the types of reactivity a rigid and narrow void can provide high-valent metal centers. She also serves as secretary of the Rochester Younger Chemists Committee and is active within the UR DEIO committee. Outside of the lab, Lucy enjoys baking, watching TV, and napping whenever possible.

  • Treasurer

    Bevan S. Whitehead is a fifth-year graduate student in the Barnett Lab at the University of Rochester. He grew up in South Portland, Maine and received his undergraduate research at Vassar College in the Tanski Lab where he worked on a project on the synthesis of hard soft coordination polymers. His PhD research focuses on the synthesis and testing of materials for the capture of fluorinated greenhouse gasses from semiconductor waste streams. He serves as a member of the Rochester Younger Chemists Committee. When not in the lab, he likes to cook and bake with friends along with playing Dungeons and Dragons.

  • Logistics

    Patrycia is a fourth-year graduate student in the Frontier Lab at the University of Rochester. She grew up in New Jersey and completed her bachelor’s degree at the College of New Jersey in 2021. Her current research at U of R focuses on investigating cationic cascades that couple pyridine derivatives and halo-Prins/halo-Nazarov methodologies. Outside of the lab, she enjoys trying out new coffee shops, going on long walks, and watching scary movies.

  • Marketing/Advertising

    María Fernanda is a fourth-year Chemistry graduate student at the University of Rochester, and she is from Bogotá, Colombia. She obtained her bachelor’s degree in 2019 and joined the Bren Lab in 2021. She has worked with cobalt porphyrin-peptide conjugates like CoMP11 to enhance the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction in water, using CdSe-QDs as photosensitizers and studying their interaction. Throughout the Ph.D. program, she has developed a great interest in energy usage and green fuels, and she feels motivated to lead initiatives that promote environmentally friendly research. She likes reading, watching movies, traveling, debating, and dancing.

  • Fundraising

    Revathy Rajan is a fourth-year graduate student in the Knowles lab at the University of Rochester. Originally from Kerala, India, she completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees at Christ University, Bangalore, India. Her current research at U of R focuses mainly on correlating surface functionalization with changes in the optical and electronic properties of colloidal metal oxide nanocrystals containing cobalt. She serves as the Vice Chair of the Rochester Younger Chemists Committee, an executive member of the Chemistry Graduate Association (CGA), and is an active member of the cross-organizational subcommittee of the Chemistry DEIO. She was also part of the National Chemistry Week planning committee for two consecutive years. Outside of the lab, Revathy enjoys teaching high school students, cooking, watching TV, and spending time with friends.