Ryan Compton

Chemistry

Advisor: Professor Robert J. Levis

Ryan Compton's research involves the use of photonic reagents to promote chemical processes.  In this work, intense laser pulses are used to manipulate chemical reaction pathways.  By manipulating the phase and amplitude of the pulses, roughly 10^50 distinct time-dependent fields can be generated.  Ryan uses an adaptive algorithm to search through the space of possible pulses for one with a desired effect.  Ryan has been invited to two Gordon Conferences to present these results.  Ryan has developed a new form of spectroscopy that employs femtosecond laser beams.  Ryan's method has the highest temporal precision of any type of spectroscopy.   Ryan is first author on a manuscript to be submitted to Physical Review Letters describing theoretical and experimental results with fs CARS. Ryan is “among the best graduate students” seen by our Chemistry faculty.

Douglas Hausner

Chemistry

Advisor: Professor Daniel R. Strongin

Douglas Hausner is one of the most promising students in recent years in Temple's Chemistry Department, at the top of his cohort in terms of dedication and achievement, working at a level typical of postdoctoral fellows.  Doug is mature, a self-starter and has naturally assumed a leadership role in his research group, and amongst graduate students in the department.  Doug's research is focused on the surface properties of minerals such as calcite in contact with water.  Doug uses an array of techniques to analyze these surfaces including Scanning Probe Microscopy, X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Dynamic Light Scattering, and UV-VIS spectroscopy.   Because these minerals are common in the earth's crust, discovering the properties of the mineral-aqueous interface has important environmental impacts. Doug's research has focused on the organic and heavy metal species interacting with the calcite surface.  Doug has published three papers and “has proved to the backbone” of his advisor's research group, excelling in his own research while helping others.

Deepa Rapolu

Chemistry

Advisor: Professor Grant R. Krow

Deepa Rapolu has prepared various constrained ß-amino acids with functional groups in well-defined orientations.   These amino acids are used to prepare oligomers with well-defined folding propensities, compounds known as “foldamers.”  Deepa has co-authored several papers in the Journal of Organic Chemistry with several more in preparation.  She presented her work at meetings of the American Chemical Society, winning an award for best poster in 2005.  Deepa has not only had a profound impact through her discoveries, but also through her interactions with her labmates.  During her tenure in the Krow research group, she has mentored at least six undergraduates, successfully guiding them through both published procedures and novel research.   She has also mentored two new graduate students, and provided them with a firm foundation of academic and technical knowledge that enabled the new students to quickly become productive contributors to the research group.  Deepa has a superior work ethic, and is extremely dedicated and hard working.