PEOPLE

 

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Daniel Duan

5th Year Ph. D. Candidate

B.S. University of California, Davis

chenghao.duan@duke.edu

 

Jack Malek

4th Year Ph. D. Candidate

B.A. Colgate University

jack.malek@duke.edu

 

Brady Slinger

4th Year Ph. D. Candidate

B.A. Hamilton College

brady.slinger@duke.edu

 

Matthew (Jeb) Will

2nd Year Ph. D. Candidate

B.S. John Brown University

matthew.will@duke.edu

 

Amanda Bailey

1st Year Ph. D. Student

B.S. Presbyterian College

amanda.m.bailey@duke.edu

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Former Graduate and Undergraduate Students

Miguel Cohen Suarez, B.A. 2026
Current Position: PhD student at Princeton University

Kate Burns, M.S. 2026
Thesis Title: Electrophilic Deauration of Gold(I) α-Styrenyl Complexes with Carbon and Silicon Electrophiles
Current Position:

Mitch Rivers, Ph.D. 2025
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Analysis of Protodeauration and Gold(I) and Palladium(II)-catalyzed Carbene Transformations
Current Position:

Rosemary Buhrman, 2025
Current Position: PhD student at Harvard University in the Mason group.

Caroline Stow, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Investigation of Gold alpha-Oxo Carbene/Carbenoid Complexes as Key Intermediates in Gold(I) Catalysis
Current Position: Caroline is an innovation scientist II at Robertet Group in New York City, New York

Yichen Yu, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Mechanical Force Modulated Organometallic Transformations
Current Position: Yichen is a software engineer at Google in San Francisco, CA

Liqi Wang, Ph.D. 2022
Thesis Title: Mechanochemical Reaction Development for Addition, Elimination, and Isomerization
Current Position: Liqi is a healthcare consultant at ZS associates in Chicago, IL.

Nana Kim, Ph.D. 2019
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Analysis of Gold(I) Catalysis through Generation and Direct Observation of Reactive Intermediate Analogues
Current Position: Nana is a senior scientist at Bristol Myers Squibb in New Brunswick, NJ.

Robert Carden, Ph.D. 2019
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Investigations of Gold(I)-catalyzed Carbene Transfer and Hydrofucntionalization Reactions
Current Position: Bob is currently an assistant professor at Delaware Valley University in Doylestown, PA.

Hillary Straub, M.S. 2017
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Investigations of Gold(I)-catalyzed Carbene Transfer and Hydrofucntionalization Reactions
Current Position: Hillary is a senior scientist III at Cambrex in Raleigh, NC.

Jacob Timmerman, Ph.D. 2017
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes and Alkylidenecyclopropanes with Carbon and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Jacob is a senior prinicpal scientist at Genentech in San Francisco, CA.

Jessica Reel, M.S. 2016
Thesis Title: A comparative review of computational methods as applied to gold(I) complexes and mechanisms
Current Position: Jessica is an assistant professor of chemistry at Wake Technical Community College in Durham, NC.

Brad Robertson, Ph.D. 2015
Thesis Title: I. The Asymmetric Total Synthesis of Apratoxin D II. Studies in the Gold(I)-Catalyzed Cycloisomerization of 7-Aryl-1,6-Enynes III. Synthesis and Application of Multidentate Ligands Toward the Realization of Fluxional Mechanocatalysis
Current Position: Brad is currently a senior scientist at Biogen in Durham, NC.

Robert Harris, Ph.D. 2015
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Investigations of Gold(I) Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of C-C Multiple Bonds
Current Position: Robert is currently an assistant professor of chemistry at Wofford in Spartanburg, SC.

Rachel Brooner, Ph.D. 2013
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Studies of pi-Activation Catalysis by Cationic Gold(I) and Bronsted-acid
Current Position: Rachel is a senior R&D leader at Dow in Lake Jackson, Texas.

Seong Du Lee, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Enantioselective Hydroamination of Unactivated Alkenes
Current Position: Seong Du is currently working for LG in South Korea.

Timothy Brown, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Model Studies of Proposed Intermediates in Homogeneous Gold(I) Catalysis
Current Position: Tim is science & technology consultant in Ankara, Turkey.

Paramita Mukherjee, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Dehydrative Amination and Alkoxylation of Underivatized Allylic Alcohols
Current Position: Paramita is currently a senior scientist at Pfizer.

Kristina (Toups) Butler, Ph.D. 2012
Thesis Title: Gold(I)- and Platinum(II)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of Allenes and Alkenes with Carbon and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Kristina is currently a  R&D manager at Albermarle Corporation in Kings Mountain, NC.

Alethea Duncan, Ph.D. 2011
Thesis Title: Gold(I)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalizations of Allenes with Nitrogen and Oxygen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Alethea is an assistant special agent in charge for the FBI in New Orleans, LA.

Zhibin Zhang, Ph.D. 2008
Thesis Title: Gold(I) and Platinum(II)-Catalyzed Hydrofunctionalization of Alkenes and Allenes with Carbon, Oxygen, and Nitrogen Nucleophiles
Current Position: Zhibin is a principal scientist at Celanese in Dayton, OH.

Christopher F. Bender, Ph.D. 2007
Thesis Title: Gold(I) and Pt(II)-Catalyzed Hydroamination of Alkenes and Allenes
Current Position: Chris was a research director with Reata Pharmaceuticals in Irving, Texas.

Hua Qian, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: Catalytic Hydrofunctionalization of Unactivated Alkenes
Current Position: Hua was a research scientist at Suzhou Novartis Pharma Technology in Changshu City, PRC.

Cong Liu, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: I: Rhodium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Diynes and Enynes. II: Transition Metal-Catalyzed Addition of Stabilized Carbon Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins and Alkenes
Current Position: Cong is research scientist at DuPont in Marlborough, MA.

Xiaoqing Han, Ph.D. 2006
Thesis Title: Transition Metal-Catalyzed Addition of Carbon, Nitrogen, and Oxygen Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Xiaoqing is currently an associate research scientist at Merck Pharmaceuticals in Kenilworth, NJ.

Laurel Goj Habgood, Ph.D. 2004
Thesis Title: Mechanistic Studies of Palladium-Catalyzed Diene Carbocyclization
Current Position: Laurel is the chair and professor of chemistry at Rollins College in Winter Park, FL.

Xiang Silas Wang, Ph.D. 2004
Thesis Title: Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized Dienes and Diynes Catalyzed by Cationic Late Transition-Metal Complexes and Catalytic Addition of Carbon and Nucleophiles to Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Silas is an executive director at Eikon Therapeutics in Hayward, CA.

Nick Perch, Ph.D. 2003
Thesis Title: Development of Enantioselective Methodology for, and Mechanistic Investigation of Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized Dienes
Current Position: Nick was a postdoc in the Wolfe lab at the University of Michigan and in the Craig lab at Duke University.

Tao Pei, Ph.D. 2002
Thesis Title: I: Palladium-Catalyzed Diene Cyclization/Hydrosilylation Employing Disiloxanes and Benzhydryldimethylsilane. II: Palladium-Catalyzed Alkylation of Unactivated Olefins
Current Position: Tao is the chief scientific officer at Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals in Madison, WI.

Carmine Stengone, M.S. 1999
Thesis Title: Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization/Hydrosilylation of Functionalized 1,6- and 1,7-Dienes to Form Five- and Six-Membered Carbocycles
Current Position: Carmine is president and CEO of Contineum Pharmaceuticals in San Diego, CA.

Postdocs and Visiting Scientists

Dr. Xujun Zheng (2020-2025)
Background/Project: Xujun received his Ph.D. from Wuhan University and worked in the lab in collaboration with the Craig group on mechanocatalysis.
Current Position: Xujun is an assistant professor at Sun Yat-sen University in China.

Dr. Michele Tragni (2010-2011)
Background/Project: Michele was a visiting Ph.D. student from Marco Bandini’s group at the University of Bologna supported through a Marco Polo Fellowship. In our group, Michele worked on the intermolecular, enantioselective hydroamination of allenes.
Current Position: Michele is the head of chemical research at Steroid S.p.A in Lombardy, Italy.

Dr. Atsushi Sugie (2009-2010)
Background/Project: Atsushi received his Ph. D. 2009 from Kobe University under the supervision of Professor Atsunori Mori. Atsushi worked in our lab as a JSPS fellow on the synthesis and study of cationic gold allene complexes.
Current Position: Atsushi is an assistant professor in the brain research institute at Niigata University.

Dr. Hao Li (2008-2009)
Background/Project: Hao received his Ph. D. from the University of New Mexico and in our group he worked on the intramolecular hydroamination of allenes and alkenes with ureas.
Current Position: Hao was an associate professor of chemistry at the East China University of Science and Technology.

Dr. Rachel Witek (2007-2008)
Background/Project: Rachel received her Ph. D. from the University of Florida and in our group worked on the enantioselective hydroamination of alkenes.
Current Position: Rachel is a principal investigator at Corteva Agriscience in Indianapolis, IN.

Dr. Sasha Stankovich (2000-2001)
Background/Project: Sasha received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University with James Espenson.
Current Position: Sasha is  a senior research chemist at Milliken & Company in Spartanburg, SC.

Dr. Philip Kisanga (1999-2000)
Background/Project: Philip received his Ph.D. from Iowa State University with John Verkade. In our group he worked on the palladium-catalyzed cycloisomerization of dienes.
Current Position: Philip is a research manager at PPG Industries in Cincinnati, OH.

Dr. Karel Base (1999-2000)
Current Position: Karel is a senior professional at ResBase in Raleigh, NC.

Dr. Bozenna Krzyzanowska (1998-1999)
Current Position: Bozenna was the Laboratory Preparator in the Chemistry Department of Duke University until 2025.