Postdoctoral Fellowship: MPS-Ascend: Development of Selective Reaction Schemes for Photoactivation of Alcohols

Robert T. Martin is awarded an NSF Mathematical and Physical Sciences Ascending Postdoctoral Research Fellowship (NSF MPS-Ascend) to conduct a program of research and activities related to broaden participation by groups underrepresented in STEM. This fellowship to Dr. Martin supports the research project entitled “MPS-Ascend: Development of Selective Reaction Schemes for Photoactivation of Alcohols” under the mentorship of a sponsoring scientist. The host institution for the fellowship is Princeton University, and the sponsoring scientist is Dr. David W. C. MacMillan. This proposal intends to develop organic synthetic methodologies to expand the scope of carbon-carbon bond formation reactions using alcohols as starting materials. Alcohols are among the most naturally abundant and synthetically practical substrates, but organic synthetic methodology using alcohols is underdeveloped. The proposed work will develop two novel reaction manifolds for the activation and functionalization of unsaturated and aliphatic alcohols. Successful implementation of this work may allow for broadening the scope of the cross-coupling reactivity of alcohols and providing a framework for further development of synthetic methodologies for alcohols that can incorporate and expand the use of radical cascades and radical sorting. The PI intends to form an organization that engages in outreach activities to students from underrepresented groups with local teachers to provide supplies, professional development, and seminars from scientists of diverse backgrounds. The PI will also work with the “Chem-STEM Outreach Initiative” and the Alliance for Diversity in Science and Engineering (ADSE) at Princeton University to hold panels and discussions with local high school students about careers in STEM. The PI will also continue working as a computational and experimental mentor with the iCARBON Summer Program initially co-founded and co-organized by the PI, to provide resources to students from across the country and from disparate backgrounds to participate in computational chemical research virtually, without the barrier of meeting in person. This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.