Openings
The Tropp Research Group anticipates on accepting 1-2 graduate students per year from the incoming graduate program in the Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry at Texas Tech University. Interested individuals should contact me through email ([email protected]).
Philosophy: We strive to be an innovative and internationally recognized research group in the areas of polymer chemistry and chemical sensing. Achieving that goal requires a daily commitment to learn, improve, and explore. This research group is an incubator for excellent science and personal growth.
Learning Objectives: I expect you to be able to design a synthetic protocol, synthesize small molecules and polymers, purify and characterize your products, and leverage them toward a contemporary problem (chemical sensing, interfacing electronics with biology, etc.) or overcome a fundamental limitation in polymer synthesis. I expect you to thoroughly grasp your discipline and to be able to articulate how your work advances the field. As for soft skills, I expect you to be able to write convincingly, speak in public with confidence, and work well with others. During your time in the lab, you will be mentored and mentor others – both are important skills.
What We Are Looking For: There are many students who want to join the group - I cannot take everyone into the lab. I am looking for ambitious and enthusiastic students with agency. Postdocs - I currently do not have a line open for a postdoc, however I am open to supporting a fellowship application to fund your position. Undergraduates - While I do take undergraduates in the lab, I request that we apply for funding through the honors college (URS) or the TrUE Scholars Program. Alternatively you can perform research for credit under CHEM 3000. Students who are aiming for graduate school will receive preference over those who plan to go to medical school.
Philosophy: We strive to be an innovative and internationally recognized research group in the areas of polymer chemistry and chemical sensing. Achieving that goal requires a daily commitment to learn, improve, and explore. This research group is an incubator for excellent science and personal growth.
Learning Objectives: I expect you to be able to design a synthetic protocol, synthesize small molecules and polymers, purify and characterize your products, and leverage them toward a contemporary problem (chemical sensing, interfacing electronics with biology, etc.) or overcome a fundamental limitation in polymer synthesis. I expect you to thoroughly grasp your discipline and to be able to articulate how your work advances the field. As for soft skills, I expect you to be able to write convincingly, speak in public with confidence, and work well with others. During your time in the lab, you will be mentored and mentor others – both are important skills.
What We Are Looking For: There are many students who want to join the group - I cannot take everyone into the lab. I am looking for ambitious and enthusiastic students with agency. Postdocs - I currently do not have a line open for a postdoc, however I am open to supporting a fellowship application to fund your position. Undergraduates - While I do take undergraduates in the lab, I request that we apply for funding through the honors college (URS) or the TrUE Scholars Program. Alternatively you can perform research for credit under CHEM 3000. Students who are aiming for graduate school will receive preference over those who plan to go to medical school.
Current Texas Tech Students (15)
Robert Posey (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry): C.B. and Fran Carter Foundation Scholar 2024
Brenda Alfaro (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Nikita Gill (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry): Adv. Health. Mater. 2024, Early View, 2401297
Nicholas Payne (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Kazi Mustafa Mahmud (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Tahamida Alam Oyshi (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Helena Garza (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry): 1st Place Poster competition - SWRM 2024
Andrea Perry (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Pre-Medicine): 1st Place Poster competition - SWRM 2024
Daniel Fernandez (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Colin Cashman (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Kaleb Jewell (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Annemarie Fritz (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biochemistry)
Boris Salinas (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Pre-Medicine / Kinesiology / Chemistry)
Jacquelyn Tran (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biology)
Sophia German-Kavle (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biology)
Brenda Alfaro (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Nikita Gill (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry): Adv. Health. Mater. 2024, Early View, 2401297
Nicholas Payne (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Kazi Mustafa Mahmud (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Tahamida Alam Oyshi (Graduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Helena Garza (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry): 1st Place Poster competition - SWRM 2024
Andrea Perry (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Pre-Medicine): 1st Place Poster competition - SWRM 2024
Daniel Fernandez (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Colin Cashman (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Kaleb Jewell (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Chemistry)
Annemarie Fritz (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biochemistry)
Boris Salinas (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Pre-Medicine / Kinesiology / Chemistry)
Jacquelyn Tran (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biology)
Sophia German-Kavle (Undergraduate Student at TTU in Biology)
Prior Students (Texas Tech = TTU, Northwestern = NU, University of Southern Mississippi = USM)
TTU 2024 - Maddox Canham - Current High School Student (2024 Welch Summer Scholars Program)
NU 2024 - Manideep Reddy - Medical Student at Northwestern University (Phi Beta Kappa 2024, Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2306691; Chem. Mater. 2022, 35, 41)
NU 2024 - Shiv Patel - Medical Student at the University of Florida (3rd Place Poster competition - AIChE 2022: Materials Engineering and Science Division; Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2306691; Chem. Mater. 2022, 35, 41)
NU 2025 - Vidhika Siddha - Current Undergraduate, BS Biomedical Engineering
USM 2020 - Rimsha Bhatta - Ph.D. Student at UIUC, Materials Science and Engineering (ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541)
USM 2020 - Erin Crater - Ph.D. Student at VT, Chemistry (Barry M. Goldwater Scholar 2019; ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541; ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2019, 1, 309)
USM 2020- Chandler Bell - Process Engineer at Masonite (McNair Scholar; ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541; Chem. Sci. 2019, 10, 10247)
USM 2020 - Lauren Gonce - Research Chemist at Resinall Corp (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 21971)
USM REU 2019 - Riley Bessetti - Ph.D. Candidate at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Cell Biology and Anatomy
NU 2024 - Manideep Reddy - Medical Student at Northwestern University (Phi Beta Kappa 2024, Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2306691; Chem. Mater. 2022, 35, 41)
NU 2024 - Shiv Patel - Medical Student at the University of Florida (3rd Place Poster competition - AIChE 2022: Materials Engineering and Science Division; Adv. Mater. 2024, 36, 2306691; Chem. Mater. 2022, 35, 41)
NU 2025 - Vidhika Siddha - Current Undergraduate, BS Biomedical Engineering
USM 2020 - Rimsha Bhatta - Ph.D. Student at UIUC, Materials Science and Engineering (ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541)
USM 2020 - Erin Crater - Ph.D. Student at VT, Chemistry (Barry M. Goldwater Scholar 2019; ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541; ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2019, 1, 309)
USM 2020- Chandler Bell - Process Engineer at Masonite (McNair Scholar; ACS Sens. 2020, 5, 1541; Chem. Sci. 2019, 10, 10247)
USM 2020 - Lauren Gonce - Research Chemist at Resinall Corp (Angew. Chem. Int. Ed. 2020, 59, 21971)
USM REU 2019 - Riley Bessetti - Ph.D. Candidate at Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Cell Biology and Anatomy