Postdocs:

Dr. Jake Jagannathan

Jake is a postdoc from a distant land known as the Bay Area, California. Needing to experience real weather, Jake attended Creighton University in Omaha, Nebraska for his undergraduate degree where he conducted research in Dr. James Fletcher’s laboratory focusing on synthesis of novel organometallic complexes derived from triazole-based ligands. For his PhD, Jake ran back home to sunshine and attended the University of California, Davis where he was advised by Professor Annaliese Franz. There, he developed synthetic methodology to access silicon-stereogenic compounds and siloxane nanomaterials as well as kinetic analysis of organocatalytic transformations. He completed his PhD in the winter of 2021. Joining the Leibfarth group in late 2021, Jake works in the area of stereoselective polymerization methodology focusing on resolution-based mechanisms. Outside of lab, you’ll find Jake at the golf course where he’s probably listening to a podcast about food or coming up with new dad jokes.

Dr. Yonghwan Kwon

Yonghwan was born and raised in Busan, Republic of Korea. He attended Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology where he obtained a B.S. in chemistry in 2018. After that, he joined the group of Prof. M. S. Kwon, working on organic photocatalysis for polymerization and organic synthesis. His dissertation was on the design strategy for purely organic photoredox catalysis. During that time, he enjoyed watching movies with pizza and beer and riding a bicycle along the riverside. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 2023, he worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the Kwon group. Yonghwan joined the Leibfarth group in April 2024 to explore more about polymer chemistry expanding his research background. When outside of the lab, he enjoys walking around the neighborhood while listening to brand-new music.

Dr. Eric Weeda

Eric originally hails from Gallup, New Mexico. Eric received his B.S. at Hope College in Michigan, where he conducted research in Prof. Jeffrey Johnson’s lab studying the kinetics of Rh catalyzed C–C bond activation. Eric went on to earn his Ph.D. at the University of Wisconsin–Madison where he was advised by Prof. Shannon S. Stahl. Eric’s thesis work was focused on the development of novel strategies for the aerobic depolymerization of lignin. Eric joined the Leibfarth group in the summer of 2024 working on flow chemistry and automation for 3D printing applications. When not in lab, Eric enjoys cooking and finding new restaurants.

Graduate Students:

Caleb Kozuszek

After being born and raised in rural, south central Ohio, Caleb decided to leave for a land of opportunity in 2016 to attend Miami University in rural southwest Ohio, where he obtained a B.S. in biochemistry a short four years later. During that time, Caleb developed a taste for steamed bagel sandwiches and scientific research. Caleb worked on protein-polymer conjugates under Dr. Dominik Konkolewicz at Miami University and afterwards, in pursuit of warmer weather and awesome polymer research, moved to North Carolina in the summer of 2020, where he now studies stereoselective polymer synthesis in the Leibfarth group. In his free time, Caleb likes to bounce from hobby to hobby, quote Catch-22, and drink Diet Pepsi. 

Eliza Neidhart

Eliza was born in Madison, WI where she grew up munching cheese curds. For undergrad, she journeyed across the Mississippi River to chilly St. Paul, MN to study biopolymers in Professor Leah Witus’ lab. After graduation, Eliza remained in the area, designing surfactant systems for laundry machines the size of school buses. More importantly, she finally began to adopt the MinnesOtan accent. Next, she spent a year sniffing chemicals as a flavor chemist and being blown away by the winter winds and yummy food in NYC before arriving in Chapel Hill. Now she can be spotted pedaling vigorously around town on her dilapidated bike or basking in the comparatively warm temperatures year-round. Eliza gets excited about tackling sustainability challenges and focuses on C-H functionalization of polyolefins for polymer recycling applications.

Johann Rapp

Johann was born and raised on the on the sunny beaches of Miami, Florida where he enjoyed the yearlong summers and Cuban coffee. For his undergraduate studies Johann decided to stay in the warm climate and attended the University of Florida where he received his B.S. in Materials Science and Engineering. He worked in the lab of Dr. Brent Sumerlin investigating the synthesis of star polymers, and spent a summer making mechanochromic polymers in the lab of Dr. Chris Weder in Fribourg, Switzerland. He decided to continue to study polymers and experience the change of seasons at UNC where he joined the Leibfarth group and currently works on polymer flow chemistry. When he’s not in the lab you can find him on the tennis court or enjoying hikes around the area.

Christopher Diamond-Hettinger

Christopher was born in Charleston, SC, where he grew up on a barrier island and learned to body surf. For undergrad, he attended Cornell University in Ithaca, NY where he worked under the direction of Dr. Erin Stache on the synthesis of poly(phenylene methylene)s enabled by dual nickel and photoredox catalysis. After receiving his B.A. in Chemistry and Chemical Biology from Cornell University in 2021, he decided to travel south in hope of more sunny days and soul food. Joining the chemistry department at UNC Chapel Hill in 2021 to pursue his PhD, Christopher is now a member of the Leibfarth group where he works on developing stereoselective polymerization of vinyl ethers. While not in lab, he enjoys taking in some of the natural beauty of Chapel Hill by hiking in the surrounding areas.

Christopher may be reached at cdiamond-hettinger [at] unc.edu

Caroline Coxwell

Caroline was born in Tallahassee, FL where she gained her love of local coffee shops and running trails. In search of more coffee spots, Caroline attended the University of Florida. There she received her B.S. in Chemistry and pursued sustainable polymer research under Dr. Stephen Miller. Despite having to leave Wyatt’s coffee and UF mascots Alberta and Alberta behind, Caroline chose to attend the University of North Carolina for graduate school. Once at UNC, Caroline joined the Leibfarth group to continue work on water remediation. When she is not in lab, Caroline enjoys going for runs on nearby trails and watching Disney movies.

Cali Colliver

Cali grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio were she developed the habit of saying "Ope, sorry" every few minutes and a love for putting chili on spaghetti. She then moved to Pittsburgh to attend Carnegie Mellon University where she developed a passion for polymer synthesis in the lab of Dr. Stefanie Sydlik. She moved to Chapel Hill following her graduation in May of 2021, where she joined the Leibfarth group and began applying the principles of polymer chemistry to 3D printing. When she's not in the lab, you can find Cali with her nose in a book, referencing out dated memes, or looking at pictures of sloths (she *really* likes sloths).

Alyssa Felix Thayne

Alyssa was born in sunny Northern California where she nurtured her love for the arts and the outdoors. After graduating high school, Alyssa moved to Salt Lake City where she attended the University of Utah earning a B.S. in anthropology. After working for several years, Alyssa migrated to Texas where she decided to return to school to retrain in a new field. While attending Austin Community College, Alyssa discovered her excitement for organic chemistry and later transferred to Texas A&M University in College Station where she earned her B.S. in Chemistry in 2022. As an undergraduate, Alyssa performed research in the lab of Dr. Emily Que where she synthesized ligands used for the study of iron homeostasis and in the lab of Dr. Quentin Michaudel studying stereocontrolled olefin metathesis polymerizations. Hoping to continue polymer research, Alyssa moved to North Carolina to attend UNC Chapel Hill. She joined the Leibfarth group in 2022, where she studies light activated polymerizations for 3D printing. Outside of the lab, Alyssa enjoys reading, drawing, and spending time with her family and dog.

reach Alyssa at athayne [at] unc.edu

Elizabeth Kellstedt

Elizabeth was born in Providence, Rhode Island, but shortly after moved to Texas. She was raised in College Station, where she learned to love the hot weather and football (Gig’em Ags!). Instead of staying in her lovely home state for college, she chose to go as far away as possible to the University of Minnesota, where she earned her B.S. in Chemistry. While enduring the harsh winters, Elizabeth worked in Prof. Marc Hillmyer’s lab where she synthesized nanoporous polyethylene membranes for biomedical applications. Deciding that four years in the cold was enough, she moved to Chapel Hill to pursue her PhD, and currently works in the Leibfarth group where she will focus on C-H functionalization of ionomers. In her free time, you can find Elizabeth listening to Taylor Swift, online shopping, and playing the piano.

Nick Legaux

Nick is from Maryville Tennessee and received his undergraduate degree in chemistry from the nearby University of Tennessee, Knoxville. There, he worked under Dr. Brian Long investigating redox active polymerization catalysts. He than came to UNC Chapel Hill to pursue his PhD under Dr. Frank Leibfarth. In his free time, Nick likes to brew beer and grow carnivorous plants.

Lauren Rozic

Lauren grew up in the Space Coast of Florida, where the rockets fly. She completed her B.S. in Chemistry along with a minor in Materials Science and Engineering at the University of Florida. While studying in Gainesville, she worked under Dr. Christopher McCurdy in the Department of Medicinal Chemistry synthesizing NPFF analogues for the efficient treatment of chronic pain. Upon pursuing her graduate education at UNC Chapel Hill, she has joined the Leibfarth group to contribute to research on the stereoselective polymerization of biocompatible materials. To mention a few of her favorite past times, she loves collecting music, shooting photography, rollerskating, letter writing, crocheting, and hiking.

reach Lauren by email, rozic [at] unc.edu

Nick Eckles

Born and raised in the sun-kissed Central Valley of California, Nick spent much of his childhood splashing about in pools and frolicking in the surrounding farmlands. He left the refuge of the valley for the sunny Southern California coast, where he attended the University of California, Santa Barbara. Between surfing, backpacking, and board games, Nick developed a passion for research while working with Dr. Armen Zakarian on multiple total synthesis projects, with a focus on utilizing chiral lithium amides in asymmetric alkylations. After graduating with a B.S. in Chemistry, Nick left his home state of California for the far more humid North Carolina to pursue a PhD in polymer chemistry. At UNC, Nick joined the Leibfarth group with the goal of applying his organic background to stereoselective polymer synthesis. In his free time, you can find Nick playing water polo, listening to vinyl records, and playing board games.

neckles [at] unc.edu

Lexie Handlin

Lexie was born in Houston, TX, but spent much of her life in North Carolina before continuing her migration north to attend Cornell University where she graduated Cum Laude with a B.A. in Chemistry and a minor in education. During her time at Cornell she worked in Dr. Christopher Ober’s lab initially on the development of anti-biofouling coatings for marine applications and then on the synthesis of liquid-crystalline monomers for applications in organic electronics. The combination of synthesis and materials chemistry suited her and inspired a move back down south to UNC where she is now a co-advised student between Dr. Erik Alexanian and Dr. Frank Leibfarth working on C-H functionalizations with an eye on polyolefin applications. Outside of lab Lexie is an avid CrossFitter and is likely to be at the gym or on the couch hanging out with her cat Mark.

Tejaswini Haraniya

Tejaswini grew up in Vadodara, a city in the western region of India. She decided to brave the weather and move to Cleveland to attend Case Western Reserve University. At CWRU, Tejaswini received her B.S. in polymer science and worked in Dr. Valentin Rodionov's lab to synthesize 2-D carbon materials. At UNC, she joined the Leibfarth group to work on stereoselective post-polymerization modifications. Outside the lab you can find her reading or exploring new music.

Paul Reiter

Paul grew up in East Northport, New York, where he discovered his love for pizza and bad hockey teams. He then moved far away from any decent Italian food to the Appalachian mountains where he attended Virginia Tech (Go Hokies!) and received his B.S. in Chemistry as well as B.S. in Aerospace Engineering. Paul uncovered his passion for polymer chemistry while working under Dr. Michael Schulz synthesizing polyurethanes. In search of some better pizza, he moved to Chapel Hill to pursue his PhD and joined the Leibfarth group to contribute to research on PFAs remediation. When not in lab, you can find Paul cooking up a new recipe, working out, playing video games, or hanging with his two cats.

Won-Woo (Kyle) Lee

Kyle was raised just outside of Milwaukee, WI where he grew to be an avid musician and swimmer. He traveled all the way to Boston College for his undergrad, earning a B.S. in chemistry and a minor in analog photography (his profile picture was taken on a 4x5 film camera)! When not in the darkroom making silver prints, he conducted research first with Prof. Jeffery Byers and then with Prof. Jia Niu; he worked on the chemical recycling of polylactones and the polymerization of carbohydrate-based cyclic ketene acetals respectively. His undergraduate research experience inspired him to join the Leibfarth group, and he is excited to work on the C-H functionalization of polyolefins for polymer upcycling applications. In his spare time, Kyle enjoys reading, golf, and bowling.

Undergraduate Students:

Mason Chapman

Mason is from Westchester, NY, or as he explains it to basically everyone he meets, “30 minutes north of NYC”. He’s pursuing a BS in Polymer Chemistry along with a Studio Art minor and joined the Leibfarth group in 2022. When he’s not in the lab, you might spot Mason on a run in an obscure part of campus, painting, or browsing the desserts section at Trader Joe’s.

Evan Zhu

Evan is an undergrad at UNC who calls himself a lifelong Chapel Hillian in the Southern part of heaven. He’s pursuing a B.S in chemistry with a minor in environmental science and is considering medical school after graduation. Evan joined the Leibfarth group in Fall 2024. He works with Alyssa Felix Thayne researching photo-initiated polymerizations. Other than chemistry, Evan enjoys doing anything in the wonderful outdoors and will never pass up the opportunity to eat something sweet.

Pets:

Kiwi is Elizabeth’s cat. When she’s not actively zooming around the apartment, she’s usually attacking any nearby toes or snacking on yarn while her mom crochets. She also loves feasting on seafood pâté and hunting bugs for sport.

Sarge is Nick's dog. He enjoys romping around the house, jumping at animals he sees on the television, and playing with his stuffed lamb toy. When he tires himself out, he likes to launch himself at whoever is on the recliner and take a nap while they slowly suffocate under 70 pounds of fluff.

Ricky and Sadie are Paul’s cats. Being siblings, their appearance is not the only thing they share. They both love naps, kneading blankets, bird watching, churu treats, and wrestling each other. Individually, Ricky has a passion for mechanically breaking down plastic waste with his teeth and Sadie eagerly awaits Paul’s arrival home each day so she can trap him from ever leaving again by falling asleep on his lap whenever and wherever he sits down.

Patrick and Poppy are Caleb’s cats. Since they’re brother and sister, they share many common interests, like kneading their favorite fuzzy grey blanket together. Poppy loves trying to eat Caleb’s fried eggs in the morning and Patrick is a big fan of sitting in the bathtub and staring at the faucet for no perceivable reason. They don’t know much about polymers, but they love to play with post-consumer plastic waste.

Roscoe was Frank's long-time companion and provided overall group support from 2016–2022. Roscoe also did many calculations while in Frank's office. Although Roscoe never did share his arduous work with the group, Frank was convinced it was of the highest impact. Roscoe loved when everyone came over to his house so he could convince people to provide him with both affection and snacks! Frank cannot bear to remove Roscoe from the group page…so he will remain here in memorandum.

Alumni:

Dr. Cole Sorensen: Graduate Student 2019-2024; currently a postdoc in the Hyster group at Princeton University

Dr. Victoria Barber: Graduate Student 2019-2024; currently research chemistry at Procter and Gamble

Dr. Mark Nosiglia: Postdoc 2022-2024; currently lead research chemistry at NC Pure Program

Anthony Bello: UNC Undergraduate 2023, currently in UNC Dental School

Dr. Mia Borden: Postdoc 2020-2023; currently a Assistant Professor at Trinity University

Dr. Quan Tran: Postdoc 2021-2023; currently a research scientist at Pall Corporation

Jordan Levi: Graduate Student 2020-2023; currently a research technician at Raytheon Technologies

Dr. Abu Bin Imran: Postdoc 2021-2022; currently an Associate Professor at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology

Dr. Irene Harmody: Graduate Student 2018-2022; currently Senior Engineer at Becton Dickinson

Dr. Nick Taylor: Graduate Student 2017-2022; currently a research scientist at Eastman Chemical

Joe Yee Mak: Graduate student 2020-2022

Dr. Travis Varner: Graduate student 2016-2021; currently a Teaching Assistant Professor at North Carolina State University

Alexis Sarabia: Graduate student 2018-2020

Dr. Aaron Teator: Postdoc 2017-2021; currently Assistant Professor at Kansas University

Dr. Marcus Reis: Graduate student 2016-2021; currently interning at 3M

Dr. Sally Lewis: Graduate student 2016-2021; currently employed at 3M

Dr. Jill Williamson Alty: Graduate student 2016-2021; currently a postdoc in the Kiessling Group at MIT

Dr. Phil Knutson: Postdoc 2019-2021; currently employed at Milliken Chemical Company

Robert Johnson: Graduate student 2017-2020

Dr. Elango Kumarasamy: Postdoc 2018-2019; currently employed at Conamix Inc.

Paige Jackey: UNC Undergraduate 2020

Shefali Gandai: UNC Undergraduate 2020

Bradley Wilhelmy: UNC Undergraduate 2019

Yaman Peksenar: UNC Undergraduate 2019

Brittany Smith: UNC Undergraduate 2018; Current: Masters of Public Health Program at Emory University

Cullen Davidson: UNC Undergradaute 2018; Current: Graduate school in Chemistry at University of Florida

Bradley Davis: UNC Undergradaute 2018; Current: Graduate school in Chemical Engineering at North Carolina State University

Broseidon: Travis's fish 2015-2017