2025
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Friday, April 18, 2025 Reem-Kayden Center Laszlo Z. Bito '60 Auditorium 1:10 pm EDT/GMT-4 Dr. Isaacs's research is centered on a very reliable organic reaction: the copper-catalyzed cycloaddition of sulfonyl azides and terminal alkynes (CuAAC) commonly known as ‘click chemistry’. This fragmentation creates reactive intermediates which can be intercepted to synthesize nitrogen heterocycles, important structural components in a majority of pharmaceutical drugs. This seminar will also discuss strategies that capitalize on the learning styles and culture of the younger generation to broaden participation in STEM. Dr. André Isaacs (he/him/his) is an Associate Professor of Chemistry at the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA. He moved to the US upon finishing high school in Kingston, Jamaica and received his BA from the College of the Holy Cross and his PhD from the University of Pennsylvania. He then worked as a postdoctoral research associate at the University of California, Berkeley before accepting his current faculty position. In addition to teaching courses in Organic Chemistry, he conducts and publishes research in the area of copper-mediated organic reactions and synthesis. He is a faculty advisor to numerous student groups including the Caribbean African Students’ Assemblage and is a member of the college’s LGBTQ+ Faculty and Staff Alliance. He uses his online platform to challenge the normative STEM culture and demonstrate what an inclusive space could look like for the next generation of scientists, primarily those with marginalized identities. |