Emslie Group - People
Home Emslie CV Research Publications Conferences People X-Ray Structures Techniques Journals Links
Contents:
- Recent Group Photo
- Current Group Members (photos and info)
- Previous Graduate Students (photos and info)
- Previous PDFs and Visiting Research Scientists (photos and info)
- Previous Undergraduate Students (photos and info)
- Various Photos of the Group (lab events etc)CURRENT GROUP MEMBERS
Jeffrey Price (pricej4@mcmaster.ca)
Ph.D. student, OGS. 2016/17 winner of the Dr. Ronald J Gillespie Prize for outstanding scholastic achievement and innovative research in Inorganic Chem.Jeff obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from McMaster U. His PhD research is focused on organomanganese chemistry for metal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) and Catalysis. He currently has 6 papers - four 1st author papers (Organometallics x 3 + Angew. Chem.), one 2nd author paper (Organometallics), one review (Coord. Chem. Rev.), and 3 additional manuscripts close to submission.
Aathith Vasanthakumar (vasana4@mcmaster.ca)
Ph.D. studentAathith obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto at Mississauga.
Aathith's research is focused on the design and synthesis of new highly rigid pincer ligands, and applications of these ligands in electropositive metal chemistry.
Katarina Paskaruk (paskarkm@mcmaster.ca)
Ph.D. student (started May 2015)Katarina (Katia) obtained her B.Sc. in Chemistry from McMaster University.
Katia's reserach is focused on the development of ambiphilic ligand transition metal complexes for applications in catalysis.
Majeda Al Hareri (alharerm@mcmaster.ca)
M.Sc. student, NSERC PGS-D (started Sept 2016)Majeda obtained her B.Sc. in Chemistry from Brock U., and started as a graduate student in the Emslie group in Sept 2016. She already has 3 publications (2 x 1st and 1 x 2nd author) from her undergrad research in the Pilkington group (Inorg. Chem. 2017, accepted, Chem. Commun. 2016, 52, 11335-11338, and J. Mater. Chem. C 2015, 3, 7738-7747).
Majeda's research is focused on new approaches in element ALD.
Novan Gray (grayna@mcmaster.ca)
M.Sc. student (started Sept 2018)Novan was a undergraduate 3RP3 student (Jan-April 2017) in the Emslie group, then a summer student (2017) and a Chem 4G09 student (2017-2018). Novan's 3rd year undergraduate research focused on the development of new co-reactants for metal ALD, while his 4th year research project focused on uranium complexes of new rigid ligands. Novan's graduate research is focused on the development of actinide rigid ligand complexes, and studies of metal-ligand bonding.
Declan DeJordy (dejordyd@mcmaster.ca)
M.Sc. student (started Sept 2018)
Declan obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Guelph, with research experience from the Preuss and Denk groups.His graduate research is focused on the development of new precursors and reactions for ALD.
Kasuni Wedisinghe (wedisink@mcmaster.ca)
M.Sc. student (started Jan 2019)
Kasuni obtained her B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Kelaniya in Sri Lanka.Her graduate research is focused on the development of new precursors and reactions for ALD.
Seja Elgadi (boisvere@mcmaster.ca)
CHEM 3RP3 Student (Sept-Dec 2018)
CHEM 4G09 Student (Sept 2019-April 2020)Seja's CHEM 3RP3 project involved ambiphilic ligand synthesis and late transition metal chemistry.
Her CHEM 4G09 project will focus on organometallic actinide chemistry.
PREVIOUS GRADUATE STUDENTS
Kevin (Ya-Dong) Yu (yuy100@mcmaster.ca)
Visiting Ph.D. student (2017-2018)Kevin is a Ph.D. student from Shantou University, China, who conducted 1 year of his studies in our group. In China, Kevin's research focused on the synthesis, characterization of Cu and Ag complexes, with a focus on their optical properties (Chem. Commun., 2014, 9000-9002 and 2015, 14489-14492, and Inorg. Chem., 2016, 75-82). Kevin's research in our group focused on metal complexes of an extremely rigid and bulky pincer linand, XAT.
Kelly Motolko - Ph.D. degree received in August 2017.
Thesis: "Rare Earth and Group 4 Transition Metal Complexes of Rigid Dianionic Pincer Ligands"Kelly obtained her B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Western Ontario, and she defended her PhD from the Emslie lab in August 2017 (external examiner Prof. Gino Lavoie, York U). Kelly's PhD research focused on the organometallic chemistry of early transition metal and f-element complexes supported by rigid pincer ligands, for applications in alkene hydroamination and ethylene polymerization. Kelly's work yielded 4 first-author papers (2 Organometallics, 1 RSC Adv. and 1 Eur. J. Inorg. Chem.)
Dr. Nick Andreychuk - Ph.D. degree received in May 2017
Thesis: "Rigid NON-Donor Pincer Ligands in Organoactinide Chemistry".Nick obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Lakehead University, and defended his Ph.D. from the Emslie lab in May 2017 (External examiner Prof. Daniel B. Leznoff, SFU). He currently has 6 papers: 1 from his undergraduate research in the MacKinnon group, and 5 from our group (1 Organometallics, 2 Dalton Trans., and 1 JOMC on uranium complexes + 1 Angew. Chem. and potassium-alkane complexes). A book chapter has been submitted, and 1 other manuscript is in preparation.
2013/14 winner of the Dr. Ronald J Gillespie Prize for outstanding scholastic achievement and innovative research in Inorganic Chem.
Nick was a PDF in the Emslie group for 1 year, and is now a Chemist, Intellectual Property at Apotex Pharmachem.
Dr. Brad Cowie - Ph.D. degree received in 2015.
Thesis: "Late transition Metal Complexes of Group 13 Lewis Acid-Containing Ambiphilic Ligands".Brad obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from McMaster, and defended his Ph.D. from the Emslie lab in Oct. 2015 (External examiner Prof. Joshua S. Figueroa, UCSD). His research focused on the synthesis, study and reactivity of late TM complexes bearing borane- and alane-containing ambiphilic ligands. He has 11 papers from McMaster: 1 from undergrad research in the Greedan group, and 10 from our group (9 on ambiphilic ligand complexes including in Angew. Chem., and 1 review).
2013/14 winner of the Dr. Ronald J Gillespie Prize for outstanding scholastic achievement and innovative research in Inorganic Chem.
In Nov 2015, Brad started a PDF (NSERC) in the group of Polly Arnold at the University of Edinburgh, Scotland. NSERC Postdoctoral Fellowship winner.
Dr. Carlos Cruz - Ph.D. degree received from the Emslie group in 2010.
Thesis: "Rigid Non-Carbocyclic Ancillary Ligands in Organothorium Chemistry".
Carlos obtained his B.Sc. degree in Chemistry from McMaster in 2004, and he graduated with his Ph.D. from the Emslie lab in 2010 (External examiner Prof. William J. Evans - UC Irvine). His research resulted in 5 first-author publications and 1 non-first-author publication, and he was Chemistry Graduate Student President from 2006-2007. Carlos held OGS from 2006-2008, and an NSERC PGS-D for 2008-2010. He was also the recipient of Morrison (2005) and Lock (2006 and 2007) Scholarships.Carlos is currently a Research Chemist in the Polyolefins Catalyst and Product Development Group at Chevron Phillips Chemical Company in Oklahoma.
Natalie Huk - M.Sc. degree received from the Emslie group in 2006.
Thesis: "Borane-Containing Ligands Based on Thioxanthene, Xanthene and Acridine: Synthesis and Platinum Coord. Chem.".
Natalie Huk received her B.Sc. degree in Chemistry from U Windsor in 2003; her final year undergraduate thesis was with Dr. Chuck Macdonald. She graduated with an M.Sc. from the Emslie lab in 2006, before going on to pursue a 2nd graduate degree in California. Her research was included in 1 paper from the group.PREVIOUS PDFs OR VISITING RESEARCH SCIENTISTS
Dr. Nick Andreychuk
Postdoctoral Researcher: 2017-2018Nick obtained his Ph.D. degree in the Emslie group. His thesis was entitled "Rigid NON-Donor Pincer Ligands in Organoactinide Chemistry".
He then worked as a postdoctoral researcher for 1 year in the Emslie group, working on research focused on the development of new directions in CVD. Now a Chemist, Intellectual Property at Apotex Pharmachem.
Dr. Edwin Wong
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2013-2015Edwin obtained a B.Sc. in Computer Engineering from the U. Alberta and then completed B.Sc.and Ph.D. degrees in Chemistry at Simon Fraser University (SFU) in Vancouver. His Ph.D. was conducted with Prof. Leznoff and his thesis was entitled "An investigation of redox-active isoindoline-based ligands and their coordination complexes". Edwin then worked for 1 year as a PDF in Prof. Cameron Jones' group at Monash University in Australia before joining the Emslie group in April 2013. Edwin's research focused on the development of new rigid pincer ligands and their application in the development of f-element organometallic chemistry, particularly olefin polymerization catalysis. Edwin is now working at E-One Moli Energy (Canada) Limited.
Dr. Todd Whitehorne
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2013-2015Todd obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from Carleton U. in 2007 and then completed an M.Sc. in the Barry group at Carleton U.; " Au(I), Au(III), Ag(I) Amidinate, Guanidinate and Xanthates applied to CVD/ALD deposition of metallic thin films". In 2009 he moved to the Schaper group at Université de Montréal where he completed his Ph.D. entitled "Novel M(II) β-Diketimines for the stereoselective polymerization of lactide". Todd 's research in the Emslie group was focused on the development and study of new precursors and reaction chemistry for metal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). In March 2015, Todd started a position at Digital Specialty Chemicals. In November 2015, he moved on to a position at Atomic Energy Canada Ltd. (AECL).
Dr. Preeti Chadha
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2011-2013
Preeti obtained her B.Sc. (Hons) in Chemistry in 2002 from Banaras Hindu University (BHU), and an M.Sc. degree in Chemistry from IIT Roorkee. She then worked for 2 years with Prof. B. D. Gupta at IIT Kanpur. In 2011 Preeti received her Ph.D. from the Ragogna group at UWO: "Exploring the Chemistry of Cyclopentadienyl-Cobalt-Cyclobutadiene (CpCoCb) Complexes and Synthesis of Side-Chain CpCoCb Polymers". Preeti joined the Emslie group in Sept 2011, and her research focused on the development and study of new reaction chemistry for metal Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD). She has 1 review and 2 papers from her time in the group. Preeti worked as a Research Chemist at Green Centre Canada (2013-2017) and is now a Research Scientist at DowDuPont in Kingston, Ontario (2017-current).Dr. Bala Vidjayacoumar
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2007-2010Bala obtained his M.Sc. in Chemistry in 1999 from Pondicherry University in India, and his Ph.D. in Chemistry in 2005 from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur in India. Upon completion of his Ph.D. degree, Bala worked for 7 months as a research associate in the group of Prof. R. Mukherjee at IIT Kanpur. He then moved to a position as a PDF with Prof. S. Gambarotta (U Ottawa) in September 2005, and in March 2007, Bala joined the Emslie research group. During this time, his research focused on the development and study of new methods for late transition metal atomic layer deposition (ALD) and he also mentored various students in the area of organouranium chemistry. He has 5 papers so far from his research in the group and is now a Lead Scientist at SABIC (Saudi Basic Industries Corporation).
Dr. Sougandi Ilango
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2007-2008Sougandi obtained her M.Sc. in Chemistry (1999), an M.Phil. in Bioinorganic Chemistry (2000) and a Ph.D. in Chemistry (2003) from Pondicherry University in India. From January 2004 to December 2005, Sougandi worked as a PDF in the group of Prof. Jean Marc Latour in Grenoble, France. This postdoctoral work focused on protein purification and EPR titration of metalloproteins. In March 2006, Sougandi moved to a position as a PDF in the group of Prof. S. Gambarotta (U Ottawa), and this was followed by a position as a PDF in the Emslie group (August 2007 to May 2008). During this time, her research focused primarily on organometallic and low valent uranium chemistry and she has 2 papers from this work. She is now an Award Specialist at King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia
Dr. Venkat Ramalingam
Postdoctoral Research Fellow: 2008-2009Venkat obtained his B.Sc. (1999) and M.Sc. (2001) degrees in Chemistry from Madurai Kamaraj University, India. He then completed a Ph.D. in chemistry with Prof. Maravanji S. Balakrishna at IIT Bombay, India. The title of his thesis was "Phosphorus Based Multidentate Ligands: Synthesis, Organometallic Chemistry and applications". In July 2007 he joined the group of Prof. W. Malisch as a PDF at the University of Würzburg, Germany. In December 2008, Venkat joined the Emslie group as a PDF; his research focused on the development and study of new methods for late transition metal atomic layer deposition (ALD). He has 1 paper from this work, and at the end of October 2009, Venkat moved to a faculty position at the PSG Institute for Advanced Studies in Coimbatore, India.
Dr. James Blackwell
Visiting Research Scientist for 4 months in 2003James obtained his B.Sc. in Chemistry from the University of Toronto. He then completed an M.Sc. with Prof. M. Lautens (U Toronto), followed by a Ph.D. with Prof. W. Piers (U Calgary), and a postdoctoral fellowship with Prof. C. Cummins (MIT).
Before moving to a position as a research chemist at Intel Corporation in Oregon, James worked for 4 months in the Emslie lab as a visiting research scientist. During this time, his research focused on attempted synthesis of our ambiphilic phosphine-thioether-borane ligand, TXPB.
PREVIOUS UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS
* 19 out of 25 previous undergraduate students in the lab have or will continue on to pursue a graduate degree in chemistry.
Date Student Position in Emslie Group
Current Position 2018-2019 Eliza-Jayne Boisvert
Volunteer (Jan-April 2018), Summer Student (2018), then
CHEM 4G09 Student (Sept 2018-April 2019)Will start as an M.Sc. student in the Fogg group at U Ottawa in Sept 2019 2018 Seja
ElgadiCHEM 3RP3 in the Fall term of 2018.
Undergraduate student - will be back for 4G09 in 2019-2020 2017-2018 Novan
GrayCHEM 3RP3, summer, then CHEM 4G09 student.
Winner of the undergrad thesis talk award.Grad student in the Emslie group
(see grad student section for more details)2017-2018 Andrew Broomfield CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Grad student in the Fekhl group at U Toronto, Mississauga 2016-2017 Aisling
RoperCHEM 4G09 thesis student
(3rd year undergrad research student from the U. Bristol, England)
Completed undergrad degree at U Bristol 2016-2017 John
BoxCHEM 4G09 thesis student
(3rd year undergrad research student from the U. Bristol, England)
Completed undergrad degree at U Bristol
2015-2016 Alon
GenkinCHEM 4G09 thesis student (co-op).
Unknown
2015-2016 Lilly
Vo
Summer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Unknown
2015-2016 Matt
SinclairCHEM 4G09 thesis student
(3rd year undergrad research student from the U. Bristol, England)
PhD student in the Chaplin group at Warwick. 2014-2015 Katarina Paskaruk Summer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
PhD student in the Emslie group
(see grad student section for more details)2013-2014 Tara
DickieCHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Paper published from undergrad Th research.PhD student in the Hayes group (U Lethbridge)
2012-2013 Judy (Fu An) Tsao Summer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
1 paper (Angew. Chem.) from undergrad research.
PhD from the Stephan group (U of T) 2012-2013 Adam Pantaleo Summer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Winner of the undergrad thesis talk award.
MSc from the Song group (U of T) 2011-2012 Meera
MehtaSummer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
1 of 2 runners up for undergrad thesis talk award.PhD from the Stephan group (U of T).
Now PDF at Oxford U, England.2010-2011 Jeffrey
PriceSummer student, then CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
1 of 2 runners up for undergrad thesis talk award.
PhD student in the Emslie group
(see PhD student section for more details)2009-2010 Velislava Bachvarova CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Unknown 2009 Kelly
MotlokoSummer student after completing her B.Sc. in Chemistry at the
University of Western Ontario.
PhD from the Emslie group. 2008-2009 Terry
ChuCHEM 4G09 student, then summer student.
2 papers (Dalton Trans. and JOMC) from undergrad research.M.Sc. from Piers group (Calgary). Ph.D. from Nikonov group (Brock). Now PDF at Los Alamos. 2007-2008 Brad
CowieCHEM 4G09 thesis student,
then NSERC USRA summer student in 2008.PhD from Emslie group. Now PDF with Polly Arnold at U Edinburgh, Scotland
2007-2008 Jordan Thomson
CHEM 4G09 thesis student.
Winner of undergraduate thesis talk award.PhD from Ozin group (U Toronto). Then Green Centre, followed by DuPont Canada. 2007-2008 Matt
Ray3rd year undergraduate research student from the University of Bristol, England. 1 paper (Dalton Trans.) from U research.
PhD from Kilian group at St. Andrews in Scotland. Now research & process development chemist at Addivant. 2006 Rachelle Kleinberger Summer student in 2006. Completed PhD in the Stover group
(McMaster U)2005-2006 Simon
OakleyCHEM 4G06, then summers student. Winner of undergraduate thesis talk award. 2 papers (Dalton Trans. and Organometallics) from undergrad.
Completed M.Sc. in the Hicks group at U Victoria
2005 Kyle
ParkerNSERC USRA student.
1 paper (Organometallics) from undergraduate Rh research.Completed PhD in Fryzuk group at UBC. 2004 Abdullah Alabousi B.HSc.(Honours) 3H03 undergrad research project. Obtained Medical degree from UWO 2003-2004 Carlos
CruzCHEM 4G06 thesis student.
Completed Ph.D. in Emslie group.
Now researcher at Chevron Phillips in the US.
Pictures of previous undergraduate students:
Eliza-Jayne Boisvert (2017-19)
![]()
Novan Gray (2017-2018)
![]()
Andrew Broomfield (2017-2018)
Aisling Roper(2016-2017)
John Box (2016-2017)
Alon Genkin (2015-2016)
Lilly Vo (2015-2016)
Matt Sinclair (2015-2016)
Katarina Paskaruk (2014-2015)
Tara Dickie (2013-2014)
Adam Pantaleo (2012-2013)
Judy (Fu An) Tsao (2012-2013)
Meera Mehta (2011-2012)
Jeffrey Price(2010-2011)
Velislava Bachvarova (2009-2010)
Kelly Motolko (2009)
Terry Chu (2008-2009)
Brad Cowie (2007-2008)
Matt Ray (2007-2008)
Jordan Thomson (2007-2008)
Rachelle Kleinberger (2006)
Simon Oakley (2005-2006)
Kyle Parker (2005)
Carlos Cruz (2003)
SELECTED RECENT PHOTOS
IDW in Waterloo - Oktoberfest Banquet! - November 2018
Undergraduate Chemistry Thesis Night - March 2018
![]()
Photos from Chem Dept Xmas Dinner - December 2017
Dinner at Brux House - December 2017
![]()
Kelly Graduation - November 2017
Braduation - July 2016 / Nick Graduation - June 2017
![]()
Edwin's Last Day in the Lab - Dinner at the Phoenix - April 2015
Lab Christmas Dinner - Dec 2014 ( Emslie group + Escapees)
Lab BBQ - Sept 2014
Emslie Group in October 2014 - From left to right - Brad Cowie, Katarina Paskaruk, Kelly Motolko, Nick Andreychuk, Todd Whitehorne, Kris Kolpin, Edwin Wong, Aathith Vasanthakumar