People

Dr. Melanie Sanford

Melanie Sanford grew up in Providence, RI. She received her undergraduate degree in chemistry from Yale University in 1996 where she worked with Professor Bob Crabtree studying C–F bond functionalization. She then moved to Caltech where she worked with Professor Bob Grubbs investigating the mechanism of ruthenium-catalyzed olefin metathesis reactions. After receiving her PhD in 2001, she worked with Professor Jay Groves at Princeton University as an NIH post-doctoral fellow studying metalloporphyrin-catalyzed functionalization of olefins. Melanie has been a professor at the University of Michigan since the summer of 2003.
Curriculum Vitae


Marc Hanosh

Lab Manager & Administrative Support

Master’s in Public Health 2018
University of Michigan

Time: 2019-Present
[email protected]

Hometown: Metro Detroit, MI


Dr. Daniel Brandes

B.A. Chemistry 2018
Williams College
Advisor: Dr. Jimmy Blair

Ph.D Chemistry 2023
Yale University
Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Ellman

Time: 2023-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Cranston, RI


Ila Castro De La Torre

B.S. Chemistry 2020
University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
Advisor: Dr. Alexander Spokoyny

Time:2022-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: Ecuador


Taylor Spiller

B.S. Chemistry 2021
University of Texas at San Antonio
Advisor: Dr. Doug Frantz

Time: 2022-Present
Project: Fluorination
[email protected]

Hometown: Seagraves, TX


Joshua Thedford

B.S. Chemistry 2021
University of Georgia
Advisor: Dr. Aaron Thompson

Time: 2022-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: Atlanta, GA


Bobby Wolesensky

B.S. Chemistry 2021
New York University
Advisor: Dr. Dirk Trauner

Time: 2022-Present
Project: Cross-Coupling
[email protected]

Hometown: Liberty Hill, TX


Sabrina Carneiro

B.A. Chemistry 2021
Pomona College
Advisor: Dr. Nicholas D. Ball

Time: 2022-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Sao Paolo, Brazil


Emily Nolan

B.A. Chemistry 2021
St. Olaf College
Advisor: Dr. Elodie Marlier

Time: 2022-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: Guilford, CT


Sabrina Reich

B.S. Chemistry 2022
Michigan State University
Advisor: Dr. Robert Maleczka

Time: 2023-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Rochester Hills, MI


Abdias Noel

B.S. Chemistry 2021
University of Florida
Advisors: Dr. Alexander J. Grenning, Dr. Simon E. Lopez

Time: 2023-Present
Project: Fluorination
[email protected]

Hometown: Naples, FL


Zoe Wachtel

B.S. Chemistry 2023
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign
Advisor: Dr. Lisa Olshansky

Time: 2024-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: Oak Park, IL


Emily Jimenez

B.S. Pharmaceutical Chemistry 2023
UC Davis
Advisor: Dr. Jared T. Shaw

Time: 2024-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Ceres, CA


Julia Viana Bento

M.S. Chemistry 2022
UFRN, Brazil
Advisor: Dr. Amanda Duarte Gondim

Time: 2024-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Natal, Brazil


Samuel Greco

B.S. Chemistry 2022
University of Texas at San Antonio
Advisor: Dr. Oleg Larionov

Time: 2024-Present
Project: Fluorination
[email protected]

Hometown: San Antonio, TX


Ziyan (Vico) Wang

B.S. Chemistry 2024
Emory University
Advisor: Dr. Cora Macbeth

Time: 2025-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: Shanghai, China


Sheikh Nahiyan

B.S. Chemistry 2024
Yale University
Advisor: Dr. Nilay Hazari

Time: 2025-Present
Project: Cross-Coupling
[email protected]

Hometown: Ventnor City, NJ


Calvin Goldsmith

B.S. Chemistry 2024
Oakland University
Advisor: Dr. Zacharias Kinney

Time: 2025-Present
Project: Fluorination
[email protected]

Hometown: Pontiac, MI


Maya Kama

B.S. Chemistry (in progress)
University of Michigan

Time: 2025-Present
Project: C-H Activation
[email protected]

Hometown: Ann Arbor, MI


Kade Flegel

B.S. Chemistry (in progress)
University of Michigan

Time: 2025-Present
Project: Organometallics
[email protected]

Hometown: San Jose, CA