Our Team

GRADUATE STUDENT

Maddie was born in a small town in Connecticut where she spent most of her life until attending her undergraduate institution; Goucher College where she majored in Chemistry and minored in Philosophy. It was here that she discovered her passion for organic and inorganic chemistry and more specifically research after working in Dr. Kevin Schultz research lab. During her time in college she also spent time abroad in Japan, learning Japanese and seeing the world. After graduating she has since found her place here in the Knope group where she works on Thorium nitrate complexes. Outside of chemistry Maddie loves to foster cats, spend time with her friends, grow plants, and travel.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Anamar was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and did her BS in Chemistry at the University of Iowa. There, she did undergraduate research under Dr. Tori Forbes understanding the interactions of the uranyl cation. In her free time, Anamar likes to spend time outside, visit the museums in downtown DC, listen to music, travel and hang out with friends.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Lulio is from Miami, Florida where he lived his entire adolescent life. He received his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in May of 2020 from Nova Southeastern University in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. While at NSU, Lulio worked in a physical chemistry lab, and later in an Inorganic Lab where he discovered his love for Inorganic chemistry. Lulio is currently working on Bismuth based luminescent materials and hopes to one day work in consulting or for the US Government. In his free time, you can find Lulio traveling, fishing, or plane spotting

GRADUATE STUDENT

Morgan is from Nashville, TN and received her B.S. in chemistry from Rhodes College in Memphis, TN. During her undergraduate studies, she worked under two different professors. Her research with Dr. Jon Russ was analytical chemistry-based, with a focus on GC-MS analysis of tobacco residues in archaeological pipes. She also worked under Dr. Roberto de la Salud Bea in the organic synthesis of novel amino acids with anti-venom properties. Morgan wanted to try something new upon her arrival at Georgetown, and became interested in pursuing inorganic synthesis in the Knope group. Currently, she is researching cluster-based trivalent lanthanide separations. In her free time, Morgan enjoys reading, going to concerts, and eating her way through D.C

GRADUATE STUDENT

Tom grew up in Rising Sun, Maryland. He went on to attend the University of Maryland where he earned a BS in chemistry. While at UMD spent time in Dr. Neil Blough’s lab doing research in environmental photochemistry. While Tom found his passion for research in Dr. Blough’s lab, it wasn’t until his senior year that he decided to pursue inorganic chemistry in graduate school. In his free time, Tom watches football and baseball, and spends time exploring DC with his dog, Copper.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Sabrina was born in Prince George’s County, MD where she spent most of her life until attending her undergraduate institution; North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University where she graduated with her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry in May of 2022. While at A&T she discovered her love for research after working under Shyam Aravamudhan at the Joint School of Nanoscience and Nanoengineering. Although she worked in a nanotechnology lab, Sabrina always had an interest in inorganic chemistry, specifically working with heavy elements. In her free time Sabrina likes to bake, workout, sculpt pottery and travel.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Meiling is from Ohio, where she attended The Ohio State University, earning her Bachelors of Science in Chemistry with Honors Research Distinction and a minor in studio art. At OSU, she did 4 years of undergraduate research with Dr. L R Baker, with a focus on catalysis, and 5 years of teaching general chemistry as a teaching assistant. After taking a year off, post-grad, she has found a place in the Knope lab, where she is able to explore her love for inorganic and fundamental chemistry. In her free time, Meiling loves to run, cook, and listen to music.

GRADUATE STUDENT

Alice grew up in Bend, Oregon, where the rivers and mountains helped cultivate her love for the environment. She attended Oregon State University for her undergraduate, earning an honors BS in chemistry with a history minor. During her tenure at OSU, she researched bismuth coordination compounds under the direction of Dr. May Nyman. She then worked at PNNL under the direction of Dr. Ana Arteaga and Dr. Gian Surbella. She studied actinide coordination chemistry and learned advanced actinide handling/contamination management techniques there. At Georgetown, Alice has returned to studying bismuth cluster chemistry, focusing on tuning its luminescent properties. Outside of the lab, Alice enjoys being outdoors, hiking, ballet, and exploring DC's hidden gems!

GRADUATE STUDENT

Gunjan is from Bangalore, India. She did an Integrated Bachelor's - Master's in Chemistry with a minor in Mathematics from Shiv Nadar Institute of Eminence, New Delhi. She explored polymorphism and ferroelectricity in small organic molecular crystals while working in Prof. Parthapratim Munshi's research group. She has found her place in the Knope group, where she is learning heavy metal chemistry and is excited to develop a new area of interest. In her free time, she loves reading, binge-watching shows, and sharing food from her culture!