Members Page

Principal Investigator

Dave Martin

Dave Martin was born and raised in Calgary, Alberta, Canada and spent a lot of time growing up hiking, camping and snowboarding in the Canadian Rockies west of Calgary. He received his Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry from the University of British Columbia, where he did research in the group of Prof. Greg Dake. Dave also spent one year in Siegen, Germany as an exchange student where he developed an appreciation for polyglots and delicious German beers. In 2005, he moved to Montreal for an internship at the Merck-Frosst Centre for Therapeutic Research, working in the Medicinal Chemistry Department. In 2006, Dave started graduate school at the University of California, Irvine where he worked with Prof. Chris Vanderwal on the application of Zincke aldehydes toward the synthesis of Strychnos alkaloids, including a short synthesis of strychnine. After obtaining his Ph.D. in 2011, he moved to Princeton, NJ to pursue post-doctoral research in the lab of Prof. Dave MacMillan. His work in the MacMillan group involved new applications of photoredox catalysis, including the direct beta-arylation of aldehydes and ketones. In July 2014, Dave joined the Chemistry Department at the University of California, Riverside before moving to Iowa in 2019. Dave was promoted to Associate Professor in July 2022. When not in the Chemistry building, before he had a baby, Dave could be found running, brewing or hitting the slopes. Now, he can be found collecting blocks, searching "At what age can kids learn how to ride a bike" and getting some peace and quiet in the garden. Dave will be co-chair of the 2025 Organic Reactions and Processes GRC. There is a great lineup of speakers, so consider attending and supporting this conference.

Graduate Students

Cory Ludwig
cory-ludwig@uiowa.edu

M.S. SUNY, Oswego
Lab Position: Bad-Luck Charm
Type: Always Mysterious
Quote: "It could always be worse."

Mikayla Wymore
mikayla-wymore@uiowa.edu

B.S. + B.A. University of Iowa
Lab Position: Apprentice Wizard of Photocatalysis
Type: The Observant One
Quote: "Whatever floats your boat."

Clarence Peiris
clarence-peiris@uiowa.edu

B.S. The Open University of Sri Lanka
Lab Position: Total Synthesis
Type: Curious
Quote: "Always be cool"

Logan Evans
logan-evans@uiowa.edu

B.S. Monmouth College
Lab Position: Logan
Type: Air
Quote: "Long quote not fit"

Henry O'Callaghan
henry-ocallaghan@uiowa.edu

B.S. University of Nebraska Lincoln
Lab Position: Begrudging Mailman
Type: Bidoof/Satellite Hooligan
Quote: "This is a stupid idea, but if it works, it's the best idea I've ever had"

Emmanuel Yeboah Bonsu
emmanuel-bonsu@uiowa.edu

M.S. University of Ghana
Lab Position: Soccer Addict
Type: Slow but Sure
Quote: "You will survive"

Ebuka Onyeyilim
ebuka-onyeyilim@uiowa.edu

M.S. University of Nigeria, Nsukka
Lab Position: Total Synthesis
Type: Derivatives
Quote: "You can do it"

Matteo Mannara
matteo-mannara@uiowa.edu

M.S. College of the Holy Cross
Lab Position: Your Cousin from Boston
Type: Grass
Quote: "The plan is simple"

Nicholas Ryan
nick-ryan@uiowa.edu

B.S. Saint Mary's University of Minnesota
Lab Position: Chairman of the Tortured Chemists Department
Type: Radical
Quote: "So ahead of the curve, the curve became a sphere

Post-Docs

Ayesha Khan
ayesha-khan@uiowa.edu

Ph.D. Institute of Physical Chemistry, Polish Academy of Sciences
Lab Position: Go Up, Go Down, Stop, Again
Type: Air-sensitive, Heat-sensitive, Light-sensitive
Quote: "Allah will see your pursuit not accomplishment"