The group is pleased to receive a 5-year, $630,000 CAREER Award from NSF, which will support our studies into the mechanism and kinetics of photoredox catalysis, as well as photochemistry in highly ionic environments. In addition, the award will support our efforts to develop better STEM transfer pathways for community college students. Read more here.

Check out John on the Kopernik Observatory's Friday Night Livestream talking about Alchemy and the Birth of Modern Science here.

It's going to be a busy summer in the lab! An extra special congratulations to Nicole and Nora for receiving summer fellowships in recognition for their outstanding teaching this year. Also, a big congrats to Francis for receiving a Summer Scholars award from the University and to Bernie and Michael for receiving Beck and Starzak Summer Fellowships from the Department. 

The GREAT (Graduate Research Empowering and Accelerating Talent) award provides flexible funding to acknowledge SUNY graduate and undergraduate students who receive recognition from prestigous national fellowships. 

Check out John talking about our work on tattoo photochemistry on NPR's science podcast, "Shortwave," with Nell Greenfield-Boyce

The group welcomes two new graduate students today, Nicole VanKirk from East Stroudsbourg University, and Nora Burnett from St. Joseph's College. Welcome to the group!

An exciting day for the group as our R15 proposal dealing with tattoo photochemistry has been funded ($450,480/3 years). Despite the growing popularity of tattoos and massive economic footprint of laser tattoo removal, how light changes tattoos and what corresponding risks are introduced are poorly understood. Over the next 3 years, the Swierk group plans to map out what tattoo inks photodegrade into and what risks those photodegraded products pose to humans. Studies are also planned to understand how laser tattoo removal degrades tattoos, which may lead to better and more effective methods. Collaboration with Prof. Laura Rhoads (SUNY Potsdam) will allow the group to study the photochemical effects of tattoo in model biological systems.

Congratulations to both Victoria and Bernie for passing their oral exams and becoming Ph.D. candidates!

Congratulations to to Emily Z. for receiving the Stanley K. Madan Award in Inorganic Chemistry. The Madan award recognizes a graduating senior demonstrating excellence in inorganic chemistry. Congratulations also go to Sarah Kromer for receiving the ACS Award in Inorganic Chemistry from the Department of Chemistry. 

A big congrats to Sarah Kromer for receiving a Summer Scholars award from the University and Emily Loiaconi for receiving the Jeffery S. Beck Summer Undergraduate Research Award to support their summer research activities!

Congrats to second year graduate student for receiving an Honorable Mention from the National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship Program.

A big thanks to the Analytical and Diagnostics Laboratory at Binghamton for funding our small grant applications ($2500 for 1 year) that will help us to understand how light causes tattoos to breakdown. 

Welcome to our newest undergraduate group member Roman and a belated welcome to Kelli, a second year graduate student who joined the group during the fall. 

The group is growing! Welcome to our new undergraduate members Emily, Sarah, Tom, Emily, Emma, Danielle, and Francis! 

The group has received a Doctoral New Investigator Award from the American Chemical Society ($110,000 for 2 years) to investigate methods for using visible light to desulfurize fuels. Sulfur-containing molecules represent a major source of pollution in fuels and their removal during the refining process is inefficient and energy intensive. The grant will investigate molecules that selectively bind sulfur-containing impurities and then subsequently transform those molecules into an easily removed form using only light and oxygen. Thanks ACS!

Both received summer fellowships from the department in recognition for their "excellent performance in teaching assistantship duties"

The Mackey award is given to "an outstanding first-year teaching assistant in general chemistry."

The grant is given by the department to an "exception undergraduate student who has shown an interest in continuing research in chemistry." Over the summer, Ethan will be working on characterizing and understanding the quantum yields in photoredox reactions. 

The highly competitive fellowship "allow undergraduates to engage in special research, scholarship or creative activities during the summer."  Over the summer, Alex will be working on new catalysts for electrocatalytic nitrogen reduction.