Theses

Theses and dissertations are housed in the open-access digital repository of the KU Library upon completion.

2024

Joseph Karnes - Ph.D. in Chemistry

On the Use of 2-D and 3-D Ditopic Ligands for Coordinating Cation-Promoted Tunability in Heterobimetallic Complexes
Thesis defended 30 May 2024
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, K. Bowman-James, T. Jackson, and J. Slusky

Emily Mikeska - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

Controlling the Structural Properties, Redox Chemistry, and Redox-Induced Reactions of Heavy Elements with Tailored Ligands and Lewis Acids
Thesis defended 3 May 2024
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, M. Caricato, and A. Allgeier

Riddhi Golwankar - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

Chemical and Electrochemical Studies of Uranium, Platinum, and Palladium Complexes with Lewis Acids
Thesis defended 30 April 2024
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, K. Bowman-James, T. Jackson, and A. Allgeier

2023

Christian Nilles - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

Understanding the Physical and Electrochemical Properties of Carbon Dioxide-Rich Electrolytes for Carbon Dioxide Conversion
Thesis defended 27 November 2023
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, K. Leonard, W. Thompson, and Z. Boskovic

Claire Dopp - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

Cations on Board, Ready for Takeoff: Using Vanadyl and Its Terminal Oxo to Probe Ligand Donor Strength in Heterobimetallic Complexes
Thesis defended 12 May 2023 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and M. Hartley

2022

Jonah Stiel - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

The End of the Rhodium: Synthesis, Characterization, and Redox Chemistry of Manganese and Rhodium Complexes Supported by Unorthodox Diimine Ligands
Thesis defended 13 May 2022 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and J. Tunge

Emma Cosner - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

Three Elements Walk Into a Glovebox: Promoting Uncommon Redox Chemistry with Heterobimetallic Rhodium, Samarium, and Europium Complexes
Thesis defended 6 May 2022 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and C. Berrie

Wade Henke - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

Mapping Intermediates in Hydrogen Evolution with [Cp*Rh] Catalysts and Carbon Monoxide Release from [Mn(CO)₃] Complexes
Thesis defended 12 April 2022
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, C. Elles, W. Thompson, and Z. Boskovic

Julie Hopkins Leseberg - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

Redox Chemistry, Bimetallic Effects, and Ligand Design for Rhodium, Chromium, and Cerium Complexes
Thesis defended 29 March 2022
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, C. Berrie, A. Teator, and A. Allgeier

2021

Chelsea Comadoll - PH.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

[Cp^*Rh] Monohydrides Supported by Diphosphine Ligands: Synthesis, Characterization, and Multifrequency Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Studies
Thesis defended 6 December 2021
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, C. Berrie, A. Teator, and A. Allgeier

Amit Kumar - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

On the Redox Tuning of 3d and 5f Metal Complexes with Lewis Acids
Thesis defended 2 June 2021
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, T. Jackson, J. Tunge, and A. Allgeier

2020

Yun Peng - Ph.D. in Chemistry

On the Nature of Hydrogen Evolution by Half-Sandwich Rhodium Complexes
Thesis defended 10 July 2020
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, T. Jackson, W. Thompson, and J. Bravo-Suarez

David Sconyers - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors)

I. Piezoelectric Gravimetry as a Probe of Interfacial Phenomena Impacting Molecular Electrocatalysis. II. Intensification of Electrocatalytic CO2 Reduction in Pressure-Tunable CO₂-eXpanded Electrolytes.
Thesis defended 15 April 2020
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, T. Jackson, K. Leonard, and P. Dhar

2019

Shaun Kelsey - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

An Adventure in Space (Group) and (Reaction) Time: Divergent Synthesis of Heterobimetallic Complexes of Zinc with Lewis Acids
Thesis defended 21 May 2019 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, D. Benson, and J. Slusky

Emily Boyd - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

If It’s Not Broke, Break It, and Then Break It Again: Understanding [Cp^*Rh] Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution by Investigation of Remarkably Inert Analogues
Thesis defended 13 May 2019 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and T. Jackson

Will Moore - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

The Rhodium Less Traveled: Understanding the Influence of Bipyridyl Ligand Substituents on [Cp^*Rh] Catalysts for Hydrogen Evolution
Thesis defended 3 May 2019 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and C. Elles

Katie Johnson - M.S. in Chemistry (Honors)

Surface Immobilization and Electrochemical Studies of Molecular Lanthanide and Actinide Complexes
Thesis defended 27 March 2019 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and K. Bowman-James

2017

Wade Henke - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry

Opposites Attract: Synthesis and Electrochemical Studies of Electron-Rich and Electron-Poor Rhodium Complexes for Hydrogen Evolution Catalysis
Thesis defended 12 May 2017 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, D. Benson, C. Elles, and T. Jackson

2012

James Blakemore - Ph.D. in Chemistry (Yale University)

Chemical and Electrochemical Studies of Water-Oxidation Catalysis
Thesis defended 29 March 2012 - Dissertation
Committee members: G. Brudvig, R. Crabtree, and A. Valentine