Theses
Theses and dissertations are housed in the open-access digital repository of the KU Library upon completion.
2025
Colleen Thach - B.S. in Chemistry
The Sticky Side of Sugar, Spice, and Everything Nice: Quantifying the Binding of Li+ to Triphenylphosphine Oxide (TPPO) with 7-Li and 31-P NMR and Volatile and Particulate Emissions from Home 3D Printers
Thesis defended 15 May 2025
Committee members: J. Blakemore, C. Berrie, M. Hartley, and A. Brox
Cecilia Paranjothi - B.S. with Honors in Chemistry
Three Ps in a Pod: The Quantification of Lewis Acidity using Phosphine Oxides and the Synthesis and Immobilization of Molecular Uranyl Complexes bearing Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons onto Pyrolytic Graphite-based Electrodes
Thesis defended 14 May 2025 - Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Shoshani, and W. Thompson
Celine Khalife - B.A. with Honors in Chemistry
There’s a New Crown in Town: Synthesis and Characterization of a Uranyl Complex Supported by a Nitrated Crown Ligand
Thesis defended 13 May 2025 – Thesis
Committee members: J. Blakemore, M. Barybin, and C. Berrie
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