Current Graduate Students

Hi, my name is Andres!   I received a B.S. Biochemistry from CSU Long Beach and I am currently studying Polypyrimidine Tract Binding Proteins under Dr. Keppetipola's lab. I am very excited about this topic and look forward to its future research. Some of the topics that spark my interest are the biochemistry of life, quantum mechanics, graphene, genome editing, philosophy, God, and mathematics.
Among many things I enjoy biking, swimming, chess, writing, some videogames and reading.

Hello! my name is Cannon Savage and I am a first-year graduate student here at CSUF. I received my bachelor's degree in biochemistry from CSUF last Spring. I am interested in biochemistry and I recently joined the Linder laboratory. My current project involves studying the effects of estrogen on the levels of copper binding proteins in the blood.

 

 

Hi, my name is Danielle Rocco and I am a first-year graduate student.  I received my bachelor's degree in chemistry from the University of California, Irvine in 2020. The area of research I am interested in is analytical chemistry and atmospheric chemistry. I am working in Dr. Curtis’s lab studying aerosol particles, specifically wildfire emissions and metal emissions from highways and fireworks.  

Hi, my name is José Luis Guardado Sandoval and I am a first-year graduate student. I received my bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from California State University, Fullerton in 2016.  I joined Dr. Andrew Petit’s Research Lab group and I am currently working on projects related to photochemistry. Some of my hobbies include hiking, playing video games, and traveling when possible.

My name is Lauren Hernandez and I am a second-year graduate student in Dr. Haan’s research lab, working on the fuel cell team. I study electrochemistry and the oxidation of small organic molecules capable of producing renewable energy for materials. My hobbies include taking adventures to new places, eating different types of foods, and staying active!

My name is Ryan Hicken and I am a second-year Organic Chemistry graduate student working in Dr. Salzameda’s lab. I am currently working on the synthesis of inhibitors for the treatment of Chagas disease, which currently effects an estimated 7 million people worldwide. Additionally, I do work with flow reactor systems for this chemistry. I graduated with a B.S. in Biochemistry from Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, and currently am a Chemist in the Polymer Lab at the Behr Paint Company.

 

Hi everyone! My name is Montana Mellody and I am a first-year graduate student. I graduated from Vanguard University in 2017 with my bachelor's in biochemistry. I recently joined Dr. Keppetipola's Research Lab group and I am beyond thrilled to be joining this program!

 

 

Hello, my name is Esther Morales, and I am a first-year Grad student here at CSUF majoring in Analytical Chemistry. I graduated from CSUB in 2019 with a B.S in Chemistry ACS Certified.  A couple hobbies of mine are binge watching Netflix and movies, hiking, playing my guitar and hanging out with friends. 

My name is Kevan Nguyen, I am a second-year graduate student. I am an alumnus of California State University, Fullerton with a MS in Biochemistry. I returned to complete my master’s degree in Biochemistry and am currently working in Dr. Linder’s research lab. Our lab is currently studying copper metabolism within Mammalia.

 

My name is Paul Thang Ngoc Nguyen, and I am a first-year graduate student at CSU Fullerton.  I got my bachelor's degree in chemistry from Chapman University in 2019, and am pursuing a master's degree in Analytical Chemistry. In my free times, I love to go hiking and board gaming with family.

 

Hello, my name is Steven Pham and I am a first-year chemistry graduate student at CSUF. I graduated from UC Riverside in 2019 with a degree in biochemistry and was involved in analytical chemistry research in Dr. Quan Cheng's group. My experiences in undergraduate research were the best learning opportunities I had during my undergraduate career. These research experiences sparked my passion for chemistry and led me to pursuing a graduate degree. I am interested in analytical chemistry, specifically research involving nanoparticles. My goal is to harness the multitude of potential uses of various nanoparticles in applications involving medicine or agriculture. I'm excited to be a part of the excellent chemistry program here at CSUF!

Hello, my name is Tamara and I am a second year graduate student. I received my bachelor’s degree in Chemistry at California Lutheran University in 2018. Currently pursuing my master’s degree in Chemistry, concentrating in Organic Chemistry.  I am in Dr. Kelvin Billingsley’s Research Lab and my project is about designing metabolic imaging probes for Hyperpolarized 13C Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy (13CMRSI). 

My name is Jessica Duron and I am a first-year graduate student in Dr. Kelvin Billingsley's research lab. My background is in physics and chemistry, but I enjoy studying in the field of organic chemistry. When I'm not busy dealing with science, I enjoy playing with my friend's guinea pigs and making adorable costumes for them. 

 

Hello, my name is Tung Nguyen, and I am a first-year graduate student. I graduated from Cal State Long Beach with a Biochemistry bachelor's degree and teaching credential. I am interested in Chemistry Education research and hope to continue my career as a high school teacher after graduation.

 

Hello, my name is Kimberly Waters and I am a second-year graduate student. I attended University of the Sciences in Philadelphia for my BS in chemistry with a minor in mathematics. Last year, I joined Dr. Haan’s lab where I am studying the efficiency of potential biofuels and the products formed after these fuels oxidize.

Hello, I’m Stephanie Wilt, I am a second-year grad student doing research with Dr. Pecic. I transferred from a junior college to CSUF where I obtained my bachelor’s while doing research with Dr. Rasche in 2019. I came to CSUF for grad school so that I could get experience in medicinal chemistry, I am currently synthesizing, biologically evaluating, and performing molecular modeling studies on small molecules that can be used to treat pulmonary fibrosis.

Hello, my name is Aaron Lim and this is my 2nd year in program (I attended CSUF for undergrad as well!).  I am working towards a M.S. degree with an emphasis in biochemistry.  I work in Dr. Ortega's lab where we study the mechanisms of viral assembly and replication.  My research is geared towards crystallography, which is a useful tool to analyze protein structure on an atomic level.  These techniques can help bridge the understanding of viral proteins and how they assemble into viral-like-particles. 

Hi, my name is Sarah Muwanas, and I am a first-year graduate student. I graduated from California State University San Bernardino in 2019 with my bachelor's in chemistry. I am interested in Organic chemistry and I joined Dr. Pecic’s Research Lab group and my project is related to the development of inhibitors for two enzymes (FAAH and sEH) and their evaluation as potential therapeutics through traditional medicinal chemistry.  I am extremely happy and excited to do research and to be part of this program!

 

Hi, my name is James Park and I am in CSUF to study chemistry education research. The research is on improving student learning outcomes in STEM, particularly in first year chemistry students. I am interested in teaching college chemistry after receiving my Master’s.