Meet Our Students

Students with Prof. Prasad.

College Ambassadors

College Ambassador head shot.

Gabe Dietzman

(she/her)

Major: Chemistry

Campus/community involvement: Honors College, UB Bees, WiSE (Women in Science and Engineering), chemistry research

Fun fact: Bees are my favorite animals.

What advice do you have for future UB students?
Try everything. One of the advantages of having a big university is having tons of opportunities. Not everything will be your cup of tea but you won’t know if something is for you unless you try it.

College Ambassador head shot.

Howell Phillips

(he/him)

Majors: Chemistry and Studio Art

Campus/community involvement: Honors College, Wood Lab, UB's LGTBQA club

Fun fact: I do art in my free time that usually involves my cat Leon. 

What do you like best about your department?
I like the faculty in the chemistry department and how dedicated they are to student success. There are a ton of research opportunities, and the openness of faculty makes getting involved very simple. 

College Ambassador Head shot.

Elliet Strang

(he/him)

Major: Combined Chemistry BA/Chemistry Education EdM

Campus/community involvement: Academic assistant, Chem Club member, Honors College, resident assistant, student assistant

Fun fact: I can remember exactly who showed me any song that I love listening to.

What advice do you have for future UB students?
My advice would be to become an extrovert if you aren't one! Meeting new people and becoming a part of the campus community is the single best thing about college. Everyone is super friendly, and you want to make sure to use your four years here to the best pf your ability!. 

Will Roberts.
Will Roberts

“In addition to the many opportunities for research that the Chemistry Department provides, it offers a welcoming and encouraging home on campus for any student interested in exploring the field.”

Meghan Sullivan.
Meghan Sullivan

"What I like most about the Department of Chemistry at UB are the resources to get involved in the chemistry community, such as UBChemClub, and the many opportunities to be involved in high-impact research as an undergraduate."

Chemistry around the world

The Department of Chemistry is truly global. The map below shows the hometowns of our students, postdocs, faculty and staff—each one bringing something valuable to the table.

World map with pins showing where UB chemists are from.

Graduate Research Highlights

  • “Surbhi Chitnis”
    8/14/25

    My research focuses on the structure-guided design and functional characterization of small-molecule inhibitors targeting oncogenic kinases. By integrating biochemical, cellular, and structural approaches, I aim to advance targeted therapies for cancer.

  • “Nayanika Kalita”
    7/31/25

    My research focuses on exploring porphyrins and tellurium chromophores as catalysts for small molecule activation. 

  • “Aruni Dissanayake”
    4/7/25

    My research in the Morrow Lab focuses on designing, synthesizing, and analyzing paramagnetic Fe(III) and Co(II)-based macrocyclic complexes and metal-organic polyhedral cages as potential MRI probes, with the aim of improving T1 and paraSHIFT sensitivity for magnetic resonance imaging.

  • “Mindula Kaumadi Wijayahena”
    3/28/25

    My research focuses on detecting and degrading major contaminants, specifically PFAS. I am working on developing analytical approaches for PFAS detection in water, human blood, and fish using tools like LC-MS/MS, LC-IMS/QToF, ICP-MS, etc.