Karen Molek

Background

About Karen Molek

Current/Previous Funding: 1)National Institutes of Health NIGMS MARC U*STAR ($1.44M) June 2019-May 2024 2) National Science Foundation S-STEM May 2016 - August 2021 3) National Institutes of Health NIGMS MARC U*STAR June 2014-May 2019 4) American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund Undergraduate New Investigator Program January 2014 - August 2016 Research Projects: 1) Transition Metal Oxide Novel Surface Development for Surface-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Reflectron-Time-of-Flight Mass Spectrometry 2) SALDI studies of Asphaltenes adsorbed onto Transition Metal Oxide Nanoparticles. 3) Synthesis and Characterization of Zinc Oxide Quantum Dots 4) Synthesis and Characterization of Titanium Oxide Nanoparticles 5) Development of a Physical Chemistry Lab: Determination of Heat Capacity Ratio for Gases at Various Temperatures Outreach: Director of the UWF STEM and MARC Scholars program modeled after the UWF Chemistry Scholars (Chem Scholars) program. Chem Scholars was established in September 2011 to recruit and retain high-achieving chemistry students and to increase the number of chemistry students pursuing PhD or MD-PhD degrees, both with an emphasis on students from disadvantaged backgrounds. Students involved in the program meet monthly to hear guest speakers discuss summer research programs and post-baccalaureate opportunities, receive career advice, participate in peer-to-peer mentoring and receive professional development and mentoring from faculty in the Department of Chemistry. Program is based on the Meyerhoff Scholars Program at the University of Maryland Baltimore County.