Graduate Research Assistant - University of Houston - Houston, Texas, U.S.A
Advisor: Prof. Brad Carrow
- Performed air- and moisture-sensitive organometallic synthesis using Schlenk-line and glovebox techniques, including temperature-controlled reactions and handling of pyrophoric reagents.
- Designed and evaluated multiple synthetic routes to three-coordinate T-shaped nickel(II) complexes supported by sterically demanding monodentate phosphines, exploring different precursor classes and reaction strategies to access coordinatively unsaturated nickel species for potential applications in polymerization and catalysis.
- Developed synthetic routes to nickel(II) nickelacycles, isolating new phosphine- and N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-supported complexes and investigating the effects of ligand sterics and identity on coordination, nuclearity, and aggregation.
- Synthesized, isolated, and structurally characterized new phosphine-bound nickel(0) complexes stabilized by π-acid ligands, establishing that phosphine binding depended on ligand steric bulk and that ligand-exchange behavior varied with π-acid identity.
- Characterized organometallic complexes by multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy (¹H, ¹³C, ³¹P, ¹⁹F), diffusion-ordered spectroscopy (DOSY) NMR, variable-temperature (VT) NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SC-XRD) to investigate molecular structure, coordination, aggregation, and solution behavior.
- Performed density functional theory (DFT) calculations using ORCA to complement experimental studies and investigate organometallic structures and ligand-binding behavior.
- Conducted ethylene polymerization and copolymerization using a Parr pressure reactor, including high-pressure reaction setup, gas handling, and polymer isolation.
- Extended an established high-molecular-weight polyethylene catalyst system to functional comonomer incorporation, demonstrating functional-group tolerance and incorporation into the polymer backbone, with resulting polymers characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and multinuclear nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy.
Research Student - Panjab University - Chandigarh, India
(2018-01 - 2020-12)
Advisor: Prof. Navneet Kaur
- Designed and synthesized anthraquinone-based chemosensors for the detection of metal ions and inorganic anions in aqueous systems.
- Performed column chromatography and thin-layer chromatography (TLC) for purification, isolation, and reaction monitoring.
- Characterized synthesized compounds using ¹H and ¹³C NMR and IR spectroscopy and performed UV-Vis spectroscopic studies to evaluate chemosensor response toward target ions.
Project Fellow - Guru Nanak Dev University - Amritsar, India
(2020-12 - 2021-03)
Advisor: Prof. Varinder Kaur
- Worked on a GJCEI-sponsored innovation project focused on biodegradable hybrid materials for oil-spill remediation.
- Fabricated a bamboo-fiber-based aerogel and evaluated its application for removal of spilled oil from aqueous systems.
Quality Control Intern - Dove Analytics and Research Laboratory - Chandigarh, India
(2020-12 - 2020-12)
- Completed a two-week internship in the Quality Control department, gaining exposure to analytical laboratory workflows and quality-control practices.
- Received hands-on training in High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) for analytical testing.
Chemistry Mentor (Volunteer) - Society for Promotion of Science and Technology in India (SPSTI) - Kurukshetra, India
(2019-06 - 2019-06)
- Mentored students in chemistry and physics (Grades 9–12) during a month-long summer science program in Kurukshetra, India, including demonstration of hands-on chemistry experiments.
- Collaborated with a team of six mentors to organize and deliver educational activities for the summer program.
