David Hill, Ph.D.
Doctoral Thesis: Kinetics-Based Mechanistic Investigations of Asymmetric Pd-Catalyzed C–H Functionalization
Undergraduate Institution: Northeastern University
Noteworthy Publications: "Dynamic Ligand Exchange as a Mechanistic Probe in Pd-Catalyzed Enantioselective C–H Functionalization Reactions Using Monoprotected Amino Acid Ligands," Journal of the American Chemical Society (2017); "A General Protocol for Addressing Speciation of the Active Catalyst Applied to Ligand-Accelerated Enantioselective C(sp3)–H Bond Arylation," ACS Catalysis (2018); "A Role for Pd(IV) in Catalytic Enantioselective C-H Functionalization with Monoprotected Amino Acid Ligands under Mild Conditions," Journal of the American Chemical Society (2017); "Palladium(II)-Catalyzed γ-Selective Hydroarylation of Alkenyl Carbonyl Compounds with Arylboronic Acid," Chemical Science (2018)
Honors & Awards: Henry and Rose Starr Scholarship, 2020; NSF International Research Experiences for Students Fellowship, 2019; NSF Science Across Virtual Institutes Fellowship, 2019; Honorable Mention for NSF Graduation Research Fellowship, 2016
Favorite Aspects of Graduate Studies: "Scripps has been a phenomenal place to conduct research at the highest level and to learn from some very intelligent, kind, and talented scientists. The people that comprise this institution are what truly make it great! Being able to learn from one another and also instill in each other the support to really succeed as interdisciplinary scientists has been an absolutely amazing experience."
Next Steps: Hill will soon be starting a postdoctoral position, studying total synthesis and methodology development at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) with Professor Sarah E. Reisman. Following this position, his goal is to pursue a career as a process chemist in the biotech industry.
Be sure to join us at 10 a.m. PDT on Friday, July 31 for our Virtual Commencement Ceremony! Hill's advisor and mentor, Prof. Donna G. Blackmond, will deliver a few words (as will Hill) about his graduate experience, and viewers can learn about our 43 other 2020 graduates, who are now setting out to build careers that will impact the future of biomedical research.
