2023

• April. Paul, Malcolm, and Grace presented posters at the second annual Chemistry Department Undergraduate Research Symposium.
• February. Our paper on the Hammett study of our Rh(II) complexes with tethered axial ligands was featured in a Virtual Issue to highlight the work of early career researchers in organic and inorganic chemistry.  
• January. Bukola Ogunyemi and Ernest Bennin have joined the group as new graduate researchers. Welcome to the group Ernest and Buki!

2022

• July. Congrats to Dr. Anthony Abshire for his PhD defense!
• May. Cris’s Hammett study on our Rh(II) complexes with tethered axial ligands was published in JOC. Congrats, Cris! 
• April. Say hello to our newest PhD grad! Dr. Cris Zavala successfully defended his dissertation. Way to go, Cris!
• April. Paul, Malcolm, and Grace presented posters at the first annual Chemistry Department Undergraduate Research Symposium.
• January. Paul Pitcher, Malcolm Bailey, and Grace Shelton have joined the group as undergraduate researchers. Welcome to the group!

2021

• December. Congrats to Mitchell for graduating!
• September. Anthony, Desiree, and Jobe’s review article on heteroleptic rhodium complexes has been published in Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry. Great work, team!
• May. Eric’s crystal structure paper on DBU adducts of rhodium paddlewheel complexes was published in Crystals. Congrats to Eric!

2020

• December. Derek successfully defended his dissertation. Congratulations to Dr. Derek Cressy! 
• October. Derek, Cris, Will, and Anthony’s paper on tuning Rh(II)-catalyzed cyclopropanation with tethered thioether ligands was published in Dalton Transactions. Congrats, guys! 
• July. Will successfully defended his Master’s thesis. Congrats, Will!
• January. Jobe Courtney joined the group as an undergraduate researcher.  Welcome Jobe!

2019

• November.  Eric and Ampofo were the recipients of a Student/Faculty Research Award from the UT Graduate School to study the detection of organophosphorus nerve agents.  Congrats!
• October. Cris participated in career day with Centro Hispano de East Tennessee by performing chemistry demos.  Good work, Cris!
• September. Congrats to Will and Anthony for their EurJOC publication on using Darko rhodium catalysts for silyl-hydrogen insertion.
• September. The Darko lab and other scientists at UT showcased the connection of science and art at the Art of Science Exhibition at the Arts & Culture Alliance Emporium.
• August. Mitchell Regelson joined the group as an undergraduate researcher.  Welcome Mitchell!
• January. Congrats to Brad, Derek, and Jay for their Inorganic Chemistry paper titled “Synthesis and Catalytic Properties of Dirhodium Paddlewheel Complexes with Tethered, Axially Coordinating Thioether Ligands.”

2018 

• October. Will and Derek presented posters at the Center for Selective C-H Functionalization Annual Meeting.
• August. Laura Altawil joined the group as an undergraduate researcher.
• June. Cristian Zavala joined the group.  Welcome Cris!
• May. Congrats to “cool hand” Jay for graduating.  Kimberly Hollister joined the group as our latest REU student and Melodi Harfouche joined as an undergraduate researcher.  Welcome Kim and Melodi!
• April. Will was the recipient of the George L. Sivils Graduate Student Award. The award provides a research stipend and funds for a conference presentation. Congrats, Will!
• March. Will and Derek received Graduate Senate Travel Awards to present their work at the ACS Meeting and Exposition in New Orleans.
• February. The Office of Research & Engagement presented the Darko lab with an award for Excellence in Laboratory Safety.
• January. Derek was selected as a recipient of a Chancellor’s Fellowship for Spring 2018.  Congrats, Derek!