Principal Investigator

David Watson, Professor of Chemistry

• Education and training
  • Postdoctoral Fellow, Johns Hopkins University 2001-2004
  • PhD, Chemistry, Princeton University 2001
  • MS, Chemistry, Northwestern University 1997
  • BS, Chemistry, Haverford College 1996
• Contact info:
  • Office: 531 Natural Science Complex
  • Email: dwatson3@buffalo.edu
  • Phone (Office): (1)716-645-4189
• ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1203-2811
• Google scholar: Google Scholar

Graduate Students

Udani Wijethunga

Benjamin Parasch

• Year: 4th
• Education: BS in Chemistry, University of Tulsa, 2022
• Research Interest: Excited-state charge transfer between quantum dots and functionalized buckminsterfullerene for reductive production of H₂
• E-mail: bdparasc@buffalo.edu

Ashrumochan Gouda

• Year: 3rd
• Education: BS in Chemistry, Rayagada Autonomous College; MS in Chemistry, Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology
• Research Interest: Excited-state charge transfer of ternary heterostructures for CO₂ reduction with metal-porphyrin redox co-catalysts.
• E-mail: ashrumoc@buffalo.edu

Seamus O’Rourke

• Year: 2nd
• Education: BS in Chemistry, Binghamton University, 2023
• Research Interest: Photoinduced excited-state charge transfer of ternary heterostructures for selective CO₂ reduction with metalloporphyrin redox co-catalysts.
• E-mail: so33@buffalo.edu

Undergraduate Students

Current students

Major: Chemistry

Holden Lester

Major: Medicinal Chemistry

Recent former students (2024-2026)

Nicholas Reilly

UB Class of 2026: Chemical  Engineering

Marissa Harrell

UB Class of 2027: Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Science

Jordan Benefield

UB Class of 2027: Nuclear Medicine Technology

Maya Buhrmaster

UB Class of 2027: Biomedical Science

Monica Lubs

UB Class of 2027: Biochemistry

PhD Alumni

• Udani Wijethunga, PhD 2026: Heterostructures Comprising Metal Intercalated Vanadium Oxide Nanowires, CdS Quantum Dots, and Metalloporphyrins: Investigating Excited-State Charge Transfer for Visible-Light-Driven CO₂ Reduction Photocatalysis
• Karoline Garcia-Pedraza, PhD 2025: Interface-Driven Charge Transfer Dynamics and Photocatalysis in Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dot-Based Heterostructures 
• Austin Gilbert, PhD 2023: Emergent Properties of Coordination-Driven Self-Assembled Nanocages: i.) Redox Chemistry of a Multi-Ferrocene Palladium(II) Structure and Its Charge-Transfer Dynamics with Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots, and ii.) Cyclometallated Iridium(III)-Based Architectures 
• Arianna Rothfuss, PhD 2023: Charge Transfer Dynamics and Photocatalytic Water Splitting in Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dot Based Linker-Assisted Assembly Heterostructures
• Michael Clark, PhD 2023: Synthesis and Evaluation of Chalcogenoxanthylium Dyes for Photophysical and Photoelectrochemical Applications
• Caitlin McGranahan PhD, 2022: Excited-State Charge Transfer within Covalently Tethered Dual-Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dot Heterostructures and Photocatalytic Production of Solar Fuels by Ternary Vanadium Oxide/Quantum Dot Heterostructures
• Aaron Sheng, PhD 2020: Heterostructures Consisting of Vanadium Oxide Nanowires, with or without Intercalated Cations, Interfaced with Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dots: Investigating Band Energetics for More Efficient Charge-Transfer Processes
• Nuwanthi Savindrika Suwandaratne, PhD 2020: Photocatalysis and Charge Transfer Dynamics in Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dot-based Heterostructures
• Guy Edward Wolfe II, PhD 2019: Excited-State Charge Transfer in Covalently Tethered Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dot Heterostructures
• Natalia Rivera-González, PhD 2019: Surface Chemistry and Charge Transfer Dynamics in Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dots Tethered to Linker Functionalized Metal Oxides and Redox-Active Molecules
• Saurabh Chauhan, PhD 2018: Charge Transfer Dynamics in Quantum Dots Based Heterostructures
• Justin Nasca, PhD 2017: Spectroscopic Analysis of Covalently Tethered Quantum Dot Systems and Chalcogenorhodamine Dyes on TiO₂: Probing Electron Transfer Processes
• Chris Milleville, PhD 2016: CdSe/β-Pb_0.33V₂O₅ Heterostructures: Nanoscale Semiconductor Interfaces with Tunable Energetic Configurations for Solar Energy Conversion and Storage
• Meghan Kern, PhD 2013: Investigations of the Surface Functionalization of Titania: Dispersion-Induced effects within Mixed Monolayers, Linker-Assisted Assembly of Quantum Dots, and Photovoltaic Device Performance
• Kacie Mulhern, PhD 2013: Spectroscopic and Photoelectrochemical Studies of Metal-Free Dyes for Applications in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells
• Diane Youker, PhD 2013: Fundamental Studies of Interfacial Excited-State Charge Transfer in Molecularly Tethered Semiconductor Nanoassemblies
• Kathleen Coughlin, PhD 2012: Aqueous Cadmium Chalcogenide Quantum Dots: Synthesis, Characterization, Spectroscopic Investigation of Electron Transfer Properties and Photovoltaic Device Performance
• Jeremy Nevins, PhD 2011: Surface Chemistry of Nanostructures: 1) Interactions of Mixed Monolayers of Carboxylic Acids on Titania, 2) Synthesis and Immobilization of Aqueous Cadmium Selenide Quantum Dots
• Anthony Smith, PhD 2010: Photopatterning and Solar Energy Conversion Using Nanocrystalline Metal Oxide Films
• Rachel Dibbell, PhD 2009: Fundamental Studies of the Surface Chemistry and Photoinduced Charge Transfer Reactivity of Tethered Semiconductor Nanoassemblies
• Greg Soja, PhD 2008: Patterning Applications via Photochemical and Intermolecular Reactions within Monolayers on Metal Oxide Films

Master’s Alumni

• Sarah Forney (MS 2023)
• Zak Schmidt (MA 2020)
• Amanda Button (MA 2014)
• Ian Anderson (MA 2013)
• Scott Martin (MA 2008)
• Tzuchuan Cheng (MA 2007)
• Ruth Hoth (MS 2006)