Former Emerson Stokes Research Group
Updates needed!
If you are a former ESRG member, we are excited to hear from you and please update us! Send news or career updates to jemerson at chemistry.msstate.edu
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Former Post-doctoral Research Fellows
Dr. Selvam Raju
Dr. Raju completed his appointment with the ESRG and took a position as a Drug Development Scientist with Wenwei Huang's group at NIH-CATS.
Dr. Mitu Sharma
Sharma completed her appointment with the ESRG and took a second post-doctoral position at the Wong group at Stony Brook University studying activated materials. She is currently a research scientist at Brookhaven National Laboratory.
Former Graduate Students
Amanda Perkins
MS degree granted in Spring 2025, with the thesis entitled “Enhancing Chemical Synthesis for Sustainability and Process Monitoring utilizing Group Ten Metal Catalysis.” Currently Amanda is working toward Med school in 2026.
Dr. Alex Cutright
PhD degree granted in December 2024, dissertation entitled “Biothermodynamics of Metal and DNA Coordination to the Pneumococcal Transcription Factors AdcR, SczA, and CopR .” Currently Alex is a post-doc at Vanderbilt.
Seyed Erfan Masaeli
Masaeli did not defend his MS degree granted in Summer 2023, with a thesis entitled "Copper-complexes for the Aza-Michael Addition" instead he switched to the Munoz lab at MSU. He is currently working toward his PhD.
Md Sydur Rahman
MS degree granted in Summer 2023. Currently Sydur is the Chemistry Lab Manager at New Mexico Tech, where he is also working to complete a PhD in Chemistry.
Mahmuda Akter
MS degree granted in December 2021.Currently Mahmuda is working at The Ohio State University.
Kyle Carter
MS degree granted in May 2023. Currently Kyle working as a chemist in western TN
Mahmuda Akter
MS degree granted in December 2021.Currently Mahmuda is working at The Ohio State University.
Md. Raihan Uddin
MS degree granted in June 2021.Currently Raihan is a PhD student at CUNY
Dr. James D. Cope
PhD degree granted in May 2020, dissertation entitled “C–N Bond Formation Using Copper Complexes.” James then took a post-doc at UC-Davis with Tran Nguyen. He is currently working as a process chemist at WeylChem.
Dr. Kayla D. McConnell
PhD degree granted in May 2020, dissertation entitled “Biophysical characterization of traditional and nontraditional equilibria in metal-biomolecular interactions.” After completing a short Post-doc with N. Fitzkee at MSU, Kayla took a position with Quest Diagonistics in Lewisville, TX. Recently McConnell joined Deloitte Consulting as a DC Senior Consultant as well as a consultant for QIAGEN.
Dr. Thualfeqar Al-Mohanna
PhD degree granted in May 2019 (co-advised with S. Popescu from Biochemistry). His dissertation is entitled “Biochemical characterization and regulatory mechanism of plant Thimet Oligopeptidases under Oxidative and Reductive Stress.”
Prakash Khanal
MS degree granted in June 2019. Prakash's thesis is entitled “Purification and characterization of CopR, a copper(II) dependent transcription factor.” Currently, Prakash is a PhD student at Georgia Tech.
Zhenyu Zhu
MS degree granted in June 2019 (co-advised with X. Cui). Tony's thesis is entitled “Ruthenium(II) Arene Complexes for Asymmetric Catalysis.” Currently, Tony is a PhD student at Boston College.
ASM Saem
MS degree granted in June 2019.Saem's thesis is entitled “Purification and preliminary characterization of zinc(II) dependent transcription factor AdcR.” Currently, Saem is a PhD student at Temple University.
Sydnee D. Elmore
MS degree granted in June 2019. Sydnee's thesis is entitled “Aziridinations in aqueous solutions using DNA templating: Towards sustainable asymmetric catalysis.” Currently, Sydnee is a laboratory manager with a group at Vanderbilt University.
Daniel K. Wolgemuth
MS degree granted in June 2019. Danny's thesis is entitled “(Meso-tetra(N-methyl-4-pyridyl)porphyrin)manganese(III) iodide: A water stable catalyst for the aziridination of olefins.” Currently, Danny is an Environmental Scientist at Brown and Caldwell.
Dr. Henry U. Valle
PhD degree granted in June 2018. Henry's dissertation is entitled “Copper(II) complexes for olefin aziridination and cyclopropanation: Towards asymmetric N- and C-atom transfer catalysts.” Henry spent 2 years as a post-doc at Princeton University with J. Groves. He work with NanoImaging Services, Inc. in San Diego, CA as a Senior Scientist and now has a position with Chemistry Abstract Services (CAS) a division of the ACS.
Dr. Mingjie Li
PhD degree granted in June 2018. Mingjie's dissertation is entitled “Energetics of metal and substrates binding to the 2-His-1-carboxylate facial triad binding motif in nonheme iron(II) enzymes” Mingjie took a post-doc with Mark Hedglin at Penn State University after graduation. Mingjie Li was a Research Scientist at GlaxoSmithKline and recently moved to Helion.
Dr. Whitnee L. Nettles
PhD degree granted in June 2016. Whitnee's dissertation is entitled “Copper coordination with protein, peptides, and small molecules.” Whitee joined the faculty at Mississippi State as Chemistry Lab Coordinator and has been promoted to an Assistant Clinical Professor and Undergraduate Coordinator.
Madhubhashini Lakdusinghe
MS degree granted in December 2015. Mahdu's thesis is entitled “Thermodynamic Studies of Zn2+ binding to Glutathione.”
Dr. Kate L. Henderson
PhD degree granted in March 2015. Kate's dissertation is entitled “Thermodynamic studies of the 2His-1carboyxlate facial triad.” Upon graduation Kate joined Tom Record's group at the University of Wisconsin as a post-doc. At UW she won a NIH post-doctoral research fellowship (F32). Currently she is a Sr. Scientist with Illumina.
Dr. David L. Wilson
PhD degree granted in July 2015. David's dissertation is entitled “Human carbonic anhydrase II: preparation, metal-substitution, activity, and inhibition.” David also completed his MS degree (at McNeese State University) with thesis entitle "The Preparation and Characterization of Metal-Substituted Carbonic Anhydrase Complexes" in July 2009. Upon graduation David joined the faculty of James Madison University where he currently serves as a Chemistry Lecturer, First Year Advisor, and Outreach Coordinator.
Dr. He Song
PhD degree granted in August 2013. Song's dissertation is entitled “Characterization of Transition Metals Binding to Carbonic Anhydrase.” Upon graduation Song joined X. Ji's group at the National Institutes of Health. post-doc. He then worked at UCLA with J. Feigon. He currently serves as an Assistant Professor at the University of Macau (PRC).
Qi Ge
MS degree granted in July 2012. Qi's thesis is entitled “In vitro catalytic activity and inhibition study of PrnB from Burkholderia ambifaria.” Upon graduation Qi returned to the PRC.
Former Undergraduate Student Researchers
Akaylin Echols - Tuskegee University undergraduate student selected as part of MSU's NSF funded REU program, 2025.
Zori Jackson - Mississippi State undergraduate student, BS Chemistry, May 2026 (expected)
Autumn Lock - Mississippi State undergraduate student, BS Chemistry, May 2025.
Bryan Chacon - Emory University undergraduate student selected as part of MSU's NSF funded REU program, 2024.
Michael Farmer - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biochemistry, May 2024.
Daxton Murphy - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biomedical Engineering, May 2025.
James W. Akin - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Animal and Dairy Sci, May 2024.
Emily Rouse - Lebonan Valley College undergraduate student selected as part of MSU's NSF funded REU program, 2022. Emily is currently a graduate student at Vanderbilt.
Trinity Miller - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biochem, 2022-2023.
Amanda Perkins -Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Physcology with a minor in Chemistry, 2023. She rejoined the ERSG as a MS student and completed her MS in Chemistry in May 2025 at MSU.
Eli Hannon - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biomed Engineering, May 2024.
Alison Duckworth - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Chemistry, May 2023.
Erin Matthews - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biochem, May 2023.
Mac Aulds - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Biomedical Engineering, May 2023.
Allyn Garrett - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Bio 2022.
Allyn became a NOAA certified ASM observer and served in the fishing industry for 12 months in Gloucester, MA. She then worked as a Wildlife/Waterfoul Technician in Ruby Lake National Wildlife Refuge.
Jackson Harrell - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Bio Eng, 2020-2021.
Jaime Berry - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, BS Chem 2019-2021.
Jacob Solis - University of Wisconsin-Steven's Point undergraduate student selected as part of MSU's NSF funded REU program, 2021.
Alanna Hauer - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2020-2021.
Ruby Hall - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2019-2020. She completed her MD in 2025.
Patrick Sheridan - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2019-2021.
Michael Wong - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2019-2020. Currently at Auburn University pursuing a PharmD.
Peyton Wall - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2019-2020.
Lily Cao - NSF REU student, 2019.
Wes Harrison - Mississippi State University REU student 2018, Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2018-2019.
Ashlee Bartlett - NSF REU student, 2018.
Quinesha Williams - Jackson Heart/Mississippi State REU student 2018.
Rebecca Woodruff - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2018-2020.
Raychele Bowling - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2018-2019.
Margaret Lee - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2018-2019.
Jacob Nichols - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2018-present.
Dylan E Russell - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2017-2018.
Nathan Allgaier - Mississippi State University REU student 2018, Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2017-2019 .
Olivia Murtagh - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2017-2019.
Josh V. Porter - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2016-2019.
Kathleen Riley - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2015-2018
C. Flannery Vogues-Haupt - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2016-2017.
Shantrell Redd - NSF REU student, 2017.
J Charles Brown - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2017.
Anna Phillips - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2015-2016.
Claylee M Chism - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2015-2016
T Alexander Rogers - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2015-2017.
Elisa Carleton - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2016.
Juho Lim - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2016-2017.
Phillip Keck - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2016-2017.
Nathan W Alexander - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2013-2015. Earned a MS in Chemistry at Mississippi State University 2016.
Danielle H Francis - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2013-2015. Awarded NSF graduate fellowship to attend Cornell (MS at Cornell in 2017.)
Delta K Boyles - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2012-2013
Dr. Whitnee L Simmons - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2010-2011, BS 2011. Joined the PhD program at Mississippi State University (PhD in Chemistry, 2016).
Dr. Charles Runyan III, M.D. - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2007-2011. MD University of Mississippi-Medical College in 2015.
Jing Liao - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2012
Olivia A Todd - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2013
W. Wilson Kahlmus - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2013
William “Trip” Kennon - Mississippi State University undergraduate student, 2013-2014
Rick Comeaux - McNeese State University undergraduate student, 2007-2008
Tracy J Kelfkens - McNeese State University undergraduate student, spring 2009