Current Lab Members

Alejandro Burgos-Suazo – alejandro.burgos2@upr.edu

Ferrocenyl Derivatives and their Photovoltaic application

Alejandro obtained his Bachelor of Science in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras Campus in 2017. As an undergraduate, he worked under the supervision of Dr. Ingrid Montes researching ferrocenyl chalcone derivatives and their biological application. Currently, he is pursuing a Ph.D. in Chemistry at UPRRP under the mentorship of Dr. Montes. His research is aimed at the synthesis and characterization of ferrocenyl derivatives for applications in photovoltaics. Specifically, Organic-Inorganic Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells to improve cell efficiency. Future plans include pursuing a post-doctoral degree and becoming a member of
Academia.

María E. Moreno Santiago – maria.moreno4@upr.edu

Review and Development of Non-formal Educational Experiences Designed for Community Outreach Activities

María E. Moreno Santiago is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). The research project Moreno works on is the “Review and Development of Non-formal Educational Experiences Designed for Community Outreach Activities”. This project focuses on the evaluation of non-formal experiences, previously developed in an educational laboratory, developing new materials and resources to be implemented in community-based educational activities that have a scientific approach, especially in the field of Chemistry. In addition, Moreno is an active member of UPR-RP ACS Student Chapter. Finally, her academic goals are to obtain a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences and develop herself not only in the industry field but in academia as well.

Edwin G. Ortiz Muñoz – edwin.ortiz17@upr.edu

Synthesis and Characterization of Ethynyl-Substituted Ferrocenyl Chalcones for Electrochemical and Biological Applications

Edwin is an undergraduate chemistry student at the University of Puerto Rico, Rio Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). Currently, he is a fellow of the Puerto Rico Louis Stokes Alliance for Minority Participation (PR-LSAMP) program, where, as part of Dr. Ingrid Montes Gonzalez Research Lab, works with the synthesis of ferrocenyl chalcone derivatives to study its biological and electrochemical properties. In the academic area, he worked as an organic chemistry laboratory tutor, where he helped other students develop their laboratory skills to the fullest. Also, Edwin was part of the UPR-RP baseball team, representing the university as a pitcher. He’s been an active member of the American Chemical Society (ACS) and Future Pharmacists Association (FPA) since 2018, in which he has had the opportunity to do outreach, and currently is part of the student headboard of both associations, as treasurer and as a community service coordinator, respectively. His favorite hobby is playing and watching sports, especially baseball and basketball. After graduating, he plans to apply for Pharmacy school to obtain a PharmD and develop in the Industrial or Community Pharmacy.

Delvin Caraballo-Rodríguez – delvin.caraballo@upr.edu

Synthesis, characterization, and biological applications of Adamantane Ferrocenyl Derivatives

Delvin is a senior undergraduate student majoring in Chemistry at the University of Puerto Rico – Río Piedras Campus (UPR-RP). As a fellow of NIH RISE Program, he works on the project “Synthesis, characterization, and biological applications of Adamantane Ferrocenyl Derivatives”, using linkers such as urea, thiourea, and amide to incorporate adamantane with ferrocenyl chalcones and to evaluate their biological potential. Delvin is an active member of UPR-RP ACS Student Chapter and the UPR-RP SACNAS Student Chapter; also, has been an active member of the General Student Council UPR-RP where he is now the Student Representative of Río Piedras Campus to Junta Universitaria UPR. His academic goals are to obtain a Ph.D. in Pharmaceutical Sciences focused on Medicinal Chemistry and one day be a professor and researcher.

Paola M. Bonilla Crespo – paola.bonilla3@upr.edu

Non-symmetric Ferrocenyl Chalcones Bearing Heterocyclic Moieties for Biological Activity Exploration

Paola is an undergraduate fourth-year chemistry student at the University of Puerto Rico Río Piedras Campus where, as a part of Dr. Ingrid Montes González Research Lab (IMG Lab), she works on the synthesis of ferrocenyl non-symmetric chalcones derivatives containing a series of heterocyclic moieties to study their different biological activities. She has worked as an organic chemistry laboratory tutor and has been the public relations assistant for the American Chemical Society Student Chapter (ACS) for two consecutive years. Paola is also an active member of the Future Pharmacist Association (FPA) and through both associations, she has been able to participate in many educational activities and community service. As part of her volunteer work, she currently is a mentor in the Ciencia Puerto Rico program Semillas del Triunfo, where she mentors a young girl that desires to develop in STEM education to impact her community with more STEM opportunities. In her free time, Paola loves to sew, study fashion independently, and dance. After her bachelor’s degree, she wishes to pursue graduate studies in Pharmacy School and develop in either the community or industrial field.