New Graduate Student Welcome
We are happy to welcome six new graduate students for the spring semester, Amanda Captain, Uttam Gomes, Jhoanna Molina, Nethyanji Premananda, Nikole Tamayo, and Munisaa Younus.
We’re excited to have them join our Chemistry & Biochemistry Department and look forward to their contributions to the Department as well as research and discoveries during their time at UWM.
Amanda Captain received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in zoology (2004) and also completed the undergraduate chemistry major there (2008). Amanda completed a teaching license certification program in science education at University of Wisconsin- Milwaukee (MACSTEP) in 2005, with a major in biology and a minor in chemistry. Her master’s degree is from Edgewood University in Madison, Wisconsin in Marriage and Family Therapy (2015). Amanda is studying Chemical Education at UWM with the intent of teaching community college in the future. She is focused on helping students build confidence in science and math as they work towards their future career goals. She is looking forward to working with all the amazing people at UWM as she works on research aimed at creative supportive, inclusive learning environments for all students.
Uttam Gomes received his bachelor’s degree and master’s degree in applied chemistry and chemical technology at the University of Dhaka in Bangladesh. He earned his second in chemistry from the University of Minnesota – Duluth with research focused on analytical method development for the characterization and identification of microplastics from Lake Superior using fluorescent dye staining, flow cytometry, and pyrolysis gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Uttam previously worked as a high school chemistry teacher in Dhaka, Bangladesh and a production scientist in the GMP manufacturing facility (Madison) under the Life Science division of MilliporeSigma, where he synthesized active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs) used in cancer treatment medicines. Uttam’s goal is to build on his industry experience and broad applications of chemistry, along with the knowledge gained in his recent academic and professional roles. He aims to contribute to the field of organic chemistry with a strong focus on drug discovery and medicinal chemistry.
Nethyanji Premananda earned her BSc Honors in Chemistry, with concentrations in Biochemistry and Microbiology, from the University of Kelaniya, Sri Lanka. During her undergraduate studies, she conducted research in analytical chemistry, focusing on the analysis of heavy metals in a polluted estuary ecosystem. She has worked as a Teaching Assistant at the University of Kelaniya, the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon, and the Open University of Sri Lanka. Through her PhD at UWM, she aims to broaden her knowledge, enhance her research and teaching skills, and apply insights from chemistry to practical challenges, contributing to impactful scientific solutions.
Nikole Tamayo completed her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry, ACS certified in Biochemistry, from Southern Oregon University. She then earned her Master of Science in Chemistry from the University of California, Davis for her research on DNA Glycosylase MutY. Nikole plans to pursue Chemical Education Research at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Her areas of research interest focus on the introductory general chemistry course sequence and include understanding how students apply algebra to solve stoichiometry problems and increasing persistence. Nikole is excited to learn about the chemical education field here at UWM and hopes her contributions will allow general chemistry to be more accessible to all students.
Munisaa Younus completed her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in chemistry in Pakistan, followed by a M.Phil. in chemistry. Throughout her academic career, she has developed a strong background in organic synthesis and characterization of biologically active compounds. In addition to organic synthesis, Munissa is also interested in analytical research, particularly in applying spectroscopic and chromatographic techniques for the identification, quantification, and characterization of chemical compounds. At the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee (UWM), Munisaa looks forward to enhancing her research skills by combining organic and analytical chemistry approaches. Within the Chemistry Department at UWM, she is excited to collaborate with faculty engaged in synthetic, analytical, and interdisciplinary research, to expand her expertise, contribute to innovative studies, and explore chemistry’s role in solving real-world scientific challenges.
Graduate Degrees Conferred in Spring 2025
Alex Vincent graduated with his PhD in chemistry in the spring of 2025 under the supervision of Prof. Alexander “Leggy” Arnold. Since graduating from UW–Milwaukee, Alex has taken on the role of Director of Chemistry at Geneva Laboratories in Elkhorn, WI, where he leads a team of chemists providing analytical testing to ensure the safety and quality of pharmaceuticals and medical devices. One of the most rewarding aspects of this role is mentoring young scientists and helping them see how the skills we honed at UWM can directly shape real-world outcomes in patient health.
Alex’s UWM education gave him the foundation to build a career where science makes a daily impact. He is also excited to share some recent research accomplishments: their article, “Development of novel Alpha 2B adrenergic receptor ligands by using a palladium catalyzed Buchwald–Hartwig amination with a brominated benzodiazepine,” was published in the Royal Society of Chemistry – Medicinal Chemistry, and more recently, the Schwabacher group’s manuscript, “Structure-based designed β-strand mimic elucidates early protein-protein interactions in β-barrel assembly,” was accepted by Nature.