Charlene Singh

Charlene Singh Bachelor's Institution: Central Connecticut State University

Charlene Singh is a former NSF REU researcher from the Burdette group. She worked in the laboratory during the summer of 2010. She will graduate with a chemistry degree from Central Connecticut State University in 2012. As a participant in the NSF REU program, Singh completed a ten-week summer research project at the synthesizing Cast complexes and measuring quantum yields. Currently she is aspiring to a career in optometry.

As an undergraduate, Singh had experience in organic chemistry, inorganic chemistry, coordination chemistry and geochemistry. She began doing undergraduate research during her sophomore year of college, which she credits with encouraging her interests in scientific investigation. Her work as an undergraduate researcher gave her a sense of responsibility and patience, since results were highly variable and assays often required repeat testing. During the summer before her junior year she worked in the Burdette laboratory, and the following year she explored environmental applications at the interface of geology and chemistry/biochemistry. Throughout these experiences, she found a sense of professional satisfaction by contributing to the greater good through hard work, patience, and discovery.

Publications

1. Celina Gwizdala, Charlene V. Signh, Tracey R. Friss, John C. MacDonald and Shawn C. Burdette. Dalton Trans. 2012, 41, 8162–8174;. Quantifying factors that influence metal ion release in photocaged complexes using ZinCast derivatives. Article appears in "New Talent Americas" issue.