HMC Chemistry Students Shine at SCCUR 2025

Harvey Mudd College chemistry students made a strong showing at the Southern California Conferences for Undergraduate Research (SCCUR) in November 2025, presenting cutting-edge work across several key areas of modern chemistry. 

A significant focus was on innovating for a greener future, with students presenting advancements in environmentally friendly chemical synthesis, including new, milder methods for creating pharmaceutical and complex molecular frameworks. 

Another prominent theme was the application of catalysis and computational modeling, where students demonstrated the power of theoretical chemistry, specifically DFT and machine learning, to understand and optimize both metal-free and Earth-abundant catalysts for processes like carbon dioxide reduction, biofuel generation and peptide design. 

Finally, research in advanced materials and inorganic chemistry explored the synthesis and properties of novel coordination materials, such as copper(I)-imidazolate polymers and hybrid polyoxometalate zeolitic imidazolate frameworks, aiming to create functional materials for applications like redox catalysis and renewable fuels. 

These nine presentations exemplify the hands-on, high-impact research experience that defines the Harvey Mudd chemistry curriculum, and students represented the department with distinction.