- The So Lab is always looking for curious, motivated, and persistent students to join. Undergraduates need strong quantitative skills and proficiency in general, organic, physical, and inorganic chemistry courses, as well as math and physics courses.
Principal Investigator
Monica C. So, Ph.D.
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Monica grew up in southern California in a city that once had more lemon trees than people. Yearning for a change in scenery, she moved all the way to UCLA, where she earned her B.S. in Organic Materials Chemistry while researching under Prof. Benjamin Schwartz as a Gates Millennium Scholar. She then earned her Ph.D. in inorganic materials chemistry at Northwestern University working under Prof. Joseph Hupp as a National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellow, developing a novel automated liquid phase technique for depositing thin films of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Working simultaneously at Argonne National Lab, she investigated the light absorption and energy transfer behavior of MOF thin films using steady state and transient fluorescence spectroscopy. Since July 2015, she has taught and mentored over 1,000 undergraduate students as Associate Professor of Chemistry at California State University, Chico. Her philosophy as a research mentor is to have students develop a sense of ownership over their work, think about their science strategically, and appreciate scientific communication. Her work on investigating charge and energy transfer behavior of novel MOFs has resulted in 22 publications with >2000 citations and over $3.3 million in funding from National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, Agriculture Research Institute, and California State University. When Monica is not busy saving the world in the lab or classroom, she enjoys kitchen chemistry (e.g. cooking vegetarian-friendly dishes), exploring the interface of art and chemistry (e.g. acrylic painting), and strengthening familial bonds (e..g. playing Pokémon Go with her husband Stewart and reading with her daughter, Anya).
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Monica grew up in southern California in a city that once had more lemon trees than people. Yearning for a change in scenery, she moved all the way to UCLA, where she earned her B.S. in Organic Materials Chemistry while researching under Prof. Benjamin Schwartz as a Gates Millennium Scholar. She then earned her Ph.D. in inorganic materials chemistry at Northwestern University working under Prof. Joseph Hupp as a National Defense Science & Engineering Graduate (NDSEG) Fellow, developing a novel automated liquid phase technique for depositing thin films of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs). Working simultaneously at Argonne National Lab, she investigated the light absorption and energy transfer behavior of MOF thin films using steady state and transient fluorescence spectroscopy. Since July 2015, she has taught and mentored over 1,000 undergraduate students as Associate Professor of Chemistry at California State University, Chico. Her philosophy as a research mentor is to have students develop a sense of ownership over their work, think about their science strategically, and appreciate scientific communication. Her work on investigating charge and energy transfer behavior of novel MOFs has resulted in 22 publications with >2000 citations and over $3.3 million in funding from National Science Foundation, U.S. Department of Energy, American Chemical Society Petroleum Research Fund, Agriculture Research Institute, and California State University. When Monica is not busy saving the world in the lab or classroom, she enjoys kitchen chemistry (e.g. cooking vegetarian-friendly dishes), exploring the interface of art and chemistry (e.g. acrylic painting), and strengthening familial bonds (e..g. playing Pokémon Go with her husband Stewart and reading with her daughter, Anya).
Research Staff
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Dr. Sadisha Nanayakkara
[email protected] Sadisha is originally from the beautiful island of Sri Lanka. She moved to the US to pursue her PhD in Theoretical and Computational Chemistry at Southern Methodist University in Dallas. Her research focused on using vibrational spectroscopy to explore non-covalent interactions crucial in catalysis and solid-state chemistry. After completing her PhD in 2021, she joined The University of Arizona as a postdoctoral research associate, where she worked on the theoretical characterization of pi-conjugated materials and hybrid perovskites, which are super exciting for advancing organic and hybrid photovoltaics. Since May 2024, she has had the opportunity to join So Lab under the BATTERIES project. She has a cat named Wilson, who for short is Willie, sharing the namesake of the beloved CSU mascot. When she’s not in the lab, you'll probably find her lost in a good fiction book, enjoying a movie on the big screen, or laughing at the latest stand-up comedy special. |
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Dr. Thea Wilson
[email protected] Thea earned a B.S. in Chemistry and a B.A. in Music from UC Santa Cruz in 2004 where she pursued undergraduate research on doped-semiconductor nanoparticles with Prof. Jin Zhang. She completed her graduate work in the lab of Prof. Michael Wasielewski at Northwestern University where she earned a Ph.D. in Physical Chemistry in 2009 focusing on understanding charge migration within organic semiconducting materials. Thea's postdoctoral research with Prof. Neal Blair at Northwestern University was aimed at exploring the role of soil fungi in carbon sequestration. During this time Thea also started further building her skills in teaching, which has been her primary career focus. Thea has been a chemistry instructor at Chico State since the fall of 2019 and is looking forward to applying her analytical skills to the team! |
Undergraduates
Nohely Lopez
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Nohely grew up in a small town in Imperial Valley, CA. She transferred to Chico State from Imperial Valley College, where she earned an associate degree in chemistry. In her spare time, she enjoys taking her dog for walks around town and watching comedy TV shows. After completing her studies at Chico State, she plans on attending graduate school to pursue a degree in chemical engineering.
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Nohely grew up in a small town in Imperial Valley, CA. She transferred to Chico State from Imperial Valley College, where she earned an associate degree in chemistry. In her spare time, she enjoys taking her dog for walks around town and watching comedy TV shows. After completing her studies at Chico State, she plans on attending graduate school to pursue a degree in chemical engineering.
Laila Monroe
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Local to Chico, Laila is majoring in Chemistry at Chico State after transferring from Butte College. She loves to spend time outside whether it's road tripping somewhere new or hiking in Upper Park. Her love of nature has inspired her interest in sustainable materials and energy. After Chico State, her plan is to pursue a graduate degree in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Washington.
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Local to Chico, Laila is majoring in Chemistry at Chico State after transferring from Butte College. She loves to spend time outside whether it's road tripping somewhere new or hiking in Upper Park. Her love of nature has inspired her interest in sustainable materials and energy. After Chico State, her plan is to pursue a graduate degree in Materials Science & Engineering at the University of Washington.
Daniel Notareus
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A Chico local, Daniel transferred to Chico State from Butte College. A budding interest in food science sparked his passion for the greater field of chemistry, which he chose as his major. After finishing his bachelor's degree at Chico State, he hopes to pursue a graduate degree in chemistry. In his free time, he enjoys writing, playing games with loved ones, and handicrafts. His fun fact of choice: in the past, he used to work with TNR and socializing feral cat colonies for adoption!
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A Chico local, Daniel transferred to Chico State from Butte College. A budding interest in food science sparked his passion for the greater field of chemistry, which he chose as his major. After finishing his bachelor's degree at Chico State, he hopes to pursue a graduate degree in chemistry. In his free time, he enjoys writing, playing games with loved ones, and handicrafts. His fun fact of choice: in the past, he used to work with TNR and socializing feral cat colonies for adoption!
Emily D. Reznick
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Originally from Pleasanton, Emily majors in biochemistry and plans on getting a certificate in forensic science. She is planning on pursuing either graduate school or working in forensics after undergrad. Her hobbies include reading, yoga, and listening to music. Did you know that she's a big animal lover - with 2 dogs and 5 cats at home?
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Originally from Pleasanton, Emily majors in biochemistry and plans on getting a certificate in forensic science. She is planning on pursuing either graduate school or working in forensics after undergrad. Her hobbies include reading, yoga, and listening to music. Did you know that she's a big animal lover - with 2 dogs and 5 cats at home?
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Juan Carlos Salazar
[email protected] Juan grew up in Los Molinos, California, a small rural town in NorCal. As a biochemistry major and a McConnell’s Scholar at Chico State, he is a first-generation student aspiring to eventually attend graduate or medical school. In his free time, he enjoys working out, running, reading, and watching niche film analysis videos on YouTube. |
Angelo G. Vicini
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Originally from the Bay Area, Angelo majors in chemistry and minors in food sciences. He currently develops OPVs for agrivoltaics and grows lettuce at the College of Natural Sciences greenhouse for his research project. He plans to attend grad school after graduating from Chico State in Fall 2024. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, baking, and cross-stitching.
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Originally from the Bay Area, Angelo majors in chemistry and minors in food sciences. He currently develops OPVs for agrivoltaics and grows lettuce at the College of Natural Sciences greenhouse for his research project. He plans to attend grad school after graduating from Chico State in Fall 2024. In his spare time, he enjoys cooking, baking, and cross-stitching.
Alumni
Sydney M. Angel
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Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Sydney is a biochemistry major, SI leader, and sugar addict. When she's free, she loves to relax with her family and friends. She is currently a chemist at Bausch Health Companies Inc.
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Born and raised in Santa Rosa, Sydney is a biochemistry major, SI leader, and sugar addict. When she's free, she loves to relax with her family and friends. She is currently a chemist at Bausch Health Companies Inc.
Jeremy (Jerah) L. Barnett
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Native to Chico, Jerah double majored in chemistry and biochemistry at Chico State; he is a current PhD student in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz. His interests range from computers and electronics to living a healthy lifestyle. School, to him, is not career- but interest-driven, so he tries to enjoy himself. His life motto? "If it's not fun, it's not worth it."
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Native to Chico, Jerah double majored in chemistry and biochemistry at Chico State; he is a current PhD student in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz. His interests range from computers and electronics to living a healthy lifestyle. School, to him, is not career- but interest-driven, so he tries to enjoy himself. His life motto? "If it's not fun, it's not worth it."
Nicholas (Nikita) S. Barnett
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Hailing from Contra Costa County, Nikita double majored in chemistry and physics and minors in mathematics. Outside of school, he's an avid practitioner of jiu jitsu and enjoys the color red. Did you know he likes to paint with closed eyes? He is pursuing his PhD in Physics at University of Illinois-Chicago.
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Hailing from Contra Costa County, Nikita double majored in chemistry and physics and minors in mathematics. Outside of school, he's an avid practitioner of jiu jitsu and enjoys the color red. Did you know he likes to paint with closed eyes? He is pursuing his PhD in Physics at University of Illinois-Chicago.
Dr. Robabeh Bashiri
Robabeh earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Universiti Teknologi Petronas. Since March 2022, she joined to So Lab to work on the NSF project for designing electroactive material for renewable energy applications. Her research led to 40 peer-reviewed journals and different research grants from Malaysia and the United Kingdom, Estonia, and Poland. She has mentored over 10 Ph.D., Master's, senior project students and research assistants. She is currently a lecturer at CSU, Chico.
Robabeh earned her PhD in Chemical Engineering from the Universiti Teknologi Petronas. Since March 2022, she joined to So Lab to work on the NSF project for designing electroactive material for renewable energy applications. Her research led to 40 peer-reviewed journals and different research grants from Malaysia and the United Kingdom, Estonia, and Poland. She has mentored over 10 Ph.D., Master's, senior project students and research assistants. She is currently a lecturer at CSU, Chico.
James J. Calvo
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A native of San Francisco, James majored in chemistry and minored in applied math. When he's not busy thinking about science or numbers, he is an ex-vegan who enjoys playing chess. He is now an application developer at Pantheon Inc.
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A native of San Francisco, James majored in chemistry and minored in applied math. When he's not busy thinking about science or numbers, he is an ex-vegan who enjoys playing chess. He is now an application developer at Pantheon Inc.
Angelica R. Cash
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A Butte County native, Angel earned her BS in biochemistry. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Jason, and two children, Alli and Parker. Her other hobbies include sewing, playing guitar, cooking, and traveling. She started her PhD in chemistry at UC Davis in September 2023.
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A Butte County native, Angel earned her BS in biochemistry. She enjoys spending time with her husband, Jason, and two children, Alli and Parker. Her other hobbies include sewing, playing guitar, cooking, and traveling. She started her PhD in chemistry at UC Davis in September 2023.
Dr. Vivien L. Cherrette
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Hailing from Hermosa Beach, Dr. Cherrette majored in chemistry with a minor in mathematics; she earned her PhD in chemistry from UC Santa Cruz and was an affiliate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She enjoys the sunny outdoors whether it be camping, hiking, or running.
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Hailing from Hermosa Beach, Dr. Cherrette majored in chemistry with a minor in mathematics; she earned her PhD in chemistry from UC Santa Cruz and was an affiliate at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. She enjoys the sunny outdoors whether it be camping, hiking, or running.
Su Yong Cho
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Born in Deajeon, South Korea, Su Yong is a chemistry major. He plans to attend grad school after graduating from Kunkuk University in Fall 2024. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, watching sport, and listening to music.
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Born in Deajeon, South Korea, Su Yong is a chemistry major. He plans to attend grad school after graduating from Kunkuk University in Fall 2024. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer, watching sport, and listening to music.
Connor J. Hutcherson
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Born and raised in Redondo Beach, he majored in chemistry; he is currently a field application scientist at Pall Corporation. His hobbies include cooking and exploring the outdoors. In fact, he once spent three weeks backpacking the Appalachian trail!
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Born and raised in Redondo Beach, he majored in chemistry; he is currently a field application scientist at Pall Corporation. His hobbies include cooking and exploring the outdoors. In fact, he once spent three weeks backpacking the Appalachian trail!
Preston S. Lawsom
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A Chico local, Preston majors in chemistry and minors in Studio Art at Chico State. He transferred from Butte College with a double AA in Physics and Chemistry and currently works on developing MOF interlayers for solar cells. He's interested in sustainable energy and materials science, but he enjoys dabbling in every field and plans to become a professor after grad school. Did you know that in his free time he makes sells his pottery all over Chico? He interned at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and is currently a lecturer at CSU, Chico.
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A Chico local, Preston majors in chemistry and minors in Studio Art at Chico State. He transferred from Butte College with a double AA in Physics and Chemistry and currently works on developing MOF interlayers for solar cells. He's interested in sustainable energy and materials science, but he enjoys dabbling in every field and plans to become a professor after grad school. Did you know that in his free time he makes sells his pottery all over Chico? He interned at Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory and is currently a lecturer at CSU, Chico.
Ernesto Lucatero
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A Marysville native, Ernesto is a biochemistry major and a first-generation student. He currently works on enhancing catalytic MOFs for oxidative desulfurization. After Chico State, he plans to go to grad school, hopefully somewhere sunny! He enjoys going to the movies, working out, and listing to music in his spare time. He is earning his PhD in chemistry at University of Oregon.
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A Marysville native, Ernesto is a biochemistry major and a first-generation student. He currently works on enhancing catalytic MOFs for oxidative desulfurization. After Chico State, he plans to go to grad school, hopefully somewhere sunny! He enjoys going to the movies, working out, and listing to music in his spare time. He is earning his PhD in chemistry at University of Oregon.
Nicole D. Mackie
Hailing from Newcastle, CA, Nicole majored in physics. When she is not focused on work, you can probably find her running outdoors, working out at the gym, or shopping in downtown Chico. She is currently a chemistry teacher at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts.
Hailing from Newcastle, CA, Nicole majored in physics. When she is not focused on work, you can probably find her running outdoors, working out at the gym, or shopping in downtown Chico. She is currently a chemistry teacher at Marysville Charter Academy for the Arts.
Olivia S. McIntosh
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Originally from Livermore, CA, Olivia majored in chemistry and minored in physics. She worked at Nanotech Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Nilogen Oncosystems, and InCircle Review before starting as program manager for FFF Enterprises.
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Originally from Livermore, CA, Olivia majored in chemistry and minored in physics. She worked at Nanotech Energy, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Nilogen Oncosystems, and InCircle Review before starting as program manager for FFF Enterprises.
Carlos M. Melchor
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Originally from Ukiah, Carlos majored in biochemistry. On his free time, he's playing soccer, watching his favorite team Liverpool, cooking both Mexican and Japanese dishes, and hanging out with his family and friends. He is currently a medical school student at UC Davis.
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Originally from Ukiah, Carlos majored in biochemistry. On his free time, he's playing soccer, watching his favorite team Liverpool, cooking both Mexican and Japanese dishes, and hanging out with his family and friends. He is currently a medical school student at UC Davis.
Julia R. Penick
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Originally from Redding, Julia majors in chemistry and minors in biochemistry. She enjoys being an SI leader, working out, and spending time with her dogs. She started her Ph.D. in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz in September 2023.
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Originally from Redding, Julia majors in chemistry and minors in biochemistry. She enjoys being an SI leader, working out, and spending time with her dogs. She started her Ph.D. in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz in September 2023.
Celia F. Todd
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A native of Oroville, Celia double majored in chemistry and biochemistry. When not studying, she writes to keep her passion for literature burning bright and enjoys playing MMORPGs. She is currently pursuing her PhD in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz.
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A native of Oroville, Celia double majored in chemistry and biochemistry. When not studying, she writes to keep her passion for literature burning bright and enjoys playing MMORPGs. She is currently pursuing her PhD in chemistry at UC Santa Cruz.
Susana (Susie) Z. Uribe
A native of Long Beach, Susie double majored in chemistry and biochemistry. Ever since 5th grade when she was tasked to draw the anatomy of an esophagus, she has aspired to become a physician. She is currently an EMT in Chicago, IL.
A native of Long Beach, Susie double majored in chemistry and biochemistry. Ever since 5th grade when she was tasked to draw the anatomy of an esophagus, she has aspired to become a physician. She is currently an EMT in Chicago, IL.
Dr. Sungwon Yoon
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All the way from Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Yoon majored in chemistry with a mathematics minor. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures. Although she hasn’t been to many countries yet, she plans to explore more countries in the future. She worked at Nanotech Energy, a graphene battery startup company, before earning her PhD in chemistry at University of Houston.
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All the way from Seoul, South Korea, Dr. Yoon majored in chemistry with a mathematics minor. In her spare time, she enjoys traveling and experiencing different cultures. Although she hasn’t been to many countries yet, she plans to explore more countries in the future. She worked at Nanotech Energy, a graphene battery startup company, before earning her PhD in chemistry at University of Houston.
