About Us
Undergraduate Organic Chemistry Research at Cal Poly
Cal Poly's "Learn by Doing" is exemplified in the excellent research done by our team of undergraduate chemists. Since 2016, our group has had a total of 50 members who have contributed meaningful results to our research projects.

Meet The Team

Dan Bercovici
Assistant Professor
Ph.D.: University of Vermont
B.Sc.: Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Favorite Lab Technique: TLC
​

Danilo Alamillo
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Favorite Lab Technique: Column Chromatography
​
​

Erin Ituralde
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Favorite Lab Technique: 2D NMR
​
​

Ashley Freeman
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2025
Favorite Lab Technique:

Jonathan "Joneaux" Moore
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Favorite Lab Technique: Azeotropic Distillation
​

Jake Bellamah
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Favorite Lab Technique: TLC
​

Maya Frey
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2025
Favorite Lab Technique: NOESY

Scott Borchers
Major: Biochemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2025
Favorite Lab Technique:

Shawn Larson
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2025
Favorite Lab Technique: Titration

Jacob Landa
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2025
Favorite Lab Technique:

Sonia Patil
Major: Chemistry
Expected Graduation: Spring 2026
Favorite Lab Technique: NMR Spectroscopy
Former Team Members

Quinn Williams
Graduated: Spring 2024
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at University of Denver

Gisele Guerrero
Graduated: Spring 2024
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Working at X-Therma Inc.

Joaquin Gonzalez
Graduated: Spring 2024
Major: Biology
Currently: Preparing Med School Applications

Trevor Reynafarje
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at UC, Santa Barbara

Cameron McMullen
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at UC, Davis

Cameron Fleischer
Graduated: Winter 2023
Major: Biochemistry & Biology
Currently: Master's Student at CSULB

Scott L'Heureux
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Chemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at UC, Santa Barbara

Madison Irons
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Biochemistry
Currently:

Spencer Thurman
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Biology
Currently: Masters in BMed Eng at Cal Poly

Julia Soeller
Graduating: Spring 2024
Major: Biology
Currently: Still at Cal Poly

Josephine Gordon
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Chemistry
Currently: +1 Masters in Polymers and Coatings at CP

Lily Nielsen
Graduating: Spring 2024
Major: Biology
Currently: Still at Cal Poly

Ava Henry
Graduated: Spring 2022
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at UC, San Diego

Elizabeth McDonough
Graduated: Spring 2022
Major: Chemistry
Currently: Polycoat Products, Los Angeles, CA

Jerry Sheng
Graduated: Spring 2022
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Master's Student, San Francisco State Univ.

Julia Munson
Graduated: Winter 2022
Major: Chemistry
Currently: Working at Biotium, Inc.

Gretchen Bigelow
Graduated: Spring 2022
Major: Chemistry
Currently:

Ty Cecil
Graduated: Spring 2022
Major: Boichemistry
Currently:

Abby Richardson
Graduated: Fall 2021
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student - University of Manchester, UK

Erica Medhurst
Graduated: Fall 2021
Major: Chemistry
Currently: "Figuring out my next step"

Evan Holtz
Graduated: Spring 2018
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Science Teacher, Paso Robles HS

Michael DiMartino
Graduated: Spring 2020 (Univ. of Pennsylvania)
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: M.D./Ph.D. Student - USC, CA

Bailey Wong
Graduated: Spring 2019
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student at UC, Davis

Michelle Luu
Graduated: Spring 2023
Major: Biochemistry
Currently:

Dominique Tartar
Graduated: Spring 2019
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: working at Origin Materials in Davis, CA

Denzel Ayala
Graduated: Spring 2018
Major: Chemistry
Currently: Ph.D. Student (Physics) at Univ. at Buffalo, NY

Cole Pajunen
Graduated: Spring 2018
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Forensic Toxicologist - Madison , WI

David Malouf
Graduated: Winter 2019
Major: Biology
Currently: Marshall B. Ketchum, Southern California School of Optometry

Angel Canales
Graduated: Spring 2021
Major: Biochemistry
Currently: Brightseed Inc., San Francisco, CA
​

Lauren Chavez
Graduated: Spring 2019
Major: Animal Sciences
Currently: working at Merck

Ryan Rhodes
Graduated: Spring 2018
Major: Biochemistry
Currently:

Keemia Khamnei
Graduated: Spring 2018
Major: Biochemistry
Currently:
Former Group Members who were camera-shy
-
Rose Hittle
-
Andres Hinojosa
-
Ryan Behnke
-
Simone Eggerton
-
Caitlin Tan
-
Dean Boswell
-
Taylor Bustamante
-
Kaitlyn Le