FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry

Congratulations to our doctoral student Kimberley Christopher, who recently won first place in the 2026 Florida Venture Forum's Statewide Collegiate Startup Competition! Christopher, a member of the Alabugin Group at Florida State University, conducts research on the degradation of perfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS.

"More than 200 million Americans are exposed to PFAS-contaminated water every day. These 'forever chemicals' persist in the environment and pose significant risks to human health. Our team at Radical Solutions is developing new technologies to destroy PFAS efficiently and sustainably," Christopher said.

"Winning this award is incredibly encouraging as an early-career scientist and entrepreneur. It reinforces the importance of connecting fundamental research with real-world impact and motivates me to continue working toward practical solutions for environmental challenges. We call our company Radical Solutions because we believe no problem should last forever."

To read more about this year's Early Stage Venture Conference award winners, including FAMU FSU College of Engineering alumna Caroline Sorrick and her company E&P Technologies, visit: bit.ly/3Smr3t7.

To learn more about the Alabugin Group, visit: bit.ly/4aNN22v.

Three members of FSU's Ukraine Task Force presented last week at the Lviv Academic Bridge Conference. Dr. Laura Greene, Dr. Anna Romanova and Dr. Michael Shatruk were all part of the U.S. Science and Education Forum.

Florida State University | FSU Global | Львівська політехніка | National High Magnetic Field Laboratory | FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry | Florida State University Division of Research

Congrats to our 14 honors medallion awardees from the FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry — we're so proud of you!

Nearly half of the 548 Florida State University Spring 2026 graduates who earned honors medallions are from the FSU College of Arts & Sciences! 🏅

Honors medallion awardees completed the University Honors Program or Honors in the Major Program. Those who completed both programs with a 3.9 cumulative GPA or higher received the designation of Outstanding Senior Scholar.

To learn more about the Spring 2026 honorees and Florida State University Honors Program, visit: fla.st/PDZJN6KN.

📸 : Brittany Mobley

FSU Undergraduate Studies

“It is sometimes easy to forget that academic research can change the world," said James Frederich, the Werner Herz Associate Professor in the FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry. "Daraxonrasib, and the mechanism underlying its action, serves as an excellent reminder of the long-term return on investing in academic science.”

Daraxonrasib — a promising new pancreatic cancer drug that nearly doubled survival times in a recent clinical trial — is a prominent example of how breakthroughs found in university laboratories help lay the foundation for life-changing collaborations between university researchers and biotech companies.

With research specialties spanning chemical biology, synthesis and catalysis, Frederich is available for interviews on the role of universities in developing cancer-treating drugs. For more information, visit: fla.st/EEJ88RS3.

Florida State University, Florida State University Division of Research

Next Tuesday, the FAMU FSU College of Engineering will host Suddhasatwa Basu for a seminar, titled "Biorefining in Electrochemical Reactors: Conversion of Biomass-Derived Compounds to Various Platform Chemicals."

Basu is the Fed Indian Petroleum Indus Chair Professor on Clean Energy at IIT Delhi, and at present, he is also a visiting professor at Washington University in St. Louis. He has vast experience in developing materials for energy conversion and storage devices — such as green hydrogen and fuel cell technologies as well as rechargeable battery materials.

🗓️ Tuesday, June 9
⏰ 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
📍 Aero-Propulsion, Mechatronics and Energy Building (Room 106)

For more event details, visit: fla.st/3NQCZP7W.

Florida State University

Congratulations to Mike Shatruk, who is one of seven Florida State University faculty members elected to the Academy of Science, Engineering and Medicine of Florida this year!

Shatruk is a professor in the FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry specializing in solid-state and molecular magnetism and the discovery of new quantum materials. As the founding director of the FSU Quantum Science Initiative, Shatruk works at the boundary between materials chemistry and physics to uncover correlations between crystal structure and magnetic properties of quantum materials.

To check out the full story, visit: fla.st/XQQXQ10X.

Florida State University Division of Research, FSU Faculty Development

Justin Kennemur (FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry) is the first from Florida State University to win the 2026 Distinguished Service Award from the ACS Division of Polymer Chemistry!

His lab, the Kennemur Research Group, takes inspiration from organic chemistry concepts in the natural world, like complex polymers found naturally in starch or collagen, to develop synthetic techniques that advance polymer chemistry, especially in the development of sustainable plastics that can be reused and recycled more effectively.

To learn more, visit: fla.st/VU4S24EB.

Florida State University Division of Research, FSU Faculty Development

Xiangpeng Li (FSU Department of Chemistry & Biochemistry) is part of a research team searching Earth's soil for microbes that can be used to create new antibiotics to treat the growing threat of drug-resistant bacteria.

To learn more about this research led by Florida State University and National High Magnetic Field Laboratory scientists, visit: fla.st/WGTJA3HE.

📸 : Stephen Bilenky/National High Magnetic Field Laboratory