Makeda Tekle-Smith earned her Bachelors degree in Chemistry from Pomona College in 2014. In 2019, she completed her Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. James Leighton at Columbia University. Following that, Makeda conducted postdoctoral research, first at Princeton University and later at the University of California, Los Angeles. In 2022, Makeda Tekle-Smith assumed the role of Assistant Professor of Chemistry at Columbia University, where she also leads the Tekle-Smith research group.
Makeda and her research group focus on exploring fundamental principles of physical organic chemistry within the realm of asymmetric synthesis. Their objective is to create enantiopure substances, leverage the reactivity of unconventional chiral motifs, and advance the foundational understanding of chiral structural effects. The goal is to apply their research findings to areas such as pharmaceutical development, materials design, and the advancement of sustainable synthetic methods.
Photo source: The Doyle Group
Moderator: Dr. Ieva Žutautė
