Ritchie Hernandez

I grew up in North County San Diego and proceeded to do my undergraduate work at UCSD in chemistry after transferring from Cuyamaca Community College. Community college was a fabulous learning experience for me, and that an NSF - REU was the pivotal factor for me to choose UCSD and want to continue with chemistry and specifically research.

My current research project is in organometallics with the Figueroa group. The group generally employs unique and complicated molecular cages to achieve and isolate reactivities once thought impossible. These reactivities include, but are not limited to, small molecule activation, catalysis and fundamental discovery. I am hoping to apply these unique systems to the goal of nitrogen fixation and material development.