new tess 2024

 

Hometown: Homewood, Illinois 
 
Undergraduate Degree: Bachelors of Science in Chemistry
 
Graduate (expected): 2026
 
Activities: kayaking, watching star wars, playing with my cat, and hiking
 
One interesting fact: I was a competitive figure skater growing up until college and then I played lacrosse even after having a PAO surgery on my hip. 
 
Research: Studying PFAS (poly and per fluoroalkyl substances) as they are commonly used as fire retardants, surface coating on nonstick cookware, water repellants, and more. They are manmade substances that can easily travel in soil and into our ground and surface water and are not easily removed. We are looking to study how these substances influence different systems through optical techniques