Alumni

Postdoctoral Alumnus

Miyuru De Silva, Ph.D
Postdoctoral Scholar, August 2024 to March 2025
B.S. in Chemistry, University of Kelaniya; Ph.D. in Chemistry, University of Kansas
First post-KU position: Scientist, Bristol Myers Squibb

Graduate Student Alumni

Naviya Schuster-Little, Ph.D. 
Graduate Student, December 2019 to May 2024
B.A. in Biochemistry, Oberlin College, 2017; M.S. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 2022; Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors), University of Kansas, 2024
Recipient of the KU J.K. Lee Award (top thesis in Analytical Chemistry), 2024
First post-KU position: Post-doctoral researcher, University of Wisconsin (with Lloyd Smith) 

Eliza Hanson, Ph.D. 
Graduate Student December 2019 to May 2024
B.S. in Chemistry, John Brown University, 2019; M.S. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 2022; Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors), University of Kansas, 2024
First post-KU position: Post-doctoral researcher, Rowan University (with Jim Grinias)
Current position: Assistant professor, Department of Chemistry, Austin College

Chien-Wei Wang, Ph.D. 
Graduate Student April 2021 to December 2024
B.S. in Biomedical Sciences, Chang Gung University, Taiwan, 2013; M.S. in Microbiology and Immunology, National Taiwan University, 2015; M.S. in Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of Notre Dame, 2022; Ph.D. in Chemistry (Honors), University of Kansas, 2025
Recipient of the KU Newmark Award (excellence in Biochemical research), 2024
Recipient of the KU J.K. Lee Award (top thesis in Analytical Chemistry), 2025
First post-KU position: Senior Scientist, Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine

Undergraduate Student Alumni

Andrew Sokolovsky, KU Chemical Engineering Major, 2026

Trisha Nair, B.S. Chemistry, Departmental Honors, 2025

Lily Tackett, B.S. Chemistry, Departmental Honors, 2026

Summer REU Program Alumni

Gabriella Herrera, Southwestern College (REU 2023)

Spencer Moffitt, Oberlin College (REU 2025)

Pandora Freeman, Bethel College (REU 2026)

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Note: Alumni of the Whelan lab at the University of Kansas (2022-present) are listed here. Information about the alumni of the Whelan lab at Oberlin College (2005-2018) and the University of Notre Dame (2018-2022) are coming soon!