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News Release 15-030

NSF awards 2015 Graduate Research Fellowships

This year's Fellows are diverse in terms of backgrounds and areas of study

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Edith Nagy in lab

Graduate Research Fellow Edith Nagy is currently pursuing a Ph.D. in organic chemistry at Florida Atlantic University. Her research focuses on developing new methods for the synthesis of compounds by utilizing a new ammonium-alkyne interaction pioneered in her research group. This approach leads to a variety of new building blocks (heterocycles and non-natural amino acids) that have potential applications in drug discovery. While today she could not imagine doing anything other than research in organic chemistry, growing up, she never thought she would be a scientist. Early on, she developed a passion for languages that helped her tremendously in moving from Romania to the U.S, and also in becoming a first generation college graduate in her family. She took her first classes in community college, which offered a good transition opportunity and also a chance to tutor in chemistry. Helping others understand the subject helped her develop strong fundamentals in chemistry. After taking her first organic chemistry course while pursuing her Bachelor's degree at Florida Atlantic University, she realized that science would be her future. Understanding how molecules react and bonds form fascinated her and led her to engage in undergraduate research. The undergraduate experience in the lab of Prof. Salvatore Lepore consolidated her desire to pursue a Ph.D. in organic chemistry. Now, as a third year doctoral candidate, she looks forward to becoming a medicinal chemist and applying her talent and training towards developing cures for diseases.

Credit: Florida Atlantic University


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