Current Members

Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
ajaffe at nd.edu
University of Notre Dame
Phone:
Office: Stepan 375
Mailing Address:

Bio
Google Scholar
CV
ORCID: 0000-0002-9886-0249

Hello! My name is Kareem Asham and I am from Asyut, Egypt. I relocated to Long Beach, California where I did my B.S. and M.S. at California State University, Long Beach. During my time at CSU, Long Beach, I carried out research on CO₂ electrocatalysis in ionic liquids. Now, I do spectroscopic studies of hybrid bronzes under high pressure. In my free time, I really enjoy playing or watching football (soccer), hanging out with friends, and volunteering at my local church.

Hello! My name is Navya, and I am from a small city named Udhampur, situated in the Shivalik range of the majestic Himalayas in northern India. I did both my undergraduate and master’s degrees in chemistry in India. During my undergrad and my master’s, I did research in organometallic chemistry and synthetic chemistry but always wanted to explore interdisciplinary areas of chemistry. Coming from the hills, I have always loved going on treks and hikes. I like cooking; my favorite dish to cook is Afghani chicken. I am a big fan of Punjabi music and Indian classical music.

Hi, I am Jayanti, originally from Sonipat, Haryana, India. I completed my undergraduate studies in Chemistry (Honours) from the University of Delhi, where I worked on a project titled “Green Synthesis of Iron Nanoparticles and Their Applications.”  Following that, I moved to Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore for my Master’s in Chemistry, where I joined Prof. Satish Patil’s research group. My work focused on synthesizing diketopyrrolopyrrole (DPP)-based dyes for applications in organic solar cells. Coming from strong village roots in Haryana, I have always remained closely connected to my culture. I am a big fan of dairy products and enjoy Haryanvi and Punjabi music, which keeps me connected to home and reflects an important part of who I am.

Yo! My name is Alex, I am from Brooklyn, NY. I got my B.S. in Chemistry at SUNY Oswego. During my undergrad, I did research in organometallic chemistry. I worked primarily with bimetallic N-heterocyclic carbene complexes to investigate the photophysical properties exhibited by these complexes. Since undergrad, my focus in chemistry has shifted from organometallics to solid-state chemistry and materials science. In my free time, I like to draw, write in my journal, read, mess around on my bass, and go for walks.

Hello! My name is Grace Robertson and I am from Appleton, Wisconsin. I graduated from the University of Wisconsin – Oshkosh where I got my B.S. in chemistry. During my undergraduate career, I did research on the synthesis of organometallic catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide. After graduating I worked in an analytical lab for three years where I worked on the development of various pharmaceutical products, however, I am looking forward to getting back into an inorganic lab setting. In my free time, I enjoy baking, reading, and playing the guitar and harmonica.

Hi! I am Anton Walte and I am originally from Schwerin in the north of Germany. I relocated to the picturesque town of Heidelberg to undertake my Bachelor and Master of Science in chemistry at the University of Heidelberg. During my master’s I had the pleasure of spending 8 months at the University of Notre Dame in the Jaffe lab. My previous research focused on many different fields for example on organic fluorescence probes in an inorganic chemistry group. Now that I am back, I am working on the synthesis of mixed metal bronzes as well as the modification of their electronic structure. In my free time I love to hang out with friends, do sports, and play video games.

Hi! I’m Nayana Christudas Beena from Kerala, India. I began my research working on shape-controlled palladium nanostructures for catalysis with Prof. Ujjal K. Gautam. I then completed my PhD at Indiana University Bloomington with Prof. Sara Skrabalak, where I studied multimetallic oxyhalide materials with visible-light absorption and resistance to photocorrosion. I am currently a Provost’s Postdoctoral Fellow (Society of Science) at the University of Notre Dame, working with Prof. Adam Jaffe on the self-assembly of hybrid metal oxides and the tuning of their optical and electrochromic properties. Outside the lab, I enjoy music, anime, and spending time with friends and family.