Principal Investigator: Professor Nicholas D. Ball
Prof. Nicholas Ball grew up in Chattanooga, TN. He received his B.A. in Chemistry at Macalester College in 2005 and completed their Ph.D. in 2011 under Prof. Melanie Sanford at the University of Michigan working with C–F and C–CF3 bond formation from high-oxidation state palladium. In 2010, he headed to the California Institute of Technology to pursue his postdoctoral studies with Prof. David Tirrell as a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow. Prof. Ball started as an Assistant Professor at Amherst College in 2013. In 2015 Prof. Ball joined the faculty at Pomona College and is now an Associate Professor of Chemistry with tenure. His current research focuses on developing new methods to make and use sulfur-based molecules that can be used for drug targets, chemical probes in biology, and material science. The work of his lab involves making molecules, machine learning, and computational chemistry. His work features industrial, international collaborations as well as work with professors at other predominantly undergraduate institutions. Prof. Ball’s honors and awards include Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and 2022 Chemical and Engineering News LGBTQ+ trailblazer. His research has been funded by NIH, NSF, and the American Chemical Society.
Prof. Nicholas Ball grew up in Chattanooga, TN. He received his B.A. in Chemistry at Macalester College in 2005 and completed their Ph.D. in 2011 under Prof. Melanie Sanford at the University of Michigan working with C–F and C–CF3 bond formation from high-oxidation state palladium. In 2010, he headed to the California Institute of Technology to pursue his postdoctoral studies with Prof. David Tirrell as a NIH Postdoctoral Fellow. Prof. Ball started as an Assistant Professor at Amherst College in 2013. In 2015 Prof. Ball joined the faculty at Pomona College and is now an Associate Professor of Chemistry with tenure. His current research focuses on developing new methods to make and use sulfur-based molecules that can be used for drug targets, chemical probes in biology, and material science. The work of his lab involves making molecules, machine learning, and computational chemistry. His work features industrial, international collaborations as well as work with professors at other predominantly undergraduate institutions. Prof. Ball’s honors and awards include Henry Dreyfus Teacher-Scholar Award and 2022 Chemical and Engineering News LGBTQ+ trailblazer. His research has been funded by NIH, NSF, and the American Chemical Society.
Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/nicholas-ball-8560516
Twitter: @ballnchemist
@theballlab
Current Laboratory Members
Undergraduate Students
Madison Hesse '24 is a recent graduate (Classical Studies) from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. She is taking a gap-year after graduating before applying to medical school). Madison's hobbies include cooking, listening to music, and gardening.
Joe Novicki ‘26 is a Pomona College Junior from Albuquerque, New Mexico. Joe is undeclared but would like to pursue an double major between Spanish and Biology while on the pre-health track. Joe’s hobbies include ballroom dancing, reading, and learning languages. For summer 2024, is a Pfizer Intern working with the am Ende lab at the Groton site.
https://www.linkedin.com/in/joseph-novicki-67a92a263/
Richard Romero '24 is a recent graduate (Chemistry) from Chicago, Illinois. His hobbies include hiking, trying out new foods, and traveling! He is currently an American Cancer Society Post-Baccalaureate Fellow at Yale University.
Natalie Schur ’24 is a recent graduate (Chemistry). She is from Princeton, New Jersey and enjoys the outdoors, painting, and walking her dog. In Fall 2024, she will be attending UC Berkeley in the Chemistry PhD. program.
Avishka Silva ’24 is recent graduate (Molecular Biology). He is from Rancho Cucamonga, CA. His main hobbies are tennis and piano. He is currently taking a gap year before medical school.
Matt Teeter ’24 is a recent graduate (Chemistry). He is from East Lyme, Connecticut, and enjoys hanging out with his dogs, collaging, and trying new cheeses. In Fall 2024, he will be attending Columbia University in the Chemistry PhD. program.
Theo Yassa ’24 is a recent graduate (Chemistry). He is from in Kittery, Maine, and likes playing music and soccer. He is currently a post-baccalaureate scholar in Prof. Rebecca DiPucchio's lab.
Theo Yassa ’24 is a recent graduate (Chemistry). He is from in Kittery, Maine, and likes playing music and soccer. He is currently a post-baccalaureate scholar in Prof. Rebecca DiPucchio's lab.
Lan Zhu '26 is a junior at Pomona College double majoring in molecular biology and economics on the pre-med track. He is from San Diego, California and when not doing school work, Lan likes to swim, golf, hang with friends, and anything at the beach or activities that are active. Summer 2024, he is working as a research assistant in the lab of Prof. Keary Engle (Scripps Research).
Lan Zhu '26 is a junior at Pomona College double majoring in molecular biology and economics on the pre-med track. He is from San Diego, California and when not doing school work, Lan likes to swim, golf, hang with friends, and anything at the beach or activities that are active. Summer 2024, he is working as a research assistant in the lab of Prof. Keary Engle (Scripps Research).