Author Archives: Laura Ives

Summer 2023 Internship applications now open

We are very excited to open the application process for Summer 2023!

Lots of info here:

  • Summer researchers work on individual, unique projects.
  • They are supervised by Dr. Tom Guarr, Director of R&D at the Michigan State University Bioeconomy Institute and PI of the OESLab.
  • Please note the lab is in Holland, MI, not East Lansing, MI.
  • Our summer program lasts ten weeks. This may be extended by mutual agreement.
  • Start dates are flexible.
  • We are paying $15.00/hr for 40 hours each week.
  • We will help you find housing for the summer.  Housing may be in a rental with other students.
  • At the end of the summer we will participate in a poster session where your individual research can be presented.  Please see below for areas of research.
  • Look through this blog to see other summer’s research groups and activities.

Please read this post carefully and follow directions to apply.

Go to careers.msu.edu.  Search for job # 832628.  Follow instructions to apply.

Please include with your application:

  1. Resume
  2. Cover letter detailing which area of our research most interests you (see below)
  3. List of technical classes (You can send your transcript, but all we need is a list)
  4. At least one reference (preferably academic or research reference)

Here is a graphic of our research areas:

Please email Laura Ives with any questions. <—— that is me.  I am very responsive.

Our application window will close February 28, 2023.

We are looking forward to hearing from you!

ACS Chicago

The national meeting of ACS occurring in the Midwest was an opportunity not to be missed!  Charley presented a poster and our researchers spent two days exploring the symposium.

Welcome back Dr. Rachel Beltman

We have the honor of welcoming back Rachel Beltman.  She started with us as an intern in the summer of 2017.  From there, she attended graduate school at Wayne State University and was awarded a PhD in Biochemistry this summer.  She is back to help us out with some compounds of interest.  Her contributions are much appreciated.

How it started (2017)…                      How it’s going (2022)….

Rachel’s time back with us was short but sweet.  Congratulations on your new position at Gentex.  Your future is bright!

Charley Hengesbach

Charley started with the OESLab the summer of 2021 and stayed through the year.  She did great research and increased our knowledge of our target compounds immensely.  She also did an amazing job working with five new interns this summer.

Charley is continuing to work at MSUBI, but she has moved to the pilot plant area where she will be a Process Engineer.  This is great because we still get to see her every day.  Thanks Charley!

Interested in working for us?

We are hiring researchers!  Are you excited about some good organic synthesis and electrochemistry?  Are you interested in energy storage, flow batteries and organic chemistry?  Please apply!

https://careers.msu.edu/en-us/job/512268/technical-aide

Your application will come straight to us.  These jobs are located in Holland, MI.  We are looking for Post-bac or Post-doc candidates.

This position will perform original research in energy storage involving organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, electrochemistry and device design. Researchers will work in collaboration with Jolt Energy Storage and NRELaboratory toward battery development. They will also assist with the lab’s summer internship program, working with undergraduate interns and their research projects.

Cyclic Voltammetry - an overview | ScienceDirect Topics

Have questions?  Email iveslaur@msu.edu.

We are hiring!

We are looking for full-time post-grad or post-undergrad recruits.  If you are interested in joining our group, or just want more information, please reach out to me, Laura Ives, at iveslaur@msu.edu.
This position would perform original research in energy storage involving organic synthesis, analytical chemistry, electrochemistry and device design.  They would work for Michigan State University and in collaboration with Jolt Energy Storage and NRELaboratory toward battery development.  They will also assist with the lab’s summer internship program, working with undergraduate interns and their research projects.
I’m looking forward to hearing from you!

Evelyn Widmaier

Evelyn is a Chemistry major at University of Michigan…

Synthesis of Novel Pyridinium Porphyrins for Electrochemical Energy Storage 

Evelyn Widmaier 

Dr. Thomas Guarr 

Organic Energy Storage Laboratory at Michigan State University Bioeconomy Institute 

Porphyrins have applications in nonaqueous redox flow batteries (RBFs) as bipolar redox-active materials and in solar photovoltaic cells as light absorbers and transfer agents. Use of porphyrins in RBFs has been limited by poor reversibility in the second electron redox reaction and low solubility. Pyridinium porphyrins have the potential to improve on these limitations for RBFs. Pyridinium porphyrins may also be viable for photochemical electron cascade in solar photovoltaic cells due to their increased electron-hole pair separation. Zinc-metalated and free base pyridinium porphyrins were obtained by reaction of aminophenyl porphyrin with pyrylium in a multistep synthesis. Redox potentials were characterized by cyclic voltammetry. Here, we present a synthetic pathway for pyridinium porphyrins and ongoing analysis of pyridinium porphyrin usefulness in electrochemical energy storage. 

Thanks Evelyn!  It was a great summer with you.  Enjoy Ann Arbor and UMich.

Taylor Opolka

Taylor is a Biological Laboratory Science major at Davenport University…

Novel Linked Ferrocene Donor-Acceptor Compounds for Use in Symmetric Non-Aqueous Redox Flow Batteries 

Taylor Opolka 

Dr. Thomas Guarr 

Organic Energy Storage Laboratory at Michigan State University Bioeconomy Institute 

Traditional aqueous redox flow batteries are common vessels used in energy storage, but their cell voltage is limited by the potential window of water. Shifting to non-aqueous cells provides a larger potential window and a wider range of active materials that can be utilized. Additionally, employing bifunctional molecules helps mitigate the cost and environmental impact of such cells. Novel linked ferrocene donor-acceptor compounds show great promise for use in these non-aqueous cells based on their physical properties, including good stability, high solubility, and an attractive cell voltage. Two phenyl-linked ferrocene-pyrylium compounds have been synthesized and characterized via mass spectroscopy, nuclear magnetic resonance, and cyclic voltammetry, and have exhibited favorable properties for use in nonaqueous redox flow batteries 

Taylor was with us for what may be a record of 16+ weeks of internship.  We enjoyed having you Taylor.  Keep in touch your last semester at Davenport.