Meet Makeda
Makeda Tekle-Smith was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California. She obtained her B.A. in chemistry at Pomona College in 2014. As an undergraduate, she investigated new anti-malarial compounds with Prof. Cynthia Selassie. She then obtained her Ph.D. with Prof. James Leighton at Columbia University in 2019. There she developed new methods to construct asymmetric C(sp3)–C(sp3) bonds and applied these technologies to the total synthesis of non-aromatic polyketide natural products. Makeda then went on to conduct her postdoctoral research with Prof. Abigail Doyle first at Princeton University and then at the University of California Los Angeles. Makeda's postdoctoral work has focused on generating and harnessing reactive radical intermediates through photoredox catalysis to unveil new reactivity platforms. Makeda began her independent career at Columbia University in 2022. Along with chemistry, Makeda enjoys mentoring, playing soccer, and art.
Education
2021 - 2022
University of California Los Angeles
Postdoctoral Fellow
2019 - 2021
Princeton University
Princeton Presidential Postdoctoral Fellow
2014 - 2019
Columbia University
PhD in Chemistry
2010 - 2014
Pomona College
BA in Chemistry
Selected Awards
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Merck Research Award for Underrepresented Chemists of Color (2021)
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CAS Future Leaders Award (2020)
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Pegram Award for meritorious achievements in research (2019)
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WCC/Merck Research Award (2018)
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Jack Miller Teaching Award (2017)
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National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellow (2016)