Ameya Burde Assistant Professor of Chemistry

My academic journey began with an undergraduate degree (B.S.) in Chemistry and a masters (M.S.) in Organic Chemistry from Savitribai Phule Pune University, India. During this time, I was first exposed to chemistry research, particularly in the field of natural product isolation and synthesis, under the guidance of Prof. Arun Natu. This experience motivated my decision to pursue a graduate degree in Chemistry. 

For my graduate studies, I joined Prof. Sherry Chemler's group at the State University of New York at Buffalo. My thesis work involved the development of new base-metal-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of medicinally relevant heterocyclic compounds. Following my Ph.D., I moved to the University of Michigan, where I was a postdoctoral fellow in Prof. Corey Stephenson's group. My projects during this appointment revolved around exploring photochemistry to effect organic transformations. During this time, I also had an opportunity to teach a class for the first time independently. This experience was where I realized that I had a passion for teaching and mentoring undergraduate students. 

My research at Davidson College focuses on making organic synthesis sustainable. Solvents are essential components of any organic reaction; however, they are the most significant contributor to laboratory and industrial waste streams and have many adverse environmental and human health effects. My research aims to explore new sustainable alternative reaction media for implementation in Organic synthesis.