Katherine M. Van Heuvelen
R. Michael Shanahan Professor of Chemistry
and Associate Dean of Faculty
B.A., St. Olaf College
PhD, University of Wisconsin–Madison
Transition metals play a wide variety of roles in nature, including the catalysis of difficult chemical transformations. However, the complexity of biological systems often complicates detailed studies of catalytic cycles. My research centers on the design and characterization of small model complexes that mimic key geometric and electronic properties of metalloenzyme active sites. In particular, we are studying nickel and cobalt complexes using multiple spectroscopic and computational techniques.