After Sparking a Reaction at NJIT, Alexis Palmere Pursues Chemistry Ph.D. at Pitt

Alexis Palmere is riding the wave of excitement from commencement day, and with good reason. The biochemistry major from West Orange graduated summa cum laude and is set to begin her chemistry Ph.D. studies at the University of Pittsburgh in the fall.

When asked about her personal NJIT highlight, Palmere pointed to her research.

“I always knew I wanted to be in a STEM career, which brought me here, but I wasn’t sure exactly what I wanted to do. Biochemistry just fits all my interests in one major. Starting to do research at NJIT kind of changed my whole perspective on my next steps. I thought maybe I’d get a master’s, but now I’m headed for a Ph.D.,” she said.

Palmere says her academic focus sharpened in the lab of chemistry professor Pier Alexandre Champagne, which she joined through the Undergraduate Research and Innovation Summer Fellowship in 2023.

Her research project focused on synthesizing a new organic compound to study its intermediates and the potential reaction mechanism when subjected to different laboratory conditions.

“Our lab is small, so when the grad student that had been working on the project graduated, I took it over alone,” she said. “But because we had such a tight-knit group, it meant I was able to receive direct mentorship from professor Champagne, which really helped me grow as a researcher.”

“It definitely opened up my eyes to seeing how the chemistry plays out in the real world, which I thought was super cool,” said Palmere, who will present her findings at the Middle Atlantic Regional Meeting of the ACS at Seton Hall later this month. “There were a lot of bumps in the road trying to make the compound I wanted. It was much harder than I expected, but in the end, it was such a rewarding and successful experience that I’ll always be able to draw from in my future research.”

Palmere’s efforts were recently recognized with the Undergraduate Award in Organic Chemistry from the ACS Division of Organic Chemistry, which came as a surprise but is now among her proudest achievements as an undergrad.

“Some of my professors nominated me for it. I had no idea I was even nominated until I was told about the award at the CES Senior Day, then I received a letter and certificate in the mail. That was such a shock,” Palmere said. “Grades may show that I’m a good student, but the research and my passion for chemistry — that’s a big deal for me. I have the experience, and now I have an award to show for it.”

Of course, Palmere credits her mentors for helping her define her path, which will remain focused on organic chemistry and research related to pharmaceuticals and drug development during her Ph.D. studies at Pitt.

“My mentors in the chemistry department — professors Champagne, Christopher DeSantis, Bhavani Balasubramanian, and Mieke Peels — all gave me amazing guidance and encouragement,” she said. “I wouldn’t have felt comfortable doing research or even considering a Ph.D. if it weren’t for them.”

Outside the lab, Palmere says she’ll fondly remember her other involvements, including working as a New Student Orientation leader, Highlander H.O.U.S.E. (Food Pantry and Career Closet) staff member, and chemistry tutor, along with being a member of Nucleus Yearbook, American Chemical Society, and Chemistry Honor Society.

For now, her advice to incoming NJIT students is simple: “Don’t be afraid to try something new, even if it seems hard. I didn’t think I could handle research when I first arrived at NJIT, but with perseverance, you can do anything you put your mind to. Just keep pushing forward.”